New Orleans Saints Gameday | New Orleans Saints vs Houston Texans | August 27, 2023

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NEW ORLEANS SAINTS GAMEDAY • NEW ORLEANS SAINTS VS HOUSTON TEXANS • SUNDAY, AUGUST 27, 2023

NEW ORLEANS

Anitra Christman, Cass Lapeyre, Davis Friend, Grace Ostendorf, Grant Segar, Josie Headrick

DIRECTOR

Michael C. Hebert

ASSOCIATE

Kate Henry

ACCOUNT

Meggie Schmidt

SENIOR

Brooke LeBlanc Genusa

DIGITAL

Rosa Balaguer

SENIOR

DESIGNER Meghan Rooney

PRODUCTION DESIGNER Ashley Pemberton

DISTRIBUTION MANAGER & IN STADIUM SALES John Holzer

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Todd Matherne

Saints Ticket Information: (504) 731-1700 www.NewOrleansSaints.com © New Orleans Saints, National Football League

HOUSTON

To sell or purchase programs call John Holzer at (504) 830-7244. The 2023 New Orleans Saints Gameday is produced for the New Orleans Saints by Renaissance Publishing, LLC, 110 Veterans Boulevard, Suite 123, Metairie, Louisiana, 70005, (504) 828-1380 MyNewOrleans.com | BizNewOrleans.com

Copyright 2023 New Orleans Saints and Renaissance Publishing, LLC. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the consent of the publisher.

60 Players 68 Alphabetical Roster 76 Statistics 70 Head Coach & Key Players 74 Alphabetical Roster 78 Statistics 2 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS | GAMEDAY MAGAZINE 2023 CONTENTS 4 Tonight’s Entertainment 6 Saints News 12 Owner Gayle Benson 16 Head Coach Dennis Allen 20 Executive and Coaching Staff 34 Player Personnel 36 2023 Staff Directory 38 Caesars Superdome Facts & Seating Chart 40 Memorable Moments 42 Players to Watch 44 Player Spotlight 48 Game Preview 50 Alumni Update 52 Photo Gallery 58 Fun Facts 80 Final Frame
ALL INFORMATION CURRENT AS OF 8/22/23 EDITOR
Macione ART DIRECTOR
Sullivan
MANAGER
Justin
Ali
PROJECT
Erika Hahne CONTRIBUTORS
OF PHOTOGRAPHY
PUBLISHER
DIRECTOR
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES
DIRECTOR
PRODUCTION
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

TONIGHT’S ENTERTAINMENT

PRE-GAME ENTERTAINMENT

Color Guard – Fontainebleau High School JROTC

American Flag Unveiling – Saints Season Ticket Holders

Saints Flags Unveiling – Saints Season Ticket Holders

ANTHEM JUSTIN GARNER

Justin Garner ticks the boxes of singer, songwriter, and performer. With no breaks in sight, the Plaquemine, Louisiana-born artist has cemented his place in the industry by creating and performing original music, covering top hits, and writing songs for today’s biggest artists. With impressive takes on covers and a steady stream of selfreleased music, the multifaceted performer has carved out his own lane. Adding to his accolades, Garner’s music has been featured on Spotify’s New Music Friday. He’s also bolstered his stage performances for new and existing fans. Just recently, he performed at the ESSENCE Festival of Culture, sharing the stage with acts including Janet Jackson, Nicki Minaj, and New Edition. In addition, Justin has performed the National Anthem for numerous national sporting events. His star power continues to rise as his music has been featured in NBC's Grand Crew and other television and film projects. With his growing following on social networks and consistent features on music DSP playlists (Apple Music New in R&B, Spotify's Fresh Finds: R&B), Justin Garner is driven and focused on creating his musical legacy.

TONIGHT’S ENTERTAINMENT

Gumbo

Sir Saint

Storyville Jazz Band

Cheer Krewe

Legend of the Game – Running Back Mike Strachan

A ninth-round draft pick of the Saints in 1975 out of Iowa State, Strachan enjoyed a very productive rookie year, as he led the Saints in rushing with 161 carries for 668 yards and caught 30 passes in only 11 games. In 1979, he rushed for six touchdowns as New Orleans narrowly missed their first NFC West title and playoff berth, powered by a high-powered offense. In his sixyear NFL career in New Orleans, the Miami, Fla., native played in 62 games and carried 472 times for 1,902 yards with 14 touchdowns.

CHAMPIONS SQUARE

ENTERTAINMENT

Live Band – Flow Tribe

DJ – DJ Arie Spins

Emcee – Sheba Songz

HALFTIME

Youth Football – As part of the NFL’s “Play Football” initiative, several youth flag football teams will have the opportunity to play flag football on the Caesars Superdome playing field.

SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS

People’s Health Champion

Entergy Lineman: Powering Saints Nation

Community Coffee Military Recognition

50% OF THE PROCEEDS OF TONIGHT’S 50/50 RAFFLE WILL BENEFIT THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION

SAINTS GAME EXPERIENCE DEPARTMENT

VICE PRESIDENT .................................................... Nancy Gold

DIRECTOR Chryssi Flores

SR. COORDINATOR Hailey Williams

COORDINATORS Jessica Weinberg

......................................................................Anitra Christman

Kinsey Hopkins-Campbell Ish Anany

GAME DAY STAFF Asia Jupiter

Heaven Mullen

Jamarqavian James Kelly Livaccari

........................................................................ Jasmyne Bracy

Josh Highnote

Kadaro Thomas

Kaegen Faulk

Marissa Brown

Martin Mapp Jr

Morgan Ledet

Shaun Colledge

Skylar Rupprecht

PA ANNOUNCER

Mark Romig

ANNOUNCER David “Storm” Manning

HOST Theo Mitchell

MUSIC COORDINATOR Kyle Curley

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER Josh Richardson

VIDEO PRODUCTION

James Crosbie

Shota Hashimoto

Brianna Latino

Forest Gaines Jr

Blairre Perriatt

STORYVILLE JAZZ BAND Bruce Hirstius, Gregg Paretti

IN-STADIUM DJ DJ Raj Smoove

CHAMPIONS SQUARE DJ

DJ Arie Spins

OWNERSHIP
4 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS | GAMEDAY MAGAZINE 2023
6 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS | GAMEDAY MAGAZINE 2023 Visit PlayFootball.com to learn more and sign up today Play Football is the NFL’s year-round initiative that celebrates youth and high school football by connecting the football community and promoting the values of the game.
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Gayle Benson provides leadership for the New Orleans Saints and New Orleans Pelicans. She succeeds her late husband, Tom Benson, who passed away on March 15, 2018, after serving as Owner of the Saints since 1985 and the Pelicans since 2012. The New Orleans native is an accomplished business professional and philanthropist with strong ties to the local community and is dedicated to contributing to the growth and enhancement of the Gulf South region.

Mr. and Mrs. Benson worked together to build championship-level NFL and NBA organizations, housed in state-of-the-art facilities at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, Caesars Superdome and Smoothie King Center, while making a positive impact in the community away from the football field and basketball court as well.

With the Saints franchise under the guidance of Mr. and Mrs. Benson, the team has reached new heights since 2006, when they entrusted Executive Vice President/General Manager Mickey Loomis to set the direction for the organization, responding by making important coaching hires and continually supplementing and upgrading the roster through the draft, free agency and trades. Since then, the franchise has reached its highest point of success, posting a 175-116 record from 2006-22, featuring 10 winning seasons, nine playoff berths, seven division titles, three NFC Championship appearances and the Super Bowl XLIV title.

Off the field, the Caesars Superdome is more than halfway through a five-year, multiple-phase enhancement, in addition to periodic renovations at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center to retain its status as one of the most cutting-edge practice facilities in the NFL. The Caesars Superdome has been sold out on a season-ticket basis for every campaign since 2006, with a waiting list of over

GAYLE BENSON

OWNER & CEO

73,000 and 172 consecutive sellouts for contests played at the facility through 2022. The facility is currently undergoing a $475 million transformation, which will allow it to retain its standing as one of the world’s iconic multipurpose facilities. The club has also positioned itself as a leader in the community, assisting with the recovery from several natural disasters as well as the COVID-19 pandemic, while also working to enhance the region as a whole.

In Mrs. Benson’s first five seasons of ownership, New Orleans has posted four consecutive winning seasons (2018-21) and three consecutive NFC South division titles (2018-20), reaching the NFC Championship game in the 2018 campaign. No NFC team has matched the Saints’ 29 regular season road victories since 2018. Their 56 wins (regular season and postseason combined) are tied for first in the NFC during the five-season period. 14 Saints have received 30 Pro Bowl selections and eight players over the past four seasons have received Associated Press All-Pro honors.

Mr. Benson played a significant role in the city of New Orleans hosting five Super Bowls during his ownership and wielded extensive influence and respect among fellow NFL owners with a 25-year tenure as Chairman of the Finance Committee. Following in the footsteps of her late husband, Mrs. Benson has become instrumental with her influence and leadership in important league issues, serving on the Audit, Business Ventures and Hall of Fame committees and the Social Justice Working Group.

She helped the city land Super Bowl LIX to be played in February, 2025, which will mark the 11th time Louisiana and the Crescent City will serve as a host, tying with Miami for the most Super Bowls by a host city. The economic impact of Super Bowl XLVII, played in 2013, which Mr. Benson successfully campaigned for, was $480 million. Added to this is the value of the exposure and charitable contributions that the National Football League makes during Super Bowl week that extends for generations. Mrs. Benson is committed to continuing to bring Super Bowls to New Orleans.

Immediately upon Mr. and Mrs. Benson’s purchase of the former Hornets franchise from the NBA in 2012, construction began on a state-of-theart basketball practice facility to house the entire organization together. The franchise was rebranded as the Pelicans. Through agreements with the State of Louisiana upon the purchase of the Pelicans in

2012, the Smoothie King Center has undergone a complete renovation, featuring a new center-hung HD scoreboard, which debuted in 2015, along with several additional fan upgrades. Through this commitment, NBA All-Star Weekend was awarded to New Orleans in 2014 and 2017, making the city one of just seven current NBA markets to host the midseason event at least three times. Active in league affairs, Mrs. Benson serves as a member of the NBA’s Labor Relations Committee and was named to the NBA Foundation Board of Directors in 2020. As a board member, she is constantly an advocate for the city of New Orleans and the state of Louisiana. Since her 2020 addition, every distribution by the foundation has benefited New Orleans nonprofits.

On the court, she oversaw a significant overhaul of the Pelicans in 2019 when she hired Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations David Griffin and committed to significant upgrades to the Ochsner Sports Performance Center’s basketball facilities. Through the support of these organizational improvements by Mrs. Benson, combined with the 2019 acquisition/2020 resigning of forward Brandon Ingram, a 2020 NBA All-Star and winner of the league’s Most Improved Player award, a trade for guard C.J. McCollum and the hiring of Head Coach Willie Green, the Pelicans have established a solid foundation.

Community investment and giving back have been hallmarks of Mr. and Mrs. Benson’s ownership of the Saints and Pelicans. This tradition continues under Mrs. Benson’s stewardship, sharing her late husband’s vision and passion for helping others. She has further enriched the New Orleans community through her support to causes in the health and wellness, cancer care, education, arts and faith-based sectors.

As dedicated corporate citizens, the Saints and Pelicans annually put millions of dollars back into the community in financial support, in-kind donations, charitable appearances and donations of goods and services. Mrs. Benson’s philanthropic leadership has been recognized far and wide since becoming Owner.

Mrs. Benson has always quickly responded and taken action to address conditions that adversely affect the local community. With the COVID-19 pandemic and Hurricane Ida providing multiple challenges to the New Orleans area and its citizens since 2020, Mrs. Benson has donated

12 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS | GAMEDAY MAGAZINE 2023

over $2 million, partnering with the Greater New Orleans Foundation to assist local organizations and individuals in need to help the region and its residents recover from these circumstances. In 2020, utilizing the platform of the Saints and Pelicans to harness the unifying power of sport to advance race relations across both the Gulf South and the country, she formed the Social Justice Leadership Alliance. The alliance, with key front office executives and players from both franchises in leadership positions, advocates for issues of change in minority communities.

In 2014, Mrs. Benson was honored by the New Orleans Council for Community and Justice with its Weiss Award, recognizing achievement for exceptional civic and humanitarian contributions. In 2015, the couple was honored by the regional chapter of the Anti-Defamation League with the A.I. Botnick Torch of Liberty Award. In 2018, she and Mr. Benson (posthumously) were honored by two of the city’s leading higher education institutions. They received a Dermot McGlinchey Lifetime Achievement Award from Tulane University, honoring those who have demonstrated service, volunteer involvement and commitment to Tulane and their hometown communities, and were inducted into the University of New Orleans’ Hall of Distinction.

In 2019, Mrs. Benson received several important honors. She was honored by Xavier University of Louisiana with the Sister Maris Stella “Women of Faith” Award and was recognized by the United Negro College Fund with the group’s MASKED Award for her support of educational opportunities for all. Mrs. Benson was honored by the Allstate Sugar Bowl Chapter of the National Football Foundation/College Football Hall of Fame with its Distinguished American Award. The National World War II Museum selected her as an American Spirit Medallion recipient. The Greater New Orleans Foundation honored Mrs. Benson with the organization’s Spark Plug Award, given to an individual whose philanthropy in the greater New Orleans community has been exemplary.

In 2021, Mrs. Benson was presented by the University of Holy Cross with its Spes Unica Award, the educational institution’s highest honor, based on her support of the university’s mission to educate both the mind and heart. She was the Times-Picayune’s 2021 Loving Cup award winner, an honor which has been presented since 1901 to men and women who have performed exemplary service to the community without expecting material recognition. Mrs. Benson was recognized by the local charity, Clover, as a co-recipient of the 2022 Reverend Beverley Warner Ward, for her extensive work with the non-profit whose mission is to educate children, strengthen families and build community. Mrs. Benson was honored by the American Cancer Society’s Louisiana Chapter with their 2022

Heart & Soul Award for her constant support in the fight against cancer through the services provided to cancer patients, families and caregivers at Ochsner’s Gayle and Tom Benson Cancer Center. She was recognized by the Southeast Louisiana Council, Boy Scouts of America with their 2022 “Distinguished Citizen” Award. In April, 2023, Mrs. Benson was honored as a “Louisiana Legend” by Louisiana Public Broadcasting for distinguishing herself in the sports field and through her philanthropy.

In addition to serving on the boards of several local educational institutions and the New Orleans Museum of Art, Mrs. Benson also is a member of the Audubon Commission, which oversees the Audubon Nature Institute.

Mrs. Benson has been a long-time trusted and valued member of the local Catholic community, reflecting her deep religious faith. She has worked tirelessly with the Archdiocese of New Orleans’ Catholic Charities organization and its umbrella agencies that feature almost 50 programs and three affiliated ministries. These organizations deliver health and human services to the poor and vulnerable in the eight Southeast Louisiana parishes which the Archdiocese serves, as well as food and nutrition services throughout the state. Mrs. Benson has worked closely with St. Louis Cathedral’s Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) program.

Her support of the Catholic Church has been recognized numerous times. In 2002, she received the Medal of the Order of St. Louis Award for dedication to the Catholic Church. In 2010, she became an Honorary Oblate of Mary Immaculate. In recognition of longstanding support of Catholic education, Mr. and Mrs. Benson received the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Awa rd from the National Catholic Educational Association. In 2012, Mr. and Mrs. Benson received from Pope Benedict XVI the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice award, the highest Papal award granted to a lay person, for outstanding service to the Church and the Pontiff. She holds a leadership role after being inducted as Dame Commander with Star in the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem and is a member of the Order of St. Lazarus, a confraternity of Christian faithful who profess their commitment to Jesus Christ.

Mrs. Benson began her professional career in 1968 as a manager for a noted New York-based jeweler. She was responsible for overseeing and managing the daily operation of over 40 sales associates. She then branched out into real estate development, which allowed her to successfully integrate her passion for interior design with property management. Her first real estate transaction occurred in 1978 when she purchased a home in New Orleans’ Irish Channel and sold the property eight months later after extensive restoration. She would go on to purchase, manage and eventually sell numerous properties, primarily in the city’s Uptown district.

In 1975, Mrs. Benson began a 30-year design industry career and achieved tremendous success.

Throughout the course of her interior design career she was recognized with numerous professional awards and served as an inaugural member on the Louisiana State Board of Licensing for Interior Designers for four years. She directed numerous major design efforts with her clients, including the Caesars Superdome (formerly Louisiana and Mercedes-Benz Superdome), several of the city’s most prestigious hotels, local supermarket chains, automobile dealerships, yachts and many others.

In 2000, Mrs. Benson worked with the Superdome on renovations to the iconic New Orleans landmark’s third and fourth level public spaces, in addition to renovations on select suites. She also owned and developed a commercial real estate building on the corner of Laura and Octavia streets, a women’s clothing private enterprise called “Toujours la Ligne” and a designer’s showroom called “Designers Resource” which served as a wholesale location for designers and architects seeking to purchase fabric, wall coverings and accessories. The Men of Fashion Committee recognized Mrs. Benson as one of the “Ten Best Dressed Women in New Orleans” in 1983.

In addition to her ownership of the Saints and the Pelicans, Mrs. Benson established GMB Racing Stables in 2014 with an initial purchase of seven colts and the hiring of three veteran trainers, all with Louisiana ties. In 2016, two of the thoroughbreds, Mo Tom and Tom’s Ready, participated in the Kentucky Derby. Her Lone Sailor horse ran in the 2018 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes. She owns Benson Farm in Paris, Ky., a 1,000-acre farm with nearly 50 horses. As part of her passion for horse racing, she is a member of the Jockey Club of New York. Mrs. Benson also serves as Owner of four automotive dealerships (Best Chevrolet, Cadillac of New Orleans, Mercedes-Benz of New Orleans and Mercedes-Benz Van Center); Benson Tower; Benson Capital Partners; Made By The Water; and Corporate Realty. She also owns the Hyatt Regency New Orleans as part of a partnership.

