Less than one week remains until the New Orleans Saints' 2026 regular-season opener. In six days, the Saints will play the Detroit Lions on the road to open their year. Quarterback Tyler Shough wears No. 6 for New Orleans. Entering his second season, Shough is the unquestioned starter and is expected to develop significantly after a promising rookie campaign. He became the tenth player to wear No. 6 for the Saints. We take a look at each in our ongoing countdown to kickoff series.
Saints history of No. 6
- P Tommy Barnhardt (1987, 1989-94, 1999)
- K Dirk Johnson (2002)
- P Thomas Morstead (2009-20)
- K Aldrick Rosas (2021)
- K Cody Parkey (2021)
- K Brian Johnson (2021)
- K Brett Maher (2021)
- S Marcus Maye (2022-23)
- LB Willie Gay (2024)
- QB Tyler Shough (2025-current)
New Orleans didn't have a player wear No. 6 until 1987, when Tommy Barnhardt wore it. He held on to the punting job in New Orleans for eight seasons over three separate stints with the team. His 110 games are the second most of any Saints player to wear No. 6. Barnhardt had
a gross average of 42.5 yards with the Saints, with nearly 27% of his career kicks getting downed inside the opposing 20-yard line. His 3,743 punting yards in 1991 led the NFL. Only Thomas Morstead has more career punt yards or a higher career average than Barnhardt.
After one game of Dirk Johnson wearing No. 6 in 2002, the Saints selected Thomas Morstead in Round 5 of the 2009 NFL draft. Morstead not only became a fan favorite, but also the best punter in the history of the franchise. His 190 games are the most of anyone to wear a 6 jersey for the Saints. While most famous for ''Ambush'', the successful onside kick to open the second half of Super Bowl XLIV, he was also consistently one of the top punters in the NFL.
Morstead had a gross average of 46.5 yards with New Orleans and an equally impressive net of 41.6 yards. An amazing 36.3% of his punts were downed inside the opposing 20-yard line, as Morstead consistently gave his team a significant field position advantage. Undoubtedly an eventual inductee into the Saints Hall of Fame, Morstead holds New Orleans career records for punts, yardage, and average.
When the Saints lost kicker Wil Lutz for the 2021 season with injury, they cycled through four kickers attempting to replace him. Hilariously, all four kickers wore No. 6. Brett Maher, Brian Johnson, Aldrick Rosas, and Cody Parkey combined for an 83.3% field goal percentage but would miss seven extra points. Maher lasted the longest of the group with eight games, Rosas and Johnson each appeared in four contests, while Parkey lasted only one.
After that kicking circus, two defensive players have worn No. 6 for the Saints over the next three years. First was safety Marcus Maye, who struggled with injuries and played just 17 games in two years with two interceptions, four passes broken up, a fumble recovery, and a sack. Next was linebacker Willie Gay, who disappointed with a lack of effort and poor performance. Gay appeared in 15 of 17 contests in his only year, but played only 27% of the defensive snaps with no meaningful impact.
New Orleans selected Louisville Cardinals quarterback Tyler Shough in the second round with the 40th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Shough is the second-highest-drafted quarterback for the Saints in their history, with only Archie Manning at second overall in 1971 higher. He didn't get to play until midway through 2025, but immediately gave a spark to an injury-riddled and ineffective offense. Shough is the first quarterback in franchise history to wear the 6 jersey. Barring a setback in his development, it appears as if the Saints have their coveted quarterback of the future.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: 6 days until Saints opener: Every player to wear the No. 6 jersey
