Gayle Benson
Owner — New Orleans Saints
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About Gayle Benson
Gayle Benson became the owner of the New Orleans Saints after the passing of her husband Tom Benson in 2018, inheriting both the franchise and the enormous responsibility of keeping professional football alive in a city that nearly lost it after Hurricane Katrina. She is the quiet power behind one of the NFL's most passionate fanbases. You don't hear from her often, but when you do, it's a carefully worded statement that ends with something about how much she loves New Orleans and its people. The Superdome is her living room, and she runs it like a woman who signed the checks, picked the coaches, and still showed up in the owner's suite with a Saints jersey over her pearls.
Saints fans have a complicated relationship with Gayle. She's beloved for her loyalty to the city, her philanthropy, and the fact that she didn't relocate the team when other owners might have considered it. But she's also the face of every unpopular front-office decision, every coaching hire that didn't work out, and every offseason where the roster got worse instead of better. "Gayle's checkbook" is both a compliment and a complaint depending on the week.
Frequently Asked Questions
How did Gayle Benson become owner of the Saints?
She inherited ownership from her husband Tom Benson, who passed away in March 2018. Tom had owned the Saints since 1985 and kept the team in New Orleans through some of the darkest periods in the city's history, including the post-Katrina years when relocation rumors were constant. Gayle took over full control of both the Saints and the New Orleans Pelicans, becoming one of only a few women to own multiple major professional sports teams simultaneously.
Why do Saints fans make memes about Gayle Benson?
Because she's the ultimate authority figure in the building. Every coaching hire, every big contract, every draft pick that busts. It all traces back to Gayle. The "Benson approved" stamp on parody press releases is a staple of Saints Twitter. Fans love her commitment to New Orleans but also know that the buck stops with her, literally. When the team goes 7-10, Gayle Benson memes write themselves because she's the one who chose the people who chose the people who called the bad plays.
Last updated: April 2026