WWE takes WrestleMania 42 from New Orleans after announcing as host city in February
According to a statement from the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation, the promotion is rescheduling a WrestleMania in New Orleans for a later, unspecified year. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson announced New Orleans' Caesar's Superdome as the venue for 2026 in February during a segment on WWR Friday Night Smackdown at Smoothie King Center.
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New Orleans & Company head Walt Leger also noted that WWE hopes to bring other pay-per-view events to the city. Instead of WrestleMania, they will bring the Money in the Bank — which usually takes place in June or July — to New Orleans.
"We've worked with them for the last several days to try to identify some future dates and future events to bring to the city," Leger said.
In a joint statement with New Orleans & Company, the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation said they are in talks with TKO "to expand our long-standing partnership through a multi-event, multi-year agreement which will include UFC 318 on July 19, 2025 [and] Money In The Bank in 2026."
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A new venue for WrestleMania 42 is yet to be announced as fans on social media are calling for WWE to move it to Wembley Stadium in London. WWE's premier event was set at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas this year and garnered 117,380 fans in attendance across both nights.
New Orleans hosted WrestleMania 34 in 2018 and had 78,240 fans for a gate of $14.1 million. According to the Enigma Research Corporation, the pay-per-view had a $175 million impact on The Crescent City with three-quarters of the fans in attendance coming from outside New Orleans.
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Jarrett comes to Chicago with a wealth of knowledge and experience that will make him a vital mentor for young players, including Gervon Dexter Sr., as well as his proven track record as a run defender and interior pass rusher. Jarrett was the first addition for new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, who witnessed Jarrett up close during his time with the New Orleans Saints and played the Falcons twice a year. Jarrett is expected to start along the interior, alongside Dexter, to anchor a defensive line that will be key to the defense's success. While Dexter had a down year in 2024, coming off a torn ACL, another year of rest and rehab on that knee should have the soon-to-be 32-year old veteran primed to contribute in a big way in 2025. -- Alyssa Barbieri 18. TE Cole Kmet You'd be hard-pressed to find someone else on the Bears whose 2025 outlook changed as drastically as Kmet's following the draft. The Bears opted to select Michigan tight end Colston Loveland with their first-round pick, which immediately raised questions regarding Kmet's status. While the addition of Loveland will create some intriguing problems later on, Kmet is still going to be a productive player on offense. It takes time for rookie tight ends to develop, and Loveland is already playing catch-up due to being out with his offseason shoulder injury. While the Bears will deploy both tight ends in various packages, it's very possible Kmet outproduces Loveland in 2025. -- Brendan Sugrue 19. LB T.J. Edwards The Bears rewarded Edwards with a two-year, $20 million contract this offseason as they locked down their top linebacker through 2027. While Edwards left plenty to be desired on the field last season, as did many, the move is a testament to the veteran linebacker's importance on defense. With new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen stepping in, it's certainly noteworthy that Chicago opted to extend Edwards to a multi-year deal. That doesn't necessarily mean his future beyond 2025 is safe, especially if he struggles and the Bears find a better option. But, right now, Edwards is poised to return as 1-2 punch with Tremaine Edmunds for Year 3 in Chicago. The expectation is Edwards will be back at weak side linebacker, where he's thrived, but it's certainly noteworthy that Allen flipped Edwards and Edmunds during OTAs, which could mean something or could mean nothing. -- Alyssa Barbieri 20. S Jaquan Brisker For a while, there was real concern that Brisker may not be able to resume his playing career due to the concussion. Thankfully, he was cleared over the winter and has been a full participant during organized team activities (OTAs) and mandatory mini camp. Brisker has also been working out separately with fellow teammates such as Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon, doing everything he can to get back to his old self. If he can stay healthy, Brisker has the chance to flourish in Dennis Allen's new defense. The Bears' new defensive coordinator was eyeing Brisker during the 2022 NFL Draft when he was head coach of the New Orleans Saints. Now the two get to work together three years later, and Brisker can become a versatile chess piece in the secondary. It also helps that the entire starting defensive back room is returning for the 2025 season, giving Brisker some familiarity as he works his way back to action. -- Brendan Sugrue 21. S Kevin Byard The Bears defense is welcoming some new faces to the roster -- and coaching staff -- this season, but Byard will provide stability in a talented secondary looking to anchor this unit. Byard is coming off an encouraging first season with Chicago, where he played most of the year without Jaquan Brisker and aided by reserves Jonathan Owens and Elijah Hicks. Now, Byard is back with Brisker for the first year under