It’s Heartbreaking: A very loyal Orleans Saints player has announced his sudden retirement, sending a powerful statement and bidding the team and supporters
“This is my second opportunity to help these guys win. To be honest, I haven’t been very impressed with the past few years. It means a lot to me to have another chance to play with these guys and contribute to the victory of the entire city.”There are still a lot of football plays to be made, so it excites me to be able to maintain that momentum and feel even more at ease entering Year 3 of the system. And I believe I still have what it takes to produce them.”
Not many people immediately associate Manti Te’o with his time spent with the New Orleans Saints—or any other NFL team, for that matter—when you hear his name. In actuality, neither is his second-place finish in the Heisman Trophy voting from his 2012 Notre Dame campaign, which ended in a loss to the National Championship. The former linebacker for the Golden Domers and the Saints is far more well-known for his off-field experiences.
To cut a very long story short, Te’o fell victim to a romantic cat-fishing scam. This tragically had an impact on his mental health, and it truly speaks volumes about his character that he emerged from the experience a stronger person.
For Saints fans, his 2017 season is particularly noteworthy because it culminated in the Minneapolis Miracle. For his part, Te’o started in just ten games and finished tied for fourth on the team with 62 total tackles. He even recovered a fumble and batted down three balls on the side, earning him some votes for Comeback Player of the Year.
Even though Manti Te’o’s NFL career may not have been as successful as his time in college at Notre Dame, his achievements are all the more remarkable given what he endured. Given that he plays for the New Orleans Saints, this period of his life’s
