Saints Countdown To NFL Kickoff With The History Of Number 79

We now sit 79 days away from the 2025 regular season opener for the New Orleans Saints. New Orleans has a new head coach in Kellen Moore and will host the Arizona Cardinals to kick off their 59th season in the NFL. 

Offensive lineman Josh Ball is currently wearing number 79 for the Saints. A late-season pickup in 2024, Ball is trying to resurrect a once-promising career at a crowded offensive tackle spot in New Orleans. 

Josh Ball is the 17th player to wear number 79 in Saints franchise history. A somewhat underwhelming list, here's a look through all the others who have worn the number. 

Saints History of 79

 

• Lou Cordileone, DT (1967-68)

• Clovis Sweeney, DT (1970)

• Emanuel Zanders, OG (1974-80)

• Chuck Slaughter, OT (1982)

• Ralph Williams, OG (1986)

• Henry Thomas, OG (1987)

• Glenn Derby, OG (1989-90)

• Tory Epps, DT (1995)

• Troy Wilson, DT (1998)

• Mike Halapin, DE (1999)

• Jimmy Verdon, DT (2005)

• Rob Petitti, OT (2006)

• Bryce Harris, OT (2012-14, 2017)

• Kyle Murphy, OT (2021)

• Jordan Mills, OT (2021)

• Yasir Durant, OT (2022)

• Josh Ball, OT (2024)

Cordileone was the first to appear in number 79 for the Saints, playing the first two seasons of the franchise's history and recording an interception to go with 1.5 sacks. The first offensive player to wear 79 was offensive lineman Emanuel Zanders in 1974.

Zanders played seven seasons in New Orleans. Over that time he made 78 starts at guard. Zanders seven years and 87 games as a Saint is the most by any player to wear 79 in team history by a wide margin. 

Of the 16 players prior to Josh Ball that have worn 79 for the Saints, 12 of them wore it for a year or less. Only Zanders and offensive lineman Bryce Harris were with New Orleans for more than two seasons. 

 

Harris was a backup offensive lineman with the Saints for four years. He appeared in 37 games with the team, making just 4 starts over that time. Derby was the only other 79 that remained with New Orleans for more than one year, appearing in just seven games through 1989 and 1990.

Josh Ball technically enters his second year with the Saints. However, he was a late-season addition to the roster in 2024 and did not appear in a game. A fourth round choice by the Dallas Cowboys in the NFL Draft, Ball hopes to jump-start a once-promising career and perhaps add some notoriety to the number 79 with New Orleans.