Tag: Jahri Evans

Saints Super Bowl champ named Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalist yet again

Jahri Evans made the cut as a semifinalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame again this year. Is the third time the charm for the Super Bowl 44 champ?

They say third time is the charm. That’s the hope for New Orleans Saints legendary offensive lineman Jahri Evans. The Pro Football Hall of Fame released their annual list of semifinalists, and Evans was one of the 25 players who made the cut.

This isn’t unfamiliar territory for him. Evans has been a part of the semifinalists for each of the last three years, but hasn’t made the final cut. He has gotten closer on each attempt.

If the trend continues, this is the year Evans will be immortalized in Canton, Ohio. Evans was a semifinalist on his first attempt. Last year, he made his way into the group of finalists. Maybe adding the Saints Ring of Honor to his resume can swing things in his favor.

Three years feels like a long time until you look at the length of time other semifinalists have waited. Torry Holt is on his 11th attempt to go from semifinalist to enshrined in Canton.

Some of the first-time semifinalists who will make it tougher on Evans are Luke Kuechly, Eli Manning and Adam Vinatieri.

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Saints legends present for Jahri Evans’ Ring of Honor ceremony

Drew Brees, Carl Nicks and Jermon Bushrod were some of the Saints legends in the building for Jahri Evans’ Ring of Honor enshrinement:

Jahri Evans is entering the New Orleans Saints Ring of Honor when the team takes on the Cleveland Browns. Evans is one of the greatest offensive linemen in team history, and could be on his way to being immortalized in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Evans was a part of that historic 2006 draft class and played an integral part in the Saints’ Super Bowl run. To celebrate his enshrinement, a few players from that Super Bowl team are in attendance. It was also the annual “Legends Weekend” for former Saints players, so many of them were in the building, too.

Drew Brees, Carl Nicks and Jermon Bushrod were all on the sidelines ahead of Sunday’s matchup. The trio of Bushrod, Evans and Nicks played a big part in protecting Drew Brees through his early run in New Orleans. Evans and Nicks were particularly important on the interior due to Brees’ height.

The quartet spent four years together from 2008 to 2011. The group has now reunited to celebrate Evans being remembered forever in Saints history.

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Saints announce plans for Jahri Evans to go into their Ring of Honor

The Saints announced plans for Jahri Evans to go into their Ring of Honor during this week’s game. It’s another boost to his Pro Football Hall of Fame candidacy:

New Orleans Saints fans attending this week’s game with the Cleveland  Browns are in for a treat. The Saints will induct Super Bowl XLIV champion Jahri Evans into their Ring of Honor on Sunday, Nov. 17, during a halftime ceremony at the Caesars Superdome. Kickoff is set for Noon CT/1 p.m. ET.

Additionally, many of Evans’ former teammates  are  expected to be in  attendance as part of the Saints’ yearly  “Legends Weekend” event. Evans started at right guard during the most successful period in team history, and he currently works for the Saints as an assistant offensive line coach. He shared a passionate message to his players when he got the news during training camp, and was quoted with a longer statement in an official release from the team.

“It is exciting to have been selected to be part of such an elite group,” Evans told NewOrleansSaints.com. “I am grateful to Mrs. Benson, Mickey Loomis for selecting me for this honor. I would also like to thank my coaches and teammates for the role they played in my development and success, as well as our fans that gave us such great energy on gameday and inspired us to reach the heights of winning the Super Bowl.”

Evans will be just the eighth member of the team’s Ring of Honor, joining owner Tom Benson, quarterback Archie Manning, and defensive end Will Smith as well as several Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees: offensive tackle Willie Roaf, kicker Morten Andersen, linebackers Rickey Jackson and Sam Mills. This recognition is another boost to Evans’ own Hall of Fame candidacy after he reached the finalist stage last year. Maybe this time he gets over that last hurdle.

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Saints legend, Super Bowl champion up for the Hall of Fame again in 2025

New Orleans Saints legend Jahri Evans is up for the Pro Football Hall of Fame again in 2025. He’s one of eight finalists returning from last year’s voting:

This is a big deal for New Orleans Saints assistant offensive line coach Jahri Evans. The five-time All-Pro right guard also won six Pro Bowl appearances as a player and a spot on the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team, and he’ll be recognized at his enshrinement to the Saints’ team Ring of Honor later this season. But an even bigger recognition could be waiting for him.

