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In 98 days from now, the New Orleans Saints officially kick off their 2026 regular season. The Saints will do so on the road at the Detroit Lions on Sunday, Sept. 13. Defensive end Tyree Wilson will wear No. 98 for the Saints going into training camp. Wilson is in his first year with the squad, arriving via trade from the Las Vegas Raiders during the 2026 NFL Draft.
New Orleans has an up and down history with the number 98. As we continue our countdown to kickoff series, here's a look at all players who wore it.
Saints History of No. 98
Reggie Lewis was the first to suit up in 98 for the Saints, doing so for 34 games over three years. In that span, he returned an interception for a touchdown and recorded 11.5 sacks for an underrated New Orleans defense. Hodge, Hanna, and Warner wore the number for a combined nine games between 1986 and 1998. In 1999, the Saints would get a major contributor to wear the No. 98.
Willie Whitehead took a journey to New Orleans that included stints in the Canadian Football League and NFL Europe. Once with the Saints, he quickly became an underrated but key member of one of the strongest defensive lines in the NFL. Whitehead played eight seasons and 105 games with the Saints, the longest of anyone to wear the 98 jersey. He had 24.5 sacks and 40 tackles for loss during his tenure with the team.
Renaldo Wynn was with the Saints for one season towards the end of a 13-year NFL career and contributed 3.5 sacks during his short stay. Following Wynn came Sedrick Ellis in the number 98. Ellis was the first player drafted by the Saints to wear the jersey. As the seventh overall choice in the 2008 NFL Draft, he was also the highest selection to wear it. However, Ellis had a rather disappointing career considering his draft status. He spent five years with the team and played 70 games, but managed only 12.5 sacks and 18 stops for loss while making a minimal impact. Those 70 outings were the second most by a Saints player to wear the number 98.
Parys Haralson had a quietly solid two-year run in the No. 98 after Ellis departed. In 2016, the Saints spent the 12th overall choice in the first round of the draft on defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins to fill out the 98 jersey. Rankins did so in powerful fashion, gathering 17.5 sacks, 25 stops for loss, 3 forced fumbles, and an interception while playing standout run defense over his five years in New Orleans. His 63 games are the third most of any player to wear No. 98 for the Saints.
Only three of the 13 players to wear 98 were drafted by New Orleans. Oddly, all three were first round picks. The third of those was Payton Turner, taken 28th overall in the 2021 draft. Turner was by far the most disappointing of the trio. Injuries sidelined him for 37 of a possible 68 games during his four years with the team. In the 31 games he did play, Turner made a miniscule impact with just 5 sacks, 11 QB hits, and 11 tackles for loss with a blocked kick.
Jonathan Bullard and Chris Rumph split the 2025 campaign wearing No. 98. Both were solid rotational players. Rumph had most of his success wearing number 58, the jersey he remains in as he returns to the Saints this season.All of the 13 players to wear 98 in New Orleans were on the defensive side. Taking over 98, at least for now, is Tyree Wilson. The seventh overall choice in 2023, Wilson comes to the Saints after a draft trade with the Raiders. He's looking to revive his career after an extremely disappointing tenure in Las Vegas.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: 98 days until Saints opener: Every player to wear the No. 98 jersey
Continue reading...
New Orleans has an up and down history with the number 98. As we continue our countdown to kickoff series, here's a look at all players who wore it.
Saints History of No. 98
- DE Reggie Lewis (1982-84)
- DE Milford Hodge (1986)
- DT Jim Hanna (1994)
- DE Ron Warner (1998)
- DT Willie Whitehead (1999-2006)
- DE Renaldo Wynn (2007)
- DT Sedrick Ellis (2008-12)
- LB Parys Haralson (2013-14)
- LB Mike Mohamed (2015)
- DT Sheldon Rankins (2016-20)
- DE Payton Turner (2021-24)
- DT Jonathan Bullard (2025)
- LB Chris Rumph II (2025)
- DE Tyree Wilson (current)
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Reggie Lewis was the first to suit up in 98 for the Saints, doing so for 34 games over three years. In that span, he returned an interception for a touchdown and recorded 11.5 sacks for an underrated New Orleans defense. Hodge, Hanna, and Warner wore the number for a combined nine games between 1986 and 1998. In 1999, the Saints would get a major contributor to wear the No. 98.
Willie Whitehead took a journey to New Orleans that included stints in the Canadian Football League and NFL Europe. Once with the Saints, he quickly became an underrated but key member of one of the strongest defensive lines in the NFL. Whitehead played eight seasons and 105 games with the Saints, the longest of anyone to wear the 98 jersey. He had 24.5 sacks and 40 tackles for loss during his tenure with the team.
Renaldo Wynn was with the Saints for one season towards the end of a 13-year NFL career and contributed 3.5 sacks during his short stay. Following Wynn came Sedrick Ellis in the number 98. Ellis was the first player drafted by the Saints to wear the jersey. As the seventh overall choice in the 2008 NFL Draft, he was also the highest selection to wear it. However, Ellis had a rather disappointing career considering his draft status. He spent five years with the team and played 70 games, but managed only 12.5 sacks and 18 stops for loss while making a minimal impact. Those 70 outings were the second most by a Saints player to wear the number 98.
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Parys Haralson had a quietly solid two-year run in the No. 98 after Ellis departed. In 2016, the Saints spent the 12th overall choice in the first round of the draft on defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins to fill out the 98 jersey. Rankins did so in powerful fashion, gathering 17.5 sacks, 25 stops for loss, 3 forced fumbles, and an interception while playing standout run defense over his five years in New Orleans. His 63 games are the third most of any player to wear No. 98 for the Saints.
Only three of the 13 players to wear 98 were drafted by New Orleans. Oddly, all three were first round picks. The third of those was Payton Turner, taken 28th overall in the 2021 draft. Turner was by far the most disappointing of the trio. Injuries sidelined him for 37 of a possible 68 games during his four years with the team. In the 31 games he did play, Turner made a miniscule impact with just 5 sacks, 11 QB hits, and 11 tackles for loss with a blocked kick.
Jonathan Bullard and Chris Rumph split the 2025 campaign wearing No. 98. Both were solid rotational players. Rumph had most of his success wearing number 58, the jersey he remains in as he returns to the Saints this season.All of the 13 players to wear 98 in New Orleans were on the defensive side. Taking over 98, at least for now, is Tyree Wilson. The seventh overall choice in 2023, Wilson comes to the Saints after a draft trade with the Raiders. He's looking to revive his career after an extremely disappointing tenure in Las Vegas.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: 98 days until Saints opener: Every player to wear the No. 98 jersey
Continue reading...
