Less than two full calendar months are left until the New Orleans Saints open up their 2026 regular season. In 59 days, the Saints will travel north to take on the Detroit Lions. No player on the New Orleans roster currently wears No. 59. We still take a look through all that did wear it as our countdown to kickoff series rolls onward.
Saints History of No. 59
- LB Fred Whittingham (1967-68)
- LB Wayne Colman (1969-76)
- LB Chuck Evans (1980-81)
- LB Chris Martin (1983)
- C James Campen (1987-88)
- LB Rufus Porter (1995-96)
- LB Keith Mitchell (1997-2001)
- LB J.J. Jones (2002)
- LB Derrick Rogers (2003-04)
- LB Ronald McKinnon (2005)
- LB Matt McCoy (2007)
- LB Anthony Waters (2009-10)
- LB Nate Bussey (2011)
- LB Dannell Ellerbe (2015-16)
- LB Vince Biegel (2018)
- LB Sharif Finch (2021)
- DE Trajan Jeffcoat (2024)
- DT Coziah Izzard (2025)
Fred Whittingham first wore 59 for the Saints, suiting up in 20 games over the franchise’s first two years of existence. Wayne Colman followed him and was one of the team’s starting linebackers for most of his seven seasons. His 79 games are tied for the most of any Saint to wear the 59 jersey. Colman recorded 2 interceptions, 2 sacks, and 5 fumble recoveries.
Chuck Evans was the first of only two New Orleans draft choices to wear a 59 uniform. An eighth-round pick in the 1980 NFL Draft, Evans played two seasons in mostly reserve duties. However, his 26 games played are the second-most of any Saint to wear this number. After Chris Martin played 15 contests during his only season with the Saints came James Campen, the only offensive player to wear 59 for New Orleans to date. Campen appeared in only six games through the 1987 and 88 seasons, with his only three starts coming during the 1987 player strike. Rufus Porter came to the Saints after a two-time Pro Bowl selection with the Seattle Seahawks. Porter was no longer that caliber of player with the Saints, contributing 3 sacks and a forced fumble during his two years. However, his 26 games are tied with Evans for the second-longest stretch in the 59 uniform.
Despite a productive collegiate career, Keith Mitchell was not selected in the 1997 NFL Draft. The Saints took full advantage, striking gold with the undrafted linebacker. Mitchell played 79 games over five years, tying Colman for the longest tenure in the 59 jersey. Keith Mitchell was a versatile playmaker, scoring 3 touchdowns while recording 4 interceptions, 17 fumbles forced or recovered, 18.5 sacks, and nearly 400 total tackles.
After Mitchell has come a string of 11 defenders in 25 years to wear 59, with none with the Saints for as long as two full seasons of action. J.J. Jones played only one year. Derrick Rogers came the closest to two years out of those 11 with 23 outings. Ronald McKinnon and Matt McCoy were also only less than one season. Anthony Waters was with the Saints for two seasons but got only 13 games of action. Nate Bussey holds the distinction of being the highest drafted New Orleans player to wear 59, but the 2011 seventh-round choice appeared in zero games officially.
Dannell Ellerbe brought a lot of excitement and potential in his 2014 arrival to the Saints via trade. Ellerbe didn’t disappoint in production when he was actually in the lineup, which unfortunately for New Orleans was rarely. He logged only 15 games in his two years with the team. In the little over a decade since Ellerbe, there have been four players to wear the 59 jersey. Vince Biegel logged 14 games as a reserve, while Sharif Finch had one and neither Trajan Jeffcoat or Coziah Izzard appeared in a single contest.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: 59 days until Saints opener: Every player to wear the No. 59 jersey