Former Saints J.T. Barrett, Michael Mauti make Big Ten Network All-Decade Team

Former Saints players J.T. Barrett (Ohio State) and Michael Mauti (Penn State) were recognized on the Big Ten Network All-Decade Team.

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Former New Orleans Saints quarterback J.T. Barrett was recognized on the Big Ten Network All-Decade Team as the first-team quarterback for his efforts with the Ohio State Buckeyes, where he started 44 of the 50 games he played while breaking a long list of records; including Drew Brees’ conference title for career yards on offense, which he set at Purdue back in the day.

Barrett joined the Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2018 and went on to be signed, released, and re-signed to their practice squad 28 times, though he’s currently a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers. For the curious, that’s one transaction away from tying the record former Saints wide receiver Andy Tanner set with the team from 2011 to 2015, having been involved with 29 different transactions.

But Barrett wasn’t alone in representing the Saints on the Big Ten Network’s All Decade Team. He was joined by former Saints linebacker Michael Mauti, who made a name for himself on special teams. But before he stood out for his home team, Mauti was starring for Penn State at the college level. He stepped up as a leader for the Nittany Lions in the wake of NCAA sanctions in the early 2010’s, earning recognition as the Big Ten Linebacker of the Year in 2012. Now, he’s been shouted out again by being named to the Big Ten Network’s All-Decade Second Team.

Mauti, a New Orleans native, had a three-year run with the Saints and did the bulk of his work on punts and kickoffs. He earned a spot in Saints history in 2015 by blocking and recovering a punt against the Atlanta Falcons, then carrying it into the end zone for a touchdown, recalling an iconic play by Saints legend Steve Gleason back in 2006 — a game Mauti had attended as a young fan.

While neither of these players may have left the sort of lasting impressions they’d hoped for on the Saints, it’s great to see them earning this respect for their impact on the college game. Those are the sort of memories that endure.

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