58 days until Saints season opener: Every player to wear No. 58
There are 58 days that separate us from the New Orleans Saints 2025 regular season opener at home against the Arizona Cardinals. The 58 jersey isn't currently worn by any member of the Saints. It was last worn by linebacker Anfernee Orji for 16 games last season. Here's a look at all who have worn No. 58 in New Orleans history.
Saints' History of No. 58
Eli Strand was the first to suit up in No. 58 for the Saints, doing so for 14 games with three starts during the team's inaugural year of 1967. Strand also remains the only offensive player to wear 58 in a regular season game for New Orleans. Joe Federspiel was the first defensive player and Saints draft choice to don No. 58 for the franchise. A fourth round choice in the 1972 NFL draft, Federspiel played nine seasons and 130 games with the Saints. Over that span, he had 5 interceptions, 10 fumble recoveries, and 7.5 sacks. Federspiel was inducted into the Saints Hall of Fame in 1993, the first linebacker to receive such an honor by the franchise. He also wore 58 for longer than any other player in Saints history.
Glen Redd wore 58 with New Orleans in five seasons and for 68 games with 36 starts through the early 1980s. Redd had 2 interceptions, 2 sacks, and 2 fumble recoveries during his time in New Orleans. His tenure in No. 58 is quietly the third longest of the 17 players that wore the number with the Saints. After Redd, six different players wore No. 58 for the Saints over the next two decades. Only one, Brian Jones (33 games), wore it for more than one year.
Scott Shanle arrived as an under-the-radar free agent acquisition in 2006. Shanle would go on to have a productive seven year and 97-game tenure for the Saints in No. 58. It is surpassed only by Federspiel in team history for the jersey. During Shanle's time with the Saints, he'd have 3 interceptions and 7.5 sacks with 6 fumbles forced. He was also an integral part of the team's Super Bowl XLIV championship title squad.
Obum Gwachum showed some promise as a pass rusher during his time in New Orleans. However, he was among the seven players that wore 58 after Shanle retired in 2012, with all failing to do so for as long as 20 games. On that list was Kwon Alexander, who started his New Orleans tenure with 58 in 2020 before switching to No. 5 midway into the 2021 campaign. Alexander was productive with the Saints, but often injured and moved on as a free agent in 2022.
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