Less than three months remain before the New Orleans Saints kick off their 59th NFL season. Specifically, there are 89 days until the Saints square off with the Arizona Cardinals in their opener.
Wearing number 89 for New Orleans right now is undrafted rookie wide receiver Chris Tyree. The Saints have had great fortune with undrafted wideouts over recent years. One of those was an undrafted playmaker who also began his career wearing No. 89.
Here's a look at all players that wore 89 during a regular season game in the franchise history of the Saints.
Saints History of 89
Nov 17, 1991; FILE PHOTO; New Orleans Saints receiver Quinn Early (89) catches a pass against the San Diego Chargers. Mandatory Credit: Peter Brouillet-USA TODAY NETWORK
Nov 17, 1991; FILE PHOTO; New Orleans Saints receiver Quinn Early (89) catches a pass against the San Diego Chargers. Mandatory Credit: Peter Brouillet-USA TODAY NETWORK
• Kent Kramer, TE (1967)
• Dave Long, DE (1969-72)
• Bert Askson, TE (1973)
• Gil Chapman, WR (1975)
• Leonard Willis, WR (1977)
• Wes Chandler, WR (1978-81)
• Aundra Thompson, WR (1981-82)
• Tyrone Young, WR (1983-84)
• Joe Thomas, WR (1987)
• Robert Clark, WR (1987-88)
• Derrick Shepard, WR (1989)
• Mike Jones, WR (1989)
• Quinn Early, WR (1991-95)
New Orleans Saints receiver Chris Tyree (89) during rookie minicamp at Ochsner Sports Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
New Orleans Saints receiver Chris Tyree (89) during rookie minicamp at Ochsner Sports Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
• Mercury Hayes, WR (1996-97)
• Brett Bech, WR (1997-99)
• Dave Stachelski, TE (2000-01)
• Wane McGarity, WR (2001)
• Derrick Lewis, WR (2002-03)
• Lamont Hall, TE (2004-05)
• Jamal Jones, WR (2006)
• Sean Ryan, TE (2008)
• John Gilmore, TE (2011)
• Daniel Graham, TE (2012)
• Josh Hill, TE (2013-20)
• Rashid Shaheed, WR (2022)
• Chris Tyree, WR (present)
New Orleans Saints tight end Kent Kramer (89) catches a touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons during a 1967 game. Credit: neworleanssaints.com
New Orleans Saints tight end Kent Kramer (89) catches a touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons during a 1967 game. Credit: neworleanssaints.com
Kent Kramer was the first 89 in franchise history and also has the distinction of being the first offensive player on our jersey countdown. He appeared in six games during the Saints' inaugural season of 1967, catching 20 passes for 207 yards and 2 scores.
Long, a defensive lineman, was the first Saints player to wear 89 for multiple years. It wouldn't be until after 1978 until an offensive player wore the number for multiple years in New Orleans.
Wes Chandler was the third overall choice in the 1978 NFL Draft out of Florida. After a quiet rookie year, he exploded for 1,069 receiving yards in 1979, becoming just the second New Orleans player to break the 1,000-yard barrier. He had nearly 1,000 yards again in 1980, but was infamously traded to the San Diego Chargers early into the 1981 campaign.
New Orleans Saints wide receiver Wes Chandler (89) after a catch against the San Francisco 49ers. Credit: neworleanssaints.com
New Orleans Saints wide receiver Wes Chandler (89) after a catch against the San Francisco 49ers. Credit: neworleanssaints.com
Aundra Thompson, Tyrone Young, and Robert Clark all made modest contributions with New Orleans in No. 89 after Chandler's departure. The next significant 89 was a wide receiver that ironically came over from the San Diego Chargers.
Quinn Early was an extremely underrated but very effective weapon with the Saints for five years. Over that span, Early had 270 receptions for 3,758 yards and 25 touchdowns. Included in that was 1,087 yards in 1995, his last year with New Orleans before signing with Buffalo.
Early remains within the top-12 in Saints history for receptions, receiving yardage, and touchdown catches. Just one player has worn No. 89 with New Orleans for more seasons or games than Early.
Dec 29, 2019; New Orleans Saints tight end Josh Hill (89) runs after a reception against the Carolina Panthers. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
Dec 29, 2019; New Orleans Saints tight end Josh Hill (89) runs after a reception against the Carolina Panthers. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
Twelve players have worn number 89 since Early played for New Orleans. Only three of them lasted longer than two seasons with the team. Devastating blocking tight end Josh Hill was one of those.
Hill didn't contribute a lot as a pass catcher, recording 116 receptions for 1,071 yards and scoring 15 touchdowns for his career. His elite blocking skills made him an extension of the offensive line and highly respected throughout the league.
Rashid Shaheed has gone from an unknown undrafted wideout to one of the most explosive weapons in the NFL. Shaheed only wore 89 during his rookie year before switching to No. 22.
Dec 18, 2022; New Orleans Saints wide receiver Rashid Shaheed (89) catches a pass behind Atlanta Falcons safety Richie Grant (27). Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
Dec 18, 2022; New Orleans Saints wide receiver Rashid Shaheed (89) catches a pass behind Atlanta Falcons safety Richie Grant (27). Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
In that rookie year, Shaheed caught 28 passes for 488 yards and 2 scores, rushed 4 times for 57 yards and another touchdown, and developed into an game-breaking threat as a returner.
Chris Tyree has many of the same attributes that earned Shaheed a ticket into the NFL. A converted running back, Tyree has elite speed and leaping ability. His skills as a returner is something to watch particularly closely throughout training camp and preseason.