Jeff Duncan: A season-long series to celebrate 25 years on the Saints beat

I covered my first Saints game on Christmas Eve in 1999. I received the assignment largely because no one else wanted it.

Watching the going-nowhere, 2-12 Saints play the heavily favored Dallas Cowboys in a half-empty Superdome was hardly a plum gig.

Yet, lo and behold, the Saints upset the Dallas Cowboys 31-24 behind Jake Delhomme, a former undrafted free agent quarterback who was making his first NFL start.

The Saints fired head coach Mike Ditka two weeks later, and I was off to the races on the beat.

It’s been quite a journey since then, a rambling 25-year odyssey that has been equal parts whirlwind, equal parts roller coaster ride.

I’ve seen a lot over the years — the wild and the whacky, the weird and the wonderful.

Coaches, players and staff have come and gone, but there’s been one constant: you. Our readers have been there for every twist, turn and touchdown.

I had no idea the Saints had such a passionate following when I joined the Times-Picayune coverage team in 1999. The Packers, Steelers and Chiefs? Sure. But the Saints? I had never heard of the Who Dat Nation.

But it didn’t take long to learn just how important the Saints are to the people of our region. 

The Saints beat is the best training ground I know for aspiring journalists. Everything you write resonates with readers, and depending on the news of the day, you might be asked to write a medical, legal or business story in addition to reporting about football.

And it’s certainly not for the faint of heart.

Over the years, I’ve been trolled and trashed by people who have disagreed with my opinion in a column. And not just by fans. Jim Haslett threatened to get me fired. Sean Payton compared me to a National Enquirer reporter. Michael Thomas essentially called me a destitute prostitute, and that’s being kind compared to some of the stuff I get on social media.

But the good far outweighs the bad. I’ve been privileged to have a front-row seat for the most successful run in franchise history, the golden era of Saints football.

To commemorate my 25 years as a reporter and columnist on the beat, I’ve compiled a series of lists, celebrating the highs, lows and everything in between from a quarter century of Saints coverage. I’ll rate my favorite plays, players and games during the past quarter century, but I’ll also take you behind the scenes with stories and memories that never made it to print, an insiders’ perspective of covering the beat.

The first installment of our “25 for 25” series will run on Tuesday, July 23. To coincide with the opening day of training camp, I’ll share my favorite training camp memories from the past 25 years. The series will run weekly every Tuesday for the next 25 weeks, extending through the 2024 football season.

I sincerely hope you enjoy the trip down memory lane.

Coming next week: Favorite training camp memories (July 23)