The New Orleans Saints organization, long celebrated for its community impact, finds itself at the center of a scandal that demands accountability at the highest levels. Greg Bensel, the team’s Senior Vice President of Communications, has been implicated in orchestrating a public relations campaign to shield the Archdiocese of New Orleans from the fallout of its clergy sexual abuse crisis.
This troubling revelation, supported by emails obtained by the Associated Press, contradicts the team’s public claims of minimal involvement. Bensel’s actions—preparing talking points for the archbishop, reviewing accused clergy lists, and leveraging media influence—indicate a gross misuse of power. Such behavior not only violates the NFL’s code of conduct but betrays the trust of Saints supporters who expect integrity from their franchise leaders.
Team owner Gayle Benson and President Dennis Lauscha must also be held accountable for enabling these actions. Benson’s close ties to Archbishop Gregory Aymond and the Catholic Church provided the backdrop for this inappropriate alliance. While her faith is personal, her use of team resources to aid in shielding the church from scrutiny crosses professional boundaries. Lauscha, directly involved in guiding the crisis response, drafted key questions for the archbishop and remained fully briefed on Bensel’s activities.
This indicates the problem goes beyond a single employee and reflects systemic issues within the Saints’ leadership. The team’s insistence that their actions were “well-intended” falls flat when considering the harm caused to abuse survivors and the community’s trust.
The Saints organization must act decisively to rebuild credibility. Greg Bensel should be immediately terminated, and the franchise must cooperate fully with any ongoing investigations into its role in the church’s misconduct. Additionally, independent oversight of the Saints’ involvement should be implemented to ensure transparency and accountability.
As more survivors come forward and legal investigations intensify, the Saints cannot hide behind platitudes or past goodwill. This is a moment for the franchise to reflect on its missteps and make amends to a community betrayed by those they trusted most. Only then can the team hope to move forward with integrity.
