You Are Here > Pro-Football-Reference.com > Teams > New Orleans Saints > 1997 Starters, Roster, & Players

1997 New Orleans Saints

Franchise IndexPrevious Season / Next Season

Record: 6-10-0, Finished 4th in NFC West Division
NFL Season Summary

Scored 237 points (14.8/g), 30th of 30 in the NFL.
 Allowed 327 points (20.4/g), 16th.
 Differential of -90 points (-5.6/g), 25th.
 Expected W-L: 5.1-10.9.

 Takeaway/Giveaway Differential -24 (-1.5/g), 30th.

Coached by Mike Ditka (6-10-0)

1997 Statistics / Starters & Roster / Games & Schedule / Team Draftees

Starters

Glossary · ProBowl(*), 1st-team All-Pro(+), · CSV · PRE · Hide Non-primary Starters
Pos Age Yrs GS Summary of Player Stats Drafted (tm/rnd/yr)
 Offensive Starters Complete Team Stats
QB Heath Shuler 26 3 9 106 for 203, 1,288 yards, 2 td, 14 int, & 22 rushes for 38 yards and 1 td

Washington Redskins / 1st / 3rd pick / 1994

RB Mario Bates 24 3 7 119 rushes for 440 yards, 4 td, & 5 catches for 42 yards and 0 td

New Orleans Saints / 2nd / 44th pick / 1994

RB Troy Davis 22 Rook 7 75 rushes for 271 yards, 0 td, & 13 catches for 85 yards and 0 td

New Orleans Saints / 3rd / 62nd pick / 1997

FB Ray Zellars 24 2 16 156 rushes for 552 yards, 4 td, & 31 catches for 263 yards and 0 td

New Orleans Saints / 2nd / 44th pick / 1995

WR Andre Hastings 26 4 16 48 catches for 722 yards, 5 td, & 4 rushes for 35 yards and 0 td

Pittsburgh Steelers / 3rd / 76th pick / 1993

WR Randal Hill 28 6 15 55 catches for 761 yards, 2 td, & 1 rush for 11 yards and 0 td

Miami Dolphins / 1st / 23rd pick / 1991

TE Irv Smith 26 4 8 17 catches for 180 yards, 1 td

New Orleans Saints / 1st / 20th pick / 1993

TE John Farquhar 25 1 8 17 catches for 253 yards, 1 td
LT Willie Roaf* 27 4 16

New Orleans Saints / 1st / 8th pick / 1993

LG Andy McCollum 27 2 16
C Jerry Fontenot 31 8 16

Chicago Bears / 3rd / 65th pick / 1989

RG Mike Verstegen 26 1 8

New Orleans Saints / 3rd / 75th pick / 1995

RG Keno Hills 24 1 6

New Orleans Saints / 6th / 179th pick / 1996

RT Clarence Jones 29 6 15 2 fumbles recovered

New York Giants / 4th / 111th pick / 1991

 Defensive Starters
LDE Darren Mickell 27 5 13 3.5 sacks, 0 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered

Kansas City Chiefs / 2nd / 2nd pick / 1992 Supp

LDT Wayne Martin 32 8 16 10.5 sacks, 0 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered

New Orleans Saints / 1st / 19th pick / 1989

RDT Pio Sagapolutele 28 6 13 2.0 sacks, 0 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered

Cleveland Browns / 4th / 85th pick / 1991

RDE Joe Johnson 25 3 16 8.5 sacks, 0 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered

New Orleans Saints / 1st / 13th pick / 1994

LLB Richard Harvey 31 7 13 3.0 sacks, 1 interception, 1 fumble recovered

Buffalo Bills / 11th / 305th pick / 1989

MLB Winfred Tubbs 27 3 16 2.5 sacks, 2 interceptions, 2 fumbles recovered

New Orleans Saints / 3rd / 79th pick / 1994

RLB Mark Fields 25 2 15 8.0 sacks, 0 interceptions, 2 fumbles recovered

New Orleans Saints / 1st / 13th pick / 1995

LCB Alex Molden 24 1 15 4.0 sacks, 0 interceptions, 2 fumbles recovered

New Orleans Saints / 1st / 11th pick / 1996

RCB Eric Allen 32 9 16 0.0 sacks, 2 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered

Philadelphia Eagles / 2nd / 30th pick / 1988

SS Anthony Newman 32 9 12 0.0 sacks, 3 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered

Los Angeles Rams / 2nd / 35th pick / 1988

FS Sammy Knight 22 Rook 12 0.0 sacks, 5 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered
 Special Teams Starters
K Doug Brien 27 3 0 23 of 27 field goals & 22 of 22 extra points

