Well-meaning New Orleans Saints fans are falling victim to outright tryout hoaxes

And while I was typing, someone else came by 😂😂

— Willie Gay Jr (@WillieGayJr) October 19, 2024

Come on, guys. According to New Orleans Saints linebacker Willie Gay Jr., several fans came to the team’s practice facility on Saturday to try it out after falling victim to a hoax. Fake announcements urging fans to attend public tryouts spread across social media this week after a wave of injuries hit the team.

Unfortunately, we live in a time where it is all too easy to deceive people. With the proliferation of social media and computer-generated images, more scams are popping up online every day, but in this case, all it took was one bad perpetrator copying the Saints’ letterhead.

While the announcement incorrectly claimed that 40% of the roster was injured, necessitating these fictitious open tryouts, that’s not too far off the mark. Of the 53 players currently on the active roster, only 20 were not listed on the injury report in the first seven weeks. The team’s coaching staff has struggled with injury prevention and things need to change if they want to break this five-game losing streak. Just don’t expect any local long-shots down the road to be deregistered.