Category: saints history

Drew Brees ahead of team HOF induction: ‘I still feel like I’m a New Orleans Saint’

Drew Brees reflected on his time with the Saints ahead of his induction into the team Hall of Fame, and he says he’s a lifer: ‘I still feel like I’m a New Orleans Saint’


Drew Brees will be inducted in the New Orleans Saints Hall of Fame Thursday night. It’s a celebratory moment for the greatest player in Saints history. Brees is the best quarterback in franchise history and one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play in the NFL.

He may have started his career as a member of the Chargers, but Brees says he’s a Saints lifer. He still says “we” when talking about the team casually, and spelled out his intentions: “I still feel like I’m a New Orleans Saint.” He’s synonymous with the Saints after spearheading their greatest era alongside Sean Payton.

For Brees, “So many emotions come back every time (he) steps foot in the Dome.” Brees not only rose to prominence with the team, but also became a part of the city. The tie between the Saints and their city runs deep. After 15 years at the helm, Brees is intertwined in that fabric too.

Brees added, “I think we have the reputation for being one of the greatest fanbases in the country, being one of the greatest game day atmospheres in the country.” That reputation isn’t built without Brees. The fanbase and game day atmosphere reached a broader range and was amplified by the sustained success of the Brees-Payton era.

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3-game losing streaks have a direct tie to Saints playoff history

The New Orleans Saints have only had a three-game losing streak and made the playoffs in the same season once before. Will 2024 be a repeat?

After being dominated by the Kansas City Chiefs, the New Orleans Saints have lost three games in a row.

We’ve taken a look at how the Saints starting 2-3 is a bad omen for the season. Here goes an even worse trend. Over the last 15 seasons, the Saints have either had a three-game losing streak or made the playoffs but never both.

That last part may feel obvious. Teams who go into a three-game losing skid typically don’t make the playoffs. However, the interesting part is the fact New Orleans has had a three-game losing streak every time they missed the playoffs.

The Saints won the Super Bowl in 2009. New Orleans started 13-0 before losing the last 3 games. Ironically, that was the last time the Saints had a three-game losing streak and made the playoffs in the same season.

Since then the Saints made the playoffs 7 times: 2010, 2011, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020. New Orleans has gone through a three game losing streak at some point during every other season.

There’s still a chance for New Orleans to break this trend, There’s 12 games left in the season, but history says the New Orleans Saints will either go on a three game losing streak or be a playoff team. They’ve already done the former.

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Alvin Kamara moved up to second among Saints’ all-time rushing yards leaders

New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara surpassed Deuce McAllister in Week 3 to rank second among the Saints’ all-time rushing yards leaders:

The New Orleans Saints’ 15-12 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 3 somewhat overshadowed some of the positive things that had happened, including Tyrann Mathieu tying for second place with his 35th interception among active players. It’s tough to say much was positive for the offense when they only scored a dozen points, but some individuals did pass important milestones.

One of them was Alvin Kamara surpassing Deuce McAllister in career rushing yards with the Saints, moving him up to second behind his old teammate Mark Ingram II. Kamara entered the game trailing McAllister  by 69 rushing yards, and with 87 yards on the ground, he ended the day 18 yards ahead.

Even more impressively, Kamara did this on 53 fewer rushing attempts than McAllister. He has a decent margin remaining to get up to first place, however, with Ingram sitting at exactly 6,500 rushing yards for New Orleans, while Kamara checks in at 6,114. For Kamara to reach Ingram on the same amount of rushing attempts, he would need to average around 5.1 yards per carry on his next 75 attempts, which is pretty unreasonable given his hot start to the season. With only 386 more yards to go, he could feasibly find his way to the top of the list this season however, which is a fun stat to keep an eye on throughout the year.