San Francisco 49ers / 3rd / 85th pick / 1994

P Mark Royals 32 10 0 88 punts for a 45.9 average, 0 blocked
PR Eric Guliford 28 4 2 47 punt returns for a 10.6 average and 0 td
KR Eric Guliford 28 4 2 43 kick returns for a 26.2 average and 1 td

Roster

Glossary · ProBowl(*), 1st-team All-Pro(+), · CSV · PRE
Age Pos G GS Wt Ht College/Univ BirthDate Yrs Drafted (tm/rnd/yr)
Tom Ackerman 25 G-C 14 0 290 6-3 Eastern Washington 9/6/1972 1

New Orleans Saints / 5th / 145th pick / 1996

Vashone Adams 24 DB 5 4 197 5-10 Eastern Michigan,Fort Hays State 9/12/1973 2
Ink Aleaga 24 LB 3 1 251 6-1 Washington 4/27/1973 Rook
Eric Allen 32 DB 16 16 184 5-10 Arizona State 11/22/1965 9

Philadelphia Eagles / 2nd / 30th pick / 1988

Derrick Barnes 23 LB 1 0 261 6-0 Oregon 9/11/1974 Rook
Mario Bates 24 RB 12 7 217 6-1 Arizona State 1/16/1973 3

New Orleans Saints / 2nd / 44th pick / 1994

Brett Bech 26 WR 10 0 184 6-1 LSU 8/20/1971 Rook
Wes Bender 27 RB 11 0 242 5-10 USC 8/2/1970 3
Doug Brien 27 K 16 0 180 6-0 California 11/24/1970 3

San Francisco 49ers / 3rd / 85th pick / 1994

Je'Rod Cherry 24 DB 16 0 210 6-1 California 5/30/1973 1

New Orleans Saints / 2nd / 40th pick / 1996

Don Davis 25 LB 11 0 235 6-1 Kansas 12/17/1972 1
Isaac Davis 25 G 3 2 320 6-3 Arkansas 4/8/1972 3

San Diego Chargers / 2nd / 43rd pick / 1994

Troy Davis 22 RB 16 7 191 5-7 Iowa State 9/14/1975 Rook

New Orleans Saints / 3rd / 62nd pick / 1997

Ernest Dixon 26 LB 15 0 243 6-1 South Carolina 10/17/1971 3
John Farquhar 25 TE 11 8 278 6-6 Duke 3/22/1972 1
Mark Fields 25 LB 16 15 244 6-2 Washington State 11/9/1972 2

New Orleans Saints / 1st / 13th pick / 1995

Jerry Fontenot 31 C-G 16 16 300 6-3 Texas A&M 11/21/1966 8

Chicago Bears / 3rd / 65th pick / 1989

Kendall Gammon 29 C-TE 16 0 255 6-4 Pittsburg State 10/23/1968 5

Pittsburgh Steelers / 11th / 291st pick / 1992

La'Roi Glover 23 DT-NT 15 2 285 6-2 San Diego State 7/4/1974 1

Oakland Raiders / 5th / 166th pick / 1996

Donovan Greer 23 DB 6 1 178 5-9 Texas A&M 9/11/1974 Rook
Eric Guliford 28 WR 16 2 170 5-8 Arizona State 10/25/1969 4
Richard Harvey 31 LB 14 13 235 6-1 Tulane 9/11/1966 7

Buffalo Bills / 11th / 305th pick / 1989

Andre Hastings 26 WR 16 16 190 6-1 Georgia 11/7/1971 4

Pittsburgh Steelers / 3rd / 76th pick / 1993

Mercury Hayes 24 WR 4 0 195 5-11 Michigan 1/1/1973 1

New Orleans Saints / 5th / 136th pick / 1996

Chris Hewitt 23 DB 11 2 210 6-0 Cincinnati 7/22/1974 Rook
Randal Hill 28 WR 15 15 180 5-10 Miami (FL) 9/21/1969 6

Miami Dolphins / 1st / 23rd pick / 1991

Keno Hills 24 G-T 9 6 305 6-6 Kent State,La-Lafayette 6/13/1973 1

New Orleans Saints / 6th / 179th pick / 1996

Daryl Hobbs 29 WR 4 0 175 6-2 Pacific 5/23/1968 4
Billy Joe Hobert 26 QB 5 4 230 6-3 Washington 1/8/1971 2