Mrs. Benson was born in New Orleans and grew up in Old Algiers. She began her education in Catholic schools and in 1966 graduated from Martin Behrman High School in Algiers. She received a Doctorate of Letters from Notre Dame Seminary in 2014.

Serving as keynote speaker at their respective commencement ceremonies, Mrs. Benson has been awarded honorary degrees from University of Holy Cross (2015), Southern University of New Orleans (2021), and Delgado Community College (2022). She also received an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Loyola University New Orleans (2019).

Mr. and Mrs. Benson married on October 29, 2004, at the Immaculate Conception Memorial Chapel. Mr. Benson died on March 15, 2018.

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Dennis Allen enters his second season as head coach of the New Orleans Saints in 2023 after being named the 17th head coach in franchise history on Feb. 8, 2022.

Now in his 28th year in coaching, 22nd in the NFL, including 13 with the Saints, Allen has played for, coached with and learned from some of the best coaches in all of football. He was recruited to play at Texas A&M by R.C. Slocum and in the NFL he has honed his skills on the staff of Super Bowl XLIV champion head coach Sean Payton for 12 seasons and also for Super Bowl participants John Fox and Dan Reeves.

During his 27 years of coaching in the NFL, Allen has worked with 10 players who have combined for 23 Pro Bowl selections and he has also coached two Associated Press NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year winners and three members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Allen’s defenses have consistently been among the most productive in the NFL in a number of categories, including scoring defense, total yards allowed and sacks. The team’s defensive play-caller since the middle of the 2015 season, the Saints are the only team in the National Football League to rank in the top three in both opponent rushing yards per game and sacks cumulatively over the six-season period since 2017. Allen’s defenses have ranked in the top 10 in yards per game and opponent points per game each of the past two seasons.

In his first year as head coach of the Saints, Allen guided New Orleans through the challenge of significant injuries at virtually every position to win three of their last four games after a Week 14 bye and give up 20 or fewer points in the final eight contests of the season, 10 points apiece in each of the final three contests.

Under Allen’s supervision, New Orleans ranked second in the NFL in pass defense (184.4 ypg.), fifth in total defense (314.8 net yards per game), tied for fifth in sacks (48), ranked sixth in opponent

DENNIS ALLEN HEAD COACH

PLAYING CAREER: Texas A&M, 1992-95.

COACHING CAREER: Texas A&M, 1996-1999; Tulsa, 2000-01; Atlanta Falcons, 2002-05; New Orleans Saints, 2006-10; Denver Broncos, 2011; Oakland Raiders (Head Coach), 2012-14; New Orleans Saints 2015- (Head Coach since 2022).

red zone touchdown percentage (50.0) and ninth in scoring defense (20.3 ppg.). New Orleans posted shutouts in consecutive seasons for the first time since the 1991-92 campaigns. Linebacker Demario Davis and defensive end Cameron Jordan, who became the franchise’s all-time leader in sacks, were each named to the Pro Bowl while Davis earned AP (second-team) honors.

Offensively, New Orleans improved nine or more spots in league rankings in both net yards per game and net passing yards per game. The team’s top draft selection, wide receiver Chris Olave, earned PFWA All-Rookie recognition, as he led the team in receiving with 72 receptions for 1,042 yards. Running back Alvin Kamara became the only player to currently have six consecutive seasons of at least 1,300 yards from scrimmage. Taysom Hill ranked second on the team in rushing with a career-high 575 yards and team-leading seven rushing touchdowns, adding two receiving scores for a club-best nine total touchdowns, while adding two scoring throws. Tight end Juwan Johnson tied for third at the position in the league with a club-best seven touchdown grabs on 42 receptions for 508 yards.

In 2021 in his final season as defensive coordinator, Allen’s defensive unit boasted two Pro Bowl selections (Jordan and cornerback Marshon Lattimore) and one AP All-Pro selection (Davis), ranked first in the NFL in opponent red zone touchdown percentage (43.5), second in opponent first downs (304) and opponent rushing first downs (84), fourth in scoring defense (19.7 points per game), opponent net yards per play (5.08) and run defense (93.5 yards per game), seventh in total defense (318.2 net yards per game) and eighth in sacks (46). New Orleans’ streak of 22 regular season/postseason contests without allowing a 100-yard rusher at the end of the season was the longest in the NFL. With 25 takeaways and a plus-seven turnover ratio, Allen’s defense was instrumental in leading the Saints to their fifth consecutive winning season.

Allen handled Sean Payton’s head coaching duties in a December 19, 9-0 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as Payton was sidelined due to COVID-19 protocols.

In 2020, the Saints defense boasted one of the league’s top units, finishing tied for first in interceptions (18), ranked fourth in opponent net yards per game (310.9) and opponent rushing yards per game (91.3), fifth in opponent net passing yards per game (217.0) and opponent points per game (21.1) and eighth in sacks (45).

The 139 road points given up on the road by New Orleans were the fewest in the NFL and the third-lowest total by the club since the start of a 16-game regular season schedule in 1978. New Orleans did not allow a 100-yard rusher until Week 14 of the season, marking an NFL record of 55 games (regular season/postseason combined) of not giving up 100 yards to an individual.

The 2019 Saints ranked third in the league in sacks, recording 51 takedowns, and finished fourth in run defense at 91.3 yards rushing per game. The sack total was the highest for the Saints since 2001. New Orleans also ranked sixth on third down (34.8 percent) and 11th in total defense (333.1 yards per game). With two Pro Bowl starter selections on defense – Jordan and Lattimore and one AP first-team All-Pro – Davis – the Saints had two contests where they did not surrender a defensive touchdown for the first time since 2000. Jordan finished with a careerhigh 15.5 sacks, ranked third in the NFL and tied for the fourth-highest total in franchise history, also earning All-Pro honors. Davis filled up the stat sheet with a team-high 111 tackles, four sacks, one interception and a career-high 12 passes defensed.

In 2018, the Saints boasted the second-best run defense in the NFL, allowing just 80.2 rushing yards per game and 3.6 yards per carry. His defense also collared 49 sacks, which tied for fifth in the league. The New Orleans defense held its opponents to 20 points or less in 10 games in 2018 and had a six-game streak of keeping opponents under 20 for the first time since 2000. Jordan was selected to the

16 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS | GAMEDAY MAGAZINE 2023
STAFF - HEAD COACH

STAFF - HEAD COACH

Pro Bowl as an AP All-Pro in a season where he posted 12 sacks. On the interior, defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins posted eight sacks in a breakout campaign, the most takedowns by a Saints interior defender since 2000. Davis, in his first season with the club, became only the fourth player in Saints history to record 110 tackles and five sacks in a season. Lattimore led the team with five regular season takeaways and added two more in the club’s postseason win over Philadelphia.

In 2017, Allen coordinated a Saints defense that finished third in the league in interceptions (20), tied for seventh in sacks (42) and ranked 10th in opponent points per game (20.4 ppg.) after ranking 31st in 2016. Away from home, New Orleans surrendered only 18.3 points per game, tied for sixth in the NFL, their 146 road points given up tied for the fifth-lowest total by the club since the start of a 16game schedule in 1978. Allen oversaw a defense that featured first-team All-Pro Jordan, who posted 13 sacks, and Lattimore, who led rookies with five interceptions and garnered AP Defensive Rookie of the Year honors, as both defenders earned Pro Bowl trips. Lattimore was the second rookie under Allen’s tutelage to capture league Rookie of the Year honors. Rookie safety Marcus Williams, the club’s second round draft pick, joined Lattimore as a PFWA All-Rookie selection, tying for second among league rookies with four picks.

In 2016, a young Saints defensive unit took several strides in the right direction, surrendering only 90.6 rushing yards per game over the final 13 weeks of the season, ranked sixth in the NFL over that period. In fact, New Orleans allowed under 100 yards rushing in eight games on the season, the fewest in a single season since giving up seven in 2013. Jordan led the team with 7.5 sacks. Linebacker Craig Robertson started all 15 games he appeared in and filled up the stat sheet with a team-high and career-high 131 tackles, one sack, one interception, five passes defensed and two recoveries.

After starting the 2015 season as the club’s senior defensive assistant, Allen assumed coordinator duties in Week 11. As New Orleans rallied to win three of their final four contests, Allen’s unit contributed to finishing strong as the defense surrendered 35.1 total net yards per game below the overall season average, including 25.1 fewer yards per game in stopping the run. New Orleans also held opponents to a season-low 17 points in two of the final four contests. Jordan was selected to his second Pro Bowl, as he recorded double-digit sacks (10) for the second time in his career.

Allen served as the head coach of the Oakland Raiders from 2012-14. In his second season, he guided a team that made significant improvement in several areas. Offensively, the Raiders ranked 12th in the NFL in rushing, improving 16 spots in league rankings from 2012 and sixth in yards per

rush (4.6), improving 21 places in league rankings despite starting an NFL-high eight offensive line combinations due to injury. The defense replaced nine starters, yet improved in several categories. The defense recorded 38 sacks, 13 more than 2012, and tied for second in the NFL with 15 different players getting to the quarterback. The rush defense improved five spots from 18th in the NFL in 2012 to 13th in 2013, as they limited opposing offenses to just five runs of 20-or-more yards, tied for the fewest in the league, and kept opponents to less than two yards per carry three times. On special teams, the Raiders moved from the NFL’s bottomthird to first overall in opponent gross punting (41.7), ranked third in opponent net punting (37.0) and fourth in opponent kickoff returns (20.4).

Allen coached the first four games of the 2014 season for the Raiders, during which he helped usher in a pair of rookies that went on to enjoy impressive first-year campaigns in quarterback Derek Carr, signed by New Orleans this offseason, and linebacker Khalil Mack. The club’s pass defense ranked fourth in the NFL.

In 2011, Allen served as defensive coordinator of the Denver Broncos. He led a defense that helped the Broncos win the AFC West division crown and advance to the AFC Divisional round with an AFC Wild Card game victory. The Broncos improved 12 spots over the previous year in overall defensive ranking and bettered their points allowed eight spots. The defense produced four Pro Bowl selections as rookie linebacker Von Miller joined cornerback Champ Bailey, safety Brian Dawkins and defensive end Elvis Dumervil on the AFC squad. Miller set what was the team’s rookie record with 11.5 sacks en route to AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year honors and Dumervil also thrived under Allen, rebounding from injury to register 9.5 takedowns. The Broncos’ 41 sacks as a team marked the unit’s most since 2000.

During Allen’s previous five-year tenure in New Orleans, he first served as assistant defensive line coach (2006-07) before being promoted to secondary coach (2008-10).

He was a part of a defensive coaching staff that engineered significant improvement from 200910, when the club went 24-8 in the regular season, qualified for the playoffs both times and captured Super Bowl XLIV. Under Allen’s direction in 2010, the Saints allowed an NFL-low 13 touchdown passes, while New Orleans ranked fourth in both opponent net yards per game (306.3) and pass defense (193.9 ypg.) and fifth in opponent third down efficiency (34.5 pct.). Safety Roman Harper was selected to his second consecutive Pro Bowl, posting 100 tackles and three sacks, and cornerback Jabari Greer recorded two interceptions with one brought back for a touchdown.

In 2009, Allen tutored a secondary that played

a key role in helping the Saints to the club’s first Super Bowl victory. A revamped unit accounted for an NFL-high five interception returns for touchdowns and totaled 21 picks with two of the four starters being selected to the Pro Bowl. Opposing quarterbacks managed a meager 68.6 passer rating against the Saints, ranked third in the NFL. Greer returned one pick for a touchdown. Harper led the unit with a career-high 127 tackles and added 1.5 sacks and two forced fumbles while being selected to his first Pro Bowl. Cornerback Tracy Porter picked off quarterback Brett Favre and Peyton Manning in the fourth quarter in consecutive postseason contests, with his famous Super Bowl XLIV interception being brought back for a touchdown.

While serving as assistant defensive line coach from 2006-07, Allen helped develop a unit that ranked as one of the defense’s strengths. During that stretch, the front four combined for 49.5 sacks, 10 forced fumbles and 10 recoveries. Defensive end Will Smith was voted to his first Pro Bowl in 2006, posting a club-best 10.5 sacks and three forced fumbles.

Allen joined the Saints after a four-year stint with the Atlanta Falcons, where he spent his final two years as defensive assistant/quality control with an emphasis on working with the defensive line. Over the previous two seasons, he was in charge of defensive quality control while helping tutor the secondary.

Over his last two years in Atlanta, the Falcons’ defense was paced by the play of the front four. In 2004, Atlanta led the NFL for the first time in club history with 48 sacks, and the unit sent defensive end Patrick Kerney to the Pro Bowl. In 2005 defensive tackle Rod Coleman represented the club in the Pro Bowl and the Falcons notched 37 sacks.

In 2002, Allen’s first year with the Falcons, he assisted in coaching the defensive backfield. Atlanta improved to 16th against the pass after ranking 30th the year before, and tied for third in the NFL with 24 interceptions.

Allen worked as the secondary coach for the University of Tulsa (2000-01) before heading to the NFL. Prior to his stint at Tulsa, Allen was on the coaching staff for four years (1996-99) at his alma mater, Texas A&M, as a graduate assistant working primarily with the school’s secondary under Slocum.

A native of Hurst, Texas, Allen earned four letters for Texas A&M as a safety from 1992-95 and started the final 21 games of his career. A highlight was his fourthquarter interception that clinched an 18-9 victory over Texas in 1993, sending the Aggies to their third-straight Cotton Bowl. He collected Southwest Conference Defensive Player of the Week honors after intercepting two passes in a 36-14 win over Oklahoma in 1994.

Allen was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Buffalo Bills and competed in their training camp in 1996. Allen’s late father, Grady, played at Texas A&M and was a linebacker for the Falcons from 1968-72. Allen and his wife, Alisson, have a daughter, Layla, and a son, Garrison.

18 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS | GAMEDAY MAGAZINE 2023

DENNIS LAUSCHA - PRESIDENT

Dennis Lauscha, a native New Orleanian, has been a fan of the Saints since he was a young boy. He attended Jesuit High School and received degrees in Business, first from the University of Alabama, followed by an M.B.A. from Loyola University. Starting out his career as a C.P.A,, Lauscha worked for a major global financial services firm before his decades-long career with the Saints. He first joined the Saints in 1998 as Treasurer, and as a result of his hard work, loyalty and business acumen, Lauscha rose through the executive ranks to serve as Vice President, Senior Vice President and Executive Vice President before reaching his now esteemed post as President since 2012. In his role, he oversees the club’s financial operations, government affairs, marketing, ticket and suite sales, legal, stadium, community affairs, human resources, business intelligence and information technology. He also serves as president of the Pelicans franchise and represents both clubs at National Football League and National Basketball Association Owners meetings.

In addition to his duties with the Saints and Pelicans, the New Orleans native maintains multiple roles within other holdings of Mrs. Benson, maintaining a role in the management of her four local automotive dealerships (Best Chevrolet, Cadillac of New Orleans, Mercedes-Benz of New Orleans and Mercedes-Benz Sprinter), Corporate Realty and other real estate holdings, GMB Racing, Benson Capital Partners, Made By The Water and other investments.

Lauscha’s collaborative style, financial acumen and long-term

view has played a key role as a member of a contingent that has negotiated agreements for both the Saints and Pelicans with the state of Louisiana. These have resulted in long-term lease agreements, continuous improvements to their playing and practice facilities, revitalization of the areas around them and generation of revenue for the state without any new taxes for citizens.

Lauscha’s dealings with the Saints and Pelicans, state officials and local organizations have provided an opportunity for community involvement. His professional and charitable work was recognized by New Orleans CityBusiness, when he was selected as one of the 40 Most Influential Members of the Community. The honor is bestowed on those who are laying the groundwork for a better city. In 2010, he was named the Alumnus of the Year by Loyola’s College of Business and was named to the 2010 Class of Role Models by the Young Leadership Council. He was honored by the Allstate Sugar Bowl Chapter of the National Football Foundation/College Football Hall of Fame with its 2014 Distinguished American Award. In 2015, Lauscha gave the commencement address to the graduates of the University of New Orleans. In 2016, he was inducted into the Order of West Range for the Pi Kappa Alpha Foundation. He was honored as a 2019 Laureate of Junior Achievement’s Greater New Orleans chapter. Lauscha has also completed the National Football League Managers Program at Stanford University's Executive Education Graduate School of Business. Most recently, he was named Jesuit’s 2022-23 Alumnus of the Year.

MICKEY LOOMIS - EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT/GENERAL MANAGER

Responsible for the club’s entire football operations, Executive Vice President/General Manager Mickey Loomis enters his 22nd season in his current position and 24th with the Saints. He is a veteran of 37 years in the NFL and during his time in New Orleans has been honored with the most prestigious awards presented to a league executive. Yet the most satisfying achievement of Loomis’ career has come in helping mold a roster that has produced many of the franchise’s finest moments over the last 17 seasons, including the Super Bowl XLIV championship.

In 2006, after being the key figure in the hiring of Head Coach Sean Payton, the signing of QB Drew Brees and essentially rebuilding a team that would advance to the NFC Championship – Loomis was voted the NFL Executive of the Year by Pro Football Weekly/Pro Football Writers of America. He was also honored by The Sporting News as the George Young Executive of the Year, an award voted on annually by NFL front-office executives and owners.

