Newly disclosed internal emails reveal that the New Orleans Saints played a far more extensive role than previously acknowledged in assisting the Archdiocese of New Orleans with its public relations strategy during the Catholic Church's clergy sex abuse crisis.

The revelations, made public through documents obtained by The Associated Press, show top Saints executives actively helped craft messaging, shape media narratives, and even consulted with local prosecutors regarding the release of a list of accused priests.

The emails, which the Saints fought in court to keep secret, suggest that the team's involvement in the church's crisis-management efforts went beyond standard public relations assistance. Instead, the team worked closely with Archbishop Gregory Aymond and local officials to mitigate the fallout from the abuse allegations, which ultimately led to hundreds of lawsuits and the Archdiocese filing for bankruptcy in 2020.

Key Findings From the Emails

Among the most significant revelations in the emails:

  • Saints executives were among the first outsiders to see the church's list of accused clergy, a curated list that initially omitted several priests later revealed to have faced credible allegations.
  • Greg Bensel, the Saints' senior vice president of communications, communicated with former New Orleans District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro before the church released the list. In a 2018 email, Bensel described a conference call with Cannizzaro, stating the discussion "allowed us to take certain people off the list."
  • Team president Dennis Lauscha drafted talking points for Archbishop Aymond, preparing him for media questions on the abuse crisis.
  • Bensel provided updates to Lauscha, detailing how the archbishop's media appearances were being received. In one email, he noted: "That is our message, that we will not stop here today."
  • A sitting U.S. District Court judge and a newspaper editor were looped into the Saints' communications with the church. In one email, Judge Jay Zainey thanked Bensel for his "wonderful advice," while a local newspaper editor expressed gratitude for the team's involvement.

The Saints had previously claimed their role was "minimal", but the newly revealed email exchanges suggest otherwise.

Public Outcry and Calls for Accountability

The revelations have sparked outrage among clergy abuse survivors, who say the NFL franchise's involvement in the crisis feels like a betrayal.

"This is disgusting," said Louisiana State Rep. Mandie Landry (D-New Orleans). "As a New Orleans resident, taxpayer, and Catholic, it doesn't make any sense to me why the Saints would go to these lengths to protect grown men who raped children."

Kevin Bourgeois, a former Saints season ticket holder and an abuse survivor, said the new findings have "re-traumatized" victims. "We felt betrayed by the organization. It forces me to question what other secrets are being withheld," he said.

The NFL's conduct policy prohibits actions detrimental to the league, and Commissioner Roger Goodell is expected to face questions about the Saints' involvement during an upcoming press conference. The NFL has not commented on whether the team violated league policies.

The Saints' Response

The New Orleans Saints, in a statement to the AP, denied any wrongdoing, saying:

"No member of the Saints organization condones or wants to cover up the abuse that occurred in the Archdiocese of New Orleans. That abuse occurred is a terrible fact."

The team further stated: No Saints employees "had any responsibility for adding or removing any names from that list."

Cannizzaro also denied any involvement in altering the clergy list, saying he "absolutely had no involvement in removing any names from any list "

Media Influence and Crisis Management Efforts

The emails reveal a coordinated effort to influence local media coverage of the clergy sex abuse scandal.

  • Bensel worked directly with local reporters and urged them to frame the archbishop as a leader in transparency rather than focus on the cover-up of abuse allegations.
  • The Saints' communications team advised the church to be selective in which media outlets they engaged with, favoring those perceived to be more sympathetic.
  • After the release of damaging stories about clergy abuse, Bensel contacted the editorial board of The Advocate to request a notice encouraging abuse survivors to come forward be removed from an article.

Ties Between Saints Leadership and the Church

The deep relationship between the Saints' ownership and the Catholic Church in New Orleans is well-documented.

  • Gayle Benson, the team's owner, has been a major financial supporter of the Archdiocese and Catholic charities.
  • Archbishop Aymond has flown on Benson's private jet and frequently celebrates pregame Masses for the team.
  • The Benson family foundation has donated millions to Catholic institutions, strengthening ties between the Saints and the church.

These close ties raise further questions about the extent to which the Saints were acting independently versus serving the interests of church leadership.

Legal and Financial Fallout for the Church

The fallout from the clergy abuse scandal has crippled the Archdiocese of New Orleans, which filed for bankruptcy in 2020 under the weight of hundreds of lawsuits.

  • The original list of accused clergy omitted several names, an AP investigation later found.
  • More than 600 people have since come forward with lawsuits alleging clergy abuse.
  • The FBI and Louisiana State Police launched criminal investigations, culminating in state police raiding the Archdiocese headquarters in 2023.

Since the Saints became involved, at least seven current or former clergy members have been arrested on charges ranging from rape to possession of child pornography.

For now, the full extent of the Saints' involvement remains unclear, but the newly surfaced emails raise serious ethical and legal questions about the franchise's role in one of the most significant abuse scandals in U.S. history.