The New Orleans Saints have 35 days until their 2025 regular season opener against the Arizona Cardinals. New coach Kellen Moore will lead the Saints into their 59th NFL season. There have been only 16 players to wear No. 35 for New Orleans in a regular season game, with undrafted rookie defensive back Elliott Davison hoping to extend that list. Here’s a look at all the players.
Saints’ History of No. 35
RB Earl Campbell (1984-85)
CB Fakhir Brown (2002-05)
RB Jamaal Branch (2006-07)
RB Austin Johnson (2014-15)
CB KeiVarae Russell (2021)
S Elliott Davison (current)
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Ted Davis was the first to wear No. 35 as a Saint, suiting up for 38 games over the franchise’s first three seasons. It remains the second longest tenure for any player to wear the No. 35 jersey with New Orleans. Of the 16 players that have worn No. 35 in Saints history, Davis is one of only three to do it for more than two years.
Jim Otis was the first New Orleans draft pick to wear No. 35, doing it for 13 games in one year after being selected in Round 9 of the 1970 NFL draft. Bob Gresham was drafted in the eighth round the following year. Gresham played 27 games over two seasons, rushing for 764 yards and scoring 9 touchdowns. He is also the highest drafted player by the Saints to wear a No. 35 jersey.
Oct 28, 1984; Cleveland, OH, USA; FILE PHOTO; New Orleans Saints linebacker (35) Earl Campbell on the sidelines against the Cleveland Browns at Cleveland Stadium. The Saints defeated the Browns 16-14. Mandatory Credit: Tony Tomsic-USA TODAY NETWORK
During the 1984 season, the Saints traded for future Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Earl Campbell. Reunited with Bum Phillips, his coach with the Houston Oilers, it was thought that Campbell would team with George Rogers to give the Saints a lethal rushing attack. Unfortunately, Campbell was no longer the elite punishing power back he was with the Oilers after years of physical toll. Campbell played two years and 24 games for the Saints before retiring. He rushed for 833 yards, but only one score and averaged four yards per carry.
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The Saints wouldn’t have a defensive player wear No. 35 until Shane Pahukoa in 1995. Pahukoa only played one year for the team but did have two interceptions. He was one of nine players to wear No. 35 that did so for a year or less. Of the seven defensive players to wear the jersey, before Elliott Davison potentially this year, only two of them wore it for longer than a year. One of them was Ted Davis. The other was Fakhir Brown.
September 11, 2005; Charlotte, NC, USA; New Orleans Saints #35 Fakhir Brown breaks up a pass to Carolina Panthers #89 Steve Smith in first half action in the Saints 23-20 win over the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports Copyright © 2005 Bob Donnan
A graduate of Mansfield High School in Louisiana and Grambling State University, Brown was with the Saints for four years. His 56 games are the most for any player to wear No. 35 for New Orleans. As a Saint, Brown had 2 interceptions and broke up 30 passes while forcing 3 fumbles and recovering 4 others. Since Brown, five players have worn 35 in the last 20 years. None of them have been with the Saints into a third season.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: 35 days until Saints season opener: Every player to wear No. 35