NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — Oct. 17 was a day etched into many New Orleans Saints fans' minds ever since the team's schedule was released, as it marked the matchup against the Denver Broncos and the return of some familiar faces. "When I saw this one on the schedule, I circled it." "Been thinking about it a lot. I marked it on the calendar." LSU football defense shows signs of growth under new defensive coordinator Most fans were eager to see former Saints head coach, now current Broncos head coach, Sean Payton coaching a team in the dome for the first time since he left the Saints in 2022. There were mixed emotions regarding Payton's return. Some fans were excited to see their former Super Bowl winning coach back on the field. "It's going to be really good to see him. I hope he gets a good reaction in there from everybody." "Cheering side for sure. I mean, welcome home is all I can say." "He was a great head coach for our city, so the least we can do is thank him." "You know, we all miss him, he was out there for a long time." Some fans however weren't feeling as loving as others. "I hope the boo birds come out. I hope he comes back and takes the 'L,' you know?" "I'm going to be booing for him, because like, he's on the other team, so" Destination Louisiane: Mandeville’s Jean Baptiste Lang House "I'm going to boo him. He's on the enemy team now. I love him. He did great things with the city but we gotta beat him tonight." "I'm going to be booing Sean Payton, like how I'm an LSU fan and when Nick Saban went to Alabama…Boo!" As for former Saints players who returned as broncos, Adam Trautman, Lil'Jordan Humphrey and Wil Lutz, it seemed as if most fans were a little more accepting. "Yeah it's good to see them back in the dome. They didn't do anything wrong you know, we didn't just sign them." "It's all business transactions in here, so there's no hate. Wil Lutz was also part of a great run here. I'm just looking forward to a great game and cheering on the Saints." Stay up to date with the latest news, weather and sports by downloading the WGNO app on the Apple or Google Play stores and by subscribing to the WGNO newsletter. Latest Posts Cool mornings, warm afternoons for NOLA through the weekend Watch: Jon Sumrall previews Tulane's matchup with Rice in the WGNO Sports Zone The City of New Orleans preps for Taylor Swift's concerts Audi introduces a limited edition electric mountain bike Tijuana police offer to inspect vehicles at border to expedite crossing times