Spokane has a special connection to the Super Bowl this Sunday from a former Gonzaga Prep and Washington State linebacker who made one of the biggest plays in Saints history.
Steve Gleason played eight years for the Saints until microfracture knee surgery forced him to retire in early 2008.
Gleason spoke to KREM 2 News on Thursday from New Orleans and said it will be tough not playing for the Saints on Sunday in their biggest game ever after being a special teams star for the franchise for eight years.
But he is happy to hold on to his special place in Saints history. On September 26, 2006 Gleason made a play that brought the city back from a year of misery.
Hurricane Katrina wiped out most of the city in 2005.
A year later Gleason blocked a punt early in the first home game in the Superdome since Katrina against the Atlanta Falcons on national television that was recovered for a touchdown and gave the Saints their first points in the game. The Superdome erupted with joy. With that block Gleason announced to the world in one play that the city was back.
"My blocked punt signified the beginning of that trip back," said Gleason. "Us coming out and setting that tempo and just identifying and allowing people to recognize not only were we back as a team, but we were back as a city."
Gleason is still close to the team. He works in public relations for all of the home games and he still says the bond between fans and players in New Orleans is tighter than anywhere else.
"You're not looked at as a player," said Gleason. "It's so funny and strange and odd and beautiful. But the people here look at you as either their son or brother."
Gleason compared the Saints run to the Super Bowl to two Spokane area college teams.
"One is that '97 Rose Bowl team at WSU that I played on because it hadn't happened for so long," said Gleason. "The other that I think people in Spokane can understand is Gonzaga, the basketball team there. Those are our boys. We love those guys."
And so even as a city makes it all the way back from ruin to celebrate their team in the Super Bowl, a guy from Spokane is still being thanked for sending them on their way.
"It's pretty amazing when I step back and have people still coming up to me even today and say thanks to getting us to where we are," said Gleason. " New Orleans has embraced me and I've had the best NFL career I could ever ask for. But I love Spokane. I miss Spokane every day. You guys have it good up there so enjoy it and I miss you all."
Gleason now works full time for an energy sustainability company while working for the Saints on the side, all while getting his MBA at Tulane. He will be there at the stadium this Sunday to cheer on the Saints.
Gleason would not give his prediction for the game, but in the video link at the top of this page you can hear his breakdown of the Saints before the Super Bowl.
