Thoughts of sympathy and support poured out from New Orleans Saints players after the horrifying attack that struck the city on New Year’s Day.
Quarterback Derek Carr was among the first from the NFL community to react, sharing, “Praying for New Orleans. Woke up and saw the news this morning.”
Wide receiver Rashid Shaheed joined in, stating, “Pray for the city & everyone affected last night,” while other players, including Saints safety Tyrann Mathieu, echoed similar sentiments. “Praying for all those affected by the tragic events last night on Bourbon Street!”
Cam Jordan, the team’s veteran defensive end, also took to social media to express his grief.
Heartbreaking violence last night in New Orleans. Such a beautiful and great American city. May God bless the victims and their families. pic.twitter.com/8kC1mqjEsN
— JD Vance (@JDVance) January 1, 2025
“Woke up to texts about what happened on Bourbon Street last night, God bless! A pure tragedy, sorry to all those lives that were affected,” Jordan tweeted.
Jordan, known for his leadership on and off the field, showed incredible compassion through action.
He announced donating $25,000 to the New Year’s Day Tragedy Fund, which was established to help those impacted by the horrific events.
“I am joining @GNOFoundation and the @CityOfNOLA by donating $25,000 to the New Year’s Day Tragedy Fund to support victims of the attack,” he posted.
“Please consider donating to assist the families of those who lost their lives and those who were severely injured.”
I am joining @GNOFoundation and the @CityOfNOLA by donating $25,000 to the New Year’s Day Tragedy Fund to support victims of the attack. Please consider donating to assist the families of those who lost their lives and those who were severely injured.
Donate to help those… pic.twitter.com/wEV9MXiMFe
— Cam Jordan (@camjordan94) January 2, 2025
The Greater New Orleans Foundation stepped up in the wake of the horrific incident, launching the fund in collaboration with the City of New Orleans.
“The Greater New Orleans Foundation joins the City of New Orleans and fellow community partners to launch the New Orleans New Year’s Day Tragedy Fund to assist the victims and survivors of the 2025 New Year’s Day mass casualty incident,” the foundation stated.
The attack occurred when a Ford SUV rammed into a crowd celebrating New Year’s on Bourbon Street around 3:15am on Wednesday. Tragically, 15 people were killed, and more than 30 individuals suffered injuries in the chaos.
This devastating event unfolded less than a mile away from the Caesars Superdome, home to the New Orleans Saints.
The stadium responded by going into lockdown, undergoing extensive security checks ahead of the scheduled Sugar Bowl later that evening, but was postponed until Thursday afternoon.
Both the Saints and their NBA counterpart, the New Orleans Pelicans, released a joint message expressing sadness over the tragedy.
“Our hearts go out to all victims and their families during this difficult time and express our deepest gratitude to the first responders who acted swiftly and bravely on the scene,” read the statement.
They added, “New Orleans is a city built on resilience, and this heartbreaking event reminds us of the importance of coming together to support one another, to honor those affected, and to work toward healing as a community.”
“In times of tragedy, the New Orleans community has always shown extraordinary courage and compassion, and we are certain that this time will be no different,” the joint statement continued.
For interim head coach Darren Rizzi, the tragedy hit horrifyingly close to home. Like many parents in New Orleans, his first thought upon hearing about the attack was his own child.
Rizzi detailed the terrifying hours he faced when he couldn’t immediately locate one of his teenage sons.
“I left my house this morning, I went to see if my son was home and he wasn’t,” Rizzi revealed to reporters, withholding which of his three sons he was referring to.
“Then I sat in that parking lot and found out that there was mass casualties, the first thing I did was figure out where his location was.”
Fortunately, Rizzi discovered his son safe at a friend’s house after a sleepover. “I’m blessed and I’m lucky and I’m fortunate because there’s other kids that didn’t go home to their families last night,” he added.
Rizzi reflected on how personally the incident hit him. “It hits home for me personally, because I have five children between the ages of 17 and 26, and I can tell you early this morning, the first thing I thought of was my own son was out last night for New Year’s Eve in this community,” he explained.
He also shared that his daughter, who recently visited, had spent nights in the French Quarter just the week prior. “This hits home.”
Drawing comparisons to another tragic event in U.S. history, Rizzi revisited his memories of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The New Jersey native recounted losing two former teammates during that harrowing day.
“I went to a lot of memorials and funerals,” Rizzi stated. “And so any time something like this comes up…you could see the smoke from the World Trade Center at my home, where I lived, and so when I tell you that it hits home, it hits home.”
Watch Rizzi’s full presser here: