There might not be much for New Orleans Saints fans to be thankful for this Thanksgiving, so I decided to look back on some funny moments the team has had on the holiday. One of my personal favorites was when Shy Tuttle stiff-armed Matt Ryan into next week.
It was all really a one-man play by Tuttle, who, after tipping the ball, caught it and ran for 19 yards, with the stiff-arm occurring right about halfway through the runback. Forever a moment in Saints history, Tuttle's interception unfortunately did not result in any points on the ensuing offensive drive. However, the Saints did get the W in the end, scoring 26 points to the Falcons' 18.
When asked about what he saw on the play, Tuttle simply responded with "Green grass" while also saying that it isn't his first rodeo. "In middle school I was a tight end and played a couple of TE verses... I also ran the ball in High School," he said, laughing. "But that ain't my first pick. I caught a couple in high school and one in college, so I mean it ain't new."
The Saints have been uber successful when they play on Thanksgiving
The day has held many moments like Shy Tuttle's interception. In the first matchup in 2010 against the Cowboys, Drew Brees and John Kitna dueled it out, with both throwing for over 300 yards. Brees also played like a man on fire the next time he played on Thanksgiving in 2018, throwing four touchdowns.
The Saints might not be like the Detroit Lions or Dallas Cowboys, who play on the holiday every year, but they have played on it in years past. Holding a record of 3-1, they have also been pretty successful.
However, the last time that the Saints played on Turkey Day, which was back in 2021, it was not a game that the team would want to remember. In the visit to Buffalo, the black and gold got absolutely demolished, losing 31-6. In that game, the top receiver, Lil'Jordan Humphrey, only had 47 receiving yards on three catches.