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In 88 days, the New Orleans Saints will officially open up their 2026 regular season. New Orleans will do so on the road, traveling to play the Detroit Lions on Sunday, Sept. 13. Rookie third-round draft pick Oscar Delp wears No. 88 for the Saints as he nears his first year of NFL play.
Delp will become the 24th player to wear an 88 jersey in Saints franchise history. As our countdown to kickoff series continues, we have a look through all that previously wore this number.
Ben Hart was the first to wear an 88 for the Saints, doing so in the team's inaugural season of 1967. Hart was a third-round pick (80th) overall by New Orleans in the 1967 draft, making him obviously the first draft choice by the team to wear an 88 jersey. Hart played for only one game and one NFL season, not recording a reception but intercepting a pass on the defensive side for the Saints. Wideout Dave Szymakowski joined New Orleans as a third-round pick in the 1968 NFL Draft. As a 59th overall selection, Szymakowski is the highest-drafted player by the Saints to wear No. 88. He played only three games in one season, however, not recording an official statistic. After receiver Fred Hyatt played one game for the Saints early in 1973, Andy Dorris became the only defensive player to wear 88 later that season. Dorris suited up for only one contest in the jersey that year, switching to No. 69 for his next three seasons with the Saints.
Joel Parker was the first No. 88 to be with the Saints for more than three games. A fifth-round choice in the 1974 draft, Parker was with New Orleans for three seasons and 21 games. He was also the first 88 to record an official offensive statistic for the team, catching 51 passes for 585 yards and 6 touchdowns. Brooks Williams succeeded Parker in the No. 88, coming on as an eighth-round choice in the 1978 draft. Williams was with New Orleans for four seasons and 51 games. In that time, he had 33 receptions for 423 yards and 2 scores. Don Bass followed Williams in the 88 jersey, but was with the team for just three games and caught no passes.
New Orleans drafted wideout Eugene Goodlow in the third round with the 66th overall choice in the 1982 NFL Draft. He is the second-highest drafted Saint to ever wear No. 88. Goodlow joined the team in 1983 and was in New Orleans for four seasons and 54 games, the second longest tenure of anyone to wear 88 with the team. During that span, he'd have 115 receptions for 1,677 yards and 10 scores. In 1987, Mark Pattison came to the Saints and played 15 games over two seasons, catching 10 passes for 140 yards. Mike Waters borrowed 88 over the player's strike of 1987 and another two additional games, pulling in 5 passes for 140 yards and a touchdown.
Wide receiver Floyd Turner joined the Saints as a sixth-round pick in the 1989 NFL Draft out of local Northwestern State. Turner's 57 games in New Orleans over the next five years are the most of anyone to wear the 88 jersey with the franchise. In his time as a Saint, Turner had 124 receptions for 1,808 yards and 14 touchdowns. Derrell Mitchell and Henry Lusk were both late-round draft choices by the Saints who followed Turner in wearing No. 88. Both were with the team for a full season, but neither made any kind of significant impact as pass catchers.
Wideout Andre Hastings came over to the Saints from the Steelers in 1997. Hastings was one of the only consistent receivers for some epically bad offenses. Over his 47 games in New Orleans, Hastings had 123 receptions for 1,741 yards and 9 scores.
[IMG alt="New Orleans Saints' wide receiver Andre Hastings (L) is tackled from behind by San Francisco 49ers' Reggie Givens after a catch from quarterback Kerry Collins during the first half at 3COM Park, November 22.
CBM/RC/KM"]https://media.zenfs.com/en/new_orle...es_211/4a97927aa575b8d65001c7f864358236[/IMG]
After Hastings came Willie Jackson in the No. 88 for the Saints. Jackson was with the team for only two years, but made a memorable impact. His statistical production was modest in 2000, his first year with the team, as he caught 37 passes for 523 yards and 6 touchdowns. In the postseason that year came a lasting memory when he caught 6 balls for 142 yards and 3 scores in a wild-card defeat of the Rams, the first postseason win in Saints history. The following year, Jackson had 81 receptions for 1,046 yards and 5 scores before departing that offseason.
In the last 24 years after Willie Jackson, eight different players have worn the 88 jersey with only one making a significant impact. David Sloan was a decent blocker for his one year in 2002. Nick Toon wasn't even a remote resemblance to his New York Jets All-Pro father Al Toon for his two years in New Orleans. Ty Montgomery was a solid backup in limited opportunities for two years. Talman Gardner, Nate Poole, J.P. Holtz, and Jack Stoll were little-used reserves.
Tight end Jeremy Shockey was the biggest name of that group by far. Although Shockey was no longer the All-Pro star he was with the Giants after arriving to New Orleans in a trade, he was still a valuable weapon. In three years and 38 regular season games, Shockey had 139 receptions for 1,460 yards and 6 scores. His best year was the 2009 Super Bowl championship campaign, when he caught 48 passes for 569 yards and 3 touchdowns. Shockey caught a touchdown pass in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XLIV against the Indianapolis Colts, giving the Saints their first lead of the game on their way to the title.
Tight end Oscar Delp now gets his shot in the 88 jersey in New Orleans. He'll be the fourth third-round pick and the ninth tight end in team history to wear the number. Delp won't start, at least right away, but will almost certainly play a key role in the Saints offense this season.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Saints jersey history: Floyd Turner to Andre Hastings, Jeremy Shockey
Continue reading...
Delp will become the 24th player to wear an 88 jersey in Saints franchise history. As our countdown to kickoff series continues, we have a look through all that previously wore this number.
