The fan-favorite Who Dat chant became a question of Where Dat in Week 17, but it hasn't been eliminated.
The players likely just forgot, head coach Sean Payton said Monday.
"More than anything that would’ve been just an oversight," Payton said, before adding jokingly: "I’ll blame our captains."
The coach initially couldn't even recall whether it happened, a fair memory slip considering how many of the player- and fan-led versions of the chant he's heard over the years. But things like picking the player to lead the fans in their battle cry and the uniform combinations don't land in the coach's lap.
"I’m in charge of a lot, but not the pants color, because that doesn’t matter to me," he said. "So I figured let the captains figure out what they want to wear.
The Saints ditched the blackout look for a more traditional black and off-gold pants combo in the Week 17 win over the Panthers, and it's not uncommon for the team to lean on some superstitious momentum. The Saints' all-white jersey combo, mainly the color rush set, was the choice in a string of impressive wins throughout the 2018 and 2019 seasons. The Saints wore them as often as possible, even at home. With the NFL limiting the number of times they could be put on per season, the Saints invented a new all-white jersey combo for the road.
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We won't find out about the chant's return until next year, with road playoff games assured even if the Saints make the postseason. It's not out of the question, though. The chant itself was an invention of Drew Brees back in the 2010 season and has become a mainstay. Forgetting in a week is a sign of that in and of itself. The team's current captains having that slip their minds ahead of such an important game is understandable, and their play on the field was clearly that of a locked-in group.
I didn’t even realize it actually when it was brought up today," Payton said Monday night on WWL Radio. "I didn’t notice it, I don’t know why. But I’m sure that they were focused and somebody dropped the ball on it. You can visit with the captains on it."
It could also have been due to the fact that two of the Saints' six captains to start the season have been absent due to injuries in LT Terron Armstead and QB Jameis Winston. The other four were safety Malcolm Jenkins, LB Demario Davis, RB Alvin Kamara and special teams ace JT Gray.
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The chant have happened before each of the seven home games prior, though the loudest pops on those this season have been for Mark Ingram when he returned and Brees when he spoke to the fans at halftime of the Thanksgiving game.
If and when the chant gets heard again, however it happens, it'll be a sign of the times.