Register All Albums FAQ Community Experience
Go Back   New Orleans Saints Forums - blackandgold.com > Main > Saints

Every Saints starting quarterback through the years: a gunslingers gallery

this is a discussion within the Saints Community Forum; Since signing with the New Orleans Saints in 2006, quarterback Drew Brees has built such a memorable career that it makes it easy to forget all the starting signal callers who have tried -- and, more often than not, failed ...

Like Tree5Likes
  • 4 Post By SmashMouth
  • 1 Post By llaguardia81

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 12-21-2018, 07:05 PM   #1
Threaded by SmashMouth
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Mandeville, LA
Posts: 38,125

Blog Entries: 29
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Rating: (0 votes - average)

Since signing with the New Orleans Saints in 2006, quarterback Drew Brees has built such a memorable career that it makes it easy to forget all the starting signal callers who have tried -- and, more often than not, failed -- to lead the team in years past.

Remember the three Bobbys? The two Billy Joes? The one and only Guido Merkens?

For better and for worse, here's a look at all 31 players who has started a game under center for the Saints since the team's inaugural season in 1967, with considerable statistical help from Pro Football Reference.



Gary Cuozzo (No. 15)
If nothing else, Gary Cuozzo is the answer to a pretty cool bit of New Orleans Saints trivia: He was the first quarterback ever to line up under center for the team. That's probably the only thing worth remembering about his short tenure in the black and gold, though.

Upon the Saints' creation in 1967, team leadership recognized -- accurately, it must be said -- that they needed a good quarterback. So, they set about arranging a trade for Cuozzo, then the backup to Baltimore Colts legend Johnny Unitas.

The asking price: The first overall pick in the NFL Draft. The Saints agreed, making the first of what would be many ill-advised trades over the years.

The Colts used their newly acquired pick to draft two-time Pro Bowler -- and future movie star -- Bubba Smith. As for Cuozzo, he started 10 games for the Saints before being benched in favor of Billy Kilmer. Cuozzo was then traded in the offseason to the Minnesota Vikings, helping guide them to a league-best 12-2 record and earn a trip to the playoffs.



Billy Kilmer (No. 17)
Picked by the Saints in the 1967 expansion draft, Kilmer would assume signal-caller duties in the 11th game of the team's inaugural year. While the Saints enjoyed limited success during his four-year tenure with the team -- never winning more than five games -- he made a name for himself as a scrappy knuckleballer who often played through injuries.

He also holds the distinction of being one of the few Saints quarterbacks to throw six touchdowns in a single game, which he did in November 1969 against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Kilmer's time with the team would end in 1971, when, on the eve of the Saints' selection of Archie Manning second overall in the NFL Draft, Kilmer asked to be traded. The team obliged, sending him to Washington in exchange for linebacker Tom Roussel and two draft picks.

In a similar storyline to Cuozzo's, Kilmer would lead Washington to success, becoming the league's leading passer in 1972 and guiding the team to Super Bowl VII, which they lost to the unbeaten Miami Dolphins.



Karl Sweetan (No. 14)
A one-year backup to Kilmer, Sweetan's time in the NFL lasted only five seasons, but he got a chance to start for the Saints three times in the 1968 season. He would finish the season with one touchdown and nine interceptions.

If Sweetan is remembered at all by football fans, it's probably for the time he was charged by federal authorities in an alleged scheme to sell a playbook belonging to the Los Angeles Rams, for whom he played before signing with the Saints.

The charges were never proven.



See the entire list here on NOLA

Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	098_archiemanning02.jpg
Views:	0
Size:	21.5 KB
ID:	12874  

Views: 1177
Reply With Quote
Old 12-21-2018, 11:37 PM   #2
Site Donor 2018
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: lafayette
Posts: 7,753
Re: Every Saints starting quarterback through the years: a gunslingers gallery

Originally Posted by SmashMouth View Post
Since signing with the New Orleans Saints in 2006, quarterback Drew Brees has built such a memorable career that it makes it easy to forget all the starting signal callers who have tried -- and, more often than not, failed -- to lead the team in years past.



Remember the three Bobbys? The two Billy Joes? The one and only Guido Merkens?



For better and for worse, here's a look at all 31 players who has started a game under center for the Saints since the team's inaugural season in 1967, with considerable statistical help from Pro Football Reference.







Gary Cuozzo (No. 15)

If nothing else, Gary Cuozzo is the answer to a pretty cool bit of New Orleans Saints trivia: He was the first quarterback ever to line up under center for the team. That's probably the only thing worth remembering about his short tenure in the black and gold, though.



