METAIRIE, La. Jason Kyle skirted behind Garrett Hartley, silently placing a present for the kicker on the shelf in his locker.
Seconds later, following a question from a reporter, Hartley turned around to see a box of 5-hour ENERGY, an energy drink made to help people stay awake when they're tired.
It also was a nod to Hartley's early-season suspension for taking Adderall, a drug banned by the NFL because it's considered a stimulant. Hartley took the stimulant, he said, to stay awake on a long car ride to New Orleans from Texas.
'It's all fun and games,' Hartley said, a smile creeping on his face. 'I learned from a stupid mistake. It's part of the learning process.'
That Hartley was still around the locker room in Week 14 is a testament to the talent that he showed at the end of 2008 and throughout the early part of this season when he returned from suspension.
Despite not being active for the seven games following his suspension, Hartley continued producing in practice. It also didn't hurt that he was 13 of 13 after the midpoint of the 2008 season when the Saints brought him in.
On Sunday against the Redskins, the payoff came in the form of a career day.
Hartley went 4-for-5, making kicks from 34, 27, 28 and 18, missing only from 58 after slipping on the sloppy turf. The 18-yarder gave New Orleans its first lead of the day and also gave the Saints the 33-30 win in overtime.
'Each week I just tell myself to prepare myself like I'm starting,' Hartley said. 'But honestly, it was a little different knowing that I was going to be the guy the team relies on to go out there and do my job regardless of whether I have to make a 18-yard game-winning field goal or hit 34-yarders to stay within a one-possession game.
'Just having the opportunity I did to prove myself back out there on the field is truly remarkable.'
Said Payton, 'He was very impressive. He has been practicing so well. For us, after a period of time, you see him hitting the ball and his get offs and the pop in his leg. He's a guy who had confidence really off of last year coming in mid-season and going 13-for-13.
'Nonetheless, your first time out on the road on a little bit of a slipper surface, all those things were encouraging. He did a good job.'
The game against Washington was the payoff for a tough road traveled. Hartley wasn't allowed at the facility during his four-game suspension, instead spending time outside of Montgomery, Ala., working on kicking with a private instructor.
He has leaned on family and teammates, taking their advice about trying to stay positive.
Not once during the 11 weeks he was out of the game either suspended or inactive did he want the Saints to cut him, allowing him to get on with another team and kick.
'Absolutely not,' Hartley said. 'That was definitely not an option. Me and my agent both believed they were keeping me around for whatever plans they had for me in the future or this year or whatever it might have been. There's not another team I wanted to play for just so I could go kick.'
Against Washington, the Saints finally wanted him to play for them. And it paid off.
'It was rewarding to have the opportunity, from Jason snapping it, to Mark holding it, everything just worked out,' Hartley said. 'Honestly, it's a storybook ending.'
