Monday night in New Orleans had plenty going on, and Steve Gleason still managed to steal a little of the spotlight.
"Peyton, unfortunately for both of us, long before I hit the ball, I [would] hit your forehead."
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) October 6, 2026
Steve Gleason had jokes on the ManningCast 🤣 pic.twitter.com/VsAEWRiHef
The Saints were beaten 45-24, dropping Kellen Moore’s team to 1-3, but the night also brought out a familiar mix of stars at the Caesars Superdome. Alvin Kamara flashed some vintage form with a pair of touchdown scores, though he also left with a knee injury. Fans also got a scare with Chris Olave before the injury news turned out to be something they could exhale over.
Gleason, the Saints special teams icon with a statue outside the Caesars Superdome, was in the booth alongside Peyton and Eli Manning, and he wasted no time leaning into the moment. When Eli asked how hard it would have been to block Peyton as a punter, Gleason delivered the line of the night:
“Peyton, unfortunately for both of us, long before I'd hit the ball, I'd hit your forehead,” Gleason said, drawing laughter from the Manning duo.
It was the kind of joke only Gleason could get away with, especially in a setting like this. His blocked punt against the Falcons in September 2006 during the Louisiana Superdome’s “Rebirth Game” became one of the defining images of that night, and eventually earned him the statue that now stands outside the building. The play came to symbolize hope and rebirth after Hurricane Katrina ripped through the region.
The Manning brothers took it in stride, and so did Peyton, whose father Archie Manning is a Saints legend in his own right and has long handled jokes about his appearance without much fuss.
The Saints didn’t get the win they needed, but Gleason still got a memorable night alongside two of football’s biggest names. New Orleans will try to move forward when it heads to Minnesota on October 11.
In Other News...
Justin Reid Just Gave Saints Fans Another Reason To Be Furious
Before the Saints even kicked off against Atlanta, Justin Reid was trying to stir up the kind of noise that can make the Superdome feel like a different place altogether. It was the sort of pregame push players often make when they want the crowd locked in, and in a season where every little edge matters, the message was simple enough: bring the energy and make it loud.
After the loss, though, Reids message landed very differently. Fans who questioned his play got a sharp response on social media, and the line he chose did little to calm anyone down after a game in which he had some visible struggles. For a locker room already trying to steady itself and a fan base looking for accountability, the exchange only added another layer of frustration. [Read more 🡒]
Kellen Moore Sends Clear Message As Saints Face Early Gut Check
The Saints 45-24 loss to Atlanta in Week 4 only deepened an early-season slide that has already put plenty of pressure on a team trying to find its footing. At 1-3, New Orleans has no choice but to treat the first month as a gut check, and Kellen Moore made it clear after the game that disappointment alone will not be enough to move things forward.
Moore said the response has to come from everyone in the building, with players and staff pulling in the same direction after a result like this. The loss also gave Atlanta a boost to 2-2, leaving the Saints with a familiar kind of urgency in the NFC South and a growing need to show their next performance looks nothing like this one. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Fans Finally Have A Real Jordyn Tyson Return Timeline
The Saints still do not have a practice return in sight for Jordyn Tyson, but Kellen Moore at least put a clearer frame around the timeline this week. Tyson is not expected back on the field before Week 5, and the reality for New Orleans is that his first live action still appears to be some distance away after he has not practiced at all this season.
ESPNs Adam Schefter added another layer to the picture, reporting that Week 7 is the earliest Tyson could realistically return, with Week 9 looking like the likeliest target. The Saints trip to Paris in Week 7 and the bye that follows only complicate the path, especially since Tyson would still need at least a week of practice before he could actually suit up in a game. [Read more 🡒]