METAIRIE, La. -- New Orleans Saints general manager Mickey Loomis said he and his family were "devastated" by the loss of close friend and Pro Football Hall of Famer Cortez Kennedy, who was a godfather to one of his children and a namesake to another.
The Saints became an adopted second team for the former Seattle Seahawks great because of his relationship with Loomis -- who worked in the Seahawks' front office for much of Kennedy's playing career.
Kennedy, who died at the age of 48, spent the past several years as an informal consultant with the Saints, sometimes advising players on and off the field and regularly attending games.
"Today, the NFL lost a legend and a Hall of Fame player. Joe and Ruby Harris, his parents, lost a loving son, and his beautiful daughter Courtney lost the most caring and best father I know," Loomis said in a statement released by the Saints. "My wife Melanie and I, my sons Alex and Sam and daughters Katherine and Lucy are devastated by this loss. Cortez is godfather to Lucy and Samuel Cortez bears his name.
"Many who will read about him in the coming days will read of his success on the field as a great Seattle Seahawk and Miami Hurricane; however the full story lies in his loving, fun, positive and giving heart. In my many years working in the NFL, no one better exemplified what it meant to be a great player on the field, and yet that paled in comparison to what Cortez meant to the people who knew him off the field. People of all races, religions and nationalities counted him as a friend; athletes and non-athletes alike. We should all aspire to have as big a heart as his!
"His loving and fun personality was often present in our building. He was very close to our owners Tom and Gayle Benson and our head Coach Sean Payton, but what I loved most about Cortez was the care and time he took in cultivating relationships with the equipment guys, security, ball boys, trainers, scouts, ticketing staff -- the staffs that work long hours behind the scenes, he appreciated their hard work and recognized the contribution they made to any team's success.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with Joe and Ruby, Courtney and the vast number of people who counted Cortez as a close friend; he will be missed by everyone, certainly myself included. We have a lost a true Saint of a person."
Saints coach Sean Payton also tweeted a photo of him with Kennedy, Drew Brees and Bill Parcells:
Thoughts and prayers are with Cortez Kennedy's family. A great friend and the most genuine person you would ever want to meet.
— Sean Payton (@SeanPayton) May 23, 2017
#96 pic.twitter.com/b9sqX32FAw
“Cortez was a trusted and close friend and was one of the greatest and most genuine individuals you would ever want to meet," Payton said in a statement. "He embodied everything one would think of and expect from a Hall of Famer, both on and off the field. To say we are stunned and saddened with the news of his sudden passing would be an understatement. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, especially his daughter Courtney, at this difficult time.”
Saints owners Tom and Gayle Benson expressed the organization's "heartbreak" in a statement:
"Words cannot express the sense of loss and heartbreak we as an organization are feeling at this time. We are shocked and heartbroken upon hearing the news this morning. Cortez was a man who was truly a role model and inspiration in every sense, he was considered a part of our family, and we will miss the happiness, joy and insight he brought us each and every time we were fortunate enough to spend time with him. His life should be an example for not only players but all of us, from the way he was raised by his parents, who instilled the value of hard work, to the way he lived his life and played with those same values, but most importantly the way he raised Courtney, his daughter who was the center of his universe.
"The NFL has lost a Hall of Fame player and we have lost a Hall of Fame friend and a role model who will always remain a part of our family in the lasting memories and laughs he provided."