Loomis has continued to build on the success of 2006, highlighted by 10 winning seasons, nine postseason appearances, seven division titles, three NFC Championship game berths and

the Super Bowl victory. Over the past 17 years, he’s brought aboard a group of players who have played a key role in New Orleans posting a 175-116 overall record through a combination of the draft, free agency and trades. He’s also presided over the club’s ability to retain their core players, re-signing significant contributors to long-term contracts. In 2022, Loomis conducted an extensive coaching search on behalf of the organization to lead the Saints into the future. Following the search, Dennis Allen was promoted from defensive coordinator and hired as the Saints’ 17th head coach in franchise history.

Prior to arriving in New Orleans, Loomis spent 15 years with the Seattle Seahawks, including as executive vice president from 1992-98. He joined the Seahawks in October, 1983, was promoted to vice president/finance in 1990 and to Executive Vice President in 1992.A native of Eugene, Ore., Loomis has a degree in accounting from the University of Oregon and a Master’s Degree in Sports Administration from Wichita State University.

Married to Melanie, Loomis has four children: Alex, Katherine, Sam and Lucy.

20 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS | GAMEDAY MAGAZINE 2023
Ben Hales Senior Vice President of Marketing & Operations Ed Lang Senior Vice President of Finance / Chief Financial Officer Vicky Neumeyer Senior Vice President/ General Counsel Greg Bensel Senior VP of Communications, Broadcast, Community Relations & Governmental Relations Michael Stanfield Senior Vice President of Sales
STAFF - EXECUTIVE

Clancy Barone enters his first season as tight ends coach of the New Orleans Saints. Barone has 34 years of coaching experience, his first 17 at the collegiate level and his last 17 in the NFL. New Orleans is the sixth NFL stop for Barone, who most recently served as tight ends coach for the Chicago Bears from 2020-21.

Prior to his Bears tenure, Barone coached either tight ends or offensive line with the Falcons (2004-06), Chargers (2007-08), Broncos (2009-16), and Vikings (2017-18). As a tight ends coach, Barone has had four players voted to the Pro Bowl with four different teams: the Falcons’ Alge Crumpler, the Chargers’ Antonio Gates, the Broncos’ Julius Thomas and the Vikings’ Kyle Rudolph.

In Chicago, Barone oversaw high-level performances from veterans, as well as developing younger players. In 2021, Cole Kmet posted a career-high 60 receptions for a career-best 612 yards in his second

Bicknell enters his second season as a senior offensive assistant in New Orleans. He has 13 years of National Football League experience in the coaching ranks and 28 years of college and professional experience overall. The Holliston, Mass., native possesses extensive coaching experience on both the offensive line and at the skill positions.

Bicknell has coached several positions in the NFL, including coaching the Cincinnati Bengals wide receivers from 2018-2020, helping develop Tyler Boyd and Tee Higgins. He coached receivers for Baylor University in 2017, the Philadelphia Eagles from 2013-15 and the San Francisco 49ers in 2016. He coached tight ends for the Buffalo Bills in 2010-11 and wide receivers in 2012. He got his NFL start in 2007 with the Kansas City Chiefs, where he was an assistant offensive line coach in 2007 and took over as the offensive line coach in 2008.

Prior to the NFL ranks, Bicknell coached the offensive line at

KODI BURNS - WIDE RECEIVERS

Burns enters his second season as New Orleans’ wide receivers coach after originally joining the team in 2022, coaching at the collegiate level for 10 seasons prior to joining the Black and Gold. In 2022, Burns played a role in developing rookie wide receiver Chris Olave, who became only the third rookie in franchise history to eclipse 1,000 receiving yards.

Burns coached wide receivers at the University of Tennessee in 2021 after spending six seasons coaching at Auburn, where he started out as a graduate assistant with the Tigers in 2013 before coaching running backs at Samford in 2014 and wide receivers at Middle Tennessee in 2015. When he returned to Auburn, he served as co-offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach from 2016-20 and added the role of passing game coordinator in

Carberry enters his first season as the Saints’ assistant offensive line coach. He brings to New Orleans six years of experience in the NFL coaching ranks, with 14 years of experience at the college and professional levels.

During his six years coaching in the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys, Washington Commanders and Los Angeles Rams, Carberry tutored multiple Pro Bowlers and the Rams 2021 Super Bowl Championship team, who finished tied for sixth in the NFL with least amount of sacks allowed (31). He guided the Washington offensive line that protected the third-ranked offense and allowed the fourth least amount of sacks in the NFL (23). In his first pro coaching gig in 2014-15 with the Cowboys, Carberry assisted Bill Callahan with the offensive line in 2014 when the team finished second in the NFL in rushing and RB DeMarco Murray led the league in rushing while setting a franchise record with 1,845 yards.

Carberry also has extensive experience at the collegiate coaching ranks,

season. In 2020, the Bears returned to the postseason after a oneyear absence as Jimmy Graham led the team with eight touchdown catches, the second-most among NFC tight ends and his most since 2017-on 50 receptions, adding one more scoring grab in the playoffs. Barone played on the offensive line at the University of Nevada and Sacramento State University, and holds a place in the Hornets Athletics Hall of Fame.

PLAYING CAREER: Nevada, 1983-84; Sacramento State, 1985-86. COACHING CAREER: American River College, 1983-84; Sacramento State, 1991-92; Texas A&M, 1993; Eastern Illinois, 1994-96; University of Wyoming, 1997-99; University of Houston, 2000-02; Texas State, 2003; Atlanta Falcons, 2004-06; San Diego Chargers, 2007-08; Denver Broncos, 2009-16; Minnesota Vikings, 2017-18; Chicago Bears, 2020-21; New Orleans Saints 2023–.

Temple in 2006 and spent eight seasons in NFL Europe. He began his coaching career at Boston University, coaching safeties, running backs and linebackers from 1993-97.

Bicknell played tight end for three seasons at Boston College from 1989-91. Bicknell’s father, Jack Sr., coached at BC and spent 13 seasons as a head coach in NFL Europe. Meanwhile, Bicknell’s brother, Jack Jr., is currently offensive line coach at the University of North Carolina.

PLAYING CAREER: Boston College, 1989-91.

COACHING CAREER: Boston University, 1993-97; Frankfurt Galaxy (NFL Europe), 1998-99; Berlin Thunder (NFLE), 2000-03; Cologne Centurions (NFLE), 2004-05; Temple, 2006; Kansas City Chiefs, 2007-09; Buffalo Bills, 2010-12; Philadelphia Eagles, 2013-15; San Francisco 49ers, 2016; Baylor, 2017; Cincinnati Bengals, 2018-20; New Orleans Saints, 2022–.

2019-20. Over his time at Auburn, nine offensive players were drafted to the NFL, including two receivers in 2021: Anthony Schwartz (third round by the Browns) and Seth Williams (sixth round by the Broncos).

Burns played four seasons at Auburn from 2007-10. He began as a quarterback his first two seasons, becoming the first Tiger to start as a true freshman since 1998. He shifted to receiver as a junior, tallying 2,300 receiving yards and 22 career touchdowns. He won a National Championship in 2010 and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in exercise science in 2011.

PLAYING CAREER: Auburn 2007-10. COACHING CAREER: Arkansas State, 2012; Auburn, 2013, Auburn, 2016-20; Samford, 2014; Middle Tennessee, 2015; Tennessee, 2021; New Orleans Saints, 2022–.

as a graduate assistant at Kansas from 2009-11, defensive ends coach at Stephen F. Austin (2012-13) and run game coordinator/offensive line coach at Stanford (2018-20). Prior to coaching at the collegiate level, he was a four-year letterman at Ohio before spending his rookie season on the practice squad of the Detroit Lions (2005). He later played for the Berlin Thunder (NFL Europe - 2006), New York Dragons (Arena Football League2007) and Philadelphia Soul (AFL - 2008).

PLAYING CAREER: Ohio University, 2002-05; Detroit Lions, 2006; Berlin Thunder (NFL Europe), 2006; New York Dragons (Arena Football League), 2007; Philadelphia Soul (AFL), 2008. COACHING CAREER: St. Rita High School (Chicago), 2006; St. Ignatius (Chicago) College Prep, 2007-08; Kansas, 2009-11; Stephen F. Austin, 2012-13; Dallas Cowboys, 2014-15; Washington Commanders, 2016-17; Stanford, 2018-20; Los Angeles Rams, 2021-22; New Orleans Saints, 2023–.

22 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS | GAMEDAY MAGAZINE 2023
CLANCY BARONE - TIGHT ENDS COACH KEVIN CARBERRY - ASSISTANT OFFENSIVE LINE
STAFF - COACHING
BOB BICKNELL - SENIOR OFFENSIVE ASSISTANT

Carmichael’s in his 15th season as New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator after tutoring quarterbacks his first three years with the club. He has been a key figure in the planning and preparations of an offensive attack that has been ranked first in the NFL in yardage in six seasons and in the top 10 each campaign from 2006-19. During Carmichael’s tenure on the Saints coaching staff, the club’s 14-year streak of finishing in the top 10 in offense was the third-longest since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger. Retired quarterback Drew Brees, who retired following the 2020 season, was named to the Pro Bowl 12 times while becoming the league’s all-time leader in completions and passing yardage.

Despite limitations to the New Orleans offense due to injuries at multiple positions, New Orleans improved from being ranked 32nd in the NFL in 2021 to 16th in 2022 in net passing yards per game, while developing rookie wide receiver tandem Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed to step in for veterans Michael Thomas and Jarvis Landry. Olave, the 11th overall selection in the 2022 NFL Draft out of Ohio State, became only the second Saints rookie to lead the team in receptions (72), receiving yardage (1,042) and yards per catch (14.5)

Ronald Curry, who is in his 18th season overall in the National Football League and his seventh as an assistant coach with the Saints, is one of the top offensive minds on New Orleans’ coaching staff. After working primarily with the wide receivers his first five seasons with the club, the former college signal-caller will serve as quarterbacks coach for the third season, while adding the role of passing game coordinator in 2022.

In 2022, under Curry’s collaboration with Offensive Coordinator Pete Carmichael and the offensive staff, the Saints improved from 32nd in the NFL to 16th in net passing yards per game, while he tutored Andy Dalton and Jameis Winston. Winston led the team to a dramatic season-opening, come-from-behind victory at Atlanta, while Dalton set a career-high in completion percentage (66.7%), as he

Evans was drafted by the Saints in the fourth round (108th overall) of the 2006 NFL Draft and spent the first 11 seasons of his 12-year playing career with the Saints. He was a six time Pro Bowl selection, five time AP All-Pro and was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s 2010’S All-Decade Team, as New Orleans finished in the Top Ten in total offense each of the 11 seasons he lined up for the Saints, while the 196 sacks surrendered by the offensive line over that period

while becoming only the third Saint in franchise history to eclipse 1,000 receiving yards in a rookie campaign. Third-year tight end Juwan Johnson had career-highs in all major receiving categories, as he caught 42 passes for 508 yards with a team-leading seven touchdowns, tied for third in the position in the league. Taysom Hill contributed to the running game with a career-high 575 rushing yards and seven touchdowns, and the passing game, where he caught two scores for a team-high nine total touchdowns and threw for two more. Running back Alvin Kamara had his sixth consecutive season with 1,300 total yards from scrimmage (team-high 1,387) despite missing two games with injuries.

Born Oct. 6, 1971 in Framingham, Mass., Carmichael attended Medway High School where he played football and baseball. He was a four-year letterman in baseball at Boston College, where he graduated with a degree in mathematics in 1984.

COACHING CAREER: New Hampshire, 1994; Louisiana Tech, 1995-99; Cleveland Browns, 2000; Washington, 2001; San Diego Chargers, 2002-05; New Orleans Saints, 2006–.

completed 252-of-378 passes for 2,870 yards with 18 touchdowns, only nine interceptions and a 95.2 passer rating.

Curry was originally selected in the seventh round (235th overall) by the Oakland Raiders out of North Carolina in the 2002 NFL Draft. He played in 76 career games with 32 starts and registered 193 receptions for 2,347 yards and 13 touchdowns from 2002-08. The Hampton, Va., native was an All-American in football and basketball in high school and played both quarterback and point guard for the Tar Heels.

PLAYING CAREER: North Carolina, 1998-2001; Oakland Raiders, 200208. COACHING CAREER: Mooresville Christian Academy (Head Coach), 2010-12; San Francisco 49ers, 2013-15; New Orleans Saints, 2016–.

were lowest in the NFC and second-lowest in the NFL. He has been inducted into the New Orleans Saints Hall of Fame (2020), Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame (2022) and was a semifinalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2023.

Prior to being selected in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Draft by New Orleans, Evans was a three-year starter at Bloomsburg, anchoring the left tackle position. He was a finalist for the Division II Gene Upshaw Offensive Player of the Year Award in 2004 and 2005.

PLAYING CAREER: Bloomsburg, 2001-05; New Orleans Saints, 2006-16; Green Bay Packers, 2017. COACHING CAREER: New Orleans Saints, 2023–.

Galiano enters his fifth season with the New Orleans Saints as assistant special teams coach. Galiano is a veteran in the coaching ranks with 23 years of experience, including seven seasons in the NFL.

Over his Saints career, Galiano’s work with special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi has made the kicking an integral part of New Orleans’ success. On coverage units, J.T. Gray’s 84 tackles rank second in the NFL. Galiano has helped guide K Wil Lutz into second place on the club’s all-time list for scoring (781), field goals (165) and PATs (286). The punting game has produced the top three seasons in club history for inside-20s. Since 2019, the Saints have excelled in the return game. Over the four-season period, the team has been ranked sixth in the NFL in both punt return average (9.6) and kickoff return

average (23.5). In 2022, Galiano helped develop rookie WR/RS Rashid Shaheed, as he averaged 9.7 yards on 20 punt returns, while P Blake Gillikin had a team-record 32 punts inside-the-20.

A three-year starter at safety for Shippensburg, Galiano served as a tri-captain as a senior, helping lead the Raiders to three consecutive winning seasons from 1997-99. The Norristown, Pa., native graduated in 2000 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration.

PLAYING CAREER: Shippensburg, 1996-99. COACHING CAREER: Dickinson College, 2000; New Haven, 2001; Villanova, 2002; Rutgers 200306; Florida International, 2007-09; Rutgers, 2010-11; Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2012-13; Rutgers, 2014-15; Miami Dolphins, 2016; Penn State, 2017-18; New Orleans Saints, 2019–.

24 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS | GAMEDAY MAGAZINE 2023
PHIL GALIANO - ASSISTANT SPECIAL TEAMS COACH After serving as a training camp intern in 2022, Evans begins his fulltime coaching career in 2023 as an offensive assistant with the New Orleans Saints. JAHRI EVANS - OFFENSIVE ASSISTANT RONALD CURRY - PASSING GAME COORDINATOR/QUARTERBACKS COACH PETE CARMICHAEL - OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR
STAFF - COACHING

STAFF - COACHING

MATT GIORDANO - DEFENSIVE ASSISTANT

Matt Giordano, a nine-year NFL veteran safety in the playing ranks and Super Bowl champion, enters his first season as a defensive assistant with the New Orleans Saints. This will be his second stint in New Orleans after contributing on defense and special teams in 2010.

The Fresno, Calif., native was a fourth-round draft pick of the Indianapolis Colts in 2005 and enjoyed a nine-year NFL career with the Colts (2005-08), Green Bay Packers (2009), Saints (2010), Oakland Raiders (2011-12) and St. Louis Rams (2013), starting 30-of-116 career games, while accumulating 202 tackles, one sack, 11 interceptions (including two returned for touchdowns), 16 passes defensed, two forced fumbles, 52 special teams tackles and one coverage fumble recovery. He also appeared in seven postseason games for the Colts and Packers, and was a member of Indianapolis’ Super Bowl XLI championship team.

Following his playing career, Giordano served as head coach at

Peter Giunta (pronounced GEN-ta) enters his eighth season as a Saints senior defensive assistant in 2022. He’s a 44-year coaching veteran, including 32 years of experience in the NFL with three Super Bowl Championships.

In 2022, Giunta worked with a Saints secondary that contributed to the New Orleans defense being ranked fifth in the NFL in net yards per game, with a stingy back end responsible for being ranked second in the league in opponent net passing yards per game and being tied for giving up the third-fewest touchdown passes (17) in the league. Giunta worked with veterans, such as S Tyrann Mathieu, while overseeing the development of second-round pick CB Alontae

Todd Grantham, a 33-year coaching veteran is in his first season as the Saints’ defensive line coach. Grantham, who has extensive college and NFL experience along the front seven and as a coordinator, spent the 2022 season as an analyst at the University of Alabama after serving as a defensive coordinator in the college ranks from 2010-2021.

From 2018-21, Grantham served as defensive coordinator at the University of Florida. From 2018-20, the Gators defense registered 65 takeaways, tied for 11th-most in the nation over that span. With a turnover margin of plus-12 in 2018 and plus-five in 2019, UF also finished with a turnover margin of at least plus-five in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2014 and 2015. The Gators also ranked in the topten in the nation in sacks in both 2019 (49-fifth) and 2020 (35-tied for seventh), leading the Southeastern Conference each season.

Grantham came to Gainesville after serving in the same position at Mississippi State in 2017 and at Louisville from 2014-16, where he tu-

his high school alma mater, Buchanan High School in Clovis, Calif., where he amassed a record of 51-16.

Giordano played two years at the University of California after transferring from Fresno City College. He started 14-of-25 games at safety for Cal and posted 111 career tackles, four stops for a loss, one sack, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, six passes defensed and two interceptions. He was an honorable-mention All-America selection and first-team All-Pac-10 honoree in 2004, when he totaled 61 tackles, 1.5 stops for loss, one sack, two forced fumbles, six passes defensed and one interception. Giordano was inducted into the Fresno Athletic Hall of Fame in 2019.

PLAYING CAREER: Fresno City College, 2001-02; California, 2003-04; Indianapolis Colts, 2005-08; Green Bay Packers, 2009; New Orleans Saints, 2010, Oakland Raiders, 2011-12; St. Louis Rams, 2013.

