frenzy in New Orleans. Take a look at some notable names departing, but also some big-time
additions. Linebacker Cayden Ellis, tight end Noah Fant, guard David Edwards on a huge deal,
and probably no one bigger than running back Travis A Chan Jr. signing officially now
a 4-year, $52 million contract. He gets the handshake from Kayi Harley. More importantly,
he gets a new home back in his home state of. Louisiana and he gets to join us right now.
Travis, thanks a lot for being here. I want to start out by pointing out the obvious. No, I'm
not confusing you with the Dolphins running back. I'm not mispronouncing your name. It
turns out we and the entire world have mispronounced your name your entire adult life.
So please, for the first time introduce yourself to the world and tell us how you're
doing down there in New Orleans. Uh, yes sir, it's Travis A Chan Junior here. Uh, it really
feels exciting to say that, but, uh, I'm just, I'm just honored and, uh, humbled and blessed
to be in this moment and, uh. Excited to be a saint. I'm looking this up here because I wanna
see, uh, if, because we get pronunciation guides every year. So I wanna see if they were
telling us, uh, the right way to spell it. ETN . That's the way they told us in the
pronunciation guide. So they've been getting it wrong. We will make that change. We are
happy, uh, to have that change. Was it just, did somebody ask you about it at the press? How
did that wind up coming up today? Uh, so, uh, they asked me about it at the presser, uh,
because they followed me when I was, uh, here in Gnices, Louisiana, uh, in high school. So
obviously they know like where, where, where I came from, where it started, and, uh, when I
left, uh, everyone noticed a change. So, uh, that was like one, that was the first question
I asked when I got here. OK. So Travis, take me back through the process. It was pretty fast
on Monday, the negotiating window opens literally hours later, you're headed to the
Saints. Was it as simple as coming back home and taking the biggest offer, or just bring me
through your thought process of how you ended up there. Uh, my thought process was, um, I
mean, uh. My thought process, it was coming back home, honestly, um, but also I feel like
they have a great group of guys have a great team here, and I feel like, uh, we're looking
at the division they have here. I feel like, uh, we're primed, we're ready, and I feel like,
um, there's missing the key spots, a, a, a few key spots, and I feel like. Uh, I like what
coach is doing. You got Coach Moore, who's been in the Super Bowl, who just won a Super
Bowl two years ago, so he knows what to expect . He has a great blueprint, and I feel like the
pieces you have Tyler at quarterback, you have a library receiver, so you have pieces here and
you have a great defense, and I feel like, uh, it, it, it, it just kind of just, it, it gelled
all at once, you know, and I feel like I'm just happy that I was able to, uh, be in this
moment. You know, I had some personnel guys and some coaches that I've talked to recently,
because we heard that you might be in play in New Orleans, and I said, well, that's
interesting. They said, no, no, that, that's the kind of running back that's gonna thrive in
that scheme. He can give you a little bit of downhill, he can catch the ball out of the
backfield. He, he's Saquan Barkley-esque. I don't want to compare you two, but do you, do
you see where they're coming from as far as you're fit in the scheme for Kellen Moore? Uh,
yes sir, most definitely, I mean, whenever you have coaches that believe in you, uh, that,
that's all you can ask for as a player, and I feel like coach sees coach sees things in me,
you know, and I'm gonna go out there and make things happen for him, and I feel like, uh, he
has a great plan and I'm just ready to go out here and put the work for it and just really
introduce myself to the world again, you know, and I'll show him what I'm about. It's also the
first time in like 8 years you've had to introduce yourself to a new quarterback, Trevor
Lawrence, your quarterback at Clemson, and then in Jacksonville. What was it like meeting
Tyler Shuck and how hard was it to say goodbye to a guy that you've spent your entire career
with? No, I, I, I feel like the good vibes, I mean, is, is, is, it's really going to hit us
whenever we step on that field, you know, and we're not, when we, and we're looking around
and we're not seeing each other, but, uh, I feel like, I, uh, I, I, I feel like Tyler, he,
he's a really great guy, you know. I feel like I'm excited to see his growth, you know, and I
feel like, uh, he's hungry, and that's all you can ask for for a quarterback, and I feel like.
Um, he's definitely accelerated his process, but, uh, man, I'm just excited to watch him
work and, uh, get to learn him and just, uh, be able to understand, get his feel, a feel for
him, you know, because, uh, it's a difference, uh, whenever you're with a guy for 8 years, you
kind of just know him inside and out. So, uh, getting to know the quarterback again, I feel
like, um, is, is different, but, uh, Tyler's gonna make it an easy process, and I feel like
I'm, I'm happy he's my quarterback. We've had a few homecomings in free agency. We just had
one last night, uh, Jaquan Briskers from the Pittsburgh area. He went back there. Uh, you
returning to Louisiana, how much of that was a factor here? I know it's a business. I know
it's about the money, and I know it's about fitting in the offense and all that stuff. Was
going home just the cherry on top? Uh, it, it was more than a cherry on top, man. It, it, it,
it was the cake, the cherry, it was everything , you know, uh, just have an opportunity to be
able to play for the, uh, Saints, you know, just, uh, growing up, uh, in Louisiana, being a
Saints fan my whole life, you know, and being able to be blessed with this opportunity, man,
it's like. I feel like it it it it was more than a cherry on top, it was everything. So
give me your most vivid memory of watching the Saints growing up. You were pretty young during
the Super Bowl time, what do you remember? What pops out, what names what plays? Yeah, no,
I was pretty young, but my, my, my most vivid memories just come from, uh, Deuce McAllister,
and Reggie Bush, uh, that, that, that, that running back duo, and I feel like that's kind
of what driven me and my brother to, uh, uh, pursue running backs, you know, and, uh, just
for us to have this full circle moment and me be, be able to come here and be able to chase
their goals, chase their stats up for all these years, I'm forever grateful. That's
beautiful. Look at that, man. It's all about family. You and your brother and your family
right there. His name is Ashley Saint. Really? Yeah, really, yeah, he, he's 11 months. He
turned, uh, 1 April 3rd. Beautiful Saint Achan was a dream come true.
I, I love it, man. That's great. Uh, all, all that stuff's fantastic. Now, I, I, uh, real
quick, I know you're a watch guy. I heard you. Uh, you got the nice fat contract now. What
watch are you gonna buy yourself to celebrate? Uh, I've been looking at a squad, a sky
dealer, a square dweller, sky, so I've been looking at one of those, you know, uh, so, um,
I'm thinking like, uh, with the white and the gold and the blackface, uh, you know, uh,
Saints team, uh, so I feel like I, I, I want one of those. See, he's got it. He's got it,
Tom. He don't need no help. He's got it. All right, last thing real quick here, Charles, I
should mention. Good, good, and I was saying the reason I like Rolex is because like you can
configure your own watch, so I feel like that feature is amazing in itself. Yeah, we're going
shopping. The last time you played a full season in the state of Louisiana, senior at
Jennings High School, you ran for 2,459 59 yards and 39 touchdowns. Can
you approach those numbers your first year back there with the Saints? Hey, so when I'm
glad you said that, I'm glad you said those stats. I'm definitely chasing those numbers
this first year, first year here, definitely chasing those. I'm, I'm, I'm, I, I, I need to
write them down so I vividly remember what I'm chasing each and every morning I wake up.
There's your fantasy pick. Travis A. Chan Junior. Know the name, love the name. Repeat
the name out loud so you call it correctly in your fantasy draft this fall. Travis, thanks a
lot for being here, man. Congrats. Uh yes sir, thank y'all.