Monday Night Football will be more than another NFL game for Atlanta Falcons rookie Harold Perkins Jr. It will be a homecoming 21 years in the making.
Perkins was only a baby when Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans in 2005. His family was among the thousands of people whose lives were turned upside down by the storm, and the Louisiana Superdome became a place of refuge for Perkins and his family.
Now he’s going back.
Only this time, Perkins will walk into the building as an NFL player when the Falcons face the New Orleans Saints on Monday night.
It’s a remarkable full-circle moment for the New Orleans native, who grew up rooting for the Saints, became a star at LSU and eventually was selected by one of New Orleans’ biggest rivals.
Harold Perkins Jr. Returns To New Orleans
Perkins’ connection to Louisiana runs much deeper than football. He was born in New Orleans and was only months old when Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast.
The Superdome became one of the most recognizable locations associated with the disaster as thousands of residents sought shelter there.
Perkins and his family were among them.
More than two decades later, Perkins will return to the same building wearing an Atlanta Falcons uniform.
The Falcons highlighted Perkins’ journey ahead of Monday’s game, sharing his remarkable connection to the stadium and the city.
Childhood Team
There is another fun wrinkle to the story. Perkins grew up as a Saints fan. After Atlanta selected him in the sixth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, however, Perkins jokingly made his new allegiance very clear.
“I ain’t a Saints fan no more,” Perkins said after being drafted.
That’s one way to introduce yourself to the Falcons-Saints rivalry.
Monday Night Football Brings Story Full Circle
The timing makes Perkins’ return even more meaningful. Monday’s game will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Saints’ historic return to the Superdome following Hurricane Katrina.
New Orleans defeated Atlanta 23-3 on Sept. 25, 2006, in one of the most emotional games in NFL history.
Twenty years later, the same rivals will meet on the same Monday night stage. And one of the players on the field once needed that building for something far more important than football.
Perkins was a baby seeking shelter with his family.
Monday night, he’ll return as an NFL player. It’s difficult to imagine a more remarkable homecoming.
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