Saints coach used bizarre tactic to prep Spencer Rattler for Lambeau Field

Nov 5, 2022; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback Spencer Rattler (7) watches from the sideline during the first half against the Vanderbilt Commodores at FirstBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

New Orleans Saints quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko did not want his players thinking inside the box ahead of the team’s cold weather matchup against the Green Bay Packers. Instead, he had his players think inside a freezer.

The Saints head north Monday to take on the Packers at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. The game-time temperature is forecasted to be at a frigid 30 degrees.

On Saturday, Saints starter Spencer Rattler told reporters that Janocko had the QB room run through plays inside their practice facility cafeteria’s walk-in freezer. Rattler said the temperature inside the freezer was set to around 10 degrees in preparation for Lambeau Field, which the rookie said “helped a lot.”

Janocko reportedly got the idea from the 1993 movie “Cool Runnings.” In the film, one of the characters endures the cold inside an ice cream truck to prepare for his event as an Olympic bobsledder.

“At this time of the year, it’s fun to do different stuff,” Janocko said, via ESPN’s Katherine Terrell. “It’s a long season and sometimes other than just sitting in a meeting day after day after day, just doing something different, changing up the scene. Guys thought it was hilarious. The cafeteria workers think I’m out of my mind.”

Rattler is slated to get his first start Monday since getting benched following a Week 8 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.

Last week, Rattler replaced Week 15 starter Jake Haener in the second half of the Saints’ 20-19 loss to the Washington Commanders. The South Carolina alum went 10/21 for 135 yards and a touchdown over his two quarters of play.