Evans was selected as one of 50 nominees for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025. There are eight finalists returning from the voting for the Class of 2024 — Evans, Fred Taylor, Torry Holt, Reggie Wayne, Antonio Gates, Willie Andeerson, Rodney Harrison, and Darren Woodson.

On top of that, there are eight first-time candidates up for the Class of 2025: Eli Manning, Marshawn Lynch, Joe Staley, Marshal Yanda, Luke Kuechcly, Terrell Suggs, Earl Thomas, and Adam Vinatieri.

So it’s a loaded group, but Evans clearly has plenty of support among the Hall of Fame voters. Maybe this is the year he’ll get in. Evans has gotten one  step further during each year of eligibility, and unlike some players on this list he has both the personal achievements and a Super Bowl ring on his resume. The group will be whittled down further to just 25 semifinalists in a month.

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Watch: Jahri Evans learns he’s going into the Saints Ring of Honor

These days Jahri Evans works for the Saints as an assistant coach. News that he’s going into the team’s Ring of Honor was met with applause and a great speech:

News recently broke that legendary New Orleans Saints offensive lineman Jahri Evans would be the next addition to the team’s Ring of Honor, one of the most prestigious honors a player can receive with the black and gold. Evans has worked with the coaching staff since 2022, when he started as a training camp intern, and was hired full-time as an assistant coach since 2023.

So it’s convenient that he was on hand when head coach Dennis Allen announced his induction during a team meeting. It allowed Evans to speak in front of players and coaches about what this means to him. The announcement came to thunderous applause, and Evans stood to speak about what an honor this is to him.

“I don’t know what to say, you know what I mean, this is,” Evans said. “I was not expecting this. I’m holding back tears.”

He continued: “This is awesome man, it was always a dream of mine to play this game, and when I got the opportunity to play it, it was as hard as I could, as tough as I could, and the biggest thing was winning games. Biggest thing is winning games as a team, not letting my teammates down, you know? And, obviously having the chance to win a Super Bowl.”

He addressed the team for about two minutes, and with how uncommon these inductions are (Allen noted that there are just seven people in the Saints Ring of Honor), it is great to see how special it really is to Evans and those around him. It’s almost as exclusive as the Pro Football Hall of Fame; Evans reached the finalist stage last time after reaching the semifinalist stage in his first year of eligibility. He just needs to get over that last hurdle.

Evans will be formally inducted to the Saints Ring of Honor at halftime of their Nov. 17 game with the Cleveland Browns.

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Pierre Thomas’ 38-yard screen TD is the Saints Play of the Day

Pierre Thomas was one of the best running backs on screen passes, and his 38-yard TD in the 2009 NFC title game is the Saints Play of the Day:

You could pick almost any play from the 2009 NFC championship game and argue that it deserves a spot in the highlight reel. Between all of the turnovers taken away, lead changes, touchdowns scored, dramatic field goals and yes, the big hits, it remains one of the hardest-fought games in NFL history.

And this 38-yard touchdown from Pierre Thomas stands as one of the best plays in a game full of standout individual efforts. He was always regarded as one of the best running backs on screen passes, and this scoring play was a great example of it. Thomas caught the ball cleanly out of the backfield from Drew Brees and turned up the field to follow his blockers for 38 yards into the end zone.

Of course he didn’t do it alone. Sean Payton designed a great play and  called it at the perfect time, taking advantage of the Minnesota Vikings defense as they misread what was in front of them. Brees threw a great football. But the offensive line made this happen. Blockers got out in front to clear a path for Thomas, including all-star right guard Jahri Evans, who walled off two Vikings defenders during the play. Wide receiver Marques Colston and tight end Jeremy Shockey cleared out the last ten yards with left guard Carl Nicks escorting Thomas to the end zone, untouched.

And the six points he scored proved to be pivotal. The Saints and Vikings traded body blows before going to overtime, where Garrett Hartley sent New Orleans to Super Bowl XLIV with a game-winning field goal. But they wouldn’t have gotten there in the first place if Thomas didn’t put their first points on the scoreboard.

