Saints' Willie Roaf Gets The Call From The Hall (of Fame)

by Hans Petersen on Feb 4, 2012 5:40 PM CST

Now you'll get to see both Rickey Jackson and Willie Roaf's busts if you go through these doors in Canton, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)

Willie Roaf, who played left tackle for the New Orleans Saints from 1993-2001, has become the second long-time Saints player to be elected to the NFL Hall of Fame.

Roaf joins Jack Butler, Dermontti Dawson, Chris Doleman, Cortez Kennedy, Curtis Martin as members of the 2012 NFL Hall of Fame Induction Class.

Make the jump for more on the now Hall-of-Fame career of William Layton Roaf...

Roaf, who played collegiately at Louisiana Tech University, was drafted in the first round of the 1993 Draft by the New Orleans Saints with the 8th overall selection.

The Saints had to trade star LB and reigning Defensive Player of the Year Pat Swilling to the Detroit Lions get him, and while it tore up fans to see the Dome Patrol broken up, it turned out pretty sweet for the Saints after all.

Roah anchored the left side of the Saints offensive line for nine seasons, earning seven Pro Bowl and two First Team All-Pro selections during that time.

He played in only seven games in 2001 due to injury, and was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs in March of 2002. Roaf played for the Chiefs from 2002-2005, going to the Pro Bowl four more times, and making All-Pro once again before retiring in 2006.

Roaf was named to the NFL's All-Decade Teams of both the 1990s and 2000s, and by 2009 had become the Saints' most awarded player. (source)

The Times-Picayune/nola.com had this immediate story available online, and had this Tom Benson statement:

"We're glad to congratulate William Roaf in his election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He meant a great deal to our team during his career with us. He was the best player on our team during his entire tenure with us, one of the top players in the history of our franchise and one of the NFL's greatest at his position."

The Saints official site posted this story following the announcement.

Roaf joins Dome Patroller Rickey Jackson (HOF Class of 2010) as the only players to play the majority of their careers with the Saints in the NFL Hall of Fame

Join your fellow Saints fans in celebrating the career and this great achievement by Willie Roaf in the comment section below.

Hail, Willie!

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Comments

All right!!! Congrats Willie!!!

Definitely well deserved…..

I guess I can go anywhere I want. If only I knew where to go-Layne Staley

by AcquiredPanic on Feb 4, 2012 6:06 PM CST reply actions

I'm not sure there's ever been a better offensive tackle.

This isn't about rules, it's about manners. Now there's no rule that says that I cant come over here and fart on your entree. But I don't do it. Why? Because it's not good manners.

by Doc Boudin on Feb 4, 2012 6:08 PM CST reply actions

He absolutely should have made it last year

Oh well, better late than never.

by FriarBob on Feb 4, 2012 6:10 PM CST reply actions

Overdue but take it!

He was the best player on the team, the one you could depend upon for excellence. Congratulations for sure. Now an offensive player would be nice, but I hope it takes a long time for Brees and Graham to retire.

"Emancipate yourself from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our minds" -Bob Marley

by PanheadCatahoula on Feb 4, 2012 6:36 PM CST reply actions

Willie! Willie! Willie!!!

About Damn Time!

Drew Brees....MVS Most Valuable Saint! Who Dat!!!

by cajuncommando58 on Feb 4, 2012 6:42 PM CST reply actions

good pics!

thanks, Chad!

And you look at the trade – a Pat Swilling in his prime – but he had only five more years in the league with Detroit and Oakland, and one pro bowl, while Willie racked up 9 years of awesomeness @ LT, with 7 pro bowls, and two all-pro seasons.

"We live by the blitz, and we die by the blitz.'' - Roman Harper

"So I guess the blitz died.'' - Alex Smith

by Hans Petersen on Feb 4, 2012 6:46 PM CST up reply actions

Finks made a pretty sweet deal there...

"We live by the blitz, and we die by the blitz.'' - Roman Harper

"So I guess the blitz died.'' - Alex Smith

by Hans Petersen on Feb 4, 2012 6:46 PM CST up reply actions

This building should be in Nola.

Roaf deserved this 100%. Best ever at his position, period.

by xen-cuts on Feb 4, 2012 7:12 PM CST reply actions

Great, he's absolutely deserving of this honor

All decade for the 90’s and the 2000’s, it’s a wonder he didn’t get in last year on his first try, but the honor will last forever, no matter how many tries it took.

by shipgoalie05 on Feb 4, 2012 8:02 PM CST reply actions

Third greatest Saint ever

Second greatest is already in the Hall. The greatest…I hope we don’t see him there for well over a decade.

What! shall we curse the planets of mishap
That plotted thus our glory's overthrow?

by MtnExile on Feb 4, 2012 8:21 PM CST reply actions

Go Willie, Go Willie, Go Willie, Go Willie!

this was slam dunk.

You think you know, and you don't know, and you never, ever, will.-Jim Mora Sr.
I understand ....nothing.-Michael Scott
The Future is Unwritten.-Joe Strummer
"First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win."-Mahatma Gandhi

by metryman on Feb 5, 2012 1:16 AM CST reply actions