41 days until Saints season opener: Every player to wear No. 41

USA Today

7 days ago

Alvin Kamara highlights a short but accomplished list of players who have worn No. 41
The New Orleans Saints are down to 41 days before their 2025 season opening game against the Arizona Cardinals. New coach Kellen Moore and his Saints will host that matchup in the Superdome to kick off their 59th NFL season. Wearing No. 41 is a familiar face, New Orleans great Alvin Kamara, who is only the ninth player in franchise history to wear that number. Here is a look at each player who did it.
Bob Newland was the first one to don 41 for the Saints and the first New Orleans draft choice to do it. A Round 7 selection in 1971, Newland played with the Saints for his only four NFL seasons. In that time, he caught 124 passes for 1,877 yards and 8 scores over 56 games. John Gilliam, the 52nd overall draft choice in 1967 (2nd round), is most famous for returning the opening kickoff in franchise history for a touchdown. Gilliam wore No. 42 during 1967 and 1968 with New Orleans. He returned to the Saints for his final NFL season in 1977, wearing No. 41 for those 10 games and 11 receptions for 133 yards.
Jimmy Rogers made the Saints as an undrafted rookie in 1980. Rogers remained with the team for five years and 72 games, the fourth longest stretch for any Saint to wear No. 41. He was mostly a backup and special teams contributor, but had 957 yards from scrimmage with 5 scores.
Toi Cook joined the vaunted "Dome Patrol" defense as an eighth-round choice in the 1987 NFL draft. Cook was a Saint for seven years and 101 games, the third longest stretch of any 41 in franchise history. Over that span, he had 16 interceptions, with 2 returned for touchdowns. He also added 4 sacks and 3 fumble recoveries. Cook and Dome Patrol linebacker Rickey Jackson both moved on to the San Francisco 49ers in 1994, where they helped the 49ers to a Super Bowl XXIX championship.
Roman Harper is the highest drafted player by New Orleans to wear No. 41. The Alabama Crimson Tide star was a second round choice in 2006, the 43rd overall selection. He was with the Saints until 2014 before moving on with the Carolina Panthers. In 2016, Harper came back to New Orleans for the final year of his 11-year NFL career. Harper played 124 regular season games with the Saints, tops among all players to wear No. 41. He had 7 interceptions, including a touchdown return, along with 15 fumbles forced and 17 sacks while averaging 68 tackles per season. In 2020, Harper was inducted into the Saints Hall of Fame.
If he plays at least 10 games this season, Alvin Kamara will pass Harper for the most games played by a Saint in the 41 jersey. It will be fitting. Kamara already holds several team career records. He is the New Orleans all-time leader in rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, total touchdowns total yards, as well as receptions, receiving yardage, and receiving scores by a running back.
A Round 3 choice from the Tennessee Volunteers in the 2017 NFL draft, Kamara is a lethal all-purpose threat that has terrorized defenses through 115 games of an eight-year career. He has earned five Pro Bowl bids and was the 2017 Offensive Rookie of the Year. Expect Kamara to continue to be the centerpiece in Kellen Moore's New Orleans offense in 2025.