Thomas Morstead recalls Super Bowl-winning rookie season with Saints - "Partied with the city every week"
Thomas Morstead was a rookie with the Saints in the 2009 season, as the team came off a .500 finish the season before. However, his rookie season turned out to be a history-making one for the franchise. New Orleans would win their first Super Bowl in team history.
In an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda, Morstead shared what winning the Lombardi Trophy in his first season in the league meant. He also talks about what the city was like then.
"I mean it was a bit of a blur. It was a magical season. You know, I'm already a rookie, so I have no perspective. And so just every day is a new thing. And it was just magic. It was the best way I can put it. You know, we partied with the city every week after we won and we were 13 and 0 it was just an unbelievable experience."
The New Orleans Saints had the best record in the NFC and tied for the second-best in the NFL that season. Morstead won NFC Special Teams Player of the Week twice in the 2009 season in Weeks 11 and 17.
The Saints won 13 straight regular-season games before dropping their final three but were good enough to be the top seed in the conference. New Orleans defeated the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl 44 by a 31 - 17 score.
In the game, Thomas Morstead punted just twice for 88 yards as Drew Brees threw for 288 yards and two touchdowns. Brees would be the Super Bowl 44 MVP.
Thomas Morstead on what that Super Bowl meant to him
The Pro Bowler told Sportskeeda how the Super Bowl victory impacted him at that point in his career. He noted that he didn't win that much in college but that Lombardi Trophy changed his career:
"You know, my junior year we won one game. My senior year we won one game, and then I go on and, you know, have this unbelievable first season. And all I can say is magical and it certainly has carried me in my career.
"It's given me a lot of confidence that I've been able to get it done on the biggest stage and be a Super Bowl champion. I mean, it's really been something that has kind of accelerated my development and just the confidence that I carry generally in life."
Thomas Morstead will be entering his 15th season in the NFL with the new-look New York Jets with quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The punter will be on the quest for a second Super Bowl win.
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