The New Orleans Saints announced that their home-opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sept. 13 would have zero fans in attendance.
That means Bucs quarterback Tom Brady's debut with his new team will be played in an empty Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
The Saints said the decision was "due to the state of COVID-19 infections throughout the region."
"Unfortunately, at this time, the trends across our state and region do not meet the standards of health and safety we have established with our healthcare and government partners to host fans in the stadium for the first home game," team officials said in a news release. "While state numbers are trending in the right direction, further mitigation of cases is needed and a reduced infection rate is required for the team to welcome back its fans. While there is a strong desire to see Saints fans back in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, local and state leadership are clear in their communications that significant improvement is required for that to occur."
The team said while unlikely, they will "continuously monitor trends" to determine if fans will be allowed at their Sept. 27 game against the Green Bay Packers.