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Alontae Taylor makes Saints history in 2024 season opener

Alontae Taylor is the first Saints defensive back with three sacks in a game since… ever. AT1 made history on Sunday:

If you didn’t notice Alontae Taylor on Sunday, chances are you watched the wrong game. Taylor recorded three sacks in the New Orleans Saints season opener versus the Carolina Panthers.

Taylor showcased himself to be an effective blitzer against the Panthers, bringing down Bryce Young three times. This is the first time a New Orleans defensive back has recorded three sacks in franchise history.

Taylor not only got into the backfield effectively, he also finished the job. There were times when pressure got close to Young, and he ultimately got away. This was never the case when Taylor was present.

His three sacks ties the most by a cornerback in NFL history as well.

Taylor has an argument for the most improved player of Saints training camp. No one, however, expected Taylor’s improvement to be the most noticeable in the pass rush.

Taylor had one sack in his first two seasons, so he tripled that in one game.

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Reggie Bush reflects on 2009 Saints Super Bowl team

Former New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush reflected on the team’s magical 2009 season: ‘Our defense was just lights out’

390 The 2009 New Orleans Saints were one of the best squads we’ve seen the franchise have over recent years, and few remember that quite as vividly as legendary running back Reggie Bush.

In a recent interview with Forbes.com’s DJ Siddiqi., Bush reflected back on that magical year in which the team won Super Bowl XLIV, topping the Indianapolis Colts 31-17 in Miami.

“We had an identity,” Bush said. “The year we won the Super Bowl, we ran the football a lot. As good as Drew (Brees) was, running the football ended up becoming the thing that really helped us get over the hump, because it just opened everything up for Drew, right?”

Bush served as the team’s primary punt returner that season, playing an important role on special teams while he carried the ball 70 times for 390 yards and 5 touchdowns. He also caught 47 passes for 335 yards and 3 touchdowns.

One of the biggest things that stood out to Bush had nothing to do with his side of the ball, either. The saying “defense wins championships” may sound cliche, but there is some truth to it — and that goes for Super Bowls too.

“Our defense was just lights out,” Bush said of the 2009 team. “And that to me was the ultimate reason why we had been able to win a Super Bowl. Because our defense got turnovers and the turnovers gave us more and more opportunities. That’s part of the championship culture is when your defense can create turnovers and get the ball back to your offense.”

It will be interesting to see how and if the Saints can return back to the dominance of that 2009 team anytime soon, given how many areas there are to fix.

In the interview, Bush agreed with the notion that the current Saints team seems to lack identity, pointing first and foremost to the problems at the quarterback position.

But Bush is not without some optimism.

“You still see some of the lingering culture there, just culture of winning and how to work,” Bush said. “(Head coach Dennis Allen) understands the culture and the culture of winning.”

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Tom Dempsey’s record-setting 63-yard field goal is the Saints Play of the Day

Tom Dempsey’s record-setting 63-yard field goal is the New Orleans Saints Play of the Day. He held that record for 43 years:

There are 63 days left on the calendar until the New Orleans Saints kick off their 2024 regular season, which makes Tom Dempsey’s record-setting 63-yard field goal the Saints Play of the Day.

Dempsey nailed the longest field goal in NFL history against the Detroit Lions in 1970, sending the game-winner through the upright as time expired — which was one of just two victories the Saints enjoyed that season. Having been born without toes on his right foot, Dempsey used a special box-toed boot that was later banned by the league.

His kick led to multiple NFL rules changes and stood as the record for 43 years. Several kickers tied him for distance, but Dempsey’s record wasn’t broken until Denver Broncos kicker Matt Prater made good from 64 yards (taking advantage of the thin air at altitude, though in below-freezing temperatures). They were both lapped by Baltimore Ravens fan favorite Justin Tucker in 2021, when he set a new record from 66 yards.

Still, Dempsey’s place in NFL history is secure. Generations of fans knew who set that record, and for many Saints fans it was the highlight of the team’s early days. He’ll be missed, having died in 2020, but Dempsey — and his achievements as someone to cheer for when New Orleans truly needed it — won’t be forgotten.

