Twenty Years After Iconic NFL Moment, Steve Gleason Returns To The Superdome With Rebirth Music Project As Saints Face Falcons On Monday Night Football

October 5, 2026 - Twenty years after Steve Gleason made one of the most enduring plays in NFL history, the former New Orleans Saints safety returns to the Superdome tonight as the Saints once again face the Atlanta Falcons on Monday Night Football .

The matchup brings the same two teams back to the same national stage two decades after Gleason broke through the Falcons line and blocked a punt just 90 seconds into the Saints' first game back in the Superdome following Hurricane Katrina. The play led to a touchdown and became a symbol of New Orleans' return, eventually becoming known simply as "The Rebirth."

That story comes full circle in several ways as Gleason marks the anniversary alongside the recent announcement of REBIRTH , a new 12-song music project he co-wrote through months of deeply personal songwriting sessions. Announced last week via Ineffable Joy Records, the project expands the meaning of "rebirth" beyond the football field and into Gleason's life since his 2011 ALS diagnosis. Its first two songs, "Soul Is Invincible" featuring Marc Broussard and "Sonic Boom" featuring Trombone Shorty are out now. The project will continue to unfold episodically, with each song opening another chapter of Gleason's story through music and additional behind-the-song material at rebirthsongcycle.com .

The day began this morning with a new Good Morning America interview with Robin Roberts . In the conversation, Gleason reflects on the 2006 blocked punt and his return to the Superdome, while also discussing his life with ALS and the creative process behind REBIRTH . WATCH THE GOOD MORNING AMERICA INTERVIEW HERE: https://abcnews.com/video/136999626/

The celebration then moves to New Orleans this afternoon. Beginning at 3 p.m. , fans are invited to gather at Lafayette Square to greet Gleason in person. Mayor Helena Moreno will deliver remarks from the steps of Gallier Hall before Gleason and the crowd begin a celebratory procession toward the Caesars Superdome. The parade will include a float from Kern Studios , with commemorative REBIRTH second line handkerchiefs distributed to the first 500 participants.

At Champions Square , Louisiana soul singer Marc Broussard and his band will open a special REBIRTH pre-game concert before Gleason joins special guests for the first-ever live performances of music from the project . The set will include newly released songs "Soul Is Invincible" and "Sonic Boom," , while also giving fans an early listen to unreleased music from the project.

The night will continue during the game when Gleason joins Peyton and Eli Manning as a guest on ESPN's ManningCast .

The music of REBIRTH was created with a wide circle of collaborators rooted in New Orleans and beyond, including PJ Morton, Mike McCready of Pearl Jam, Ben Schneider of Lord Huron, Anders Osborne, Ivan Neville, River Eckert, members of E-Collective and more. Principal recording sessions took place at Esplanade Studios in the Tremé , the historic former church restored as a recording studio following Hurricane Katrina.

"Music is one of the ways I access parts of myself that ALS cannot touch. I can't play guitar anymore, but the need to express myself has endured," says Gleason about REBIRTH . "We went into experiences I had been carrying for years and found music that could hold them. I could not have made these songs alone. Making this felt impossible. Which is generally where the good stuff begins."

For Gleason, tonight returns the story to where one chapter began while showing how far it has traveled. Five years after the blocked punt, he was diagnosed with ALS. In the years since, his story has been chronicled in the acclaimed documentary Gleason and his memoir A Life Impossible , while his work through Team Gleason has helped expand access to assistive technology for people living with ALS. In 2024, he received the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage and became the first former NFL player to receive the Congressional Gold Medal .

Listen to REBIRTH and follow the project at rebirthsongcycle.com .