new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, who's looking to instill a violent, aggressive mentality on defense. Byard's best ability was availability as he started every since game in 2024, which was sorely needed with Brisker missing 12 games. Outside of production, Byard will be relied on to once again serve as a veteran leader on this defense and team, a role that he thrived in amid chaos last season. The hope is this year will possess the stability lacking last season. -- Alyssa Barbieri 22. DE Dayo Odeyingbo Odeyingbo comes to the Bears on a three-year deal worth up to $48 million guaranteed and is slated to start opposite Montez Sweat at the edge position, taking over DeMarcus Walker's old spot. At 6-foot-6 and 286 pounds, Odeyingbo's profile fits new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen's system when it comes to edge rushers, giving the Bears an interesting chess piece to work with across the line. Odeyingbo may move around the line a bit, playing some defensive tackle with the likes of Gervon Dexter, Andrew Billings, and Grady Jarrett. The Bears liked what they saw from Odeyingbo during his tenure with the Colts, but they're betting on his future at just 25 years old. Odeyingbo is just now reaching his prime, and his best football is still ahead of him. -- Brendan Sugrue 23. LB Tremaine Edmunds Edmunds is entrenched as the Bears' starting middle linebacker alongside T.J. Edwards heading into the 2025 season, and he'll be key to the success of this defense. Edmunds should benefit from the addition of new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, who employs the kind of defensive scheme that could make him a formidable force in the middle of the field. 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New defensive coordinator Dennis Allen likes to have defensive backs play man coverage, which should suit Stevenson. His new position coach, Al Harris, will also play an instrumental role in his continued development. During his time with the Dallas Cowboys, Harris helped cornerbacks Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland earn All-Pro seasons. He's one of the best position coaches, and Stevenson will only benefit from his tutelage. Stevenson will need to earn his playing time, however. -- Brendan Sugrue 27. DT Andrew Billings The Bears have a new defensive coordinator in Dennis Allen, who is looking to employ an aggressive, violent defense that certainly fits Billings' style as he's been an enforcer along the interior. Chicago bolstered their interior defensive line this offseason with veteran Grady Jarrett, who brings experience and leadership, as well as second-round rookie Shemar Turner, who serves to benefit from Jarrett and Billings. The Bears will likely employ a three-player rotation between Gervon Dexter, Jarrett and Billings at defensive tackle with Billings continuing to play a key role in Chicago's run defense, which struggled in his absence last season. Allen could also look to kick Dexter outside on some downs, which would give the Bears an opportunity to feature a defensive front with Montez Sweat, Dexter, Jarrett and Billings to make life difficult on opposing offenses. -- Alyssa Barbieri 28. K Cairo Santos Entering his sixth consecutive season with the Bears, we have a pretty good idea of who Santos is as a kicker. He has excellent accuracy with a limited range. His longest field goal of 54 yards in 2024 was tied for 29th in 2024. That being said, Santos is the most accurate kicker in Bears history and has continuity on his side going into 2025. Despite the Bears overhauling their coaching staff over the winter, the special teams unit remained relatively unchanged. Richard Hightower is returning as special teams coordinator, while Daly and Taylor are back at long snapper and holder, respectively. Kickers love consistency, and Santos will have it for the upcoming season. -- Brendan Sugrue 29. QB Case Keenum The Bears signed Keenum this offseason to serve as another voice inside the quarterback room for second-year quarterback Caleb Williams. Keenum played a key role during Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud's rookie season, when he was dubbed Offensive Rookie of the Year. Now, alongside new head coach Ben Johnson, offensive coordinator Declan Doyle and quarterbacks coach J.T. Barrett, Keenum will serve as a sounding board for Williams and help him maximize his potential. But outside of that, Keenum will also be competing for the backup quarterback job with Tyson Bagent, who's been QB2 for the past two seasons. For what it's worth, Keenum has been taking reps with the second-team offense throughout the offseason program, according to the media in attendance, so it certainly feels like it's his job to lose at this point. But it's also something to monitor heading into training camp. -- Alyssa Barbieri 30. RB Roschon Johnson Entering his third season, Johnson hasn't become the starting-caliber running back some thought he could be when he was drafted out of Texas. That doesn't mean he still doesn't have an important role to fill. Despite rumors swirling that they could overhaul the position during the offseason, the Bears only made a minor addition at running back when they drafted Kyle Monangai in the seventh round. That gives Johnson a strong shot to earn important carries for the 2025 season. As of now, the Bears are expected to lean on Swift as their RB1, but Johnson has a relatively clear path in front of him to spell him. The Bears need a bruising back to carry the ball in between the tackles in key situations, and it would be surprising if Swift is the right man for the job. That's where Johnson could shine once again. -- Brendan Sugrue
