The first hit of Saints-Falcons came about an hour before kickoff, resulting in a scary moment with an Atlanta staffer down hurt on the field.
Few details were immediately available, but it appeared that a Saints player was fielding punts and inadvertently clipped a member of the Falcons staff as both teams warmed up on the field. No players were hurt. The staffer was later identified as defensive coordinator Dean Pees, according to a report from ESPN's Michael Rothstein.
Pees had his head and neck area stabilized and after several minutes was loaded onto a cart and taken off the field. His status was not immediately known.
Pees is 73 years old and has served as the Falcons' DC since 2021.
The (4-9) Saints and (5-8) Falcons were set for a noon kickoff at the Caesars Superdome in Week 15.
Check back for updates.
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