48 Fun Facts About New Orleans Saints

Who was the Saints' first head coach?

Tom Fears, a Hall of Fame receiver before he coached, led the Saints from their 1967 debut until he was fired midway through the 1970 season.

Which division did the Saints join in the NFL's 2002 realignment?

The Saints joined the new NFC South in 2002 after three decades in the NFC West, where the 1970 merger had placed them.

What happened on the very first play of the Saints' first game in 1967?

On the first play in franchise history, rookie John Gilliam took the opening kickoff 94 yards for a TD in the 1967 opener, a game New Orleans went on to lose 27-13.

How long was Tom Dempsey's NFL-record field goal for the Saints in 1970?

Tom Dempsey, born without toes on his kicking foot, connected from 63 yards on November 8, 1970, beating Detroit 19-17 as time expired.

Where did the Saints play home games before the Superdome opened?

The Saints played at Tulane Stadium, home of the Sugar Bowl, from their 1967 debut through 1974, then moved into the Superdome in 1975.

How many seasons did the Saints go before their first winning record?

The Saints went 20 seasons without a winning record before Jim Mora's 1987 team finished 12-3 in a strike-shortened year.

What did sportscaster Buddy Diliberto suggest fans wear during the 0-14 start of 1980?

Paper bags over their heads became the 'Aints' uniform after Diliberto's on-air suggestion during the 1980 team's 0-14 start; that club finished 1-15.

Which quarterback did the Saints draft second overall in 1971?

Archie Manning, the No. 2 pick out of Ole Miss, was the Saints' starter through the 1970s and made the Pro Bowl in 1978 and 1979 without ever enjoying a winning season in New Orleans.

Which owner bought the Saints in 1985 and hired Jim Mora?

Tom Benson, a New Orleans car dealer and banker, bought the Saints in 1985 and owned them until his death in 2018.

What was the nickname of the Saints' star linebacking corps of the Mora era?

The Dome Patrol was the Saints' linebacker quartet of the late 1980s and early 1990s; all four starters were voted to the Pro Bowl after the 1992 season.

How many playoff games did the Saints win under Jim Mora?

None of Mora's four playoff teams (1987, 1990, 1991 and 1992) won a postseason game; all four lost in the wild-card round.

What did Mike Ditka give Washington to move up and take Ricky Williams?

Every pick that year plus two picks the next year: the Saints sent Washington their whole 1999 draft plus first- and third-round picks the following year for the No. 5 choice, Ricky Williams.

In which season did the Saints finally win their first playoff game?

The 2000 Saints, in Jim Haslett's first season as coach, beat the defending Super Bowl champions 31-28 in the wild-card round for the franchise's first playoff win.

Why did the Saints play no regular-season home games in New Orleans in 2005?

Hurricane Katrina damaged the Superdome in August 2005; the Saints' first 'home' game was played at Giants Stadium and the team finished 3-13 while displaced.

Whom did the Saints beat 23-3 in the emotional 2006 return to the Superdome?

The Atlanta Falcons fell 23-3 on Monday Night Football, September 25, 2006, after U2 and Green Day played the pregame show in the reopened Superdome.

Whose blocked punt on the opening series is the enduring image of the 2006 Superdome return?

Steve Gleason blocked Michael Koenen's punt and Curtis Deloatch recovered it for a touchdown; the 2012 statue 'Rebirth' outside the Superdome depicts the block.

Which Saints quarterback was nicknamed the 'Cajun Cannon'?

Bobby Hebert, a Louisiana native from Galliano who arrived from the USFL, was the 'Cajun Cannon' and quarterbacked the Saints' first playoff team in 1987.

From which team did the Saints sign Drew Brees?

The San Diego Chargers let Drew Brees walk in free agency after his 2005 shoulder injury, having drafted Philip Rivers as his successor in 2004.

Where did Drew Brees play college football?

At Purdue, Drew Brees set Big Ten career records for completions, attempts and passing yards, yet lasted until the second round (32nd overall) of the 2001 draft.

What was the Saints' record start in 2009, the best in franchise history?

The 2009 Saints opened 13-0, passing the 1985 Bears' 12-0 for the best start by an NFC team since the 1970 merger, before losing to Dallas in Week 15.

Whom did the Saints beat in Super Bowl XLIV?

The Indianapolis Colts, the pregame favorites, lost 31-17 in Miami on February 7, 2010, giving the Saints their first championship.

What did Sean Payton call to open the second half of Super Bowl XLIV?

A surprise onside kick, code-named 'Ambush', opened the second half; Chris Reis recovered Thomas Morstead's kick and the Saints drove for the go-ahead touchdown.

Which Saints cornerback sealed Super Bowl XLIV with a 74-yard interception return?

Tracy Porter jumped a Reggie Wayne route and returned the interception 74 yards for the clinching touchdown; he had also picked off the Vikings' quarterback late in the NFC Championship Game.

How many passes did Drew Brees complete in Super Bowl XLIV, tying the then-record?

Drew Brees completed 32 of 39 passes for 288 yards and two touchdowns in Super Bowl XLIV, matching Tom Brady's record of 32 completions, and was named MVP.

The Saints share which championship-game distinction with the New York Jets?

Winning their only appearance describes both: the Jets in Super Bowl III (January 1969) and the Saints in Super Bowl XLIV (February 2010), each 1-0 through Super Bowl LIX.

