Tag: former players

Former Saints linebacker A.J. Klein announces retirement from pro football

Former Saints linebacker A.J. Klein announced his retirement from pro football. He was a key piece of some of the most successful teams in franchise history:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C-DHRm4RY9y/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Every player comes to a time when it’s time to hang up the cleats. That day always comes, whether it’s because of age, ability, or injury. Today was the day for former New Orleans Saints linebacker A.J. Klein, who announced his retirement from pro football after 11 seasons. Interestingly enough, the day he decided to retire was his 33rd birthday. Klein made the announcement on his official Instagram account.

Saints fans might remember Klein from the very successful 2017-2019 playoff teams. The Wisconsin native was a key contributor for those teams, starting 42 games across those three seasons. He contributed on the stat sheet in New Orleans with 193 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles.

Klein played for five NFL teams across his 11 seasons, most notably the Carolina Panthers (who drafted him out of Iowa State) and the Buffalo Bills, with whom he appeared often over the last four years. We congratulate Klein on a great career and wish him the best of luck in retirement.

[lawrence-auto-related count=4]

Robert Meachem’s 55-yard catch against the Cowboys is the Saints Play of the Day

Robert Meachem’s 55-yard catch against the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day back in 2010 is your New Orleans Saints Play of the Day:

There are 55 days to go until the New Orleans Saints kick off their 2024 regular season, and today’s Saints Play of the Day countdown is a blast from the past. We’re taking it back to 2010’s Thanksgiving Day game against the Dallas Cowboys to highlight Robert Meachem’s 55-yard reception.

Now, Meachem didn’t score on this play, but it was about as impactful as it possibly could be while coming up short of that. The Saints were trailing 27-23 and facing 3rd-and-10 from their own 33-yard line, with just 2:25 left in regulation. The Cowboys were surging, having won each of their last two games after firing head coach Wade Phillips in favor of Jason Garrett. The Saints were defending Super Bowl champions facing an upset on a national stage.

And then Drew Brees found Meachem in single coverage sprinting down the sideline, having gotten a step on Cowboys Pro Bowl cornerback Terence Newman. He pump-faked once, then stepped up in the pocket to deliver a dart where only Meachem could get it. The receiver caught the pass in stride and flipped the field, with Newman finally bringing him down at the Dallas 12-yard line. Both sides took a breather at the two-minute warning, and then Lance Moore caught a touchdown pass from Brees to take the lead, going up 30-27 after Garrett Hartley’s extra point try sailed through the uprights.

Talk about drama. The Cowboys offense never got past the New Orleans 41-yard line after that, and a long-shot field goal attempt from 59 yards was no good. The Saints returned home with a hard-fought victory on their hands, and with new memories won for their fans.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

Chris Ivory’s 56-yard touchdown run is the Saints Play of the Day

Chris Ivory’s 56-yard touchdown run against the Atlanta Falcons back in 2012 is the New Orleans Saints Play of the Day:

Chris Ivory’s 56-yard touchdown run against the Atlanta Falcons back in 2012 is the New Orleans Saints Play of the Day, which you can watch here. The former Saints running back only appeared in 24 games with New Orleans before continuing his career with the New York Jets (46 games), Jacksonville Jaguars (25), and Buffalo Bills (13), but he certainly made an impact on the black and gold.

The Saints needed this score in the worst way. They were sloppy to start the game, having allowed 10 unanswered points in the first quarter after their defense was caught flatfooted and Drew Brees threw an interception on his first play from scrimmage. Ivory took the handoff in the backfield and looped around the formation to get an edge on the Falcons defense, threaded the needle down the sideline, and then burst into the Atlanta secondary.

And the scoring didn’t stop there. Jimmy Graham and Tony Gonzalez traded touchdown catches (Marques Colston got in on the fun, too) until the Saints pulled ahead with a 31-27 lead late in regulation. They stopped two Atlanta drives on fourth down and won the day, but it was a near thing, and it wouldn’t have happened if Ivory hadn’t kicked down the door early on.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

16 ex-Saints players to face their former team in 2023

Having found new homes around the NFL, these 16 ex-New Orleans Saints players could face their former team in 2023:

Having found new homes around the NFL, these 16 ex-New Orleans Saints players could face their former team in 2023. Some of them were household names. Others were only in town long enough to pour a cup of coffee or cash in their signing bonus from an undrafted rookie contract. But at some point they all wore black and gold, and we might see them again in the fall:

31 former Saints players who are still free agents

From draft picks of days past to undrafted fan-favorites and trade acquisitions, here’s a look at some of the former Saints players who are still free agents:

It’s been a busy week for the New Orleans Saints in free agency. They’ve let six players walk away on deals with new teams while bringing in a couple of new starters at defensive tackle in Nathan Shepherd and Khalen Saunders, plus a veteran running back to pair with Alvin Kamara — Jamaal Williams has already endeared himself to fans.

Now they’re busy filling out the roster with one-year contracts for experienced free agents like defensive backs Jonathan Abram and Lonnie Johnson Jr., as well as right tackle Storm Norton and defensive tackle Malcolm Roach. The Saints are going to continue monitoring the market in search of options for improving their team.

