The New Orleans Saints will be well represented in Canton for the Hall of Fame weekend in 2026, but it won't be to play a football game.
The Saints will not be one of the two teams selected for this year's edition of the Hall of Fame game, an extra preseason tilt that precedes the enshrinement ceremony, news first reported by NOLA.com. The Saints last appeared in the game in 2012.
With Drew Brees headlining this year's Hall of Fame class, the Saints were expected to be one of the prime options for the game scheduled for Aug. 6 at Tom Benson Field. The official announcement from the league is expected on Wednesday.
The HOF enshrinement is scheduled for Aug. 8, with Brees joining the hall alongside WR Larry Fitzgerald, RB Roger Craig, LB Luke Kuechly and K Adam Vinatieri. He'll become the Saints fifth Hall of Famer along with LB Rickey Jackson, LB Sam Mills, OT Willie Roaf and K Morten Andersen.
The news likely won't be greeted with disappointment from the Saints, with the team already facing a travel-heavy schedule ahead. The Saints will play two of their three preseason games on the road and will have a trip to Paris at some point on their schedule. They're also expected to hold joint practices and at least some portion of their training camp out in California for a third consecutive season.
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The full NFL schedule for 2026 is typically revealed in mid-May, though an official date has not been announced. The Saints were scheduled to have a ninth home game in 2026, but that will be replaced by the Paris game, for which they will technically be the home team.