New Orleans Saints To Celebrate Legendary Lineman Who Protected Drew Brees

The once dominant offensive lineman hopes to soon receive the call from the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Dec 18, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; New Orleans Saints guard Jahri Evans (73) against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Saints defeated the Cardinals 48-41. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

OWNER GAYLE BENSON ON JAHRI EVANS

"During his 11-year playing career as a Saint, Jahri Evans established himself as one of the greatest Saints of all-time, and we are thrilled to add him to the Ring of Honor," Saints owner Gayle Benson said. "Jahri was a true professional, a student of the game, and a phenomenal teammate who led our team and our historic offense with his excellence along the offensive line. The battles that Jahri won up front played a pivotal role in us celebrating some of the most memorable moments in our franchise's history. We look forward to celebrating his legendary career in November in front of our fans in the Caesars Superdome."

The Bloomsburg University product was easy to notice by the Saints scouting department. GM Mickey Loomis and rookie head coach Sean Payton needed to protect their new franchise quarterback, Drew Brees. At 6-4 and 318 pounds, Evans was selected as the 108th overall pick in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Draft. During his time with the Saints, he served as the anchor for one of the most dominant offenses in NFL history.

Oct 19, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; New Orleans Saints guard Jahri Evans (73) against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Lions defeated the Saints 24-23. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports / Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

EVP/GM MICKEY LOOMIS ON JAHRI EVANS

"From the moment we drafted Jahri Evans in 2006, he was an immediate contributor and integral part of our football team," Saints Executive Vice President/General Manager Mickey Loomis noted. "Jahri quickly became a mainstay on our offensive line and was one of the most dominant guards in the National Football League. His contributions throughout the week and on gameday were crucial to our team's success on offense and as a whole during that time. I have been fortunate to have a chance to be around some Hall of Fame offensive lineman during my NFL front office career and Jahri ranks right in that group. We are extremely proud to have Jahri join the Saints Ring of Honor."

HALL OF FAME-WORTHY CAREER

The Philadelphia native started all 169 regular-season games at right guard and all ten postseason contests, including the three during the 2009 campaign when the Saints captured Super Bowl XLIV. A five-time AP All-Pro (2009-13), Evans was selected first-team four times, twice as many as any other Saint. Evans was voted to six straight Pro Bowls (2009-14) and named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame's 2010 All-Decade Team.  

December 26, 2011; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) poses for a photo with his offensive lineman tackle Zach Strief (64), guard Jahri Evans (73), center Brian De La Puente (60), guard Carl Nicks (77) and tackle Jermon Bushrod (74) as they celebrates their 45-16 victory against the Atlanta Falcons at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Brees broke the NFL single-season passing record formerly held by Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino. Mandatory Credit: John David / John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

During his 11-year tenure, the Saints were ranked first in the NFL in total offense (net yards per game) six times (2006, 2008-09, 2011, 2014, and 2016) and in scoring (points per game) twice (2008-09). The 274 sacks surrendered by the Saints offensive line from 2006-16 were the lowest total in the NFL over the period, and the unit was recognized twice (2009 and 2011) as the winner of the Madden Protector Offensive Line Award.  

Evans concluded his playing career by starting 14 games at right guard for the Green Bay Packers in 2017, finishing with a total of 183 games played/started.

In 2023, Evans was a Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalist and finalist in 2024. He works as an offensive assistant on the Saints coaching staff since 2023.

KEYS: “New Orleans Saints,” “Jahri Evans,” “Ring of Honor,” “NFL History,” “Super Bowl XLIV,” “Pro Football Hall of Fame,”