COACHING CAREER: Buchanan (Clovis, Calif.) High School (Head Coach), 2016-21; New Orleans Saints, 2023-

Taylor. Mathieu started every game, posted a career-high 91 tackles and led the Black and Gold with four takeaways. Taylor played in 13 games with nine starts and led the Saints with 11 passes defensed, fourth among National Football League rookies.

The Salem, Mass., native had a four-year playing career as a defensive back and running back at Northeastern (1974-44).

PLAYING CAREER: Northeastern, 1974-77. COACHING CAREER: Swampscott (Mass.) High School, 1978-80; Penn State, 1981-83; Brown, 1984-87; Lehigh, 1988-90; Philadelphia Eagles, 1991-94; New York Jets, 1995-96; St. Louis Rams, 1997-2000; Kansas City Chiefs, 2001-05; New York Giants, 2006-14; New Orleans Saints, 2016–.

tored former Saints first round pick Sheldon Rankins. He first entered the college coordinator ranks in 2010 at the University of Georgia, where he enjoyed a four-year stint, first as defensive coordinator/outside linebackers coach from 2010-11, and adding the title of associate head coach from 2012-13.

Grantham played guard and tackle for Virginia Tech from 1984-88, where he also started his coaching career (1990-95). He earned secondteam All-South and honorable mention All-America honors as a senior, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in sports management in 1989.

Grantham and his wife, Paige, have a son, Corbin, and a daughter, Olivia. PLAYING CAREER: Virginia Tech, 1984-88. COACHING CAREER: ; Virginia Tech, 1990-95; Michigan State, 1996-98; Indianapolis Colts, 1999-2001; Houston Texans, 2002-04; Cleveland Browns, 2005-07; Dallas Cowboys, 2008-09; Georgia, 2010-13; Louisville, 2014-16; Mississippi State, 2017; Florida, 2018-21; Alabama, 2022; New Orleans Saints, 2023-.

Adam Gristick enters his first NFL season as a defensive assistant with the Saints. He brings to New Orleans seven years of experience coaching at the college ranks.

Prior to joining the Saints, Gristick served on the coaching staff at Eastern Illinois University from 2018-22. During his tenure in Charleston, he coached linebackers, adding the title of defensive game run coordinator in 2020 and defensive coordinator in 2022. He went to Eastern Illinois from Syracuse, where he served three seasons as an assistant after start-

ing his coaching career in quality control at Missouri State in 2015. The Orefield, Pa., native played linebacker at Eastern Illinois from 2010-14, where as a three-year starter from 2013-14, he helped EIU capture back-to-back Ohio Valley Conference championships and FCS playoff appearances from 2012-13.

PLAYING CAREER: Eastern Illinois, 2010-14. COACHING CAREER: Missouri State, 2015; Syracuse, 2016-17; Eastern Illinois, 2018-22; New Orleans Saints, 2023-.

26 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS | GAMEDAY MAGAZINE 2023
ADAM GRISTICK - DEFENSIVE ASSISTANT TODD GRANTHAM - DEFENSIVE LINE COACH PETER GIUNTA - SENIOR DEFENSIVE ASSISTANT

STAFF - COACHING

The Saints hired Hodges in 2017 to serve as a defensive assistant. He was promoted to assistant linebackers coach in 2019 and enters his fourth season in the position.

Under Hodges’ guidance in 2022, Demario Davis was again one of the Saints’ most productive defensive players, leading the team for the fifth consecutive season in tackles. He also set a career-high with 6.5 sacks, leading all inside linebackers in the NFL, earning AP second-team All-Pro and a selection to his first Pro Bowl Games. Pete Werner finished with 79 tackles and two forced fumbles. Hodges

also supervised fourth-year linebacker Kaden Elliss through his breakthrough campaign, posting 74 tackles to go with seven sacks, to lead the position group and rank second on the team, along with two forced fumbles.

Hodges played linebacker at Texas A&M where he earned second team All-Big 12 honors as a senior when he led the Aggies in tackles and honorable mention as a junior after beginning his career as a walk-on.

PLAYING CAREER: Texas A&M, 2008-11. COACHING CAREER: Fresno State, 2013-13; Eastern Illinois, 2014-16; New Orleans Saints 2017-.

Now in his second coaching stint with the Saints, Doug Marrone returned to New Orleans in 2022 after originally spending three seasons on the club’s coaching staff from 2006-08 as offensive coordinator/offensive line.

Marrone possesses 31 years of coaching experience, including 10 as a head coach, six in the NFL. This will be his 17th season coaching in the NFL.

In his first season back with the Saints in 2022, Marrone navigated an offensive line group that featured nine different starting combinations throughout the season and still produced three 100yard rushing performances by Taysom Hill and Alvin Kamara. Kamara led the team in rushing with 897 yards, while Hill ran for a careerhigh 575 yards and a team-best seven touchdowns. With the Saints offensive line group having only one lineup change over the first eight weeks of the season, New Orleans was fifth in the NFL in total offense (394.4 ypg.) and eighth in rushing yards per game (141.3).

Marrone returned to New Orleans after serving as the offensive line coach at the University of Alabama in 2021. Marrone joined Alabama after four-plus seasons as head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars (2016-20). He guided the Jaguars to the 2017 AFC Championship game after finishing with a 10-6 regular season

TO THE HEAD COACH

Mike Martinez enters his first campaign on the New Orleans Saints coaching staff as assistant to the head coach after serving as a football operations/scouting assistant from 2020-22. In his role, he is responsible for assisting Head Coach Dennis Allen in organizing the club’s football operations. Martinez is responsible for coordinating the Saints’ meeting and practice schedules, the team’s daily football calendar and orchestration of team and staff events, as well as providing administrative assistance to the coaching and operations staff.

Kevin Petry enters his seventh season as a member of the New Orleans Saints coaching staff.

In his fifth season as an offensive assistant, Petry will continue to assist offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael and the rest of the Saints offensive staff. After working with the quarterbacks in 2022, Petry will tutor the Saints' wideouts with Wide Receivers Coach Kodi Burns in 2023.

Petry was responsible for coordinating the Saints’ meeting and practice schedules, daily football calendar and orchestration of team and staff events, as well as providing administrative assis -

record in his first full season as head coach after going 1-1 in interim duties in 2016. His 2017 team was tied for the NFL’s biggest win/ loss improvement (plus-seven) among first-year head coaches and earned him AFC Coach of the Year recognition from the prestigious Kansas City Committee of 101. He also spent time as head coach for the Buffalo Bills (2013-14) and Syracuse (2009-12).

Marrone’s first seven NFL seasons as an assistant coach (2002-08) culminated with his hiring at Syracuse based on his success in New Orleans from 2006-08. During Marrone’s first Saints tenure, the Saints led the NFL in total offense twice (391.5 avg. in 2006; 410.7 avg. in 2008) and passing yards per game two times (281.4 avg. in 2006; 311.1 in 2008).

PLAYING CAREER: Syracuse, 1982-85; Miami Dolphins, 1987; New Orleans Saints, 1989; London Monarchs (NFL Europe), 1991-92. COACHING CAREER: Cortland (N.Y.) State, 1992; U.S. Coast Guard Academy, 1993; Northeastern, 1994; Georgia Tech, 1995-99; Georgia, 2000; Tennessee, 2001; New York Jets, 2002-05; New Orleans Saints, 2006-08; Syracuse (Head Coach), 2009-12; Buffalo Bills (Head Coach), 2013-14; Jacksonville Jaguars (interim head coach last two games of 2016 and head coach 2017-20), 2015-20; Alabama, 2021; New Orleans Saints, 2022-.

tance to the coaching and operations staff from 2017-22.

This will be Petry’s 11th year as a member of the Saints organization. During the 2015 and 2016 seasons, he served as a video assistant. From 2012-14, Petry was a member of the team’s equipment staff.

The Covington, La., native who prepped at St. Paul’s High School, graduated from Louisiana State University with a bachelor’s degree in sports administration in 2013. Petry and his wife, Kelsey, have one son, Louis Michael.

COACHING CAREER: New Orleans Saints, 2017-.

28 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS | GAMEDAY MAGAZINE 2023
KEVIN PETRY - OFFENSIVE ASSISTANT DOUG MARRONE - OFFENSIVE LINE The Boise, Idaho, native played basketball at Dordt (Sioux Center, Iowa) University and graduated with degrees in communication and sports management. COACHING CAREER: New Orleans Saints, 2023-. MIKE MARTINEZ - ASSISTANT MICHAEL HODGES - LINEBACKERS

STAFF - COACHING

DARREN

-

HEAD COACH/SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR

Rizzi brings 30 years of coaching experience to his fifth year with the New Orleans Saints, including a ten-season stint with the Miami Dolphins from 2009-18. In 2022, Rizzi added Assistant Head Coach duties.

Since entering the NFL in 2009, he has coached six special teams players who have been named to seven Pro Bowls. He has also coached six players to the NFL All-Rookie team in the past nine years. Rizzi’s units have served in the top half of NFL writer Rick Gosselin’s annual special teams rankings in 11 of the 12 years he has served as a coordinator, including first in 2019 and fifth in both 2020 and 2021.

In 2022, the Saints special team units delivered another productive season. Rookie WR/RS Rashid Shaheed finished with a 9.7 punt return

MARCUS ROBERTSON - SECONDARY COACH

Marcus Robertson, a 15-year NFL coaching veteran, is in his first year as the New Orleans Saints’ secondary coach. He spent the previous four years as the Arizona Cardinals’ defensive backs coach. In total, Robertson has spent the last 32 seasons in the NFL as a player, coach and administrator, and has coached defensive backs with Tennessee (2007-11), Detroit (2012-13), Oakland (2014-16), Denver (2017-18) and Arizona (2019-22).

Under Robertson’s tutelage in Arizona, Budda Baker has been the only safety in the NFL named to the Pro Bowl each of the last four seasons. Robertson also developed S Jalen Thompson, who in 2021 was one of just five NFL players with 100+ tackles (club-best 120), 3+ interceptions and 5+

Joel Thomas enters his ninth season as the Saints running backs coach after 16 years of coaching in the college ranks. Since arriving in 2015, the club has led the National Football League with 148 rushing touchdowns. In total, Thomas’ running backs have registered 25 individual 100-yard performances since 2015. Under Thomas’ tutelage, Alvin Kamara has earned five Pro Bowl selections as the only player in the NFL to have at least 1,300 total yards from scrimmage in each of the last six seasons. In his eighth season in New Orleans, Thomas tutored Kamara to his sixth straight season with at least 1,300 yards from scrimmage (1,387). He became the first Saint to lead the team in rushing five consecutive seasons, carrying 223 times for 897 yards, while ranking second on the team in receiving with 57 grabs for 490 yards. Kamara moved into a tie for first place in club record books in total touchdowns (72) and rushing touch-

Jordan Traylor enters his fifth season with the Saints, his third on the coaching staff. After two seasons as a defensive assistant, Traylor will work on the offensive side of the ball in 2023. During his first two seasons with the Saints, Traylor served as a scouting assistant.

Prior to coming to New Orleans, he served as an offensive analyst, working with quarterbacks at the University of Arkansas in 2018 until first joining the Saints prior to 2019 training camp. In the 2016 and 2017 seasons, he served as an offensive graduate assistant working with quarterbacks and receivers at the University of Texas.

average. Despite missing three contests, DB J.T. Gray led the Saints with 12 coverage stops. P Blake Gillikin also set a team-record with 32 punts inside-the-20 under Rizzi’s tutelage.

The Hillsdale, N.J., native played tight end at the University of Rhode Island. He went on to tally 160 receptions for 2,426 yards (15.2 avg.) and 15 touchdowns in his collegiate career and was a consensus All-American in 1992.

PLAYING CAREER: Rhode Island, 1989-92. COACHING CAREER: Colgate, 1993; New Haven, 1994-97; Northeastern, 1998; New Haven (head coach), 1991-2001; Rutgers, 2002-07; Rhode Island (head coach), 2008; Miami Dolphins, 2009-18; New Orleans Saints, 2019-.

D.J. Williams, a former college quarterback, enters his fifth season with the New Orleans Saints as an offensive assistant, after helping the coaching staff during 2017 training camp and both the club’s coaches and football operations in 2018. Williams graduated from Grambling State in 2015, where he played quarterback for the Tigers from 20112014, starting contests all four seasons and earning tryouts with several NFL teams following the conclusion of his college career.

D.J. Williams is the son of Washington Commanders executive Doug

passes defensed. In 2022, Thompson finished second on the team with 109 stops and added two takeaways and a club-best eight passes defensed.

Prior to beginning his coaching career, Robertson played four seasons at Iowa State and 12 years in the NFL for the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans (1991-00) and the Seattle Seahawks (2001-02) after being drafted by Houston as a fourth-round selection (102nd overall) in the 1991 NFL Draft.

PLAYING CAREER: Iowa State, 1987-90; Houston Oilers/Tennessee, 1991-2000; Seattle Seahawks, 2001-02. COACHING CAREER: Tennessee Titans, 2007-11; Detroit Lions, 2012-13; Oakland Raiders, 2014-16; Denver Broncos, 201718; Arizona Cardinals, 2019-22; New Orleans Saints, 2023-.

downs (49). Kamara also moved into second place in club record books in total yards from scrimmage (8,888), third place with 5,135 career rushing yards and fifth place with 430 receptions. Mark Ingram II added to his totals as the franchise’s all-time rushing leader (6,500) and is only the third player in club records with 8,300 yards from scrimmage (8,304).

Thomas lettered at Idaho from 1993-98, where he was a two-time, first-team All-Big West selection, including Conference Player of the Year as a senior. He holds Vandals career records with 3,929 rushing yards and 51 rushing touchdowns. He was inducted into the University of Idaho Athletic Hall of Fame in 2008 and earned his degree in public communications in 1998.

PLAYING CAREER: Idaho, 1993-98. COACHING CAREER: Purdue, 2000-01; Louisville, 2002-03; Idaho, 2004-05; Purdue, 2006-08; Washington, 200912; Arkansas, 2013-14; New Orleans Saints, 2015-.

The Gilmer, Texas, native, who played quarterback and wide receiver in high school, started his collegiate playing career at Mississippi College from 2012-13, before transferring to play quarterback at Texas A&M from 2014-15, where he was a Southeastern Conference All-Academic selection. Traylor is the son of UTSA Head Coach Jeff Traylor.

PLAYING CAREER: Mississippi College, 2012-13; Texas A&M, 2014-15.

COACHING CAREER: Texas, 2016-17; Arkansas, 2018; New Orleans Saints, 2021-.

Williams, who won Super Bowl XXII as their starting quarterback, the pinnacle of his 12-year storied pro playing career, followed by a long tenure in NFL front offices.

From 2019-21 and in 2023, Williams has participated in the NFL/Black College Football Hall of Fame Quarterback Coaching Summit. He served as the National Team quarterbacks coach at the 2023 Senior Bowl.

PLAYING CAREER: Grambling State, 2011-14. COACHING CAREER: New Orleans Saints, 2019-.

JORDAN TRAYLOR - OFFENSIVE ASSISTANT JOEL THOMAS - RUNNING BACKS RIZZI ASSISTANT D.J. WILLIAMS - OFFENSIVE
ASSISTANT

STAFF - COACHING

Joe Woods is in his first season as the Saints’ defensive coordinator. A 31-year coaching veteran, including the last 19 in the NFL, Woods will enter his sixth season as a defensive coordinator after spending the last three coordinating the Cleveland Browns defense.

In 2022, Woods led a Browns defense that had an evolving cast of personnel due to injuries. Despite the changes, the Browns tied for fourth in the NFL in passes defensed, ranked fifth in pass defense and helped Cleveland with four of its last seven games after a 3-7 start, surrendering 17 points or fewer in five of the contests. In 2020, Woods helped the Browns reach the playoffs for the first time since 2002, as they led the NFL with six red zone takeaways and tied for second in the league with 17 forced fumbles. Over his 19-year career among the

YOUNG - PASS RUSH SPECIALIST

Brian Young enters his eighth season as the club’s pass rush specialist. In his 15th season as a valued member of the New Orleans Saints coaching staff, Young has worked with all of the club’s front seven position groups after breaking into the ranks as a coaching assistant from 2009-11 following the conclusion of a nine-year playing career and 124 games along the defensive line in the National Football League.

Since 2017, New Orleans’ 281 sacks rank first in the NFC and second in the league, nine different defensive linemen have produced multi-sack games and the New Orleans defense went an NFL-record 55 regular season and postseason games without allowing a 100-yard rusher between the 2017-20 campaigns. The Saints have ranked in the top ten in sacks five of the last six seasons and have finished in the top five in run defense in four of the last five campaigns. During the 2022

NFL coaching ranks, Woods has tutored 15 Pro Bowl selections and two members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Before the start of his coaching career, Woods lettered four years as a cornerback and safety at Illinois State, where he served as a team captain during his senior year in 1991 and went on to earn first-team All-Gateway Conference following his final season.

PLAYING CAREER: Illinois State, 1988-91. COACHING CAREER: Muskigum College, 1992; Eastern Michigan, 1993; Northwestern State, 1994; Grand Valley State, 1994-96; Kent State, 1997; Hofstra, 1998-2000; Western Michigan, 2001-03; Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2004-05; Minnesota Vikings, 2006-13; Oakland Raiders, 2014; Denver Broncos, 2015-18; San Francisco 49ers, 2019; Cleveland Browns, 2020-22; New Orleans Saints, 2023-.

season, Young helped the Saints produce 48 sacks to finish the year tied for fifth in the NFL. He also coached defensive end Cameron Jordan to a season where he led the team with 8.5 sacks and reached his seventh consecutive Pro Bowl and eighth overall, becoming the franchise’s alltime takedown leader.