How long was Sean Payton suspended for the bounty scandal?

The entire 2012 season was Sean Payton's penalty; general manager Mickey Loomis was banned for half the season and the club was fined $500,000 and docked two second-round picks.

Which Saints defensive coordinator ran the bounty program?

Gregg Williams, Saints defensive coordinator from 2009 to 2011, was suspended indefinitely in March 2012 and reinstated by the league the following February.

Which Vikings quarterback did opponents claim the Saints deliberately targeted in the 2009 NFC Championship?

Brett Favre, then 40, absorbed repeated hits in the January 2010 game, and the Vikings' complaints helped trigger the NFL's bounty investigation.

Whose consecutive-games touchdown pass record did Drew Brees break in 2012?

Johnny Unitas had thrown a touchdown pass in 47 straight games from 1956 to 1960; Brees passed him on October 7, 2012 and his own streak ended at 54.

Which Saints rookie led the NFL in rushing in 1981 with 1,674 yards?

George Rogers, the 1980 Heisman winner taken first overall, ran for 1,674 yards as a rookie in 1981 to lead the NFL.

Which play ended the Saints' 2017 season in the divisional round?

The Minneapolis Miracle: Case Keenum's 61-yard pass to Stefon Diggs as time expired, after Marcus Williams missed the tackle, gave the Vikings a 29-24 win on January 14, 2018.

Which team beat the Saints in overtime in the 2018 NFC Championship Game after a controversial no-call?

The Los Angeles Rams won 26-23 in overtime in January 2019; Nickell Robey-Coleman's uncalled hit on Tommylee Lewis led the NFL to make pass interference reviewable for the 2019 season.

Who became the Saints' owner after the longtime owner died in 2018?

His wife Gayle took control of both the Saints and the NBA's Pelicans when the owner died in March 2018, at age 90.

How many rushing touchdowns did Alvin Kamara score against Minnesota on Christmas Day 2020?

Six rushing touchdowns tied Ernie Nevers's 1929 single-game record as the Saints beat the Vikings 52-33 on December 25, 2020.

Which coach did the Saints hire in 2025, two days after he won a Super Bowl as an offensive coordinator?

Kellen Moore had called plays for the Eagles in Super Bowl LIX on February 9, 2025 and was introduced as Saints head coach two days later.

Through Super Bowl LIX in 2025, how many Super Bowls had the Superdome hosted?

Eight: Super Bowls XII, XV, XX, XXIV, XXXI, XXXVI, XLVII and LIX, the last in February 2025, more than any other stadium at that point.

What is the Saints' logo?

A fleur-de-lis, the stylised lily of the French monarchy and a symbol of New Orleans, has been the Saints' helmet logo since 1967.

Who was the first player inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame primarily for his career as a Saint?

Rickey Jackson, a Pro Bowl linebacker drafted in 1981, was enshrined in 2010 as the first Hall of Famer whose credentials came mainly from Saints seasons.

Which Saints kicker holds the franchise scoring record with 1,318 points?

Morten Andersen scored 1,318 points for the Saints from 1982 to 1994 and in 2017 became the second pure placekicker in the Hall of Fame, after Jan Stenerud.

How many wins did Jim Mora record as Saints coach, a franchise record until 2016?

Jim Mora went 93-74 in the regular season from 1986 to 1996, and his 93 wins stood as the franchise record until Sean Payton passed him in 2016.

How many passing yards did Drew Brees total in 2011, breaking Dan Marino's record?

Drew Brees threw for 5,476 yards in 2011, passing Dan Marino's 1984 mark of 5,084; Peyton Manning edged it by a single yard two seasons later.

Which famous trumpeter was a part-owner of the original Saints franchise?

Al Hirt, the New Orleans trumpet star, held a minority stake in the original ownership group led by Houston oilman John W. Mecom Jr.

Which House Majority Whip from Louisiana tied the AFL-NFL merger to an antitrust bill in 1966?

Hale Boggs, the House Majority Whip, and Senator Russell Long attached the merger's antitrust exemption to a tax bill passed in October 1966; the franchise followed within two weeks.

After Katrina, the Saints split 2005 'home' games between the Alamodome and which venue?

Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge hosted four of the displaced 2005 'home' games, San Antonio's Alamodome three, and the scheduled opener against the Giants went to Giants Stadium.

Which Saint holds the franchise records for catches, receiving yards and receiving TDs?

Marques Colston caught 711 passes for 9,759 yards and 72 touchdowns from 2006 to 2015, all three franchise records, after arriving as a seventh-round pick from Hofstra.

Which tackle became the second Hall of Famer to earn his credentials mostly as a Saint?

Willie Roaf, an 11-time Pro Bowl tackle and a 1990s All-Decade selection, was enshrined in 2012 after nine seasons protecting Saints quarterbacks.

Which 50,000-watt clear-channel station is the Saints' flagship radio home?

WWL, at 870 AM, signed on in 1922 at Loyola University, and its nighttime clear-channel signal carries Saints broadcasts across much of the country.

In what year did the Saints create a Ring of Honor displayed on the Superdome's Terrace Level?

The Saints unveiled the Ring of Honor in 2013, inducting an inaugural class of three franchise greats that November at the Superdome.