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Saints legend Jahri Evans set to be added to team’s Ring of Honor

The date has been set for New Orleans Saints legend Jahri Evans to be added to the team’s Ring of Honor, in front of a full house:

The New Orleans Saints have announced another addition to their Ring of Honor, which currently only is host to seven members. Legendary offensive lineman Jahri Evans will be added to the group and will be forever enshrined in Saints history as one of the team’s most influential members.

The Saints Ring of Honor was created on Oct. 9, 2013, and inducted three players in its first year, but has not inducted any since 2021. The first three added were Archie Manning, Rickey Jackson, and Willie Roaf. From then on, it was Morten Anderson in 2015, Tom Benson in 2019, Will Smith in 2019, and Sam Mills in 2021. It would also be a fair assumption to believe Drew Brees will eventually be added to this group as well.

The ceremony for Evans’ induction into the Ring of Honor will take place at halftime of their Week 11 game against the Cleveland Browns, on Nov. 17 with a 1 P.M. CT kickoff time. After 11 seasons with the Saints of extremely high level play, he is no doubt deserving of this honor and his name will forever be displayed on the upper terrace of the Caesars Superdome.

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Countdown to Kickoff: Jahri Evans is the Saints Player of Day 73

No active player uses No. 73 for the New Orleans Saints, but the one who wore it best is still on the team. Jahri Evans is the Player of Day 73:

We’ve been counting down the days until the New Orleans Saints kick off their 20234 season against the Carolina Panthers by highlighting each player to wear the corresponding jersey number. While there isn’t anyone currently using No. 73, the man who wore it best is still on the team — Jahri Evans.

Evans currently works for the Saints as the assistant offensive line coach; he was one of the few members of the offensive coaching staff to be retained by new coordinator Klint Kubiak. These days he’s working closely with the position coach John Benton and senior assistant Rick Dennison to get the most out of young draft picks like Taliese Fuaga, Nick Saldiveri, and Trevor Penning.

He built a strong resume for himself as a player. Evans earned six Pro Bowl nods from 2009 to 2013 with the Saints and was selected for the All-Pro list four times, starting all 169 games he played in for the Saints at right guard. He also suited up for 10 playoff games with New Orleans and won a Super Bowl ring. Not bad for a former fourth-round draft pick out of Bloomsburg, a small school in Pennsylvania located a couple hours drive’ northwest of Philadelphia.

Those accomplishments have made Evans a compelling candidate for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He reached the semifinalist stage in 2023, his first year of eligibility, and progressed to the finalist stage in 2024. He just needs to get over that final hump in 2025. He’s already been inducted to the Bloomsburg Athletics Hall of Fame and Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame, so Evans has plenty of support. The only question is how much longer he has to wait. Maybe he’ll get in with his old quarterback Drew Brees in 2026, but it would be nice to see Evans already there waiting for No. 9 to join him.

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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 select a little-known offensive lineman with their final 2024 draft pick

The Saints spent their final pick in the 2024 draft on Eastern Kentucky OT Josiah Ezirim, who Jahri Evans coached at the East-West Shrine Bowl:

The New Orleans Saints spent their final pick in the 2024 NFL draft on Josiah Ezirim, an Eastern Kentucky offensive lineman, who they selected at No. 239 overall. That’s the pick they got back from the Denver Broncos in exchange for Wil Lutz last year. So what’s his story?

Ezirim turns 23 in May, and he played a lot of snaps at Eastern Kentucky over  the last two years while starting at right tackle. Pro Football Focus charting found that he allowed just two sacks during that time, and he was nearly perfect on a career-high 490 snaps in pass protection last season. The Colonels ran with zone-blocking schemes on 81.4% of their rushing attempts the last two years, so he has a good feel for what the Saints are looking to do offensively.

He also has a clear connection to the Saints. Ezirim was one of the players Jahri Evans coached at the East-West Shrine Bowl earlier this offseason, giving him a hands-on look at the future pro. And Ezirim hits many of the athletic thresholds the Saints value. He weighed in at 6-foot-5 and 328 pounds with 35-inch arms. His 8.50 Relative Athletic Score lines up well with the Saints’ preferences. We’ll see if he stays on the right side (the same side that first-round draft pick Taliese Fuaga will be playing) or if the Saints envision him at a different spot. But he checks all of their boxes. It makes sense to stack depth given Ryan Ramczyk’s health concerns.

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