That could mean more reunions with some of their former players. There are currently 31 former Saints who are still unsigned free agents, including players from the 2022 team and those who were drafted by New Orleans, signed as undrafted rookies, or acquired through trades with other teams. Here’s a quick look at the group:

24 former Chiefs players who are still free agents

From a former No. 1 overall pick to undrafted free agents turned fan favorites, here’s a look at some of the former #Chiefs players who are still free agents:

Quite a few players that have contributed to the Kansas City Chiefs’ success during the Andy Reid era remain free agents.

We’re not talking about the players that the team had on the roster this past season either. Former draft picks, trade acquisitions and undrafted free agents that have played with the team at one point or another since 2013 are still out there and available for the taking.

While reunions in Kansas City are unlikely for most of these players, here’s a quick look at 24 former Chiefs players who both played in 2022 and remain free agents:

24 former Saints players getting another shot in the XFL spring league

7 of the 8 XFL teams have rostered former Saints. Some were only here long enough to pour a cup of coffee, but we’re rooting for all of them in their next opportunity:

The XFL is returning for its 2023 season, with opening day rapidly approaching. And there will be a lot of former New Orleans Saints players crowding the sidelines in Saturday’s kickoff game between the Las Vegas Vipers and Arlington Renegades — it’ll be broadcast nationally on ABC, beginning at 2 p.m. CT.

Seven of the spring league’s eight teams have at least one former Saints player on their roster. Some of these players were only in New Orleans for a few weeks, just long enough to learn the playbook and pour a cup of coffee. Others were draft picks, free agent signings, and fan-favorites.

But at some point they all walked onto the practice field on Airline Drive in a helmet with a fleur-de-lis on it, and we’re rooting for them as they chase their second shot at playing pro football. Here’s the full list:

Former Saints WR Kawaan Baker signs with the Packers after serving 6-game suspension

Former Saints WR Kawaan Baker signed with the Packers practice squad after serving his 6-game suspension:

A couple of former New Orleans Saints wide receivers found new teams this week. Kawaan Baker finished serving his 6-game suspension for an offseason PEDs policy violation and ended up signing with the Green Bay Packers practice squad following a group tryout.

Baker, 24, was selected by the Saints in the seventh round of the 2021 NFL draft out of South Alabama but struggled to find snaps in the rotation despite a wave of injuries hitting the position in each of his two years in black and gold. Now he’s wearing No. 82 in Green Bay.

If there’s anything positive to take away here, it may be that the Saints feel optimistic about Michael Thomas and Jarvis Landry getting off of the injury report soon. With Chris Olave back in the lineup, Baker would have been hard-pressed to get into games ahead of Marquez Callaway, Tre’Quan Smith, Keith Kirkwood, Rashid Shaheed, and practice squad receivers Kevin White and Kirk Merritt. Green Bay’s receiving corps is banged-up and talent-poor, so there are better opportunities for him up north.

And the Seattle Seahawks picked up former Saints wide receiver Easop Winston Jr. after a group tryout. A former Washington State Cougar, Winston spent most of the last year on New Orleans’ practice squad but was waived late in the summer during roster cuts. He’s on the Seattle practice squad closer to home after pursuing a couple of different opportunities as a free agent.

Quite a few former Saints players tried out for other teams this week. Here’s the full list, per the daily NFL transactions wire:

  • WR Kawaan Baker (Green Bay Packers-signed)

  • WR Easop Winston Jr. (Seattle Seahawks-signed)

  • WR Dai’Jean Dixon (Seattle Seahawks)

  • CB DaMarcus Fields (Washington Commanders, Carolina Panthers)

  • CB Tre Swilling (San Francisco 49ers)

  • CB Ken Crawley (Tennessee Titans)

  • RB Abram Smith (Miami Dolphins)

  • OL Sage Doxtater (Arizona Cardinals)

[listicle id=117372]

Former Notre Dame running back evades ‘disturbed individual’

Woop!

Cam McDaniel ran for 1117 yards between 2011 and 2014 at Notre Dame but he never moved faster in blue and gold than he seemingly did in his Tesla automobile earlier this week.

McDaniel, who is an active Twitter user shared details about a downright scary experience that could have ended badly had it not been for his response.

McDaniel tweeted on February 6:

My @Tesla model 3 just helped me escape a disturbed individual who pulled a gun on me while driving down a city road… guy tried to cut me off and I gave him the @BarrySanders ba-da-bop with pure Tesla acceleration. Crazy scenario, authorities have been called. Sheesh… 

McDaniel then followed that up by referencing his viral picture from the 2013 game against USC to describe how he handled the situation.

Luckily nobody seems to have been hurt in all of this.

Related:

Super Bowl points by every college football program all-time

Every Notre Dame player to win a Super Bowl

Former Notre Dame star recovering from shooting

Former Notre Dame star Louis Nix was shot Tuesday night. Details on the scary situation here.

Former Notre Dame star defensive lineman Louis Nix was shot Tuesday night and is recovering.

Nix went on Instagram live Tuesday night in a scary video while being attended to paramedics, saying he was unable to get ahold of anyone in the understandably scary situation.

In that video he says he was shot, asked for prayers, and goes as far as saying he doesn’t want to die.

Nix was not only a star but a fan favorite during his time at Notre Dame, holding down the interior defensive line between 2010 and 2013.

Nicknamed “Irish Chocolate”, Nix was one of the most important pieces on the 2012 Notre Dame team that went 12-0 in the regular season and made it to the BCS National Championship Game.

We will keep you posted with any further details but here’s to hoping for the best in a downright awful situation.