New Orleans Saints WR Lance Moore
Retirement Announcement Media Availability
Thursday, June 1, 2017
Can you talk about signing a one-day contract with the Saints?
"That was definitely something that, as my career started to wind down, I had in the back of my mind. I was not sure exactly when it would happen or if it would happen. Thankfully for me, Mickey (Loomis) reached out to me last year during the season to see if it was something that I would want to do, and I said, 'Absolutely.' He and Sean (Payton) were gracious enough to bring me in and allow me to spend some time with the guys and to get the contract done. So, I feel like it is the proper ending for sure."
How much did you not want to go out as a Falcon?
"That was an interesting situation. I thought that they would have just released me, but they made me sign the retirement papers. I figured that they would be cool enough to release me, so I could retire here."
You were in the wide receiver group. How badly did you want to run a route when Drew (Brees) was throwing today?
"Maybe the first day, Tuesday. But by today, I'm like, 'No, I'm good.' I will let the young guys do it. I feel like they have a really good, young group and a very talented group. I feel like they will be even better this year than they were last year, especially with the addition of Curtis Johnson who is coming back and coaching those guys."
With the completion of your career, do you look back on one singular moment that stands above the rest?
"There are plays here and there. Obviously, the two-point conversion in the Super Bowl. But I think just the feeling of winning that Super Bowl—that was something that you cannot replicate, that you can't duplicate in your life unless you do it again. I'm one of the guys that was fortunate enough to win one, and that's something that I'll always remember for the rest of my life."
Curtis Johnson is an old face for you, but a lot of these wide receivers have not worked with him. What do you think they will be able to learn from him?
"They are going to learn a lot. They are going to learn quickly that he has no filter, but he is going to coach guy #1 just as hard as he coaches guy #13. He is going to be a little bit different from what they are used to, but I think that he is one of the best in the business, definitely one of the best that I have been around. Their level of play will be elevated by having him coach them. He will stay on them. It won't be a thing where he gets satisfied with how they're playing. He is going to want them to play better and better. I think he'll be the one to get the most out of them."
Do you regret leaving New Orleans?
"I did not leave New Orleans by choice, so no. I do not have any regrets. I was fortunate enough to play a couple more years after I played here, but after nine years here, this is home for me. I am happy that I was able to come back and retire here."
Do you ever see yourself coaching in this league?
"I cannot say that now. I do love the game, I do love the wide receiver position, and I do love coming back and helping the guys. As far as putting in the hours, right now probably not. I just got married, and I have a young family, so I want to spend as much time with them as possible. Maybe down the line it is something I could do, for sure."
Do you have one more celebration in you?
"I have got a lot of them, but I am not scoring anymore touchdowns, so I keep them to myself."
How did you react when you saw that the NFL is peeling back the rules on celebrations?
"I was excited. I was definitely a little disappointed that it did not happen two years earlier. You talk about the fan experience at the game and doing whatever they can to boost ratings and things like that. I think it will be cool to incorporate other people, especially guys that do not receive much recognition. It will be interesting. I think some of the celebrations will be great; some will not be so great. I think it will be fun all the same."
