45 days until Saints season opener: Every player to wear No. 45
There are 45 days remaining until the New Orleans Saints take the field for their 2025 regular season opener at home against the Arizona Cardinals. One returning name for new coach Kellen Moore is linebacker Nephi Sewell, who has worn No. 45 since 2022. Sewell is the 14th player to wear 45 in New Orleans history. This is the full list.
Saints' History of No. 45
Jimmy Jordan was the first to wear 45 for the Saints, doing it for one game during the inaugural 1967 for the franchise. Elbert Kimbrough was the first defensive player to wear the number, doing so for 10 games in 1968 with an interception. Pete Athas had 2 interceptions and a fumble recovery during his only year as a Saint in 1971.
The first four players to wear No. 45 for the Saints were gone before the next year and appeared in a combined 31 games. Jack Holmes broke that trend in 1978. Holmes was with the Saints for five years and 64 games, which turned out to be the longest stretch of any New Orleans player that has worn 45. Over his time with New Orleans, Holmes accounted for 6 touchdowns and had 846 yards from scrimmage.
Of the 14 players that wore No. 45 with New Orleans, not one was drafted by the Saints. Six of them were with the team for more than one year. Four of those managed to stay with New Orleans for greater than two seasons. Fullback Jed Collins was one. Collins didn't fill up a stat sheet, but was with the Saints for three seasons and 47 games as a quality lead blocker. He also scored 7 touchdowns out of his 58 touches in short yardage situations. Garrett Griffin's time with New Orleans was also as a blocker, but he'd appear in just 20 games and catch five passes.
Nephi Sewell has been with New Orleans for the last three years. Mostly a special teams contributor, Sewell's agility and experience as a college safety could earn him a role in defensive coverage packages. Sewell has appeared in just 27 games, but already third among players who have worn No. 45 with New Orleans.
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