Upon the Saints' creation in 1967, team leadership recognized -- accurately, it must be said -- that they needed a good quarterback. So, they set about arranging a trade for Cuozzo, then the backup to Baltimore Colts legend Johnny Unitas.



The asking price: The first overall pick in the NFL Draft. The Saints agreed, making the first of what would be many ill-advised trades over the years.



The Colts used their newly acquired pick to draft two-time Pro Bowler -- and future movie star -- Bubba Smith. As for Cuozzo, he started 10 games for the Saints before being benched in favor of Billy Kilmer. Cuozzo was then traded in the offseason to the Minnesota Vikings, helping guide them to a league-best 12-2 record and earn a trip to the playoffs.







Billy Kilmer (No. 17)

Picked by the Saints in the 1967 expansion draft, Kilmer would assume signal-caller duties in the 11th game of the team's inaugural year. While the Saints enjoyed limited success during his four-year tenure with the team -- never winning more than five games -- he made a name for himself as a scrappy knuckleballer who often played through injuries.



He also holds the distinction of being one of the few Saints quarterbacks to throw six touchdowns in a single game, which he did in November 1969 against the St. Louis Cardinals.



Kilmer's time with the team would end in 1971, when, on the eve of the Saints' selection of Archie Manning second overall in the NFL Draft, Kilmer asked to be traded. The team obliged, sending him to Washington in exchange for linebacker Tom Roussel and two draft picks.



In a similar storyline to Cuozzo's, Kilmer would lead Washington to success, becoming the league's leading passer in 1972 and guiding the team to Super Bowl VII, which they lost to the unbeaten Miami Dolphins.







Karl Sweetan (No. 14)

A one-year backup to Kilmer, Sweetan's time in the NFL lasted only five seasons, but he got a chance to start for the Saints three times in the 1968 season. He would finish the season with one touchdown and nine interceptions.



If Sweetan is remembered at all by football fans, it's probably for the time he was charged by federal authorities in an alleged scheme to sell a playbook belonging to the Los Angeles Rams, for whom he played before signing with the Saints.



The charges were never proven.







See the entire list here on NOLA


I met Archie at Cajun field in Lafayette as a rookie ,caught a pass from him and football was forever in my blood thanks Archie and my ole man from dragging me out of bed to go
st thomas is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-22-2018, 03:56 AM   #3
Site Donor
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 2,589
Re: Every Saints starting quarterback through the years: a gunslingers gallery

Only 31?

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk
44Champs is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-22-2018, 09:15 AM   #4
1000 Posts +
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 4,520
Re: Every Saints starting quarterback through the years: a gunslingers gallery

OF COURSE IT WAS YOUR OLE MAN!!! ARCHIE WAS FROM OLE MISS!!!! THE TRUE CIRCLE OF LIFE!!!!
vpheughan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-22-2018, 10:19 AM   #5
In Doh We Trust
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 7,027
Blog Entries: 16
Re: Every Saints starting quarterback through the years: a gunslingers gallery

Woof.

Kind of a reverse murders row...
homerj07 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-22-2018, 11:50 AM   #6
1000 Posts +
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Gonzales, LA
Posts: 1,680
Re: Every Saints starting quarterback through the years: a gunslingers gallery

I think I blocked Kerry Collins from my memory.

I remember that game Luke McCown started against the Panthers, up until that interception at the end, he played well.
stickman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-22-2018, 04:14 PM   #7
100th Post
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 443
Blog Entries: 1
Re: Every Saints starting quarterback through the years: a gunslingers gallery

The Saints messed up when they went with Aaron Brooks over Jeff Blake. After the 2000 season, they should have put Brooks back on the bench and let Blake start again. Blake was 7-4 in 2000, Brooks was 3-2. That's not enough to warrant being the starter. Brooks wasn't prepared and too immature. Our team suffered the next few years as a result. I believe they would have reached the Super Bowl or at the very least the NFC Championship with Blake.
SmashMouth likes this.
llaguardia81 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Posting Rules

LinkBacks (?)
LinkBack to this Thread: https://blackandgold.com/saints/91669-every-saints-starting-quarterback-through-years-gunslingers-gallery.html
Posted By For Type Date Hits
Every Saints starting quarterback through the years: a gunslingers gallery This thread Refback 12-21-2018 07:23 PM 3


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 11:55 PM.


Copyright 1997 - 2020 - BlackandGold.com
no new posts