Top 10 Draft Successes In Saints History: #8 Morten Andersen

by Jon Banks on Apr 20, 2011 2:00 PM CDT

Starting April 4th and continuing through April 29th, Canal Street Chronicles will be counting down the top 10 draft busts and then the top 10 draft successes in Saints history. Feel free to to use these posts as a springboard for discussion about how awful or how great each draft pick turned out.

For explanation on how our draft successes work, go here.

There may be some disagreement over this pick, so let me tell you why I placed Morten Andersen at 8th.

Andersen had a long, productive and HOF worthy career. The problem is that he only played half of his 25 year career with the Saints. Thus, he only helped the Saints for 12 years, before hurting the Saints indirectly by becoming an Atlanta Falcon. Though I didn't take points off for helping the Falcons, I did take points off for only spending half of his 25 year career with the Saints.

Morten Andersen was drafted in the 4th round with the 86th pick from Michigan State. Morten had a rough start when he twisted his ankle on his first kickoff as an NFL player, missing eight games in the process. After returning from his ankle injury, however, he became one of the more dominant kickers in the league. From 1982 to 1994, Andersen was named to six Pro Bowls ('85, '86, '87, '88, '90, '92), kicked 302 field goals and scored 1,318 points.

The Saints released Andersen after the 1994 season feeling that "his accuracy was on the decline." They were wrong. Andersen knew the best way to get back at the Saints, too: play for the Atlanta Falcons. "The Great Dane" would play six seasons for the Falcons and even kick a game winning overtime field goal to send them to their first and only Super Bowl...which they lost. While with the Falcons, Andersen was named to another Pro Bowl in 1995 and kicked three 50+ yard field goals in one game...against the Saints. Yeah, he was on the decline alright.

Morten finally retired on December 8th, 2008 after being out of football for an entire season. He was 48 years old.

The Saints would name him to the New Orleans Saints Hall of Fame on November 6, 2009, four days after the Saints beat the Falcons on MNF 35-27 during their Super Bowl winning season.

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Though I didn’t take points off for helping the Falcons, I did take points off for only spending half of his 25 year career with the Saints.

Wouldn’t half a 25 year career work out to about the same (at worst) as anyone else on your list?

"I was not on the boat in question" -Darren Sharper

by coldpizza on Apr 20, 2011 2:07 PM CDT reply actions

Kicker is a much different position than linebacker or defensive linemen.

Canal Street Chronicles-A place of great Saints news and information. Oh and the stuff I write!

by Jon Banks on Apr 20, 2011 2:18 PM CDT up reply actions

At the same time…not like he wanted to leave. We’re the ones who let him go after all. And later paid for it.

"Aristotle was not Belgian. The central message of Buddhism is not 'every man for himself.' And the London Underground is not a political movement. Those are all mistakes, Otto. I looked 'em up."

by jeff.l.b on Apr 20, 2011 2:54 PM CDT up reply actions

A 12+ year career is longer than average, even for a kicker.

"I was not on the boat in question" -Darren Sharper

by coldpizza on Apr 21, 2011 1:55 AM CDT up reply actions

Is that the only picture of him you can find

In a Falcons uniform

Say what ever you want we still have our Lombardi and there's nothing you can do about it

by mississippisaintsfan on Apr 20, 2011 2:24 PM CDT reply actions

at least he was taking down the hated Vikings

that has to be worth something

Players who should be in the Hall of Fame: Pat TIllman, Dwight White, Donnie Shell, L.C. Greenwood, Ray Guy, Steve Tasker, Jack Butler, Greg Llyod, Andy Russel, Cris Carter, Kevin Greene, Curtis Martin, Willie Roaf, Andre Reed and Jerry Kramer
"Baseball is like church. Many attend, but few understand." Wes Westrum
Canal Street Chronicles resident Steelers Fan

by WVPiratesfan on Apr 20, 2011 2:28 PM CDT up reply actions

Sorry.

This was all the AP had. To put him in a Saints photo, I would have had to pull something off the web.

Canal Street Chronicles-A place of great Saints news and information. Oh and the stuff I write!

by Jon Banks on Apr 20, 2011 2:34 PM CDT up reply actions

To put him in a Saints photo, I would have had to pull something off the web.

Which you’re not allowed to do. So good work.

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by Dave Cariello on Apr 20, 2011 3:14 PM CDT up reply actions

Why is AP ok?

"I was not on the boat in question" -Darren Sharper

by coldpizza on Apr 21, 2011 1:57 AM CDT up reply actions

SBN has a deal with them

they can also use Getty if I’m not mistaken

by WVPiratesfan on Apr 21, 2011 9:13 AM CDT up reply actions

HA!

I was just about to ask the same question. Jon’s right that we can only post AP photos from the SB Nation utility. Not sure why they don’t have a pick of him in a Saints uniform.

"As soon as Tony (Dungy) said we had no chance, I knew we had 'em right where we wanted 'em"--Coach Sean Payton right after Super Bowl XLIV with the Lombardi Trophy firmly in hand. WHO DAT!!

by David "Satch" Kelly on Apr 20, 2011 3:15 PM CDT up reply actions