Saints Countdown To NFL Kickoff With The History Of Number 75
There are 75 days that separate us from now until the 2025-26 season opener for the New Orleans Saints.
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The Saints are coming off a 5-12 season and are entering their 59th year of existence at home against the Arizona Cardinals. They'll also be doing it with a new head coach in Kellen Moore and some key new players.
Budding star offensive tackle Taliese Fuaga wears number 75 for New Orleans. A first round choice in 2024, Fuaga enters his second year with the Saints and was one of the team's few bright spots last season.
Fuaga is the 14th player to wear number 75 for the Saints in a regular season contest. Already one of the better young tackles in the NFL, it may not take long for Fuaga to claim a spot as the best player to wear 75 in New Orleans history.
Saints History of 75
New Orleans Saints defensive end Bruce Clark (75) pressures the passer against the San Francisco 49ers. Credit: kpel965.com
• Mike Rengel, DT (1969)
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• Mike Richey, OT (1970)
• Mike Crangle, DE (1972)
• Elex Price, DT (1973-80)
• Bruce Clark, DE (1982-88)
• Doug Marrone, C (1989)
• Emile Palmer, DT (1996)
• Julian Pittman, DE (1998)
• Rodney Leisle, DT (2004)
• Jermaine Mayberry, OG (2005)
• Mitch King, DT (2011)
• Tyrunn Walker, DT (2013-14)
• Andrus Peat, T/G (2015-23)
• Taliese Fuaga, OT (2024-present)
Dec. 8, 1974; New Orleans Saints defensive tackle Elex Price (75) forces a fumble by St. Louis Cardinals quarterback Jim Hart (17). Credit: historicimages.com
Mike Rengel was the first Saint to wear 75, appearing in five games at defensive tackle during the 1969 campaign. Mike Richey was the first offensive player to sport the number, playing five games at tackle in 1970. Mike Crangle was the first New Orleans draft picks (4th round) to wear 75, but did so for just 13 games in his only year with the team.
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The first player not named Mike and to wear 75 for more than one year was Elex Price, a defensive tackle. Price played eight years as a Saint, the second longest stint for a number 75 in team history. He appeared in 103 games and recording 32 unofficial sacks with an interception and 6 fumble recoveries.
Former Penn State All-American Bruce Clark was a high 1980 first round choice by the Green Bay Packers. He refused to play for the Packers, instead opting for two years in the CFL before returning to the NFL with the Saints in 1982.
Nov 3, 1985; FILE PHOTO; New Orleans Saints defensive end Bruce Clark (75) tackles Los Angeles Rams running back Eric Dickerson (29). Mandatory Credit: Peter Brouillet-Imagn Images
Clark played with New Orleans for seven seasons, appearing in 103 games with 88 starts and earning 1984 Pro Bowl honors. Over his time with the Saints, Clark had 39.5 sacks, intercepted one pass, and recovered 9 fumbles.
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Doug Marrone is best-known as a coach, including a three-year stint as New Orleans offensive coordinator and returning later for two more years as offensive line coach. Marrone was also an NFL player, albeit briefly. He was a backup center with the Saints for one game during the 1989 season.
Sep 7, 2014; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (2) is sacked by New Orleans Saints defensive end Tyrunn Walker (75). Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-Imagn Images
Marrone was the first of six players that wore 75 for a single season, or less, between 1989 and 2011. Rodney Leisle was among those and makes his third appearance on our jersey countdown list.
A fifth round pick by New Orleans in 2004, Leisle was with the Saints from 2004 to 2006, then returned to the team for the 2009 season. He wore numbers 75, 77, and 95 over those four years, sporting 75 only during his rookie season for two games.
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Tyrunn Walker finally broke the one year 75 jersey string, wearing the number for 23 games over his two years with New Orleans. In those two seasons, Walker had 3.5 sacks and 4 tackles for loss as a rotational defensive lineman.
November 27, 2022; New Orleans Saints guard Andrus Peat (75) blocks against the San Francisco 49ers. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images
Andrus Peat arrived to New Orleans as the 13th choice in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft. He is the highest drafted Saints pick to wear No. 75. His nine years, 111 games, and 102 starts also represent the longest-tenured New Orleans player to wear the jersey.
Peat was often maligned during his first two years with the Saints, struggling at both right and left tackle. He was moved to guard in 2017, where he earned three Pro Bowls and was one of the league's best interior run blockers. Ironically, Peat moved back to tackle and made 12 quality starts there during his final year with the Saints in 2023.
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Aug 10, 2024; New Orleans Saints offensive tackle Taliese Fuaga (75) against the Arizona Cardinals. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Taliese Fuaga was the 14th choice in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, also succeeding Peat in the number 75. An All-American right tackle in college at Oregon State, Fuaga was moved to left tackle as a rookie. He'd respond by showing All-Pro traits as both a pass protector and run blocker.
Fuaga now looks like he'll be moving back to right tackle this season for the Saints. Just 23, he is one of the centerpieces as the Saints rebuild their core talent and a key building block for the team's future.
Related: Star UFL Cornerback Added By Saints Among Friday Moves
Related: Saints Make Roster Move At Running Back On Friday
Related: Saints Countdown To Kickoff With The History Of Number 78
Related: Saints Countdown To NFL Kickoff With The History Of Number 80
Related: Saints Countdown To NFL Kickoff With The History Of Number 84
Related: Saints Sign Another Player To Their Tight End Position
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 24, 2025, where it first appeared.
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