Saints History With 0

A brief look back at the numbers 0 and 00 for the New Orleans Saints, which may again be worn after an NFL rule change.

The Annual League Meeting among NFL teams saw several rule change proposals. One that was accepted was that the uniform number Zero (''0'') can once again be used by NFL players. Double Zero (''00'') will still not be permitted. 

The uniform change was proposed by the Philadelphia Eagles and is an amendment to Rule 5, Section 1, Article 2 of the NFL Uniform Code. Players at the positions of QB, RB, WR, TE, CB/S, and LB are now allowed to wear O as a uniform number. Offensive and defensive linemen are not permitted to wear the number. 

This isn't the first time NFL players were allowed to wear the number. Before a uniform standardization policy went into effect in 1973, players were allowed to wear either ''0'' or ''00'' as a jersey number.

Raiders C Jim Otto wore 00 from 1961-1974 and Saints/Oilers WR Ken Burrough wore 00 from 1970-1981. A grandfather clause allowed them to keep those numbers. No player has worn 00 since Burrough retired after the 1981 season.

Burrough was the 10th overall selection in the 1970 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints out of Texas Southern and the first wideout chosen that year. He played just one season in New Orleans, catching 13 passes for 196 yards and 2 touchdowns in 12 games.

The Saints traded him, along with DT Dave Rowe, to the Houston Oilers in 1971. Burrough would catch 408 passes for 6,906 yards and 47 touchdowns in 11 years with Houston. He is third in Oilers/Titans franchise history in receptions and fourth in receiving scores.

New Orleans Saints S Obert Logan (0) against the Pittsburgh Steelers during a game in 1967. Credit: Nosaintshistory.com

Obert Logan is the last NFL player to wear 0 in a regular season game. Logan played two seasons for the Dallas Cowboys before being picked by the New Orleans Saints in the 1967 expansion draft. He played one season as a safety for the Saints and intercepted 3 passes.

New Orleans released Logan after the 1967 season. He was re-signed by Dallas, but released before the start of the regular season. Logan passed away in 2003 at the age of 61.