Los Angeles Raiders / 3rd / 58th pick / 1993

Joe Johnson 25 DE 16 16 275 6-4 Louisville 7/11/1972 3

New Orleans Saints / 1st / 13th pick / 1994

Tony Johnson 25 TE 7 1 255 6-5 Alabama 2/5/1972 1

Philadelphia Eagles / 6th / 197th pick / 1996

Clarence Jones 29 T 15 15 300 6-6 Maryland 5/6/1968 6

New York Giants / 4th / 111th pick / 1991

Rob Kelly 23 DB 16 2 199 6-0 Ohio State 6/21/1974 Rook

New Orleans Saints / 2nd / 33rd pick / 1997

Ed King 28 G-T 2 0 300 6-4 Auburn 12/3/1969 6

Cleveland Browns / 2nd / 29th pick / 1991

Sammy Knight 22 DB 16 12 215 6-0 USC 9/10/1975 Rook
Wayne Martin 32 DE-DT 16 16 275 6-5 Arkansas 10/26/1965 8

New Orleans Saints / 1st / 19th pick / 1989

Andy McCollum 27 C-G 16 16 300 6-4 Toledo 6/2/1970 2
Fred McCrary 25 FB 7 0 247 6-0 Mississippi State 9/19/1972 2

Philadelphia Eagles / 6th / 208th pick / 1995

Darren Mickell 27 DE 14 13 285 6-4 Florida 8/3/1970 5

Kansas City Chiefs / 2nd / 2nd pick / 1992 Supp

Keith Mitchell 23 LB 16 2 236 6-2 Texas A&M 7/24/1974 Rook
Alex Molden 24 DB 16 15 190 5-10 Oregon 8/4/1973 1

New Orleans Saints / 1st / 11th pick / 1996

Chris Naeole 23 G 4 0 317 6-3 Colorado 12/25/1974 Rook

New Orleans Saints / 1st / 10th pick / 1997

Anthony Newman 32 DB 12 12 203 6-0 Oregon 11/25/1965 9

Los Angeles Rams / 2nd / 35th pick / 1988

Doug Nussmeier 27 QB 5 1 211 6-3 Idaho 12/11/1970 1

New Orleans Saints / 4th / 116th pick / 1994

Keith Poole 23 WR 3 0 188 6-0 Arizona State 6/18/1974 Rook

New Orleans Saints / 4th / 116th pick / 1997

Willie Roaf* 27 T 16 16 320 6-5 Louisiana Tech 4/18/1970 4

New Orleans Saints / 1st / 8th pick / 1993

Austin Robbins 26 DT 12 0 290 6-6 North Carolina 3/1/1971 3

Los Angeles Raiders / 4th / 120th pick / 1994

Mark Royals 32 P 16 0 225 6-5 Appalachian State,Chowan 6/22/1965 10
Pio Sagapolutele 28 DT-DE 14 13 297 6-6 San Diego State 11/28/1969 6

Cleveland Browns / 4th / 85th pick / 1991

Nick Savoie 24 TE 1 0 253 6-5 LSU 9/21/1973 Rook

New Orleans Saints / 6th / 165th pick / 1997

Heath Shuler 26 QB 10 9 216 6-2 Tennessee 12/31/1971 3

Washington Redskins / 1st / 3rd pick / 1994

Ricky Siglar 31 T-G 16 1 308 6-7 San Jose State 6/14/1966 7
Brady Smith 24 DE 16 2 274 6-5 Colorado State 6/5/1973 1

New Orleans Saints / 3rd / 70th pick / 1996

Irv Smith 26 TE 11 8 249 6-3 Notre Dame 10/13/1971 4

New Orleans Saints / 1st / 20th pick / 1993

Jared Tomich 23 DE 16 1 281 6-3 Nebraska 4/24/1974 Rook

New Orleans Saints / 2nd / 39th pick / 1997

Winfred Tubbs 27 LB 16 16 250 6-4 Texas 9/24/1970 3

New Orleans Saints / 3rd / 79th pick / 1994

Gunnard Twyner 24 WR 2 0 165 5-10 Western Illinois 7/14/1973 Rook
Mike Verstegen 26 G-T 14 8 311 6-6 Wisconsin 10/24/1971 1

New Orleans Saints / 3rd / 75th pick / 1995

Mickey Washington 29 DB 16 2 195 5-9 Texas A&M 7/8/1968 7

Phoenix Cardinals / 8th / 199th pick / 1990

Danny Wuerffel 23 QB 7 2 212 6-1 Florida 5/27/1974 Rook

New Orleans Saints / 4th / 99th pick / 1997

Ray Zellars 24 RB 16 16 233 5-11 Notre Dame 3/25/1973 2

New Orleans Saints / 2nd / 44th pick / 1995

Team Total 26.0 16 241.1 6-1.8 2.8