N.Y.C.

Superbowl 44

Superbowl 44 was the end of the fairytale rise of a team from the ashes of a team without a ground to play or even practice in, with a fan base spread all over the country. Many franchises would have picked up and left. For the Saints rebuilding their home became a symbol of the rebirth of the city. The September 25, 2006 home opener, the first home game in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, was won by the Saints 23-3 against the Atlanta Falcons.

In 2009 the Saints finally found their winning ways. By winning their first 13 games, the Saints also set the record for the longest undefeated season opening (13-0) by an NFC team since the AFL-NFL merger, eclipsing the previous record (12-0) held by the 1985 Chicago Bears. The team advanced to the 2009 NFC Championship game where they defeated the Minnesota Vikings 31-28 in overtime to win their first Super Bowl appearance in franchise history. Television ratings for Super Bowl 44 were the highest for any TV program, sports or otherwise, in history.