NEW ORLEANS, La – If you’ve watched the New Orleans Saints long enough, you already know this franchise has had its fair share of personalities. Some of them were legends. Some were enforcers. And some, whether fans want to admit it or not, had a knack for finding themselves on the wrong side of a yellow flag.

Why Penalties Tell Part of the Story

Penalties are part of football. Every team deals with them. But over the course of Saints history, certain players seemed to make a habit out of pushing the limits, whether it was aggressive play in the trenches, physical coverage in the secondary, or just getting caught up in the moment.

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

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And let’s be honest, if you grew up watching games at the Superdome or yelling at your TV on Sundays, you probably remember a few of these moments. The holding calls that killed a drive. The personal fouls that extended one. The offsides penalties that had you shaking your head before the ball was even snapped. Let’s not forget the pass interference penalties that ended a season. That being said, defensive players, especially cornerbacks, have a difficult job to cover a player who knows where he’s going and having to guess the route.

What These Penalties Say About Their Play Style

This isn’t about calling players out for being bad. In a lot of cases, it is the opposite. Some of the most penalized players in Saints history were also some of the most impactful. Playing on the edge comes with risk, and sometimes that edge is exactly what made them effective. I’ve yelled at the TV a time or two, but dialed back my frustrations knowing the skill level it takes to even make it in the NFL and people are human.

So as we take a look at the most penalized players over the past 10 years, keep this in mind. These are the guys who played hard, played physical, and occasionally paid the price for it. Some of these players left the Saints with some hard feelings and made it known on social media, which brings smiles to Saints fans when their number is called for penalties today (looking at you, Eli Apple). You can check out what he had to say about the Saints and Saints fans here

Most Penalized Saints Players in Past 10 Years

Over the years, the Saints have had their defensive struggles. Some players were known by fans to be ‘flag magnets’, especially on the corners. Here’s a list of the 10 most penalized Saints players over the past 10 years, ranked by total yards lost.

Gallery Credit: Dave Steel