The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South Division. Since 1975, the team plays its home games at Caesars Superdome after using Tulane Stadium during its first eight seasons. Founded by John W. Mecom Jr., David Dixon, and the city of New Orleans on November 1, 1966, the Saints joined the NFL as an expansion team in 1967.
Samuel Davis Mills Jr. was an American professional football player who was a linebacker for 12 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) for the New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers. He also played for three seasons for the Philadelphia / Baltimore Stars of the United States Football League (USFL), where he won two championships in 1984 and 1985. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2022.
Elisha Archibald Manning III is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons, primarily with the New Orleans Saints from 1971 to 1982. He also had brief stints with the Houston Oilers and the Minnesota Vikings. He played college football for the Ole Miss Rebels and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1989. Manning is the patriarch of the Manning football dynasty, having preceded sons Peyton and Eli as successful NFL quarterbacks.
Drew Christopher Brees is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons. A member of the New Orleans Saints for most of his career, Brees is second all-time in career passing yards, career touchdown passes, career pass completions, and career completion percentage. Brees also holds the record of consecutive games with a touchdown pass, breaking the record held by Johnny Unitas for 52 years. He is regarded as one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time.
Jonathan Polynice Vilma is an American color analyst and former professional football player in the National Football League (NFL). He played as a linebacker and was a three-time Pro Bowl selection.
Hoby F. J. Brenner is an American former professional football player who was a tight end for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the USC Trojans. A Pro Bowl selection in 1987, he was named to the New Orleans Saints Hall of Fame.
Patrick Sean Payton is an American professional football coach and former quarterback who is the head coach of the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). Previously, he served as the head coach of the New Orleans Saints from 2006 to 2021, leading the franchise to its first Super Bowl victory during the 2009 season. Payton played college football for the Eastern Illinois Panthers and played professionally in 1987 with the Chicago Bears and 1988 overseas in Britain for the Leicester Panthers.
Michael Lee Lewis is an American former professional football player who is the team ambassador of the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He played as a wide receiver and return specialist, earning first-team All-Pro honors and a Pro Bowl selection as a returner in 2002.
Roman Harper is an American former professional football player who was a safety in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Alabama Crimson Tide, and was selected by the New Orleans Saints in the second round of the 2006 NFL draft. In 2009, Harper earned his first Pro Bowl invitation and helped lead the Saints to Super Bowl XLIV. The following year, 2010, he was again selected to the Pro Bowl. In 2015, he helped lead the Carolina Panthers to Super Bowl 50.
Derland Paul Moore was an American professional football nose tackle in the National Football League (NFL) for the New Orleans Saints and the New York Jets. An All-American, he played college football for the Oklahoma Sooners and was selected in the second round of the 1973 NFL draft. At the time he was drafted, Moore was the highest selected college walk-on in the history of the NFL draft, a distinction overtaken by fellow Oklahoma Sooner Baker Mayfield, the overall number one draft pick in 2018. Moore went on to set a team record for service with 169 games played in 13 seasons with the New Orleans Saints, playing for five permanent head coaches and three interim coaches in that time.
David A. Whitsell was an American football cornerback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Detroit Lions, the Chicago Bears, and the New Orleans Saints. He was selected to the Pro Bowl after the 1967 season. Whitsell played college football at Indiana University. Dave was married to Jacque Whitsell. They had four children daughters Amy and Lisa, sons Mike and Dave.
Thornton Steve Stonebreaker was a professional American football linebacker who played in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at the University of Detroit and was picked by the Minnesota Vikings in the 12th round of the 1961 NFL draft as a tight end. He played one season at tight end before switching over to the defensive side of the ball as a linebacker for the rest of his career. He played a total of seven seasons in the NFL for the Minnesota Vikings (1962–1963), the Baltimore Colts (1964–1966), and the New Orleans Saints (1967–1968). He was drafted by the Saints in the 1967 NFL Expansion Draft and was one of the original New Orleans Saints players. He also played a football player in the 1969 Charlton Heston movie Number One, which featured the New Orleans Saints.
Tom Myers is an American former professional football player who was a safety in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Syracuse Orange, and was selected by the New Orleans Saints in the third round of 1972 NFL draft.
The 1980 New Orleans Saints season was the team's 14th as a member of the National Football League (NFL). The Saints failed to improve on the previous season's record of 8–8, instead winning only one game. The team missed the playoffs for the fourteenth consecutive season and had the dubious distinction not only of winning only a single game, but winning it by a single point against the New York Jets, who like the Saints had widely been predicted before the season to advance to the playoffs, but struggled instead. The main culprit of the Saints' collapse was the defense, which ranked last in yards and points (487) allowed.
Adam Bighill is an American professional football linebacker for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He is a three-time Grey Cup champion, winning with the BC Lions in 2011 and twice more with the Blue Bombers in 2019 and 2021. He is a three-time winner of the CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award and is a six-time CFL All-Star and eight-time CFL West All-Star. He also spent time with the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Central Washington Wildcats.
Lamar Holmes is an American former professional football offensive tackle. He was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the third round of the 2012 NFL draft. Holmes played college football at Southern Miss.
Delvin Lionel Breaux is an American former professional football cornerback who played in the Canadian Football League (CFL) and National Football League (NFL). He was a member of the Louisiana Bayou Vipers, New Orleans VooDoo, Hamilton Tiger-Cats, New Orleans Saints, and BC Lions.
Jalyn Holmes is an American professional football defensive end for the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Ohio State, and selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the fourth round of the 2018 NFL draft.
Juantavius Tavon "J. T." Gray is an American professional football safety for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Mississippi State.
Drew Desjarlais is a Canadian professional football guard for the Ottawa Redblacks of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at Windsor. He has also been a member of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the CFL, as well as the New England Patriots and New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL).
