Saints insider claims Falcons wanted no part of Monday night matchup

The bitterness of the rivalry between the Atlanta Falcons and the New Orleans Saints can't be overstated. While it doesn't get as much attention as the Bears-Packers' 100-year war or the brutal Ravens-Steelers rivalry, the intensity of hatred between them is palpable, and sometimes spills out beyond the field. Following last night's 2026 schedule release , a Saints beat writer for the Times-Picayune took to Twitter and shared an odd anecdote, claiming that the Falcons did not want to face New Orleans on the 20th anniversary of the re-opening of the Superdome following Hurricane Katrina - which will be Oct.

5, when they're scheduled to play the Saints on Monday Night Football. I heard the Atlanta Falcons wanted no part of being the opponent for the Saints' Monday Night Football game, commemorating the 20-year anniversary of the historic "Dome-coming" game in 2006. And the NFL scheduled them for it anyway.

#SacrificialLambs — Jeff Duncan (@JeffDuncan_) May 15, 2026 We don't doubt that Duncan "heard" somebody say this, but it hardly rises to the level of an actual report. If he "heard" it while working in a building composed entirely of Saints fans and Saints employees, for example - it raises the question of bias. It's not that the Falcons haven't done cringe-worthy things in the past, such as piping in crowd noise that cost them a draft pick 10 years ago.

This particular item just seems so bizarre that we have a hard time believing it. The hashtag doesn't help Duncan's case and neither does the fact that the Saints went 6-11 last season, finishing in last place in the least-competitive division in the NFL. They were also swept by the Falcons in their two 2025 meetings and it's probably worth mentioning that their roster is also by far the weakest in the NFC South.