Hurricane Katrina made landfall on Aug. 29, 2005, killing more than 1,300 people and leaving the Superdome inoperable for more than a year after severe roof damage. The stadium reopened to the public on Sept. 25, 2006, ahead of a Week 3 Monday Night Football game between the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons, with former Saints quarterback Archie Manning and first responders ceremonially ushering fans back into the Dome.
Pregame events included a performance by the Goo Goo Dolls outside and shows by Green Day and U2 inside, and former President George H.W. Bush oversaw the coin toss. Less than 90 seconds into the game, Saints special teamer Steve Gleason burst through the line and blocked a punt by Falcons’ Michael Koenen; Curtis Deloatch recovered the ball in the end zone for a touchdown and New Orleans rode the momentum to a 23-3 victory.
The blocked punt became an enduring symbol for the city. ESPN’s broadcast captured the moment, with analyst Stuart Scott noting “not a soul has left this building” as cameras panned a packed Superdome. The play was later ranked No. 28 on the NFL’s “100 Greatest Plays” list and is memorialized by a statue titled “Rebirth” outside the Dome.
Gleason, who was diagnosed with ALS in 2011, has said the play permanently connected him to New Orleans. In remarks to NFL Network’s Steve Wyche, Gleason said the block meant he was still alive and tied him to the city; he is expected to attend Monday’s game and has long used the phrase “Never punt.” Since that night, there have been 5,216 regular-season games, 45,983 punts and 247 punts blocked.
The blocked punt marked the start of a successful period for the Saints: they reached the NFC Championship Game that season and later won Super Bowl XLIV in the 2009 campaign. The league scheduled a primetime game around the 20th anniversary of the Dome’s return; the 10th anniversary was also televised on Monday Night Football, when the Falcons won 35-32.
