The New Orleans Saints arrived at Charles de Gaulle Airport on Monday and are settling into accommodations near Versailles, about 12 to 15 miles from central Paris, as the organization prepares for the NFL's first regular-season game in France on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The team's arrival proceeded without incident, and the area where the Saints are based remains calm and secure, according to coaches and security personnel. However, the broader context of their trip cannot be ignored. Paris and towns across France have experienced significant civil unrest in recent days, with protests against the high cost of living drawing hundreds of thousands of demonstrators. Reports of fires, looting and clashes with police have dominated news coverage.
"Us as outsiders, we just want to be as safe as possible," tight end Juwan Johnson said.
Head coach Kellen Moore said the team toured the area around Stade de France in Saint-Denis upon arrival, with another walk-through scheduled for Saturday. The coaching staff has deliberately decided against organizing team-bonding excursions into Paris proper, though players have not been prohibited from dining together or sampling local cuisine as long as they exercise caution.
"Our guys are smart," Moore said. "They understand this is still a business trip."
Some players have indicated plans to venture out cautiously during downtime. Safety Justin Reid said he's interested in attending a Paris Saint-Germain vs. Barcelona soccer match Tuesday at Parc des Princes in southwestern Paris.
"It'll just be, 'keep it low-key, keep it fun,' do things as a group, do things as a team," Reid said. "And above all else, stay out of the mix and don't find any way to be a distraction to what our ultimate goal here is."
The decision to proceed with the game has been coordinated closely between the Saints organization, the NFL and French security partners. Greg Bensel, the team's senior vice president of communications, said security remains a priority.
"We concur with the NFL's statement and are planning to play the game," Bensel said. "In addition to working closely with the NFL, we have also maintained daily security updates with our security partners in France. Members of our football operations staff and internal security team have been on the ground in France for the past few days and there has been no disruption or impact at any of our team sites."
The presence of families traveling with the team has added another layer of consideration. Johnson noted that while his wife is accompanying him to France, she remains "very undecided" about attending Sunday's game.
The Saints organization has shown no indication of second-guessing the trip. The team's leadership believes they can maintain appropriate protocols while fulfilling what represents a significant milestone for the NFL's international expansion efforts.
As the Saints prepare for their unprecedented overseas assignment, the message from coaches and players alike remains consistent: Stay alert, stay together and focus on the task at hand.