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Reggie Bush’s 71-yard punt return touchdown is the Saints Play of the Day

Reggie Bush’s 71-yard punt return touchdown against the Vikings back in 2008 is the New Orleans Saints Play of the Day:

It’s often been said that Reggie Bush joined the New Orleans Saints a generation too early. The college football superstar had an inconsistent pro career in black and gold, experiencing terrific highs and frustrating lows as Sean Payton’s coaching staff struggled to figure out how to use him. The role Bush pioneered in New Orleans was later developed by Darren Sproles and perfected by Alvin Kamara, and it’s fair to wonder how things might have gone had he enjoyed the benefits of a more experienced play caller.

But he was always dangerous on special teams. Bush scored four punt return yards in regular season games and a fifth in the playoffs. And when the Minnesota Vikings visited the Saints for a “Monday Night Football” matchup in 2008, Bush turned in his best performance yet with a 71-yard punt return touchdown.

Bush turned on the jets to rally back after the Vikings took an early 20-10 lead, which you can watch here on YouTube. It was the longest punt return of Bush’s NFL career. And while it was just the first of two punts returned for touchdowns he had against the Vikings that night, he nearly had a third, having gotten a favorable angle on the Minnesota coverage team before his cleats caught in the Superdome turf, tripping him up.

The Vikings ended up winning this one after a rough end-of-game sequence (Saints kicker Matt Gramatica missed a 46-yard field goal for the win, and a 42-yard pass interference penalty on safety Kevin Kaesviharn flipped the field to set up a chip-shot kick for Minnesota) but New Orleans got the last laugh. They hosted the next year’s NFC championship game and beat the Vikings in overtime to advance to Super Bowl XLIV. You know what happened next.

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Saints on the wrong side of these top-10 NFL playoff moments

The Saints were on the wrong side of a couple of these top-10 NFL playoff moments, but there’s no mention of their heroics in actually winning a Super Bowl:

It isn’t always nice to take a stroll down memory lane. The 33rd Team’s Marcus Mosher ranked the 10 best playoff moments in NFL history, and the New Orleans Saints were on the wrong side of several of his picks — but there’s no mention of their heroics in actually winning a Super Bowl, which neither of the teams Mosher highlighted accomplished.

Mosher’s premise specifies that “For this piece, we are focusing on singular plays that everyone remembers. The greater the stage, the higher the ranking.

“Lasting impact matters, too, so expect plays that alter NFL history to appear higher on the list.”

So it’s tough to see how Marshawn Lynch’s “Beast Quake” run qualifies. Sure, it was a fun play (for Seahawks fans and neutral observers), and the defending-champ Saints did get bounced out of the playoffs because of it. But Seattle joined them on the couch just a week later after getting blown out 35-24 by the Chicago Bears. It didn’t have a lasting impact outside of NFL highlight reels and ad campaigns, but Mosher ranked  it No. 9 on his list.

But that wasn’t the only time the Saints were victimized here. Despite acknowledging that it “might have only been the Divisional Round,” Mosher clocked Stefon Diggs’ walkoff touchdown from the “Minneapolis Miracle” at No. 7. Again, yeah, it’s a memorable play. But the Vikings didn’t carry any momentum from it into the NFC Championship Game. They went and got embarrassed by the Philadelphia Eagles in a 38-7 loss. Minnesota hasn’t won a home playoff game since.

So what is the lasting impact from these plays? Which big stages did they happen on? Neither of these plays won a Super Bowl trophy or even a conference championship. They’re something fun for fans of those teams to look back on, but they’re far from meaningful when you check the scoreboard.

