Saints Countdown To NFL Kickoff With The History Of Number 74
We now sit 74 days away from the 2025 regular season opener for the New Orleans Saints. New Orleans will host the Arizona Cardinals to kick off their first year under new head coach Kellen Moore and 59th season in the NFL.
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One of the newcomers to this year's team is Omari Thomas. An undrafted rookie defensive tackle out of Tennessee, Thomas will be wearing number 74 through training camp. If he makes the roster and maintains that number, Thomas will become the 13th New Orleans player to wear that jersey during the regular season.
Saints History of 74
New Orleans Saints defensive lineman Derland Moore (74). Credit: Crescent City Sports
• Mike Tilleman, DT (1967-70)
• Doug Mooers, DT (1971-72)
• Derland Moore, DT (1973-85)
• Bill Leach, OT (1987)
• Ted Gregory, DT (1988)
• Kevin Haverdink, OT (1990-91)
• Herman Carroll, DE (1994)
• Clarence Jones, OT (1996-98)
• Scott Sanderson, OT (2002)
• Jermon Bushrod, OT (2007-12, 2018)
• James Hurst, G/T (2020-23)
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• Oli Udoh, T/G (2024)
• Omari Thomas, DT (present)
New Orleans Saints defensive lineman Derland Moore (74) tackles a runner against the Atlanta Falcons. Credit: Crescent City Sports
Mike Tilleman was the first to suit up in 74 for New Orleans, doing so for the first four years of franchise existence. Tilleman played in 56 games over that span, recording 17 (unofficial) sacks in the process.
Derland Moore was the first number 74 to be drafted by the Saints, getting selected in the second round of the 1973 NFL Draft out of Oklahoma. Moore would go on to play 13 of his 14 NFL seasons in New Orleans. His 170 games in a Saints uniform are by far the most by any New Orleans player to wear the number 74.
Often one of the few standouts on bad teams and porous defenses, Moore's talents were often overlooked throughout the league. Moore recorded 48 sacks during his time with the Saints, which stood as the most in team history at the time of his retirement.
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Former New Orleans Saints defensive lineman Mike Tilleman at the team's 50th anniversary celebration in 2016. Credit: neworleanssaints.com
Derland Moore earned a spot on the Saints 40th and 50th Anniversary squads and in 1991 was inducted into the Saints Hall of Fame, becoming the first defensive lineman to receive such an honor.
Bill Leach was the first offensive player to wear 74 for the Saints, playing in one game as a replacement player during the 1987 NFL player strike. The first regular offensive player to wear the number was Kevin Haverdink, who played 25 games at left tackle in 74 from 1990 to 1991.
Before Haverdink, Ted Gregory wore 74 for all of three games at defensive tackle during the 1988 campaign. The noteworthy thing about the fragile Gregory is that he was a first round choice of the Denver Broncos in 1988. He was traded to New Orleans before the season even started in exchange for Shawn Knight, a failed New Orleans first round pick in 1987. Gregory injured his knee in his third game with New Orleans and never played again.
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Oct. 10, 2010; New Orleans Saints tackle (74) Jermon Bushrod blocks against the Arizona Cardinals. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Clarence Jones quietly started 45 of a possible 48 games at right tackle for the Saints between 1996 and 1998. Those teams had a combined record of 15-33 and never ranked better than 28th in total offense.
In the 2007 NFL Draft, New Orleans used a fourth-round choice on a little-known offensive lineman named Jermon Bushrod. He came from Towson University, but within three years, he would become one of the NFL's top left tackles.
Bushrod played in 66 regular season games with 62 starts between 2007 and 2012, making two Pro Bowls. He was the second longest-tenured player behind Derland Moore to wear 74 for the Saints.
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November 27, 2022; New Orleans Saints offensive tackle James Hurst (74) blocks San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa (97). Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images
After leaving in free agency, Bushrod returned to New Orleans for his final NFL season in 2018. He was also a key part of a dominant offensive line that fueled the Saints Super Bowl XLIV championship team.
Linemen James Hurst wore 74 for four seasons between 2020 and 2023. A versatile blocker, Hurst was able to play several spots on the line with the Saints. He appeared in 60 games with the team, making 51 starts.
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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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 25, 2025, where it first appeared.
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