Saints History of No. 88
- WR Ben Hart (1967)
- WR Dave Szymakowski (1968)
- WR Fred Hyatt (1973)
- DE Andy Dorris (1973)
- WR Joel Parker (1974-77)
- TE Brooks Williams (1978-81)
- TE Don Bass (1982)
- WR Eugene Goodlow (1983-86)
- WR Mark Pattison (1987-88)
- TE Mike Walters (1987)
- WR Floyd Turner (1989-93) 57 games
- WE Derrell Mitchell (1994)
- TE Henry Lusk (1996)
- WR Andre Hastings (1997-99)
- WR Willie Jackson (2000-01)
- TE David Sloan (2002)
- WR Talman Gardner (2003-04)
- WR Nate Poole (2005)
- TE Jeremy Shockey (2008-10)
- WR Nick Toon (2013-14)
- WR Ty Montgomery (2020-21)
- TE J.P. Holtz (2022)
- TE Jack Stoll (2025)
- TE Oscar Delp (current)
Ben Hart was the first to wear an 88 for the Saints, doing so in the team's inaugural season of 1967. Hart was a third-round pick (80th) overall by New Orleans in the 1967 draft, making him obviously the first draft choice by the team to wear an 88 jersey. Hart played for only one game and one NFL season, not recording a reception but intercepting a pass on the defensive side for the Saints. Wideout Dave Szymakowski joined New Orleans as a third-round pick in the 1968 NFL Draft. As a 59th overall selection, Szymakowski is the highest-drafted player by the Saints to wear No. 88. He played only three games in one season, however, not recording an official statistic. After receiver Fred Hyatt played one game for the Saints early in 1973, Andy Dorris became the only defensive player to wear 88 later that season. Dorris suited up for only one contest in the jersey that year, switching to No. 69 for his next three seasons with the Saints.
Joel Parker was the first No. 88 to be with the Saints for more than three games. A fifth-round choice in the 1974 draft, Parker was with New Orleans for three seasons and 21 games. He was also the first 88 to record an official offensive statistic for the team, catching 51 passes for 585 yards and 6 touchdowns. Brooks Williams succeeded Parker in the No. 88, coming on as an eighth-round choice in the 1978 draft. Williams was with New Orleans for four seasons and 51 games. In that time, he had 33 receptions for 423 yards and 2 scores. Don Bass followed Williams in the 88 jersey, but was with the team for just three games and caught no passes.
New Orleans drafted wideout Eugene Goodlow in the third round with the 66th overall choice in the 1982 NFL Draft. He is the second-highest drafted Saint to ever wear No. 88. Goodlow joined the team in 1983 and was in New Orleans for four seasons and 54 games, the second longest tenure of anyone to wear 88 with the team. During that span, he'd have 115 receptions for 1,677 yards and 10 scores. In 1987, Mark Pattison came to the Saints and played 15 games over two seasons, catching 10 passes for 140 yards. Mike Waters borrowed 88 over the player's strike of 1987 and another two additional games, pulling in 5 passes for 140 yards and a touchdown.
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Wide receiver Floyd Turner joined the Saints as a sixth-round pick in the 1989 NFL Draft out of local Northwestern State. Turner's 57 games in New Orleans over the next five years are the most of anyone to wear the 88 jersey with the franchise. In his time as a Saint, Turner had 124 receptions for 1,808 yards and 14 touchdowns. Derrell Mitchell and Henry Lusk were both late-round draft choices by the Saints who followed Turner in wearing No. 88. Both were with the team for a full season, but neither made any kind of significant impact as pass catchers.
Wideout Andre Hastings came over to the Saints from the Steelers in 1997. Hastings was one of the only consistent receivers for some epically bad offenses. Over his 47 games in New Orleans, Hastings had 123 receptions for 1,741 yards and 9 scores.
[IMG alt="New Orleans Saints' wide receiver Andre Hastings (L) is tackled from behind by San Francisco 49ers' Reggie Givens after a catch from quarterback Kerry Collins during the first half at 3COM Park, November 22.
CBM/RC/KM"]https://media.zenfs.com/en/new_orle...es_211/4a97927aa575b8d65001c7f864358236[/IMG]
After Hastings came Willie Jackson in the No. 88 for the Saints. Jackson was with the team for only two years, but made a memorable impact. His statistical production was modest in 2000, his first year with the team, as he caught 37 passes for 523 yards and 6 touchdowns. In the postseason that year came a lasting memory when he caught 6 balls for 142 yards and 3 scores in a wild-card defeat of the Rams, the first postseason win in Saints history. The following year, Jackson had 81 receptions for 1,046 yards and 5 scores before departing that offseason.
In the last 24 years after Willie Jackson, eight different players have worn the 88 jersey with only one making a significant impact. David Sloan was a decent blocker for his one year in 2002. Nick Toon wasn't even a remote resemblance to his New York Jets All-Pro father Al Toon for his two years in New Orleans. Ty Montgomery was a solid backup in limited opportunities for two years. Talman Gardner, Nate Poole, J.P. Holtz, and Jack Stoll were little-used reserves.
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Tight end Jeremy Shockey was the biggest name of that group by far. Although Shockey was no longer the All-Pro star he was with the Giants after arriving to New Orleans in a trade, he was still a valuable weapon. In three years and 38 regular season games, Shockey had 139 receptions for 1,460 yards and 6 scores. His best year was the 2009 Super Bowl championship campaign, when he caught 48 passes for 569 yards and 3 touchdowns. Shockey caught a touchdown pass in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XLIV against the Indianapolis Colts, giving the Saints their first lead of the game on their way to the title.
Tight end Oscar Delp now gets his shot in the 88 jersey in New Orleans. He'll be the fourth third-round pick and the ninth tight end in team history to wear the number. Delp won't start, at least right away, but will almost certainly play a key role in the Saints offense this season.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Saints jersey history: Floyd Turner to Andre Hastings, Jeremy Shockey
Continue reading...