Young first joined the Saints coaching staff in 2009, after concluding a nine-year NFL playing career, during which he posted 22.5 sacks and eight fumble recoveries. From 2004-08, he served as a valuable member of the Saints interior defensive line rotation, starting 58-of-64 contests. Young played at Texas-El Paso from 1996-99 and is a member of the El Paso Athletic Hall of Fame and the UTEP Athletics Hall of Fame.

PLAYING CAREER: Texas El-Paso, 1996-99; St. Louis Rams, 2000-03; New Orleans Saints, 2004-08. COACHING CAREER: New Orleans Saints, 2009-.

32 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS | GAMEDAY MAGAZINE 2023
BRIAN JOE WOODS - DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR
34 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS | GAMEDAY MAGAZINE 2023
Khai Harley Assistant General Manager / Vice President of Football Operations Scott Kuhn Director of Football Administration Jeff Ireland Vice President/Assistant GM-College Personnel Michael Parenton Director of Pro Personnel Mike Baugh National Scout Terry Wooden National Scout Cody Rager Assistant College Scouting Director Casey Talley Area Scout Joey Vitt Jr. Area Scout Mike DiJulio Area Scout Jon Sandusky Area Scout Paul Zimmer Area Scout Will Martinez Combine Scout Zach Stuart Director of Analytics C.J. Leak Area Scout Scott Campbell Senior College Scouting Analyst Ziad Qubti College Scouting Coordinator Matt Phillips Area Scout
STAFF - PLAYER PERSONNEL
Harry Piper Scouting Assistant Debbie Gallagher Executive Asst. to the EVP/GM Ryan Powell Pro Scout Justin Matthews Pro Scout Tosan Eyetsemitan Pro Scout Rishi Desai Scouting Assistant

EXECUTIVE

Gayle Benson Owner & Chief Executive Officer

Melissa Manwaring Senior Executive Assistant to the Owner

Melissa Hoang Executive Personal Assistant to the Owner

Eldric Washington Personal Assistant to the Owner

FOOTBALL OPERATIONS

Mickey Loomis Executive Vice President/General Manager

Khai Harley Assistant General Manager/Vice President of Football Operations

Scott Kuhn Director of Football Administration

Derek Stamnos Director of Operations

Grant Matthews Manager of Team Operations

Debbie Gallagher Executive Asst. to EVP/General Manager

Zach Stuart Director of Analytics

PLAYER PERSONNEL

Jeff Ireland Vice President/Assistant General Manager-College Personnel

Michael Parenton Director of Pro Personnel

Ryan Powell Pro Scout

Justin Matthews Pro Scout

Tosan Eyetsemitan Pro Scout

Cody Rager Assistant College Scouting Director

Mike Baugh National Scout

Terry Wooden National Scout

Mike DiJulio Area Scout

Jon Sandusky Area Scout

Casey Talley Area Scout

Joey Vitt Jr. Area Scout

Paul Zimmer Area Scout

C.J. Leak Area Scout

Scott Campbell Senior College Scouting Analyst

Matt Phillips Combine Scout

Ryan Herman Football Research & Strategy

Will Martinez Scouting Coordinator

Ziad Qubti College Scouting Coordinator

Chad Vincent Director of Football Applications

Ben Autin Senior Software Developer

Abby Wingo Software Developer

Alex Santana Associate Software Developer

Harry Piper Scouting Assistant

Rishi Desai Scouting Assistant

COACHING

Dennis Allen Head Coach

Clancy Barone Tight Ends

Bob Bicknell Senior Offensive Assistant

Kodi Burns Wide Receivers

Pete Carmichael Offensive Coordinator

Kevin Carberry Assistant Offensive Line

Ronald Curry Passing Game Coordinator/Quarterbacks

Phil Galiano Assistant Special Teams

Matt Giordano Defensive Assistant

Peter Giunta Senior Defensive Assistant

Adam Gistrick Defensive Assistant

Michael Hodges Linebackers

Doug Marrone Offensive Line

Mike Martinez Assistant to the Head Coach

Todd Grantham Defensive Line

Kevin Petry Offensive Assistant

Marcus Robertson Secondary

Darren Rizzi Assistant Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator

Joel Thomas Running Backs

Jordan Traylor Offensive Assistant

D.J. WIlliams Offensive Assistant

Joe Woods Defensive Coordinator

Brian Young Pass Rush Specialist

EQUIPMENT

John Baumgartner Head Equipment Manager

Corey Gaudet Assistant Equipment Manager

Richard Killian Assistant Equipment Manager

Ben Steib Equipment Assistant

COMMUNICATIONS

Doug Miller Executive Director of Football Communications

Justin Macione Director of Football Communications

Sam Shannon Corporate Communications Manager

Davis Friend Football Communications Coordinator

Dan Simmons Alumni/Legends Development Coordinator

Grant Segar Communications and Government Relations Associate

PLAYER ENGAGEMENT

Fred McAfee Vice President of Player Engagement

Danny Lawless Director of Security

Evan Meyers Assistant Player Engagement/Legends & Alumni Manager

ATHLETIC TRAINING

Ben Stollberg Director of Sports Medicine

Shone Gipson Head Athletic Trainer

Jonathan Gress Director of Rehabilitation

Kevin Mangum Assistant Athletic Trainer

Bobby Feeback Assistant Athletic Trainer

Jamie Meeks Director of Sports Nutrition

MEDICAL STAFF

Dr. John Amoss Chief of Internal Medicine

Dr. Karim Meijer Team Orthopedist

Dr. W. Stephen Choate Team Orthopedist

Dr. Hazem Eissa Team Physician

SPORTS SCIENCE/STRENGTH & CONDITIONING

Matt Rhea Director of Sports Science

Matt Clapp Strength & Conditioning

Charles Byrd Strength & Conditioning

Rob Wenning Strength & Conditioning

VIDEO

Dave Desposito

Joe Alley

Tim Youngblood

Chris McNeice

ADMINISTRATION

Director

Video Assistant

Video Assistant

Dennis Lauscha President

Greg Bensel Senior Vice President of Communications, Broadcast, Community and Governmental Relations

Ben Hales Senior Vice President of Marketing and Operations

Ed Lang Senior Vice President of Finance/CFO

Vicky Neumeyer Senior Vice President/General Counsel

Greg Rouchell Senior Vice President of Human Resources

Michael Stanfield Senior Vice President of Sales

Jeanne Brown Executive Assistant to the President

BUSINESS OPERATIONS

Stephen Pate Vice President of Business Operations

Ian Tigchelaar Senior Director of Business/Marketing Operations

Katie Krajcer Director of Event Policies and Fan Engagement

Morgan Parmer Senior Manager, Initiatives

Megan Bourg Manager of Event Policy and Fan Engagement

Courtney Kennedy Operations Manager

Giancarlo Hernandez Operations and Fan Engagement Coordinator

Brady Johnson Operations and Fan Engagement Associate

SOCIAL UNIFICATION/YOUTH SPORTS

Elicia Broussard Sheridan Senior Director of Social Unification/Youth Sports

Austin Pasco Manager, Youth Programs

Jason Lapouble Community Relations Manager

Adam Fournier Senior Coordinator, Community Engagement

DIGITAL MEDIA

Doug Tatum Vice President, Digital Media

Alex Restrepo Senior Director of Social Media

Beth Blackburn Director of Digital Media

Andy Weilbaecher Digital Developer

Megan Kottemann

Justin Vlosich

Madison Leavelle

Christian Verde

Tatiana Lubanko

Jean Marie Jenkins

Hannah McCreight

Andrew Lang

Michael C. Hebert

PRODUCTION

Shaneika Dabney-Henderson

James Crosbie

Layne Murdoch Jr.

Jon Lavengetto

Media Manager

Media Coordinator

Media Illustrator

Media Coordinator

Media Coordinator

Media Associate

Media Associate

Digital Media Associate

Director of Photography

Vice President of Production

Senior Director of Production

Director of Photography

Senior Content Manager

Brendan Hassett Livestream Manager

Jon Mahody

John Sebag

Brianna Latino

Shota Hashimoto

Blairre Perriatt

Ryan Micklin

Chrys Sims

BROADCAST

Producer/Editor

Videographer/Content Creator

Director of Production

Senior Motion Graphics Manager

Motion Graphics Senior Coordinator

Junior Editor

Producer/Editor

John DeShazier Senior Writer/Digital Media Contributor

Todd Graffagnin

Erin Summers

Digital Media Contributor

Broadcast Coordinator

Josh Richardson Gameday Producer

MARKETING STRATEGY, CREATIVE SERVICES, EVENTS & GAME PRESENTATION

Nancy Gold

Mariana Jerez

Andy Antunez

Luke Halverson

Christopher Grim

Tiana Watts

Dan Askin

Sara Anderson

Vice President, Brand Strategy

Special Events Manger

Marketing Manager

Graphic Designer

Graphic Designer

Graphic Designer

Director of Digital Marketing

Director, Entertainment Teams

Jenny Craig Assistant Manager, Entertainment Teams

Chryssi Flores Director, Game Experience

Hailey Williams Senior Game Experience Coordinator

Jessica Weinberg Live Entertainment Coordinator

Charity Mackey Brand and Events Coordinator

Anitra Christman Game Experience Coordinator

Kinsey Hopkins-Campbell Game Experience Coordinator

BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE

Rich Barbier Vice President, Consumer Insights & Analytics

Basem Elkhatib Senior Business Intelligence Analyst

Sarah Lassman Senior Business Intelligence Analyst

Luis Carlos Villaseñor Business Intelligence Analyst

Victoria Boldis Consumer Insights Analyst

CORPORATE PARTNERSHIP

Matt Webb

Erica Bernadas

Victoria Leahy

Johnny Pizzo

Andrew Boylan

Erik Naranjo

Taylor Johnson

Sales & Innovation

Sales, Account Manager

36 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS | GAMEDAY MAGAZINE 2023
Director
Video
Assistant Video
Social
Digital
Social
Social
Social
Social
Social
Vice President, Corporate Partnerships
Director,
Marketing,
Partnership
Partnership
Sales, Account Manager
Sales
Director, Corporate Partnerships
Partnership
Director,
Partnership Marketing
Director,
Marketing Ashley
Corporate Partnership Marketing & Events Coordinator Eavan
Partnership Marketing Manager McKell
McLaughlin Partnership Marketing Manager Russell
Partnership Marketing Manager Sara Hayes Partnership Marketing Manager MaryClare Stannard Partnership Marketing Manager Quinton Washington Partnership Marketing Coordinator Desiree’ Chambers Partnership Marketing Coordinator Caitlin Link Partnership Marketing Coordinator Sydney Labiche Partnership Marketing Coordinator Blair Positerry Graphic Design and Events Manager Fred Ruckert Sr. Manager, Broadcast & Marketing TICKET SALES AND SERVICE LEADERSHIP Bryan Ross Vice President, Ticket Sales, Service & Operations Blake Simon Senior Director of Ticket Service & Operations Matt Dixon Senior Director of Ticket Sales Chris Guidry Senior Director of Ticket Sales Zac Cooper Director of Season Ticket Sales Anthony Parilla Director of Sales & Retention PREMIUM SEATING Molly Threeton Premium Service Manager David Stern Senior Premium Seating Account Exectuvie Jesse Nantz Senior Premium Sales Account Executive Tyler Westbrook Premium Sales Account Executive Robbie Lynch Premium Seating Account Executive Meghan Rotolo Premium Seating Account Executive SEASON TICKET SALES Brian Bean Manager of Season Ticket Sales Cody Link Senior Season Ticket Account Executive Jon Rene Season Ticket Account Executive Tyler Sherman Season Ticket Account Executive Gabriel Chasin Season Ticket Account Executive Mallory Panzavecchia Season Ticket Account Executive Ryan Callahan Season Ticket Account Executive Chandler Blackmond Season Ticket Account Executive SALES AND RETENTION Courtney Gros Senior Sales & Retention Account Executive Blake Leonard Senior Sales & Retention Account Executive Jordan Thomas Senior Sales & Retention Account Executive Carrie Albright Sales & Retention Account Executive Dimitric Young Sales & Retention Account Executive Larry Staub Sales & Retention Account Executive Austin Busby Sales & Retention Account Executive GROUP SALES & SERVICE Denton Hunter School Program Sales and Service Manager Chris Harpster Group Sales Manager Lindsey Stanek Senior Group Sales Account Executive Caroline Yates Group Sales Account Executive Eric Morris Group Sales Account Executive SEASON TICKET SERVICE Joshua Daniels Ticket Service Coordinator TICKET OPERATIONS Daniel Holden Director Ticket Operations Joe Chavis Ticket Operations & Parking Services Manager Angela Leon Ticket Administration Manager Kristy Pugliese Senior Ticket Operations Coordinator Lauren Brown Senior Ticket Operations Coordinator Austin Myers Senior Box Office Coordinator Bobby Black Ticket Operations Coordinator Anna Haun Ticket Operations Coordinator Tori Scott Receptionist FINANCE & ACCOUNTING David Chaix Vice President, Head of Team Accounting Mallory Vedros Controller Kristi Dupuy Senior Accounting Coordinator Josh Harris Senior Accounting Coordinator Alicia Dupart Payroll Manager Justin Pelligrini Financial Reporting Manager Felicia Jones Payroll Coordinator Alex Watermeier Accounts Receivable Coordinator Theresa Magallanes Accounting Coordinator ADMINISTRATION Jay Romig Executive Director, Administration John Berfect Mail Clerk LEGAL Matthew Sharpe Associate General Counsel DIVERSITY & INCLUSION/COMMUNITY RELATIONS Dr. Darvelle Hutchins Vice President, Equity & Impact Julie Borsch Senior Director of Community Relations Justine Drake Community Relations Coordinator HUMAN RESOURCES Mary Vinet Senior Director of People & Benefits Linley Fenlason Senior Talent Acquisition & Retention Manager Charlene Brown Benefits & Legal Coordinator Katie Keane Human Resources Coordinator INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Jeff Huffman Senior Director of IT Security & Administration Jody Barbier Senior Director of IT Operations Chris Chapital Senior Manager, Computer Information Systems Kelvin Smith Senior Network Administrator Brock Orrett Systems Administrator Robert Crump IT Support Specialist Jordan Lewis IT Support Specialist FACILITIES Terry Ashburn Facilities Director Wade Vicknair Assistant Facilities Manager Corey Rogers Grounds Superintendent Gordon Duplessis Groundskeeper Cody Vicknair Groundskeeper Erick Delgado Groundskeeper
Partnership
Livaccari
Roark
Favrot
Tebeleff

CAESARS SUPERDOME A NATIONAL LANDMARK

Created by Law - November 8, 1966 Construction Began - August 11, 1971

Opened - August 3, 1975

Home of Major Sports Events

• New Orleans Saints (NFL Football)

• Allstate Sugar Bowl Classic (NCAA Division I Football)

• State Farm Bayou Classic (Southern U. vs. Grambling State Football)

• R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl (NCAA Division I Football)

• LHSAA/State Farm Prep Classic (State High School Football Championships)

• Super Bowls XII (1978), XV (1981), XX (1986), XXIV (1990), XXXI (1997), XXXVI (2002), XLVII (2013)

• NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four 1982, 1987, 1993, 2003, 2012

Legendary Moments

• Saints played first professional football game inside the Superdome when they hosted the Houston Oilers on August 9, 1975

• Alabama beat Penn State 13-6 in first Sugar Bowl game in the Superdome in 1976

• “Pistol Pete” Maravich & New Orleans Jazz set a NBA crowd mark of 35,077 in 1977

• Muhammad Ali defeated Leon Spinks before 65,000 in 1978

• LSU-Notre Dame basketball game in 1980 set the NCAA record attendance of 68,112

• Sugar Ray Leonard defeated Roberto Duran in “No Mas” fight in 1980

• Pope John Paul II addressed 80,000 school children in 1987

• George Bush nominated for election at 1988 Republican National Convention

• Grambling’s Eddie Robinson coached his final game in 1997 Bayou Classic

• Tulane rolled out a perfect 12-0 season in 1998

• #2 LSU defeated #1 Oklahoma 21-14 to win college football national title in 2004

• Saints defeated Falcons 23-3 in first game after Hurricane Katrina on Sept. 25, 2006

• Saints beat the Eagles 27-24 to advance to NFC championship game for the first time in team history on Jan. 13, 2007

• LSU beat Ohio State 38-24 to win BCS Championship before record crowd of 79,651

• Saints defeated the Vikings 31-28 in overtime in first NFC Championship game they hosted to advance to Super Bowl XLIV, before 71,276 on Jan. 24, 2010.

• In the midst of a comprehensive multi-season transformation that started in 2020, which will result in one of the most state-of-the art facilities in the world, the club has reached a 20-year naming rights agreement with Caesars Entertainment to rename the stadium the Caesars Superdome.

38 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS | GAMEDAY MAGAZINE 2023 THE HOME OF THE SAINTS

SAINTS-TEXANS MEMORABLE MOMENTS

Although Houston entered the league as the newest expansion franchise in 2002, the Saints and Texans have a long history in the preseason, as this will be the teams’ 12th meeting since Houston became a franchise. New Orleans has a preseason record of 5-6 against Houston, with the most recent contest being a 17-13 defeat in the 2022 exhibition opener at NRG Stadium. In the regular season, the clubs have met five times, with the Saints holding a 3-2 edge. They will face off a second time in 2023, when the Black and Gold travel to Houston to take on the Texans on October 15.

