On Sundays, NFL teams use every competitive advantage possible. The Saints have found a unique inspirational trash-talking cheerleader in superfan Jarrius Robertson.
It started with a hospital visit. Last December, Saints players met Jarrius, now 14, at Ochsner Hospital for Children in New Orleans. Jarrius suffers from biliary atresia, a chronic liver disease in which one or more bile ducts are abnormally narrow, blocked or absent. Due to the disease, Jarrius has only grown to about waist-high when next to an average adult.
But the Saints were so engrossed by Jarrius' enthusiasm for the team, they invited him to practice and a game late in the 2015 season. During the summer, Jarrius was back with the team, pumping them up at training camp. He was officially named the Saints' "hype man" for 2016 home games.
This past weekend, Jarrius set up a Twitter account and documented the Saints' 41-38 victory against the Panthers. Here are the highlights:
Jarrius premiered his account with a Throwback Thursday photo alongside Drew Brees:
#tbt with my man breezy pic.twitter.com/tPibBrGmBA
— Jarrius Robertson (@Jarrius) October 13, 2016
He followed with a Flashback Friday video chatting with Marques Colston:
#fbf clowin' with the great @MarquesColston #saints pic.twitter.com/OO4m6JpYL0
— Jarrius Robertson (@Jarrius) October 14, 2016
Before the game Sunday, Jarrius hung out with ABC New Orleans reporter Meghan Kluth:
#SaintsGameday baby! @Jarrius and I are ready! @Saints pic.twitter.com/10CDFIzyON
— Meghan Kluth (@Kluthfairy) October 16, 2016
He took a selfie with his brother and Pikachu:
On the line with me bro #SaintsGameday pic.twitter.com/2zR6XHfnhD
— Jarrius Robertson (@Jarrius) October 16, 2016
He dished some last-minute advice to Sean Payton:
I told @SeanPayton let me run the option just one time!!! #SaintsGameday @Saints pic.twitter.com/R9uOpNuJrN
— Jarrius Robertson (@Jarrius) October 16, 2016
Then he talked to trash to Cam Newton and the Panthers:
You heard it here folks! #whodat @Saints here we come to get you @Panthers pic.twitter.com/LwRx8Ps22n
— Thecla (@TheclaScott) October 16, 2016
@Panthers uh oh you messed with the wrong @Saints fan! #whodat pic.twitter.com/3cqUwZEWlx
— Thecla (@TheclaScott) October 16, 2016
And took a photo with the Saintsations cheerleaders:
With my close friends @Saintsations #SaintsGameday pic.twitter.com/KdLsZVnpgl
— Jarrius Robertson (@Jarrius) October 16, 2016
He snatched ESPN's Jeff Darlington's microphone:
Hey @JeffDarlington....hear them footsteps? I'm coming for yo job pic.twitter.com/vjnjcYvCIW
— Jarrius Robertson (@Jarrius) October 16, 2016
And dabbed. That's right, he dabbed in front of Cam Newton and the Panthers:
When #SaintsGameday feels take over @Saints pic.twitter.com/KPJC9dZKQ2
— Jarrius Robertson (@Jarrius) October 16, 2016
He told Saints punter Thomas Morstead, who invited him to the 2015 game, to land all punts on the 1-yard line:
Better land at the 1 yd line every time @thomasmorstead #SaintsGameday pic.twitter.com/7mw09BN4nh
— Jarrius Robertson (@Jarrius) October 16, 2016
And danced with jersey-mate Mark Ingram:
.@MarkIngram22 and ya boy Hyping up the crowd on the video board ‼ #SaintsGameday pic.twitter.com/ubPPj9YKBJ
— Jarrius Robertson (@Jarrius) October 16, 2016
Little 22 showing big 22 how it's done! @Jarrius @MarkIngram22 @Saints pic.twitter.com/VX5BP385FH
— Meghan Kluth (@Kluthfairy) October 17, 2016
@Jarrius is https://t.co/BYnWMl3a6h
— Mark Ingram II (@MarkIngram22) October 17, 2016
The Saints won the game, and Jarrius had a blast:
Let's go saints pic.twitter.com/9DMdeQBZNj
— Jarrius Robertson (@Jarrius) October 16, 2016
.@SAINTS WIN
I SAW IT pic.twitter.com/etOQUbu4oT— Jarrius Robertson (@Jarrius) October 16, 2016
In Jarrius' most viral video of the day, he tells Devin Funchess, who had a touchdown for the Panthers, not to dance in his end zone.
I told them Cats not to dance in my endzone...look what happened @saints pic.twitter.com/vCncYUiEWW
— Jarrius Robertson (@Jarrius) October 16, 2016
Twitter is a more interesting place this week with Jarrius Robertson on board.
According to the Saints' website, Jarrius' next big performance will be Tuesday on Good Morning America. Jarrius and father Jordy will be in-studio in New York for an interview, while Sean Payton, Drew Brees and Cam Jordan will be live from the team's practice facility back in Louisiana.
Jarrius also has a Facebook account.
-- Follow Jeffrey Eisenband on Twitter @JeffEisenband.