Super Bowl security tightened following New Orleans terrorist attack

By Colin McThorn, Staff Writer

Published Feb 7, 2025

Super Bowl opening night ahead of the Super Bowl 59 NFL football game, Feb. 3, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Vera Nieuwenhuis)

Following the New Orleans terrorist attack that injured 57 people and left 14 people dead, including Tiger Bech, all-Ivy League kick returner and brother of TCU wide receiver Jack Bech, the security for this year’s host city has been in question.

This Sunday, the Kansas City Chiefs take on the Philadelphia Eagles in New Orleans. Kendrick Lamar and SZA are hosting this year’s Super Bowl halftime show, following Lamar sweeping the Grammys for his song “Not Like Us.”

Even with all this star-studded power, this year’s biggest question is about the safety of the fans and players alike.

Caesars Superdome, home of the New Orleans Saints and host of the Super Bowl, is less than 2 miles away from Bourbon Street, where the terrorist attack happened only a month ago. It is a 20-minute walk for visitors and attendees of the game.

Along with concerns of another possible terrorist attack, President Trump will be attending the game. The city is preparing to bring more than 100,000 visitors to its streets. Caesars Superdome has a capacity of 87,000.

Emergency services attend the scene after a vehicle drove into a crowd on New Orlean’s Canal and Bourbon Street, Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) (AP)

City officials have repeatedly stated that the city is fully prepared and equipped to host the biggest game of the year.

The FBI has stated that this year’s Super Bowl is an “attractive target for foreign terrorist organizations, homegrown violent extremists, domestic violent extremists, lone offenders, hate crime perpetrators and those engaged in other reportable targeted violence due to their potential to cause mass casualty incidents and draw attention to ideological causes.”

NFL Chief Security Officer Cathy Lanier stated that New Orleans is under constant surveillance, and more than 2,700 federal, state and local law enforcement officers will be buffing up security for the event this weekend. Lanier also added that the Super Bowl will not allow any private drones to fly around the perimeter of the Caesars Superdome.

“Right now, we have no specific credible threats to this event… which I think should give us all a sense of security,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a press conference Monday.