SHREVEPORT, La. -- It's been 15 years since the New Orleans Saints won their first and only Super Bowl.
Saints football changed forever in 2006 with the signing of Drew Brees, and NFC Championship appearance, and of course, Rebirth. But it wasn't until 2009 Brees and the Saints would reach immortality.
The season kicked off with a bang for the Saints, a 45-27 win over the Lions in the Superdome, giving a fans a sign of things to come. Brees and the Saints offense would score over 45 points in 3 of their first 4 games, finally hitting the first road block of the season at Miami.
Down 24-3 in the second quarter, the Saints outscored the Dolphins 22-0 in the 4th and took the lead with a 2 yard rushing score from Brees capped off by a goal post dunk.
The Saints would rattle off 5 more wins after the scare in Miami, including a dominant performance over Tom Brady and the Patriots on Monday night. At 11-0 New Orleans made the trip to Washington and provided more evidence that this team was special.
The Saints streak would reach 13, besting the 1985 Bears for best start by a NFC team. They would eventually fall to the Dallas Cowboys and end the season 13-3 as the top seed in the NFC. After a lopsided victory in the divisional round over Kurt Warner and the Cardinals, all eyes were on the NFC Championship against Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings.
Favre had the ball in his hands late in the fourth with a chance to win. That was of course until Tracy Porter snagged the second-biggest interception of his career. The game went to overtime and it was all up to the leg of Hartley
Hartlye's kick was good and sent the Saints to the Super Bowl for the first time.聽 It also sent local fans scrambling to grab shirts and hats commemorating history. They even held a Saints pep rally in downtown Shreveport
Miami was the host site of Super Bowl 44 against another Super Bowl winner and league MVP, Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts. The Colts held a 10-6 lead at the half. While many were still surprised to see the Saints in a Super Bowl, no one expected what would happen next.
The surprise onside kick known as Ambush gave the Saints the ball, the momentum, and Brees and Pierre Thomas gave them the lead, 13-10 to start the third. They would lead 24-17 in the fourth when Porter struck again.
Porter's 74 yard pick 6 sealed the deal for the Saints.聽 The final score of Super Bowl 44 was 31-17.聽 Drew Brees was the game's MVP.聽 As the confetti fell in Miami, the celebration was on in New Orleans and the Arklatex.
You can find videos of KTBS 3's coverage of the Saints Super Bowl in Miami, Shreveport, and New Orleans in the videos attached to this article.
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As KTBS celebrates its 70th anniversary, we are looking back at some of the most memorable events through those years.聽
