In 95 days, the New Orleans Saints officially begin their 59th NFL season with a regular season opener against the Arizona Cardinals. Wearing the number 95 for the Saints currently is defensive tackle John Ridgeway III. He's entering his second year with New Orleans and fourth in the NFL.
Ridgeway, 26, faces a steep challenge to make the roster at a crowded defensive tackle position. If he doesn't, the team may have an eighth different player wearing number 95 in the last eight seasons. Here's a look at all the players who have worn number 95 throughout Saints history.
Saints History of 95
Jan 7, 2018; Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) is tackled by New Orleans Saints defensive tackle Tyeler Davison (95). Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-Imagn Images
Jan 7, 2018; Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) is tackled by New Orleans Saints defensive tackle Tyeler Davison (95). Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-Imagn Images
• Robert Brannon, DE (1987)
• Jon Dumbauld, DE (1986, 1988)
▪︎ Travis Davis, DT (1990)
• Ronnie Dixon, DT (1993)
• Ernest Jones, DT (1995)
• Austin Robbins, DT (1996-99)
• Marques Douglas, DE (2000)
• Howard Green, DT (2003-04)
• Eric Moore, DE (2006)
• Trevor Johnson, DE (2006)
• Josh Savage, DE (2008)
• Rodney Leisle, DT (2009)
• Martez Wilson, LB (2011-13)
• Brandon Deaderick, DT (2014)
• Tyeler Davison, DT (2015-18)
• Taylor Stallworth, DT (2019)
• Margus Hunt, DE (2020)
• Ryan Glasgow, DT (2020)
• Albert Huggins, DT (2021)
• Jack Heflin, DT (2023)
• John Ridgeway III, DT (2024-present)
November 5, 2012; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick (7) gets sacked by New Orleans Saints defensive end Martez Wilson (95). Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-Imagn Images
November 5, 2012; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick (7) gets sacked by New Orleans Saints defensive end Martez Wilson (95). Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-Imagn Images
There were 20 players to wear No. 95 for New Orleans prior to Ridgeway. Only Robbins, Green, Wilson, and Davison were with the team for longer than a year. Brannon, Dumbauld, Davis, Dixon, Jones, Douglas, Moore, Johnson, Savage, Hunt, Glasgow, and Heflin managed only 33 games with the Saints collectively.
Robbins was the first to accomplish this seemingly simple task, tying with Davison for the longest No. 95 tenure with the club. Between 1996 and 1999, Robbins played in 57 games with 11 starts. He had 4 sacks and was one of the team's better defenders against the run.
Green appeared in 18 games for the Saints over two years, starting 12 contests in 2004. In that season, he had no sacks but a career-best 28 total tackles. Leisle actually played four seasons in New Orleans. He was a fifth-round choice in the 2004 NFL Draft and remained with the Saints until 2006, then returned to the team for one game wearing No. 95 during the 2009 season.
New Orleans Saints defensive lineman Austin Robbins (95) against the San Francisco 49ers. Credit: Saints Wire - USA TODAY
New Orleans Saints defensive lineman Austin Robbins (95) against the San Francisco 49ers. Credit: Saints Wire - USA TODAY
Wilson flashed the potential of a good pass rusher as a third-round choice in the 2011 NFL Draft. He actually had as many sacks (1) and more QB hits (4) as the Saints first-round pick that year, Cameron Jordan. In three years with New Orleans, Wilson played in 33 games and 5 sacks with 11 QB hits and 4 tackles for loss.
Davison holds the distinction of playing the most games and having the most starts with the Saints (61 games, 48 starts) as number 95. He had 3.5 sacks with 11 QB hits and 9 tackles for loss between 2015 and 2018 and was one of the team's better defenders against the run.
Deaderick was the year before Davison in 2014 and had a solid season as a run stopper, also adding 2 sacks in ten games with the team. Stallworth came on in Davison's final year with the Saints but wore No. 76 as an undrafted rookie in 2018. He switched to 95 the following year after Davison's departure, playing for contests in 2019.
Huggins looked like a solid addition in 2021. He played nine games for the Saints that season, switching between numbers 60 and 95. He spent all of 2022 on New Orleans injured reserve before leaving as a free agent after that season.
Dec 23, 2024; Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) throws under pressure from New Orleans Saints defensive tackle John Ridgeway III (95). Mandatory Credit: Wm. Glasheen USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin/Imagn Images
Dec 23, 2024; Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) throws under pressure from New Orleans Saints defensive tackle John Ridgeway III (95). Mandatory Credit: Wm. Glasheen USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin/Imagn Images
Ridgeway was acquired in a preseason trade with Washington last preseason. He appeared in 13 games for the Saints, but only 28% of the defensive snaps. His stat line consisted of 15 total tackles, including his first career stop for negative yardage.
Ridgeway will face stiff competition for a roster spot this summer. The Saints return Bryan Bresee, Nathan Shepherd, Khalen Saunders, and Khristian Boyd at defensive tackle. Additionally, New Orleans also traded for DT Davon Godchaux and added Texas DT Vernon Broughton in the third round of this spring's draft.