Thornton said nothing inside the Superdome malfunctioned, but that the stadium’s power supply was cut off from a nearby substation, and that once power was restored, everything inside the dome resumed normal operation.

Thornton also dismissed reports that the halftime show featuring Beyonce had anything to do with the outage, pointing out that that portion of the event was on independent generator power. In fact, Thornton said the dome’s electrical system, which has not once failed since the storm, used less power during the Super Bowl than a typical Saints game.

Flacco also praised New Orleans as a host.

The Ravens quarterback recalled how much he enjoyed getting out on Saturday and visiting the French Quarter to clear his mind the day before the biggest game of his life. During that afternoon he stopped by Cafe du Monde, on the edge of scenic Jackson Square, where locals and tourists alike enjoy French doughnuts with powdered sugar and cafe au lait.