Saints 2-22 History

A look back at New Orleans players who have worn the numbers 2 or 22 in the franchise's history.

Author:
Bob Rose
Publish date:
Feb 22, 2022 1:25 PM EST

In this story:

Today's date is 2-22-22. It's a rare calendar anomaly that hasn't occurred in eleven years (1-11-11) and won't occur again until March 3, 2033.

There will be plenty of offseason coverage surrounding New Orleans Saints season reviews, free agency, draft, and personnel movements. Today, let's have a little fun with Saints’ history and look back at New Orleans players who have worn the numbers 2 or 22 in franchise history.

Saints Number 2 History

Chip Lohmiller, K (1995)
Aaron Brooks, QB (2000-2005)
Olindo Mare, K (2007)
John Kasay, K (2011)
Zach Hocker (2015)
Jameis Winston, QB (2020-2021)

Dec 12, 2005; New Orleans Saints quarterback (2) Aaron Brooks throws a pass against the Atlanta Falcons. Mandatory Credit: Photo By Paul Abell-USA TODAY Sports (c) Copyright 2005 Paul Abel

Oddly, only six players have worn the number 2 for New Orleans in a regular season game since 1967, and none wore it before 1995. Four of those six players were placekickers who played just one season with the team.

Kicker Chip Lohmiller was the first to don the number. Lohmiller joined the Saints in 1995 after a successful seven-year career with the Washington Redskins. He'd replace K Doug Brien mid-way through that season. Lohmiller hit 28 of 29 extra points, but just 8 of his 14 field goal attempts in eight games with New Orleans.

Olindo Mare, John Kasay, and Zach Hocker were the other kickers to wear the number 2. Kasay had the most success. He was 42 when signed to replace an injured Garrett Hartley in 2011. Kasay was a reliable kicker for one of the most explosive offenses in NFL history that year. His 147 points and 63 extra points were second in the league and he was successful on over 82% of his field goal attempts.

Aaron Brooks was the first non-kicker to wear the number 2 for the Saints. The lightly regarded quarterback was acquired in a trade with Green Bay prior to the 2000 season. When starter Jeff Blake was injured late in the year, Brooks saw the first playing time of his career.

Brooks started the last five contests of the year, then helped steer the Saints to their first playoff win in franchise history. His performance earned him the starting role the following year, a job he'd hold until 2005.

Brooks threw 123 touchdowns against 92 interceptions in 85 games over six years with New Orleans. In 2013, he was inducted into the Saints Hall of Fame.

Oct 3, 2021; New Orleans Saints quarterback Jameis Winston (2) passes downfield against the New York Giants. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

Wearing the Number 2 for the last two seasons has been QB Jameis Winston. The former first overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, Winston signed with the Saints in 2020 after five years with Tampa Bay.

Winston took over the starting duties from retired QB Drew Brees last season. He threw 14 touchdowns and only 3 interceptions before going down with a season-ending knee injury in Week 8.

Saints Number 22 History

Charlie Brown, RB (1967-1968)
Elijah Pitts, RB (1970)
Gary Lewis, RB (1970)
Dee Martin, CB (1971)
Howard Stevens, RB (1973-1974)
Benny Johnson, CB (1976)
Ricky Ray, CB (1979-1981)
Tyrone Anthony, RB (1986-1988)
Derrick Taylor, DB (1987)
Michael Mayes, DB (1989)
Gil Fenerty, RB (1990-1991)
Brad Muster, RB (1993)
Lorenzo Neal, FB (1994-1996)
Tyronne Drakeford, CB (1998-1999)
Fred Thomas, CB (2000-2007)
Tracy Porter, CB (2008-2011)
Mark Ingram, RB (2013-2018)
C.J. Gardner-Johnson, DB (2019-2021)

Former Saints CB Tracy Porter (22) returns an interception for the game-clinching touchdown in Super Bowl XLIV. Credit: neworleanssaints.com

Nineteen players have donned the Number 22 in New Orleans history. The first big-name to sport the jersey was Elijah Pitts, an accomplished back for the Packers dynasty of the 1960s. Pitts joined the Saints near the end of his career in 1970. He'd play only six games for the team, picking up a total of just 159 yards.

Nobody stood out in a 22 jersey for New Orleans for nearly two decades. Defensive back Van Jakes had 8 of his 9 career interceptions in 40 games with a powerful Saints defense in the late 1980s.

Gil Fenerty put together a solid career as a rotational back and special teams player for New Orleans in the early 1990s. A seventh-round draft pick, Fenerty had 1,276 all-purpose yards and 7 touchdowns in two years with the team.

Muster, a former first-round pick with Chicago, had high expectations when he joined the Saints in 1993. After just 409 total yards in his first year with the team, Muster switched to Number 25 in 1994, his last NFL season.

Lorenzo Neal is one of the most highly regarded fullbacks in modern NFL history. Neal began his career in New Orleans as a fourth-round draft choice in 1993. He wore Number 23 as a rookie, then wore 22 during his last three years with the team.

Neal never had remarkable statistics through his 16-year NFL career. He had 652 total yards and five scores in four years with New Orleans. However, Neal was a hard-nosed player who picked up tough yards and was a ferocious blocker.

Cornerbacks Tyronne Drakeford and Fred Thomas were two highly regarded defenders that disappointed in their stints with the Saints. Drakeford scored two defensive touchdowns and intercepted 4 passes in 1998. However, he was often burned in coverage on a poor Saints team in the late 1990s.

Thomas was the player who wore 22 for the longest in franchise history. He'll also go down in team history as one of the franchise's most-disliked players.

In eight seasons with the Saints, Thomas had 13 interceptions, 5 sacks, and forced or recovered 15 fumbles. However, he was considered a liability in coverage that was often targeted with great success by opponents.

While Drakeford and Thomas are looked at with disdain by older fans, the last three players who have worn 22 are among the most popular figures in franchise history. Tracy Porter, a second-round draft choice in 2008, was responsible for two of the most timeless plays in the history of New Orleans sports.

Porter had 9 interceptions, forced 4 fumbles, recovered 3 others, and scored two defensive touchdowns in four years with the Saints. His fourth quarter interception of Minnesota QB Brett Favre sent the 2010 NFC Championship Game into overtime and an eventual New Orleans win. Porter followed that up with a 74-yard interception return for a touchdown to clinch the Saints victory in Super Bowl XLIV.

Dec 24, 2017; New Orleans Saints RB Mark Ingram (22) runs for a touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

Porter left New Orleans as a free agent after 2011. When he departed, RB Mark Ingram switched over to the Number 22 jersey. Ingram, a first-round choice in the 2010 NFL Draft, had worn Number 28 during his first two years in the league.

After switching to 22, Ingram put together four years with at least 750 yards rushing over six seasons, including two 1,000-yard campaigns. He left after 2018 as the franchise leader in rushing touchdowns and just 89 yards shy of the rushing yardage lead. Ingram returned in 2021, this time wearing Number 14, to claim the franchise's all-time rusher spot.

Ingram had to wear a different number when coming back to the Saints because 22 was well-represented by third-year S Chauncey Gardner-Johnson. A fourth-round selection in 2019, Gardner-Johnson is an underrated contributor on one of the NFL's best defenses.

Nov 28, 2019; New Orleans Saints defensive back Chauncey Gardner-Johnson (22) returns an interception against the Atlanta Falcons. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY

In three years with New Orleans, Gardner-Johnson has 5 interceptions, 3 sacks, 18 QB pressures, 15 tackles for loss, and is a standout in coverage and run defense. Coming off the best year of his career, Gardner-Johnson looks poised to do special things in the 22 jersey heading into 2022.