The New Orleans Saints played a more extensive role than previously known in local church leaders’ damage control during a crisis brought on by clergy engaged in an alleged systemic campaign of sexual abuse,

"It doesn’t make any sense to me why the [team] would go to these lengths to protect grown men who raped children," a state lawmaker said.

A trove of emails shows the team’s leadership using its influence in New Orleans to aid the archdiocese, including writing talking points for media interviews.