Todd Graves, Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers founder and CEO, and Gayle Benson, New Orleans Saints and Pelicans owner, speak to the media during a press conference during a bicycle giveaway and charity event at A.C. Lewis YMCA on Wednesday, December 17, 2025.
Javier Gallegos
Raising Canes co-founder [Todd Graves](https://www.nola.com/news/gayle-bensin-todd-graves-billionaires/article_342641a8-108b-415f-9b0e-dead19f385b9.html) acknowledged that he’d like to own an NFL team, and made clear during a recent interview with TMZ Sports that he’s open to becoming the next owner of the New Orleans Saints if the opportunity arises.
“For me, I love football,” Graves said. “I love the fanfare of it. I love the fact that coaches and teams have to put together this amazing play-calling, amazing teams, the athletes are incredible, so I love all that. It’s all about success and working hard and doing great and giving it all to the fans.”
The interviewer asked if Graves, who lives in Baton Rouges, envisions a day where his two worlds of sports fandom and business intersect to make him an NFL team owner.
“Maybe, someday that makes sense for me, right?” Graves asked the reporter. “So maybe someday down the line, it might.”
The reporter then brought up Graves’ relationship with Gayle Benson, the current owner of Graves’ home team, the New Orleans Saints.
“Gayle’s amazing,” Graves said. “You know, someday, if Gayle were to ever be like, ‘Hey —’ you know, Gayle’s going to live forever. She’s just in great shape and all of that.
“She’s a really sharp lady. I really respect her. We’re good friends. I just really respect her. I learn from her. She’s an incredible businesswoman, and even more, she’s just great in the community. She gives everything back, but you know, maybe some day, if she’s like, ‘Here are the reins,’ who knows?”
“You might have an in!” The reporter responded to Graves’ answer, which made the fast food mogul laugh.
“I might have an in, you know?” Graves said. “But you never know.”
Benson, 79, owns both the Saints and Pelicans. In November 2025, Benson told The Times-Picayune that neither teams are up for sale. Graves, 53, co-founded Raising Cane’s in 1996 and is worth $22 billion, according to Forbes.