September 9, 2019

Saints 30, Texans 28 at Superdome - In an exciting season opener on Monday Night Football, the Saints had an impressive second half and came from behind to start a campaign on the winning side for the first time since 2013. K Wil Lutz got the Saints on the scoreboard with a 32-yard field goal which ignited a successful second half. RB Latavius Murray cut the Houston lead when he completed a 30-yard rushing touchdown. Brees completed a nine-yard touchdown to Taysom Hill on the final drive of the third quarter. S Marcus Williams started the fourth quarter strong with an interception that led to a 14-yard touchdown connection from Brees to WR Tre’Quan Smith, which gave the Saints their first lead of the contest. With seconds on the board, Brees drove the Saints down the field for Lutz’s game winning, 58-yard field goal.

40 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS | GAMEDAY MAGAZINE 2023 MEMORABLE MOMENTS
Saints K Wil Lutz drilled a 58-yard field goal as time expired to carry the Saints past the Texans 30-28 in the 2019 season opener. WR Michael Thomas had ten receptions for 123 yards in the season-opening win

With four catches for 100 yards and one touch down, TE Jimmy Graham reached the century mark for the first time in his career.

September 25, 2011

Saints 40, Texans 33 at Superdome - New Orleans wore their throwback uniforms for this SaintsTexans showdown that was excitement until the end. After falling 10-0 to the Texans, the Saints got on the scoreboard with an eight-play, 86-yard drive, ending with a 30-yard touchdown run by RB Darren Sproles. Trailing the Texans in the fourth quarter, Brees threw a 27-yard touch down to TE Jimmy Graham. CB Jabari Greer got the momentum rolling with an interception which led to Brees hitting WR Lance Moore with a 16-yard back-shoulder grab for a touchdown and 32-26 advantage. The Texans managed to get a 33-32 lead with 4:13 left. Brees successfully led the Saints down the field and RB Mark Ingram scored his first touchdown of his NFL career with a 13-yard run. MLB Jo-Lonn Dunbar led the defense with an impressive 12 tackles. CB Jabari Greer had a successful game with three solo tackles and two passes defensed in addition to his fourth-quarter interception. DE Will Smith led the defensive line with six tackles (four solo) and one stop for loss.

For the Saints September 25, 2011, 40-33 victory over the Texans, New Orleans

wore their throwback uniforms.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS VS HOUSTON TEXANS

Saints Wide Receiver

Keith Kirkwood

Sticking it out through injuries and multiple stints on practice squads of both the Saints and Carolina Panthers throughout his NFL career, Kirkwood hopes his familiarity with the offense can help him contribute consistently this season. Now entering his fourth season with the club, his hard work after hours with new Saints quarterback, Derek Carr, is showing on the field. Kirkwood saw snaps with the first team offense in the preseason opener against Kansas City and capitalized with a four-yard touchdown on the first drive of the game. Today will be a good test for Kirkwood and the rest of the Saints pass catchers against a talented, young Houston secondary.

Texans Wide Receiver

John Metchie III

Metchie III will be playing in just his third game since December of 2021, when he suffered a torn ACL in the SEC Championship game against Georgia. The former Alabama standout was drafted in the second round (44th overall) by Houston in the 2022 NFL draft before spending his entire rookie season on the Reserve/NFI list after being diagnosed with leukemia. Through his perseverance and relentless work ethic, Metchie is healthy and ready to make an impact for the Texans in 2023.

42 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS | GAMEDAY MAGAZINE 2023
PLAYERS TO WATCH
LAPEYRE

DRIVE AND PERSISTENCE

DEFINE JUWAN JOHNSON

“You just gotta have an attitude that you can’t be stopped.”

It’s what Juwan Johnson said when asked what he learned about being a tight end after a two-touchdown performance in the 21-18 win against the Falcons on December 18, 2022.

Looking back on his journey, it wasn’t just what he learned about being a tight end, but also what he learned about life.

Just more than three years ago, in the spring of 2020, Johnson was a college wide receiver at Oregon who spent the first month of his graduate transfer year (2019) healing from a calf injury.

“It was pretty tough in the beginning at Oregon, knowing that I was hurt the first month, but after that I was just slowly making a progression until at the end of the season it was pretty good,” said Johnson.

That season, Johnson played in the final 10 games, starting six contests and finishing with 30 receptions for 467 yards and four touchdowns. His improvement over the season earned him a spot at the NFL Combine – the last offseason event for prospects that the League hosted in-person that year – and a few weeks later he participated in Oregon’s Pro Day.

A few days after that Pro Day, the nation went into a COVID-19 shutdown, which meant that gyms were closed and Johnson, along with other NFL prospects, were on their own. But he didn’t let that stop him.

44 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS | GAMEDAY MAGAZINE 2023
FEATURED SAINT BY GRACE OSTENDORF

“Me and my wife, we worked out at dog parks. We worked out literally on the side of her yard - it was about five yards wide and 10 yards deep,” said Johnson, who married his wife, Chanen, a few weeks before the combine. “I tried to work out as much as I could just to stay ready for whenever I got a call.”

It was a call that he hoped to receive during the NFL Draft, but that call never came. “Not getting drafted was more of an edge for me,” said Johnson. “You kind of feel like a leftover, in a way.”

Two days after the conclusion of the NFL Draft, his phone finally rang and the New Orleans Saints, a team that had a portfolio of success in undrafted free agents, was on the other side. The biggest hurdle was over; Johnson was in.

During his rookie year, the offseason was mostly virtual and the preseason was canceled, which left little opportunity for the players trying to make the 53-man roster to showcase their skills in extensive fashion. But Johnson didn’t let that stop him. By the end of training camp, Johnson secured a practice squad spot and bounced between there and the active roster, appearing in seven games and totaling four receptions for 39 yards through the season.

Then, in the 2021 offseason, Johnson was approached about moving to tight end.

“You pray for a larger role and this is something I worked for,” Johnson said about the move. “The transition wasn’t easy; it was a lot of work,” Johnson said. “It was so different for me and so I just really had to apply myself to get it down.”

In order to make the position switch, Johnson not only needed to put in the work, but also put on the weight. For that, he leaned on the famous New Orleans food culture and his wife’s homemade meals.

“My wife has definitely got me through,” Johnson said, not only talking about the food. “Just her being there for me, because there have definitely been some rough times.”

The rough times came to a peak in the 2022 offseason. The 2021 season ended with Johnson playing in 14 games and finishing with 13 receptions for 159 yards and four touchdowns, developing at a new position. Then, the Johnsons suffered two miscarriages in four months.

At that moment, they turned to each other and God to find healing in a time of such hardship.

“The best thing about God is He always intercedes in the right way. Whenever I felt like nothing, He made me feel like some -

thing,” Johnson said.

Shortly thereafter, Johnson began a season where he would play in 16 games as a feature tight end and become the team’s top receiving touchdown producer. One evening, during the peak of his breakout season, he came home to another intercession – a positive pregnancy test from Chanen. This time, it felt different and the couple knew it. Come January 1, 2023, they announced to the world via social media that they were expecting. Two months later Johnson was signed to a two-year contract extension. Their daughter, J’adore, was born in July.

“It can be overwhelming for some people but for me, it is just such a blessing knowing all these things are happening at once,” Johnson said. “It’s definitely starting to become a home here.”

With everything falling into place for Johnson both on and off the field, the attitude of continuing to improve remains steadfast. “I’m happy where I’m at but I’m not content. I want more than what’s given to me and that’s going to come with work and putting the work in,” said Johnson, who wants to be one of the best tight ends in the league. “Whether it’s waking up early or staying here late, that’s a commitment I’m willing to do.”

46 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS | GAMEDAY MAGAZINE 2023
FEATURED SAINT

GAME

SAINTS CLOSE OUT 2023 PRESEASON HOSTING TEXANS

Following a month of training camp practices at Ochsner Sports Performance Center in Metairie, opening a preseason with two victories for the first time since 2014, and countless hours of preparation in both the meeting room and weight room, the New Orleans Saints close out their preseason tonight in the Caesars Superdome when they host the Houston Texans. The Saints look to build momentum in the final tune-up before their regular season opener, when they host the Tennessee Titans on September 10.

Although Houston entered the league as the NFL’s most recent expansion franchise in 2002, the Saints and Texans have a long history in the preseason, as this will be the teams’ 12th meeting since Houston entered the league. New Orleans has a preseason record of 5-6 against Houston, with the most recent contest being a 17-13 defeat in the 2022 exhibition opener at NRG Stadium. In the regular season, the clubs have met five times, with the Saints holding a 3-2 edge. They will face off again a second time in 2023, when the Black and Gold travel to Houston to take on the Texans on October 15.

Both teams have high hopes heading into the regular season and look to finish the preseason on a positive note. New Orleans has added firepower on offense this offseason, adding free agent quarterback, Derek Carr, as well as unrestricted free agent running Back Jamaal Williams, the NFL’s 2022 rushing touchdown leader, and two tight ends, Foster Moreau and former Saints star, Jimmy Graham. With the return of a healthy Michael Thomas and second-year wideout, Chris Olave and a stout offensive line, the Saints offense has high aspirations this year. Defensively, New Orleans bolstered their defensive front after losing several starters from last season by selecting Bryan Bresee in the first round and bringing in veterans, Khalen Saunders and Nathan Shepherd. The Texans look to establish a new identity in 2023, as they went back to their past and hired former 49ers defensive coordinator, DeMeco Ryans, who played linebacker in

Houston from 2006-11 to be their head coach this offseason. Houston looks to build around their future franchise cornerstones, quarterback C.J. Stroud out of Ohio State, and edge rusher Will Anderson Jr from Alabama, that they selected second and third overall in the NFL Draft in April.

The preparation leading up to tonight, give the Saints additional opportunities to build chemistry as they then will look towards their Week One contest against Tennessee. Additionally, it will be the last chance for players to make an impression before the 90 to 53 roster cutdown on August 29.

Several returning players, as well as draft picks, and veteran and rookie free agent acquisitions, will be looking to make a positive impression tonight in what for many, is their last chance to showcase their abilities in front of the Saints coaching staff and front office. While offensive and defensive impacts are important, special teams

contributions are essential for those trying to make the final 53-man roster. The value of special teams performance is evident throughout the Saints roster. Overall, in addition to draft picks, 36 undrafted rookies who have signed with the Saints following the NFL Draft since 2006 have earned opening day roster spots. Probably the most famous of the undrafteds to make it big is running back Pierre Thomas. Signed as an undrafted free agent out of Illinois in 2007, Thomas carried 16 times for 81 yards with one touchdown, caught two passes for 47 yards and returned a kickoff 35 yards to snare a roster spot and jumpstart a career that would be eventually recognized with him capturing a Super Bowl XLIV championship and Saints Hall of Fame recognition. Those on the cusp of making the final roster hope to seal their spot, while sleepers hope to capitalize in tonight’s preseason finale.

48 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS | GAMEDAY MAGAZINE 2023
PREVIEW
CASS LAPEYRE
BY

HOBY BRENNER

College: Southern California

Position: TE

Born: June 2, 1959 in Lynwood, Calif.

Joined Saints: D3-81

Years with Saints: 1981-1993

Hoby Brenner’s Career Background

Former Saints tight end Hoby Brenner was enshrined in the New Orleans Saints Hall of Fame in 2001 after spending his entire 13-year career with the Black and Gold.

Hoby Brenner’s Career Honors

Pro-Bowl – 1987

New Orleans Saints Hall of Fame – 2001

The Lynwood, Calif., native was drafted in the third round (79th overall) of the 1981 NFL Draft by the Saints. A staple in the New Orleans offensive unit, Brenner played in 175 games with 157 starts throughout his 13 years with the Saints, posting career totals of 267 receptions for 3,849 yards and 21 touchdowns. He ranks ninth all-time in games played (175), 13th all-time in receptions (267) and ninth in franchise history, with 3,849 receiving yards, and caught 21 touchdown passes, second among Black and Gold tight ends in these three major statistical categories. In addition to his offensive productivity as a member of the Saints, Brenner was also a staple in the run game, as he started all 16 games in six different seasons. In 1987, Brenner helped lead New Orleans to their first winning season in franchise history as he recorded 20 yards for 280 receptions and two touchdowns while earning a selection to the Pro Bowl.

Prior to being drafted by the Saints in 1981, Brenner played for the University of Southern California, where he was a part of a national championship team his freshman year and earned a selection to the All-Pac-10 Conference team in 1980. Since retirement, Brenner and his family returned to his native southern California to help run a building supply business.

50 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS | GAMEDAY MAGAZINE 2023 ALUMNI UPDATE
BY GRACE OSTENDORF
52 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS | GAMEDAY MAGAZINE 2023 PHOTO GALLERY
54 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS | GAMEDAY MAGAZINE 2023 PHOTO GALLERY
56 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS | GAMEDAY MAGAZINE 2023 PHOTO GALLERY

At Clovis (Calif.) High School, Saints FB Adam Prentice was a two-time California State Champion wrestler and also captured a national championship in the sport.

With All-Pro selections from 2018-20, Saints T Ryan Ramczyk joined William Roaf as only the second Saints tackle to be named AP All-Pro three times. 3

192

192

Saints DE Cameron Jordan has appeared in 192 career regular season games, fourth in club record books.

58 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS | GAMEDAY MAGAZINE 2023
2
60 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS | GAMEDAY MAGAZINE 2023 THE NEW ORLEANS SAINTS UGO AMADI safety 0 ALONTAE TAYLOR cornerback 1 JAMEIS WINSTON quarterback 2 WIL LUTZ kicker 3 DEREK CARR quarterback 4 MARCUS MAYE safety 6 TAYSOM HILL tight end 7 TRE’QUAN SMITH wide receiver 10 BLAKE GILLIKIN punter 5 CHRIS OLAVE wide receiver 12 MICHAEL THOMAS wide receiver 13 JAKE HAENER quarterback 14 KAWAAN BAKER wide receiver 15 KEITH
wide receiver 18 BLAKE GRUPE kicker 19 PETE WERNER linebacker 20 A.T. PERRY wide receiver 17 BRADLEY ROBY cornerback 21 RASHID SHAHEED wide receiver / return specialist 22 MARSHON LATTIMORE cornerback 23
KIRKWOOD
62 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS | GAMEDAY MAGAZINE 2023 JOHNATHAN ABRAM safety 24 KENDRE MILLER running back 25 LONNIE JOHNSON JR. cornerback 28 JAMAAL WILLIAMS running back 30 JORDAN HOWDEN defensive back 31 ISAAC YIADOM cornerback 27
safety 32
back 33 ELLIS MERRIWEATHER running back 35 ANTHONY JOHNSON defensive back 36 TROY PRIDE defensive back 37 SMOKE MONDAY safety 38 NICK ANDERSON linebacker 40 ALVIN KAMARA running back 41 TY SUMMERS linebacker 42 LOU
punter 39 RYAN CONNELLY cornerback 43 NEPHI SEWELL linebacker 45 ADAM PRENTICE fullback 46 JAKE BARGAS fullback 47
TYRANN
MATHIEU
KIRK MERRITT running
HEDLEY
back 44 THE NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
ADRIAN FRYE defensive
cornerback 29 J.T. GRAY defensive back 48
PAULSON ADEBO
34
49
DARREL WILLIAMS running back ZACH WOOD long snapper
64 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS | GAMEDAY MAGAZINE 2023 CESAR RUIZ center / guard 51 D’MARCO JACKSON linebacker 52 ZACK BAUN linebacker 53
DAVIS
56 PRINCE EMILI defensive tackle 57
58 NIKO LALOS defensive end 54
DEMARIO
linebacker
ANFERNEE ORJI linebacker
59 TOMMY KRAEMER guard 62 NICK SALDIVERI offensive lineman 64 ALEX PIHLSTROM offensive lineman 65 LEWIS KIDD offensive lineman 66 LANDON YOUNG tackle 67 TREVOR PENNING offensive tackle 70 RYAN RAMCZYK tackle 71 STORM NORTON tackle 72 MARK EVANS II offensive lineman 68 MAX
guard 73 ANDRUS PEAT guard / tackle 75 CALVIN THROCKMORTON offensive lineman 76 JAMES HURST offensive lineman 74
JAYLON SMITH linebacker
GARCIA cetner /
end 55
THE NEW ORLEANS SAINTS ISAIAH
FOSKEY
defensive
61 JERRON CAGE defensive line 77 ERIK MCCOY center / guard 78
CHUCK FILIAGA guard
66 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS | GAMEDAY MAGAZINE 2023 JIMMY GRAHAM tight end 80 JESSE JAMES tight end 81 FOSTER MOREAU tight end 82 JUWAN JOHNSON tight end 83 JONTRE KIRKLIN wide receiver 85 LUCAS KRULL tight end 87 BRYAN BRESEE defensive tackle 90 KYLE PHILLIPS defensive end 91 TANOH KPASSAGNON defensive end 92 NATHAN SHEPHERD offensive tackle 93 CAMERON JORDAN defensive end 94 JACK HEFLIN defensive tackle 95 CARL GRANDERSON defensive end 96 PAYTON TURNER defensive end 98 KHALEN SAUNDERS defensive tackle 99 MALCOLM ROACH defensive lineman 97 SHAQ DAVIS wide receiver 88
NEW
SAINTS LYNN BOWDEN JR. wide receiver 84 J.P. HOLTZ tight end 86
THE
ORLEANS

