Saints Countdown To NFL Kickoff With The History Of Number 73
The New Orleans Saints stand 73 days away from their opening game of the 2025 season. New Orleans, coming off a 5-12 record in 2024, will open this year at home against the Arizona Cardinals.
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New head coach Kellen Moore will lead the Saints into their 59th NFL campaign. Wearing number 73 for New Orleans is rookie offensive lineman Easton Kilty. Undrafted out of Kansas State, Kilty is trying to become just the 12th player in New Orleans history to wear 73 during the regular season. Here is the list of who have done it
Saints History of 73
Nov 13, 1988; FILE PHOTO; New Orleans Saints defensive end Frank Warren (73) tackles Los Angeles Rams running back Charles White (33). Mandatory Credit: Peter Brouillet-USA TODAY NETWORK
• Bill Sandeman, OT (1967)
• Jerry Sturm, C (1967-70)
• John Wood, DT (1973)
• John Mooring, OT (1974)
• Jeff Winans, DT (1976)
• Joe Campbell, DE (1977-80)
• Frank Warren, DE (1981-94)
• Isaac Davis, OG (1997)
• Jahri Evans, OG (2006-16)
• Ethan Greenidge, OT (2020)
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• Max Garcia, C/G (2023)
• Easton Kilty, OT (present)
FILE PHOTO; New Orleans Saints defensive end Joe Campbell (73) on the field against the Atlanta Falcons. Mandatory Credit: Manny Rubio-Imagn Images
Sandeman was the first to wear 73 for the Saints, but did so for only two games early in their inaugural year of 1967. Jerry Sturm took over the number later in the year and remained with the Saints for four seasons. Over that period, he'd appear in 45 contests while starting 41.
John Wood was the first defensive player to sport 73 for the Saints, but did so for only two games. Joe Campbell was the first New Orleans draft pick to wear 73. Campbell was the seventh overall choice in the first round of the 1977 NFL Draft, also making him the highest draft choice by New Orleans to wear number 73.
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In four years as a Saint, Campbell started 26 of his 45 game appearances. He had just 8 sacks in those four years before being dealt to the Oakland Raiders early in the 1980 campaign. Campbell would be part of an Oakland squad that won Super Bowl XV that season.
New Orleans Saints defensive end Frank Warren (73) in action against the San Francisco 49ers. Credit: saintshalloffame.com
With a third round choice in their outstanding 1981 NFL Draft, New Orleans selected Auburn Tigers defensive lineman Frank Warren. Outside of a yearlong suspension in 1990, Warren would play all of his 13 NFL seasons with the Saints. Those 13 years and 189 games are the most by any New Orleans player to wear 73.
Warren's 189 games with the franchise were the most in team history at the time of his retirement and still fourth highest on the team list. He recorded 56 career sacks, ranking sixth in Saints history and third at the time of his retirement. Warren also added 2 interceptions and 11 fumble recoveries for the Saints, fifth all time among New Orleans defensive players.
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Frank Warren was voted onto the Saints 50th anniversary team. In 2002, the year of his tragic death at 43, Warren was inducted into the Saints Hall of Fame.
Dec 18, 2016; New Orleans Saints guard Jahri Evans (73) against the Arizona Cardinals. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Only Isaac Davis, for just three games in 1996, wore the 73 jersey between Warren's departure after the 1994 season and the arrival of Jahri Evans in 2006. If debating the best player to wear 73 in Saints history, the only argument is between Jahri Evans and Frank Warren.
A fourth round choice out of tiny Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania in the Saints outstanding draft class of 2006, nobody could have predicted the impact Evans would have. He played 11 seasons and 169 games for New Orleans, only surpassed by Warren as the longest-tenured 73 in team history.
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Evans was one of the NFL's top interior linemen throughout his career for one of the most prolific offenses in league history. He'd earn six straight Pro Bowl berths between 2009 and 2014, including four 1st Team All-Pro honors.
Jan 8, 2010; New Orleans Saints right guard Jahri Evans (73) looks to block against the Seattle Seahawks quarterback Drew Brees (9) drops back to pass in an NFC Wild Card playoff game. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-Imagn Images
Jahri Evans was a member of the NFL All-Decade team of the 2010s. He was also voted onto the Saints 50th Anniversary squad. In 2020, Evans was inducted into the Saints Hall of Fame. He remains overlooked for a rightful place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but has been a finalist in each of the past two years.
An offensive line assistant with the Saints since 2023, Evans now passes along his knowledge and expertise to New Orleans blockers. One of those is Easton Kilty, who hopes to become the first player since Evans' departed in 2016 to wear 73 for multiple seasons with the Saints.
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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 26, 2025, where it first appeared.
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