Saints Countdown To NFL Kickoff With The History Of Number 77
This Sunday means there are 77 days before the New Orleans Saints will take on the Arizona Cardinals in their 2025-26 regular season opener.
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For the Saints, it'll be their 59th NFL season. For Kellen Moore, it'll be his first game on the sidelines as a head coach. New Orleans is hoping that this combination yields far better than the 5-12 result from the team last season.
Offensive guard Dillon Radunz was one of the new faces added by the Saints this offseason. He's currently wearing number 77. If he keeps that number into the regular season, Radunz will become the 21st player in franchise history to wear it.
The Saints haven't had a lot of success with players in a 77 jersey, with one notable exception.
Saints History of 77
Oct 31, 1993; FILE PHOTO; New Orleans Saints tackle Willie Roaf (77) blocks against the Arizona Cardinals. Mandatory Credit: Imagn Images
• Ray Rissmiller, OT (1967)
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• Jim Boeke, OT (1968)
• Mike Taylor, OT (1969-70)
• Dan Goich, DT (1971)
• Carl Johnson, G/T (1972-73)
• Chris Morris, OT (1975)
• Marv Montgomery, OT (1976-77)
• Gary Anderson, OG (1978)
• Jerry Boyarsky, DT (1981)
• Daren Gilbert, OT (1985-88)
• Willie Roaf, OT (1993-2001)
• Rodney Leisle, DT (2005-06)
• Carl Nicks, OG (2008-11)
• Brodrick Bunkley, DT (2012-14)
• Mike McGlynn, OG (2015)
• John Fullington, OT (2017)
• Derek Newton, OT (2018)
• James Carpenter, IG (2021)
• Cameron Erving, OT (2023)
• Justin Herron, T/G (2024)
• Dillon Radunz, OG (present)
Jan 8, 2010; New Orleans Saints left guard Carl Nicks (77) blocks against Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Brandon Mebrane (92) during the NFC Wild Card playoff game. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-Imagn Images
Ray Rissmiller was the first to don 77 for the Saints, doing so in their inaugural season with 11 starts. Dan Goich was the first defensive player in 77, wearing it for 10 games in 1971. Carl Johnson was the first of five Saints to wear 77 for more than one year, playing 28 games between 1972 and 1973.
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Of the 20 players to previously wear number 77 for the Saints, 16 have done it for two years or less. Fourteen have worn it for just one season. Saints' 1985 second round draft pick Daren Gilbert was the first of 10 77's to do that, playing in 42 games with 11 starts through 1988.
Willie Roaf became the standard for Saints players 77. Roaf was the eighth selection in the first round of the 1993 NFL Draft out of Louisiana Tech. He'd be with the Saints for 9 of his 13 seasons and starting all of his 131 games with the team through 2001. It's the most, by far, for any player who has suited up in 77 for New Orleans.
Oct 17, 1993; FILE PHOTO; New Orleans Saints tackle Willie Roaf (77) blocks Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Kevin Greene (91). Mandatory Credit: Imagn Images
After playing his rookie year at right tackle, Roaf became one of the best left tackles in NFL history. He made seven Pro Bowls as a Saint, including two seasons of All-Pro recognition. Between 1993 and 2000, Roaf missed only one start.
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Roaf was voted onto the NFL's all-decade team for both the 1990s and 2000s. He was inducted into the Saints Hall of Fame in 2008 and the Saints Ring of Honor in 2013. In 2012, Willie Roaf was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
After Roaf was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2002 offseason, nobody would wear 77 for the Saints again until Rodney Leisle in 2005. A fifth-round pick by New Orleans in 2004, Leisle wore 75 in his first year, 77 for a two year stretch, then 95 when he returned to the team in 2009.
Sep 20, 2010; New Orleans Saints guard Carl Nicks (77) during a game against the San Francisco 49ers. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-Imagn Images
Carl Nicks was a fifth round pick by the Saints in 2008. He'd instantly become a fixture of one of the finest offensive lines in football. Between 2008 and 2011, Nicks appeared in 64 games and made 61 consecutive starts until departing as a free agent to Tampa Bay in 2012.
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Nicks made the 2008 All-Rookie squad, earned two Pro Bowls and received one 1st Team All-Pro as a Saint. His time in New Orleans was the second longest tenure of any player to wear 77 behind only Willie Roaf. In 2017, Nicks was inducted into the Saints Hall of Fame.
The only other player to make a significant contribution to the Saints in a 77 uniform was Brodrick Bunkley. Between 2012 and 2014, Bunkley had 2.5 sacks, 3 tackles for loss, and was a standout run defender in 38 games for an often bad Saints defense.
Oct 26, 2014; Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) is pressured by New Orleans Saints nose tackle Brodrick Bunkley (77). Mandatory Credit: Crystal LoGiudice-Imagn Images
Since Bunkley, six players have worn 77 for the Saints in the last 10 years. They've played a collective 21 games with New Orleans, making a mere four starts.
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Dillon Radunz now gets his turn. Radunz started 15 games for the Tennessee Titans in 2024 and 26 contests over the last two years. He is expected to provide competition to Trevor Penning for the New Orleans opening at left guard.
Related: Star UFL Cornerback Added By Saints Among Friday Moves
Related: Saints Make Roster Move At Running Back On Friday
Related: Saints Sign Another Player To Their Tight End Position
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Related: Saints Countdown To NFL Kickoff With The History Of Number 84
Related: Saints Countdown To Kickoff With The History Of Number 89
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 22, 2025, where it first appeared.
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