SAINTS ALPHABETICAL ROSTER

68 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS | GAMEDAY MAGAZINE 2023 No. Name Pos. Ht./Wt. Born Exp. College H.S. Hometown 24 Abram, Johnathan S 6-0/205 10/25/96 5 Mississippi State Columbia, Miss. 29 Adebo, Paulson CB 6-1/192 7/3/99 3 Stanford Mansfield, Texas 0 Amadi, Ugo S 5-9/201 5/16/97 5 Oregon Nashville, Tenn. 40 Anderson, Nick LB 5-11/230 1/27/00 R Tulane Vicksburg, Miss. 15 Baker, Kawaan WR 6-1/215 8/24/98 1 South Alabama Atlanta, Ga. 47 Bargas, Jake FB 6-2/250 11/28/96 1 North Carolina Boca Raton, Fla. 53 Baun, Zack LB 6-3/225 12/30/96 4 Wisconsin Brown Deer, Wis. 84 Bowden Jr., Lynn WR 6-1/204 10/14/97 3 Kentucky Warren, Ohio 90 Bresee, Bryan DT 6-5/305 10/6/01 R Clemson Damascus, Md. 77 Cage, Jerron DL 6-2/305 11/25/98 R Ohio State Cincinnati, Ohio 4 Carr, Derek QB 6-3/215 3/28/91 10 Fresno State Bakersfield, Calif. 43 Connelly, Ryan LB 6-2/234 10/3/95 4 Wisconsin Eden Prairie, Minn. 56 Davis, Demario LB 6-2/248 1/11/89 12 Arkansas State Brandon, Miss. 88 Davis, Shaq WR 6-5/215 2/8/00 R South Carolina State Summerville, S.C. 57
DT 6-2/300 9/18/98 1 Pennsylvania Clarkstown, N.Y. 68
OL
10/11/99 R Arkansas Pine Bluff Houston, Texas 61
G 6-6/321 2/22/98 R Minnesota Aledo, Texas 55
DE
10/30/00 R Notre Dame Concord, Calif. 44
DB
1/21/99 R Texas Tech Houston, Texas 73 Garcia, Max G 6-4/309 11/9/91 9 Florida Norcross, Ga.
Emili, Prince
Evans II, Mark
6-4/295
Filiaga, Chuck
Foskey, Isaiah
6-5/265
Frye, Adrian
6-0/205
1/21/98 4 Penn State Atlanta, Ga. 80
Jimmy TE 6-7/265 10/24/86 13 Miami (Fla.) Goldsboro, N.C. 96 Granderson, Carl DE 6-5/261 12/18/96 5 Wyoming Sacramento, Calif. 48 Gray, J.T. DB 6-0/202 1/18/96 6 Mississippi State Clarksdale, Miss. 19 Grupe, Blake K 5-7/156 11/5/98 R Notre Dame Sedalia, Mo. 14 Haener, Jake QB 6-1/200 3/10/99 R Fresno State Danville, Calif. 39 Hedley, Lou P 6-4/220 6/27/93 R Miami (Fla.) Mandurah, Au. 95 Heflin, Jack DT 6-3/304 3/8/98 2 Iowa Prophetstown, Ill. 7 Hill, Taysom TE 6-2/221 8/23/90 7 Brigham Young Pocatello, Idaho 86 Holtz, J.P. TE 6-3/255 8/28/93 5 Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, Penn. 31 Howden, Jordan DB 6-0/209 5/14/00 R Minnesota San Diego, Calif. 74 Hurst, James OL 6-5/310 12/17/91 10 North Carolina Plainfield, Ind. 52 Jackson, D’Marco LB 6-1/233 7/20/98 2 Appalachian State Spartanburg, S.C. 81
TE 6-7/261 6/4/94 9 Penn State Glassport, Penn. 36 Johnson, Anthony DB 6-2/205 6/12/99 R Virginia Hollywood, Fla. 28 Johnson
CB 6-2/213 11/4/95 5 Kentucky Gary, Ind. 83
TE
9/13/96 4 Oregon Glassboro,
94
DE
7/10/89 13 California Chandler, Ariz. 41
7/25/95 7 Tennessee
66 Kidd, Lewis OL 6-6/311 9/15/97 2 Montana State Minneapolis, Minn. 85 Kirklin,
WR 6-0/184 10/9/98 1 LSU Lutcher, La. 18
WR 6-3/210 12/26/94 4 Temple Neptune Township, N.J. 92 Kpassagnon, Tanoh DE 6-7/289 6/14/94 7 Villanova Ambler, Pa. 62 Kraemer,
G 6-6/316 4/16/98 3 Notre Dame Cincinnati, Ohio 87 Krull, Lucas TE 6-6/260 7/11/98 1 Pittsburgh Shawnee, Kan. 54 Lalos, Niko DE 6-5/269 6/25/97 2 Dartmouth Akron, Ohio 23
CB 6-0/192 5/20/96 7 Ohio State Cleveland,
7/7/94 8 Georgia State Newnan,
32
5/13/92 11 LSU New
7 Florida
8/27/97 5 Texas A&M
1 Arkansas
35
RB
4/7/99 R Massachusetts Alpharetta,
RB
6/11/02 R TCU Mount
2/19/00 2 Auburn Atlanta, Ga. 82 Moreau, Foster TE 6-4/250 5/6/97 5 LSU New Orleans, La. 72
Storm T 6-7/317 5/16/94 4 Toledo Toledo, Ohio 12
6/27/00 2 Ohio State San Marcos, Calif. 58 Orji, Anfernee LB 6-2/230 10/6/00 R Vanderbilt Rockwall, Texas 75 Peat,
G/T 6-7/316 11/4/93 9 Stanford Tempe, Ariz 70 Penning, Trevor OT 6-7/325 5/15/99 2 Northern Iowa Mason City, Iowa 17 Perry, A.T. WR 6-5/205 10/26/99 R Wake Forest Lake Worth, Fla. 91 Phillips,
DE 6-4/277 5/5/97 4 Tennessee Nashville, Tenn. 65 Pihlstrom, Alex OL 6-6/305 4/28/99 R Illinois Glen Ellyn, Ill. 46 Prentice, Adam FB 6-0/245 1/16/97 3 South Carolina Clovis, Calif. 37 Pride, Troy DB 5-11/193 1/19/98 3 Notre Dame Greer, S.C. 71 Ramczyk, Ryan T 6-6/314 4/22/94 7 Wisconsin Stevens Point, Wis. 97 Roach, Malcolm DL 6-3/290 6/9/98 4 Texas Baton Rouge, La. 21 Roby, Bradley CB 5-11/194 5/1/92 10 Ohio State Suwanee, Ga. 51 Ruiz, Cesar C/G 6-4/316 6/14/99 4 Michigan Camden, N.J. 64 Saldiveri, Nick OL 6-6/316 8/14/00 R Old Dominion Monroe. N.C. 99 Saunders, Khalen DT 6-0/324 8/9/96 5 Western Illinois St. Louis, Mo. 45 Sewell, Nephi LB 6-0/228 12/19/98 1 Utah St. George, Utah 22 Shaheed, Rashid WR/RS 6-0/180 8/31/98 2 Weber State San Diego, Calif. 93 Shepherd, Nathan DT 6-4/315 10/9/93 6 Fort Hays State Ajax, Ontario, Canada 59 Smith, Jaylon LB 6-2/240 6/14/95 7 Notre Dame Fort Wayne, Ind. 10 Smith, Tre’Quan WR 6-2/210 1/7/96 6 Central Florida Delray Beach, Fla. 42 Summers, Ty LB 6-1/241 12/31/95 5 TCU San Antonio, Texas 1 Taylor, Alontae CB 6-1/199 12/3/98 2 Tennessee Manchester, Tenn. 13 Thomas, Michael WR 6-3/212 3/3/93 8 Ohio State Woodland Hills, Calif. 76 Throckmorton, Calvin OL 6-5/309 8/16/96 3 Oregon Bellevue, Wash. 98 Turner, Payton DE 6-6/270 1/7/99 3 Houston Houston, Texas 20 Werner, Pete LB 6-3/242 6/5/98 3 Ohio State Indianapolis, Ind. 34 Williams, Darrel RB 5-11/224 4/15/95 6 LSU Marrero, La. 30 Williams, Jamaal RB 6-0/224 4/3/95 7 Brigham Young Fontana, Calif. 2 Winston, Jameis QB 6-4/231 1/6/94 9 Florida State Hueytown, Ala. 49 Wood, Zach LS 6-3/255 1/10/93 7 Southern Methodist Rowlett, Texas 27 Yiadom, Isaac CB 6-1/188 2/20/96 6 Boston College Worcester, Mass. 67 Young, Landon T 6-7/321 8/21/97 3 Kentucky Lexington, Ky.
5 Gillikin, Blake P 6-2/196
Graham,
James, Jesse
Jr., Lonnie
Johnson, Juwan
6-4/231
N.J.
Jordan, Cameron
6-4/287
Kamara, Alvin RB 5-10/215
Atlanta, Ga.
Jontre
Kirkwood, Keith
Tommy
Lattimore, Marshon
Ohio 3 Lutz, Wil K 5-11/184
Ga.
Mathieu, Tyrann S 5-9/190
Orleans, La. 6 Maye, Marcus S 6-0/207 3/9/93
Melbourne, Fla. 78 McCoy, Erik C/G 6-4/303
Lufkin, Texas 33 Merritt, Kirk RB 6-1/214 1/5/97
State Destrehan, La.
Merriweather, Ellis
6-2/225
Ga. 25 Miller, Kendre
6-0/220
Enterprise, Texas 38 Monday, Smoke S 6-3/199
Norton,
Olave, Chris WR 6-0/187
Andrus
Kyle

DEMECO RYANS, HEAD COACH

DeMeco Ryans was named head coach of the Houston Texans on Jan. 31, 2023, becoming the sixth head coach in franchise history.

Ryans was named the 2022 Pro Football Writers of America Assistant Coach of the Year. He completed his sixth season with the San Francisco 49ers and second as the team’s defensive coordinator, helping lead the team to the NFC Championship. He spent the previous three seasons (2018-20) as inside linebackers coach for the 49ers, and as the team’s defensive quality control coach in 2017.

Drafted in the second round (33rd overall) by the Houston Texans in the 2006 NFL Draft, Ryans played for Houston (2006-11) and the Philadelphia Eagles (2012-15). He was a team captain for the Texans’ 2011 season, a squad that claimed the franchise’s inaugural AFC South title and playoff berth. Ryans holds the Texans record for the most tackles by a rookie (156) and is the second-leading tackler in franchise history (636).

In his second season as defensive coordinator, the 49ers defense ranked first in total defense (300.6 yards/game), total points allowed (277) and points allowed per game (16.3) in the 2022 regular season. San Francisco’s defense allowed just 37 red zone trips, the fewest in the league. The 49ers limited explosive plays, allowing the fewest plays of 10-or-more yards (168), while holding opponents to the fourth-fewest yards per play overall (4.98 yards).

San Francisco allowed the second-fewest first downs (291) and first down yards (4.69 yards) on the season. The defense recorded 20 interceptions on the season, tied for the most in the NFL, while their seven returns of 20-or-more yards tied for second-most. They forced three-and-outs on 27.3 percent of their opportunities, fourth-highest in the NFL, while registering 44.0 sacks, tied for 10th in the league.

In his first season as defensive coordinator in 2021, the 49ers defense allowed 310.0 total yards per game, third in the NFL. They surrendered the sixth-fewest passing yards per game (206.5). The

49ers saw eight different players record an interception on the season, while forcing 22 fumbles on defense, the most in the NFL and most in a single season by the 49ers since 1994.

In 2020, Ryans helped the 49ers defense rank fifth in the NFL total yards allowed per game (359.0) and seventh in rush defense (118.9). The previous year, Ryans helped guide San Francisco’s second-ranked defense in total yards allowed per game (281.8), the fewest allowed per game by the team since 1997 (250.8). The 49ers defense ranked first in the NFL in forced fumbles (21) and sixth in takeaways (27).

Ryans coached players such as Bosa, LB Fred Warner and DB Talanoa Hufanga to career seasons. Under his leadership, Bosa garnered NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year (2019), first-team All-Pro honors (2022) and three Pro Bowl selections (2019, 2021, 2022). Named DPOY in 2022, Warner also earned two first-team All-Pro honors (2020, 2022) and two Pro Bowl nods (2020, 2022), while second-year player Hufanga earned first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl nods this past season.

During his 10-year playing career, Ryans was named AP Defensive Rookie of the Year and PFWA Rookie of the Year in 2006, first-team All-Pro in 2007 and was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2007 and 2009. He appeared in 140 career games (139 starts) throughout his career and registered 970 tackles, 46 passes defensed, 13.5 sacks, seven forced fumbles, 10 fumble recoveries and seven interceptions.

A native of Bessemer, Ala., Ryans played linebacker at the University of Alabama (2002-05). He was a unanimous All-American selection, SEC Defensive Player of the Year and earned first-team All-SEC honors in 2005. Ryans was selected as the 2005 Lott Trophy recipient for his combination of athletic excellence and off-field achievements, and earned defensive MVP honors in the 2006 Cotton Bowl.

Ryans and his wife, Jamila, have one daughter, Xia, and two sons, MJ and Micah.

70 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS | GAMEDAY MAGAZINE 2023
1
JIMMIE WARD safety
2
ROBERT WOODS wide receiver
4
TAVIERRE THOMAS cornerback
0
DESMOND KING cornerback
5
JALEN PITRE safety
6
DENZEL PERRYMAN linebacker C.J. STROUD quarterback 7 JOHN METCHIE III wide receiver 8
NICO
wide
12 KA’IMI FAIRBAIRN kicker 15 SHAQUILL GRIFFIN cornerback 16
DAVIS MILLS cornerback 10
COLLINS
receiver
11
21
CAMERON JOHNSTON punter
STEVEN
NELSON
cornerback
& KEY
CASE KEENUM quarterback 18
TEXANS - HEAD COACH
PLAYERS
72 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS | GAMEDAY MAGAZINE 2023 DEREK STINGLEY cornerback 24 DEVIN SINGLETARY running back 26 ADAM HUMPHRIES wide receiver 27 DAMEON PIERCE running back 31 CHRISTIAN HARRIS linebacker 48 GARRETT WALLOW linebacker 32 WILL ANDERSON JR. linebacker 51 JONATHAN GREENARD defensive end 52 BLAKE CASHMAN linebacker 53 JERRY HUGHES defensive end 55 CHRISTIAN KIRKSEY linebacker 58 KENYON GREEN guard 59 JUICE SCRUGGS center / guard 70 TYTUS HOWARD tackle 71 AUSTIN DECULUS tackle 76 NOAH BROWN wide receiver 85 ERIC TOMLINSON tight end 87 ROY LOPEZ defensive tackle 91 MALIEK COLLINS defensive tackle 96 SHELDON RANKINS defensive tackle 98
- HEAD COACH & KEY PLAYERS ERIC MURRAY safety 23 M.J. STEWART safety 29 JON WEEKS long snapper 46 LAREMY TUNSIL tackle 78 ALI GAYE defensive end 73
TEXANS

TEXANS - ALPHABETICAL ROSTER

Ariz.