It’s disappointing that the Saints’ efforts to win Super Bowl XLIV were overlooked in this list. Those plays actually mattered and brought home a banner to hang for as long as pro football is played in America. Tracy Porter’s win-sealing pick-six off of Peyton Manning is an all-timer. Pierre Thomas scoring from 16 yards out on a screen play is teach tape for young offensive linemen and running backs everywhere. Lance Moore managing to score a two-point conversion while upside-down in midair remains impressive. Any of these plays mattered more than what Lynch or Diggs did years later in games that won no trophies, so it’s a shame to see them on the sidelines. But we’re happy to talk about them if no one else is.

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Saints have two draft classes rank in the top 10 of the century

ESPN ranked the best draft classes of the 21st century, with two historic New Orleans Saints hauls ranking inside the top-10:

ESPN’s Aaron Schatz recently ranked the 12 best draft classes of the 21st century, and the New Orleans Saints made the list twice. Not only is New Orleans on the list twice, they found themselves in the top 10 both times. Their iconic 2017 and 2006 draft classes come in at tenth and first on ESPN’s list.

The 2017 class was the first to make an appearance at tenth overall. The Saints nailed all six of their selections in the first three rounds and those players became foundational pieces for the new era of the New Orleans Saints. Running back Alvin Kamara and cornerback Marshon Lattimore are arguably the best in franchise history at their positions.

The luxury to argue who’s the best player from this class between Kamara, Lattimore and former All-Pro right tackle Ryan Ramczyk is proof of how strong this class is. Free safety Marcus Williams and defensive end Trey Hendrickson were valuable assets before migrating to the AFC North.

However, the 2006 draft class came in as the best draft class of the century. Star running back Reggie Bush, Pro Football Hall of Fame candidate Jahri Evans and forever-underrated wideout Marques Colston were the headliners from the class. Evans has been a Hall of Fame finalist for the past two years and Colston remains one of the most slept-on wide receivers at his position. Safety Roman Harper was also a consistent starter for the Saints, as was right tackle Zach Strief.

The legacy of the 2006 offseason goes beyond just the draft class. Sean Payton and Drew Brees also joined the team that year. This was the beginning of the Saints’ Golden Age.

2006 was a talented year and many teams took advantage of it. The Saints class capped off the list, and the Denver Broncos started the list at No. 12. They selected Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall in this draft. The Cincinnati Bengals made their second appearance on the list at seventh with a class, led by future Hall of Famer and Louisiana native Andrew Whitworth. A lot of teams got better in 2006, but none improved as greatly as the Saints did.

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Saints work towards salary cap compliance by restructuring Nathan Shepherd

The New Orleans Saints are continuing to work towards salary cap compliance by restructuring their contract with Nathan Shepherd:

Here’s your next New Orleans Saints salary cap maneuver: ESPN’s Field Yates reports that the team restructured their contract with defensive tackle Nathan Shepherd to save “just north of $3 (million)” following similar moves with quarterback Derek Carr and center Erik McCoy. Another restructure with right guard Cesar Ruiz is also in the works, per ESPN.

There’s just one thing: the math doesn’t check out for this to yield more than $3 million in savings. Shepherd was due $4.1 million in base salary with a $1 million signing bonus payout in 2024 prior to this restructure, which made for a $5.1 million cap hit. Lowering his salary to the minimum ($1.125 million) and converting the difference into a new signing bonus ($2.975 million paid out over five years for accounting purposes) would yield $2.23 million in savings, dropping his cap hit from $5.1 million to just $2.72 million.

So maybe that’s a typo or mistake from Yates. $2.23 million could be credibly described as “just north of” $2 million. We’ll see if Yates shares a clarification or if there’s something else going on here. Either way, whether it’s $2 million or $3 million, every dollar counts for the Saints. Few teams spend more than they do.

Shepherd’s base salary for 2024 was already guaranteed when he signed with the Saints last year, so he was going to get this money regardless. It’s just being paid out differently to better work around the salary cap. After restructuring their deals with Shepherd, Carr, and McCoy with Ruiz’s expected restructure factoring in, the Saints should be over the cap by about $33.2 million. That’s already $50 million less than where they started in offsesason projections.

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