New Orleans’ Champions Square Will Remove Image Of Darren Sharper

Champions Square, which is located outside the New Orleans Saints’ Mercedes-Benz Superdome, is getting a redecoration. While there will be several photos taken down and replaced, the big one that will be removed is the Tracy Porter interception.

The interception that sealed the Saints’ first Super Bowl win in 2010 is iconic. Even the commentating track from the pick is supposedly well-known in New Orleans. “It’s picked off! It’s Tracy Porter again,”  Jim Henderson exclaimed. “He’s running free! He’s gonna go all the way! Hand outstretched! It is a Saint touchdown! Seventy yards on the return! Seventy yards on the return by Porter!”

After years of obscurity, the Saints finally won a championship by picking off arguably one of the greatest quarterbacks of all-time, Peyton Manning. However, the photo is now unfortunately tainted. In the background, Darren Sharper is running behind the cornerback while raising up a ‘number one’ sign.

Sharper, who after retirement became a NFL Network analyst, pleaded guilty of sexual assault and drugging women in four different states. In his multi-state deal, he is expected to be sentenced to 20 years, but is eligible for release after nine. This is possible because all four states’ sentences will be served simultaneously.

Now, this is not the only banner that will be changed, as they claim Champions Square’s redecoration was decided prior to Sharper’s legal woes. But it is priority number one since the conviction.

“We’re going through some options now. Definitely going will be the Tracy Porter picture,” Ben Hales, a Saints executive, said. “The shame of it is, that’s an iconic moment from the Super Bowl. People can probably do the TV and radio call in their head. There just happens to be somebody in the background who is not someone our organization or the NFL Network is likely to be celebrating.”

Sharper played his final two seasons for the Saints, but spent his first eight years in Green Bay and another four seasons in Minnesota. He was fired from his NFL Network job after the first indictment.