74 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS | GAMEDAY MAGAZINE 2023 No. Name Pos. Ht./Wt. Age Exp. College H.S. Hometown 51 Anderson Jr., Will DE 6-4/243 21 R Alabama Hampton, Ga. 25 Arnold, Grayland S 5-10/187 25 4 Baylor Beaumont, Texas 14 Bachman, Alex WR 6-0/190 27 1 Wake Forest Westlake Village, Calif. 65 Beach, Tyler G/T 6-6/290 24 R Wisconsin Grafton, Wis. 47 Beck, Andrew FB 6-3/255 27 5 Texas Tampa, Fla. 56 Booker IV, Thomas DT 6-3/301 23 2 Stanford Ellicott City, Md. 22 Boone, Mike RB 5-10/205 28 6 Cincinnati Macclenny, Fla. 85 Brown, Noah WR 6-2/215 27 7 Ohio State Flanders, N.J. 17 Camp, Jalen WR 6-2/220 25 1 Georgia Tech Cumming, Ga. 53 Cashman, Blake LB 6-1/237 27 5 Minnesota Eden Prairie, Minn. 61 Chen, Jacky T 6-4/302 23 R Pace Port Jefferson, N.Y. 96 Collins, Maliek DT 6-2/310 28 8 Nebraska Kansas City, Mo. 12 Collins, Nico WR 6-4/215 24 3 Michigan Birmingham, Ala. 74 Coward, Rashaad T 6-5/320 28 6 Old Dominion Brooklyn, N.Y. 90 Cowart, Byron DT 6-3/300 27 4 Maryland Seffner, Fla. 94 Davis, Khalil DT 6-1/308 26 3 Nebraska Blue Springs, Mo. 76 Deculus, Austin T 6-5/321 24 2 LSU Mamou, La. 63 Deiter, Michael C/G 6-6/315 26 5 Wisconsin Curtice, Ohio 13 Dell, Tank WR 5-10/165 23 R Houston Daytona Beach, Fla. 28 Doaks, Gerrid RB 5-11/228 25 1 Cincinnati Indianapolis, Ind. 15 Fairbairn, Ka’imi K 6-0/183 29 8 UCLA Kailua, Hawaii 77 Fant, George T 6-5/322 31 8 Western Kentucky Bowling Green, Ky 38 Francis, Cobi CB 5-11/193 24 2 Memphis Covington, Ga. 73 Gaye, Ali DE 6-6/265 25 R LSU Edmonds, Wash. 43 Gillespie, Tyree S 6-0/207 25 2 Missouri Ocala, Fla. 59 Green, Kenyon G 6-4/323 22 2 Texas A&M Humble, Texas 52 Greenard, Jonathan DE 6-3/263 26 4 Florida Hiram, Ga. 16 Griffin, Shaquill CB 6-0/198 28 7 UCF St. Petersburg, Fla. 35 Hansen, Jake LB 6-1/235 25 2 Illinois Tarpon Springs, Fla. 48 Harris, Christian LB 6-1/226 22 2 Alabama Baton Rouge, La. 57 Hewitt, Neville LB 6-2/234 30 9 Marshall Conyers, Ga/ 36 Hill, Brandon S 5-11/195 22 R Pittsburgh Apopka, Fla. 93 Hinish, Kurt DT 6-2/300 24 2 Notre Dame Pittsburgh, Pa. 30 Hollman, Ka’dar CB 6-0/196 28 3 Toledo Burlington, N.J. 92 Horton, Dylan DE 6-4/275 22 R TCU Frisco, Texas 71 Howard, Tytus T 6-5/322 27 5 Alabama State Monroeville, Ala. 55 Hughes, Jerry DE 6-2/254 35 14 TCU Sugar Land, Texas 27 Humphries, Adam WR 6-2/195 30 8 Clemson Spartanburg, South Carolina 19 Hutchinson, Xavier WR 6-3/205 23 R Iowa State Jacksonville, Fla. 88 Johnson III, Johnny WR 6-1/199 24 1 Oregon Chandler, Ariz. 11 Johnston, Cameron P 5-11/194 31 6 Ohio State Geelong, Australia 9 Jordan, Brevin TE 6-3/245 23 3 Miami (Fla.) Las Vegas, Nev. 40 Keene, Dalton TE 6-4/251 24 2 Virginia Tech St.Louis, Mo. 18 Keenum, Case QB 6-1/215 35 11 Houston Brownwood, Texas 0 King II,
CB 5-10/200 28 7 Iowa Detroit,
58 Kirksey, Christian LB 6-2/235 30 10 Iowa St. Louis, Mo. 42 Littleton, Cory LB 6-3/228 29 8 Washington Spring Valley, Calif. 91
DT 6-2/318 26 3 Arizona
DE
27 6 Temple
29 9 Georgia
23 1 Alabama
10
QB 6-4/225 24 3 Stanford
79
C 6-3/303 25 3 Pittsburgh Huntingdon
23
29 8 Minnesota
81 Murray, Jordan TE 6-5/240 23 R Hawaii Lee Summit,
21 Nelson, Steven CB 5-11/194 30 9 Oregon State Warner Robins,
75 Odeleye,
DE 6-5/271 25 1 Loughborough (U.K.) Kent, United Kingdom 33 Ogunbowale, Dare RB 5-11/205 29 5 Wisconsin Milwaukee, Wis. 68 Patterson, Jarrett C/G 6-4/310 23 R Notre Dame Laguna Hills, Calif. 3 Perry, E.J. QB 6-2/210 25 1 Brown Andover, Mass. 6 Perryman, Denzel LB 5-11/240 30 9 Miami (Fla.) Coral Gables, Fla. 44 Phillips, Darius CB 5-9/190 27 6 Western Michigan Detroit, Mich. 31 Pierce, Dameon RB 5-10/218 23 2 Florida Bainbridge, Ga. 5 Pitre, Jalen S 5-11/198 24 2 Baylor Stafford, Texas 84 Quitoriano, Teagan TE 6-6/258 23 2 Oregon State Salem, Ore. 98 Rankins, Sheldon DT 6-2/305 29 8 Louisville Covington, Ga. 97 Ridgeway, Hassan DT 6-3/305 28 8 Texas Mansfield, Texas 95 Rivers, Derek DE 6-5/250 29 7 Youngstown State Kinston, N.C. 37 Ross, D’Angelo CB 5-9/190 26 2 New Mexico La Puente, Calif. 49 Rountree, Larry RB 5-10/211 25 3 Missouri Raleigh, N.C. 86 Schreck, Mason TE 6-5/252 29 4 Buffalo Medina, Ohio 83 Schultz, Dalton TE 6-5/244 27 6 Stanford South Jordan, Utah 70 Scruggs, Juice C/G 6-3/310 23 R Penn State Ashtabula, Ohio 82 Sims, Steven WR 5-10/176 26 4 Kansas Houston, Texas 26 Singletary, Devin RB 5-7/203 25 5 Florida Atlantic Deerfield Beach, Fla. 29 Stewart, M.J. S 5-11/200 27 6 North Carolina Arlington, Va. 24 Stingley Jr., Derek CB 6-0/190 22 2 LSU Baton Rouge, La. 7 Stroud, C.J. QB 6-3/218 21 R Ohio State Inland Empire, Calif. 4 Thomas, Tavierre CB 5-10/205 27 6 Ferris State Detroit, Mich. 87 Tomlinson, Eric TE 6-6/265 31 7 Texas -El Paso Klein, Texas 39 To’oTo’o, Henry LB 6-2/228 22 R Alabama Sacarmento, Calif. 78 Tunsil, Laremy T 6-5/313 29 8 Mississippi Lake City, Fla. 34 Vannett, Nick TE 6-5/257 29 7 Ohio State Westerville, Ohio 32 Wallow, Garret LB 6-2/230 24 3 TCU New Orleans, La. 1 Ward, Jimmie S 5-11/195 32 10 Northern Illinois Mobile, Ala. 89 Wayne, Jared WR 6-3/210 22 R Pittsburgh Peterborough, Ontario, Canada 46 Weeks, Jon LS 5-10/242 37 14 Baylor Bethpage, N.Y. 50 Winovich, Chase DE 6-3/251 28 5 Michigan Jefferson Hills, Pa. 2 Woods, Robert WR 6-0/195 31 11 USC Gardena, Calif. 66 Zierer, Kilian T 6-7/312 25 R Auburn Munich, Germany
Desmond
Mich.
Lopez, Roy
Tempe,
45 Martin, Jacob
6-2/242
Auora, Colo. 69 Mason, Shaq G 6-1/310
Tech Columbia, Tenn. 8 Metchie III, John WR 5-11/187
Brampton, Ontario, Canada
Mills, Davis
Duluth, Ga.
Morrissey, Jimmy
Valley, Pa.
Murray, Eric S 5-11/199
Milwaukee, Wis.
Mo.
Ga.
Adedayo*

SAINTS STATISTICS

76 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS | GAMEDAY MAGAZINE 2023 TEAM STATS NEW ORLEANS OPP. TOTAL FIRST DOWNS 34 36 Rushing 8 8 Passing 23 24 Penalty 3 4 3rd Down: Made/Att 12/33 8/28 3rd Down Pct. 36.4 28.6 4th Down: Made/Att 1/1 2/6 4th Down Pct. 100.0 33.3 POSSESSION AVG. 33:44 26:16 TOTAL NET YARDS 673 655 Avg. Per Game 336.5 327.5 Total Plays 135 127 Avg. Per Play 5.0 5.2 NET YARDS RUSHING 156 203 Avg. Per Game 78.0 101.5 Total Rushes 54 39 NET YARDS PASSING 517 452 Avg. Per Game 258.5 226.0 Sacked/Yards Lost 5/37 7/62 Gross Yards 554 514 Att./Completions 76/51 81/43 Completion Pct. 67.1 53.1 Had Intercepted 1 4 PUNTS/AVERAGE 14/41.6 10/46.8 NET PUNTING AVG. 14/40.2 10/40.8 PENALTIES/YARDS 23/222 12/87 FUMBLES/BALL LOST 0/0 3/1 TOUCHDOWNS 4 5 Rushing 1 2 Passing 3 3 Returns 0 0 WON 2, LOST 0 Scoring TD Ru Pa Rt K-PAT FG 2PT PTS Lutz 0 0 0 0 2/ 2 4/ 4 0 14 Grupe 0 0 0 0 1/ 1 3/ 3 0 10 Kirkwood 1 0 1 0 0 6 Merriweather 1 0 1 0 0 6 Miller 1 1 0 0 0 6 Perry 1 0 1 0 0 6 TEAM 4 1 3 0 3/ 3 7/ 7 0 48 OPPONENTS 5 2 3 0 5/ 5 2/ 2 0 41 SCORE BY PERIODS Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 OT PTS TEAM 14 16 3 15 0 48 OPPONENTS 0 17 14 10 0 41 RUSHING NO. YDS. AVG. LONG TD Merriweather 14 41 2.9 6 0 Miller 14 28 2.0 9 1 J. Williams 9 28 3.1 8 0 D. Williams 8 17 2.1 4 0 Kamara 3 14 4.7 12 0 Winston 2 14 7.0 7 0 Kirklin 1 8 8.0 8 0 Haener 3 6 2.0 8 0 TEAM 54 156 2.9 12 1 OPPONENTS 39 203 5.2 30 2
Week 3 / Through August 20, 2023 RECEIVING NO. YDS. AVG. LONG TD Perry 9 92 10.2 29t 1 Merriweather 6 43 7.2 15 1 S. Davis 5 83 16.6 42 0 Kirklin 4 64 16.0 53 0 Miller 4 37 9.3 27 0 Bowden 3 40 13.3 32 0 Edwards 3 37 12.3 19 0 Krull 3 30 10.0 15 0 Baker 2 30 15.0 24 0 J. Johnson 2 29 14.5 18 0 Kamara 2 21 10.5 17 0 Thomas 1 16 16.0 16 0 Graham 1 10 10.0 10 0 Merritt 1 8 8.0 8 0 Kirkwood 1 4 4.0 4t 1 D. Williams 1 4 4.0 4 0 Bargas 1 2 2.0 2 0 Hill 1 2 2.0 2 0 Prentice 1 2 2.0 2 0 TEAM 51 554 10.9 53 3 OPPONENTS 43 514 12.0 43 3 Date W/L Score Opponent 08/13 W 26-24 Kansas City 08/20 W 22-17 at L.A. Chargers
WR A.T. Perry
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS | GAMEDAY MAGAZINE 2023 77 FIELD GOALS 1-19 20-29 30-39 40-49 50+ Lutz 0/0 0/ 0 3/3 0/0 1/1 Grupe 0/0 0/ 0 3/3 0/0 0/0 TEAM 0/0 0/ 0 6/6 0/0 1/1 OPPONENTS 0/0 1/ 1 1/1 0/0 0/0 PASSING ATT. CMP. YDS. CMP% YDS/ATT TD TD% INT INT% LONG SACK/LOST RATING Haener 34 21 223 61.8 6.56 1 2.9 1 2.9 53 0/0 78.4 Winston 34 24 261 70.6 7.68 1 2.9 0 0.0 42 5/37 102.7 Carr 8 6 70 75.0 8.75 1 12.5 0 0.0 18 0/0 140.6 TEAM 76 51 554 67.1 7.29 3 3.9 1 1.3 53 5/37 96.1 OPPONENTS 81 43 514 53.1 6.35 3 3.7 4 4.9 43 7/62 64.5 PUNTING NO. YDS. AVG. NET TB IN LG B Hedley 9 379 42.1 41.3 0 3 49 0 Gillikin 5 204 40.8 38.2 0 2 47 0 TEAM 14 583 41.6 40.2 0 5 49 0 OPPONENTS 10 468 46.8 40.8 0 1 58 0 PUNT RETURNS RET. FC YDS. AVG. LONG TD Bowden 5 1 43 8.6 22 0 Amadi 1 0 17 17.0 17 0 TEAM 6 1 60 10.0 22 0 OPPONENTS 6 2 20 3.3 8 0 INTERCEPTIONS NO. YDS. AVG. LONG TD Yiadom 1 19 19.0 19 0 Amadi 1 6 6.0 6 0 L. Johnson 1 5 5.0 5 0 Phillips 1 5 5.0 5 0 TEAM 4 35 8.8 19 0 OPPONENTS 1 0 0.0 0 0
KICKOFF RETURNS NO. YDS AVG LONG TD Bowden 3 61 20.3 21 0 Kirklin 3 72 24.0 27 0 Merritt 1 13 13.0 13 0 Merriweather 1 21 21.0 21 0 Miller 1 16 16.0 16 0 TEAM 9 183 20.3 27 0 OPPONENTS 9 186 20.7 31 0
RB Ellis Merriweather
SAINTS STATISTICS

FUN FACTSTEXANS STATISTICS

8/10 W 20 - 9 at New England Patriots 8/19 L 3 - 28 Miami Dolphins

78 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS | GAMEDAY MAGAZINE 2023
Week 3 / Through August 19, 2023 TEAM STATS Houston OPP. Total First Downs 27 32 Rushing 5 13 Passing 19 16 Penalty 3 3
Down: Made/Att 9/27 12/27 3rd Down Pct. 33.3% 44.4%
Down: Made/Att 2/4 3/4 4th Down Pct. 50.0% 75.0% Possession Avg. 26:53 33:07 Total Net Yards 451 562 Avg. Per Game 225.5 281.0 Total Plays 109 118 Avg. Per Play 4.1 4.8 Net Yards Rushing 121 283 Avg. Per Game 60.5 141.5 Total Rushes 44 63 Net Yards Passing 330 279 Avg. Per Game 165.0 139.5 Sacked/Yards Lost 1/15 5/41 Gross Yards 345 320 Attempts/Completions 64/37 50/36 Completion Pct. 57.8% 72.0% Had Intercepted 1 1 Punts/Average 10/47.3 10/44.6 Net Punting Avg. 43.7 40.7 Penalties/Yards 10/65 11/75 Fumbles/Ball Lost 2/1 1/0 Touchdowns 3 5 Rushing 1 2 Passing 2 3 Returns 0 0 WON 1, LOST 1 Scoring TD Ru Pa Rt K-PAT FG 2PT PTS A.Bachman 1 0 1 0 0/0 0/0 0 6 N.Dell 1 0 1 0 0/0 0/0 0 6 D.Keene 1 1 0 0 0/0 0/0 0 6 K.Fairbairn 0 0 0 0 0/0 1/1 0 3 J.Bates 0 0 0 0 2/3 0/0 0 2 TEAM 3 1 2 0 2/3 1/1 0 23 OPPONENTS 5 2 3 0 4/4 1/1 0 37 SCORE BY PERIODS Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 OT PTS TEAM 10 6 7 0 23 OPPONENTS 14 7 6 0 37 RECEIVING NO. YDS. AVG. LONG TD N.Dell 5 65 13.0 24 1 M.Boone 5 42 8.4 24 0 J.Johnson 3 32 10.7 20 0 N.Collins 3 29 9.7 14 0 S.Sims 3 29 9.7 12 0 X.Hutchinson 2 22 11.0 20 0 M.Schreck 2 17 8.5 10 0 A.Bachman 2 11 5.5 6 1 J.Metchie 2 10 5.0 5 0 D.Schultz 2 10 5.0 6 0 G.Doaks 2 5 2.5 4 0 J.Wayne 1 19 19.0 19 0 N.Brown 1 14 14.0 14 0 T.Quitoriano 1 14 14.0 14 0 J.Camp 1 11 11.0 11 0 R.Woods 1 11 11.0 11 0 D.Singletary 1 4 4.0 4 0 A.Beck 0 0 0.0 0 0 D.Keene 0 0 0.0 0 0 TEAM 37 345 9.3 24 2 OPPONENTS 36 320 8.9 27 3 Date W/L Score Opponent
RUSHING NO. YDS. AVG. LONG TD M.Boone 9 37 4.1 12 0 D.Singletary 7 20 2.9 5 0 G.Doaks 5 20 4.0 6 0 D.Ogunbowale 5 18 3.6 10 0 D.Pierce 6 15 2.5 7 0 X.Valladay 4 8 2.0 4 0 C.Stroud 3 5 1.7 4 0 D.Keene 1 1 1.0 1t 1 D.Mills 1 0 0.0 0 0 C.Keenum 3 -3 -1.0 -1 0 TEAM 44 121 2.8 12 1 OPPONENTS 63 283 4.5 65 2
3rd
4th
QB C.J. Stroud
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS | GAMEDAY MAGAZINE 2023 79 FIELD GOALS 1-19 20-29 30-39 40-49 50+ K.Fairbairn 0/ 0 0/ 0 1/ 1 0/ 0 0/ 0 TEAM 0/ 0 0/ 0 1/ 1 0/ 0 0/ 0 OPPONENTS 0/ 0 0/ 0 0/ 0 1/ 1 0/ 0 PASSING ATT. CMP. YDS. CMP% YDS/ATT TD TD% INT INT% LONG SACK/LOST RATING D.Mills 34 19 193 55.9% 5.7 1 2.9% 0 0.0% 24 0/0 82.1 C.Keenum 14 9 79 64.3% 5.6 1 7.1% 0 0.0% 20 0/0 103.0 C.Stroud 16 9 73 56.3% 4.6 0 0.0% 1 6.3% 14 1/15 41.9 TEAM 64 37 345 57.8% 5.4 2 3.1% 1 1.6% 24 1/15 76.6 OPPONENTS 50 36 320 72.0% 6.4 3 6.0% 1 2.0% 27 5/41 100.4 PUNTING NO. YDS. AVG. NET TB IN LG B C.Johnston 10 473 47.3 43.7 1 7 62 0 TEAM 10 473 47.3 43.7 1 7 62 0 OPPONENTS 10 446 44.6 40.7 1 5 62 0 PUNT RETURNS RET. FC YDS. AVG. LONG TD N.Dell 1 0 13 13.0 13 0 S.Sims 1 1 5 5.0 5 0 D.King 1 0 1 1.0 1 0 A.Bachman 0 2 0 0.0 0 0 A.Humphries 0 1 0 0.0 0 0 TEAM 3 4 19 6.3 13 0 OPPONENTS 2 6 16 8.0 11 0 INTERCEPTIONS NO. YDS. AVG. LONG TD D.Perryman 1 19 19.0 19 0 TEAM 1 19 19.0 19 0 OPPONENTS 1 13 13.0 13 0
KICKOFF RETURNS NO. YDS AVG LONG TD Kickoff Returns No. Yds Avg Long TD S.Sims 2 64 32.0 43 0 A.Humphries 1 22 22.0 22 0 D.King 1 19 19.0 19 0 J.Metchie 1 12 12.0 12 0 TEAM 5 117 23.4 43 0 OPPONENTS 4 86 21.5 31 0 TEXANS STATISTICS
LB Will Anderson Jr.

YOUNGEST FAN

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80 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS | GAMEDAY MAGAZINE 2023
August 2023, Saints preseason opener against the Kansas City Chiefs, one of the team’s youngest fans, born in the offseason, enjoys her first Black and Gold contest in style.

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