Saints to Move 2024 Training Camp After Cafeteria Got F-Minus Grade in NFLPA Survey

The NFLPA team report cards have paid off for players on the New Orleans Saints, who have to move their training camp to the University of California due to ongoing construction of a new cafeteria at their facilities.

Saints general manager Mickey Loomis issued a statement on Friday announcing the move:

"Currently, Mrs. Benson and our organization have invested in the construction of a new cafeteria, that when completed, will be among the finest in the National Football League. The scope of this project makes it difficult to host training camp on-site in 2024, given the extensive needs for our team to prepare for the regular season. We appreciate the outstanding support we have received from our great fans at training camp. We are thankful to be able to come to an agreement with the University of California, Irvine to host training camp, providing us with exceptional fields and facilities that are critical to our football team receiving the necessary work in preparation for the 2024 season."

The Saints were among the lowest-ranked teams in food and nutrition in the NFLPA survey in each of the past two years. They were one of three clubs to receive an F-minus in nutrition in the 2023 report card.

Things did improve ever-so-slightly for the Saints in the 2024 report card released in February. Their food/cafeteria grade was an F, tied with the Los Angeles Chargers for the second-worst grade in the NFL. Only the Cincinnati Bengals were worse with an F-minus.

Saints president Dennis Lauscha has pushed back on the idea that the Ochsner Sports Performance Center cafeteria upgrades were the result of the NFLPA report card results.

"I'll say this in the abundance of respect: Zero," Lauscha told reporters this week during the NFL owners meetings. "It's nothing against their survey, but we had it on the books for a while to improve our cafeteria, improve the cooking area. The cooking area ... it's over 20 years old. It had to be changed. It had to be upgraded."

In the Saints' statement released on Friday, ground broke on a planned one-year construction project in December and the footprint for the construction zone has limited space at the performance center to approximately 150 total players, coaches and staff members.

Instead, the Saints will set up camp at Crawford Field at the University of California athletic complex. The team noted the 12-acre space can accommodate five regulation-sized football fields and includes access to medical, strength and conditioning facilities.

The Los Angeles Rams have previously held their training camp at the University of California, most recently doing so last year.

Dates for the Saints training camp will be announced at a later date. They will begin their offseason workout program in New Orleans on April 15.