NFL teams try all sorts of team-building strategies this time of the year — there’s a reason it’s called “organized team activity” and not “practice” when players report for work. In previous years, the New Orleans Saints have buddied up to go bowfishing, bowling, or try other group activities. This year players went out to play paintball, and head coach Kellen Moore joined them.
It looks like a great time; the Saints shared a couple of videos highlighting the players’ reactions and some of the day’s funnier moments. For his part, defensive tackle Khalen Saunders regretted leaving cover, laughing and holding up his yellow paint-smeared helmet for the camera: “I ran out in the middle and got smoked. It hit me square in my eyeball.”
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Other guys saw it as a great learning opportunity. Quarterback Spencer Rattler said afterwards, “It’s all strategy, it’s all the will you’ve got. It’s tiring and it’s hot out here too.” Seeing guys covering each other and coordinating movement through the obstacles on the field is entertaining, but it goes a long way towards building up camaraderie in the locker room, too.
And here’s a better look at the different teams:
Hopefully it makes a difference. The team is in a rough state five years into the post-Drew Brees era, having fired their last head coach and parted ways with who they thought could be their franchise quarterback, and they need new leaders to step up. Moore participating means a lot. Maybe live-fire experiences like this can help guys learn to trust each other, work together, and win a lot of football games in the fall.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: WATCH: New Orleans Saints share highlights from team paintball outing