Saints Countdown to NFL Kickoff 2021:#64 Zach Strief

SNN's Countdown to Kickoff: 64 Days until the New Orleans Saints Week 1 Matchup vs the Green Bay Packers on September 12th, 2021.

The New Orleans Saints are 64 days away from their Week 1 clash with the Pack. Here is a look at one of the greatest players in New Orleans Saints history to wear #64: OT Zach Strief.

Want @ZachStrief to call your #StayHome football plays?

Reply to this tweet with the video and some info on the players and play and Strief will call a few! ⚜️ pic.twitter.com/X4vUSDPt05

— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) April 4, 2020

Zach Strief, 37, played 12 season in the NFL, all with the New Orleans Saints. A three sport athlete in High School (Football, Basketball, Track & Field), Strief choose to attend Northwestern to play football. After redshirting as a freshman, the 6'7, 320lb OL became the Wildcats starting RT his Junior year. Strief ended his college career a two time second team All-Big Ten selection and an All-American by Football Writer Association of America.

The New Orleans Saints drafted Strief as a part of their historic 2006 NFL Draft class. He was a 7th-round pick, the 210th overall selection. In the first five years of his NFL career Strief was used in a reserve role, starting 7 games. Two of his seven starts came in 2009 during the Saints run to Super Bowl XILV. 

After the retirement of Jon Stinchcomb in 2011, Strief took the reigns as starting RT. Between 2012-2016 Strief would play over 90% of the Saints offensive snaps, missing just 6 games in five years. In 2013, he was named a Pro-Bowl alternate but was not selected to the game. 

Zach Strief couldn't help but get emotional when he talked about his relationship with Drew Brees during his retirement announcement. (via @DMoutonWWL) pic.twitter.com/UL1UtTpgiO

— ESPN (@espn) March 13, 2018

The Saints signed Strief to a five-year extension in 2014. He would play over 1000 snaps each of the next two seasons. However, in 2017, Strief injured he knee twice in 4 weeks and was placed on injured reserve. He retired from the NFL following the season.

Four months after retirement, Strief replaced legendary play-by-play voice of the Saints Jim Henderson in the radio booth, becoming the voice of the Saints. After a few years in the booth the Super Bowl Champion Tackle joined the Saints coaching staff ahead of the 2021 season. Strief now serves as the team's assistant offensive line coach.

In his 12-year Saints, Strief dressed in 158 games, starting 94 games. The former seventh-round pick is a Super Bowl XLIV champion. 

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Follow Saints News Network’s Writer, Brendan Boylan, on Twitter & Instagram at @btboylan.

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