Countdown to New Orleans Saints Kickoff: A History of No. 24

The 2017 regular season starts on Monday, September 11 for the New Orleans Saints, who will take on the Minnesota Vikings in a primetime showdown. The game is just 24 days from now, and Canal Street Chronicles continues our march towards the season's first week by looking back at some Saints players that have worn the No. 24.

Elijah Nevett (CB, 1967-1970)

Nevett began his career with the very first New Orleans Saints team in 1967, playing the only four years of his career with the new franchise. He finished tied for the team lead with 3 interceptions in 1969, and picking off another 3 passes during the 1970 season.

Terry Hoage (S, 1984-1985)

Hoage was selected by the Saints in the 3rd round of the 1984 draft out of Georgia. He had worked his way into the starting lineup by his second year. In that 1985 season, Hoage's 4 interceptions and 92 tackles were each second on the team, along with adding 2 fumble recoveries. He was surprisingly released just before the start of the 1986 season, then signed with the Philadelphia Eagles. After 5 seasons with the Eagles, Hoage would go on to play with four more teams before the end of his playing career in 1996.

Milton Mack (DB, 1987-1991)

Mack was drafted out of Alcorn St. in the 5th round by New Orleans in the 1987 draft. He was a nickleback on the first ever Saints playoff team, finishing second on the team with 4 interceptions. Mack would play five years with New Orleans, before moving on to Tampa Bay in 1992. He intercepted 7 passes during his time as a Saint, while adding 2 quarterback sacks.

Derek Brown (RB, 1993)

Brown was taken in by the Saints in the 4th round of the 1993 draft. He actually played four seasons with the Saints, wearing 3 different numbers (24, 21, and 20). He wore No. 24 during his rookie year, which was also the highest production of Brown's four-year career. His 705 rushing yards led the team, and he added 3 total touchdowns.

Mario Bates (RB, 1994-1997)

Bates was a 2nd round selection by the Saints in the 1994 draft from Arizona State. He played four seasons in New Orleans, leading the team in rushing touchdowns every year, and was the Saints leader in rushing yards over each of his first three seasons. His finest year was 1995, when he rushed for a career high 951 yards and 7 touchdowns. He left the Saints for the Arizona Cardinals in 1998, playing two years there before finishing his career with the Detroit Lions in 2000. Bates rushed for 2,554 yards and 21 touchdowns during his four-year career with the Saints.

Sterling Moore will be coming into his second season with the Saints wearing No. 24, after playing with the Patriots, Cowboys, and Buccaneers over his first five NFL seasons. Moore was signed by New Orleans early in the '16 season, after the team was decimated by injury at the cornerback position. He would wind up starting 12 games for the Saints, often drawing the assignment of the opposition's best receiver, finishing with the most passes defensed on the team and tied for the team lead in interceptions. Moore hopes to add veteran leadership to a young and talented New Orleans secondary in 2017.

Other Saints players to wear No. 24: Joe Williams (1972), Johnny Fuller (1973-75), Clarence Chapman (1976-80), Marvin Lewis (1982), Bobby Johnson (1986), Scott Woerner (1987), Rob Kelly (1998), Fred Weary (1999-2001), Jerry Wilson (2002), Monty Montgomery (2004), Dwight Smith (2005), Bryan Scott (2006), Chris Barclay (2007), Leigh Torrence (2008-11), Corey White (2012-14), Kyle Wilson (2015), Sterling Moore (2016)