We're on to Week 3, and the New Orleans Saints are gearing up for their 2026 home opener with the Las Vegas Raiders. So we're turning the clock back to 1988 for today's Saints Play of the Day: a 73-yard rushing touchdown by legendary running back Craig Heyward. You might know him better as "Ironhead."
The Saints had scored first against the Los Angeles Raiders with a 51-yard Morten Andersen field goal, but the Raiders retook the lead with an 85-yard touchdown pass of their own. Then it was Heyward's turn to punch back. And he nearly covered as much ground on his own. Heyward was hit at the line of scrimmage and kept his feet churning, fighting through contact to spin around the mass of bodies. He was nearly dragged down after a few yards but managed
to keep his balance and slip through the Raiders secondary, sprinting all the way to the end zone with his teammates cheering him on. You can see it for yourself right here.
That isn't a bad way to start your NFL career. Heyward had been drafted by the Saints just months earlier in 1988, and he quickly established himself as one of the toughest players in the NFL. His sons Cameron and Connor have gone on to find success in pro football themselves, but there's quite a few Saints fans who still remember No. 34's career fondly.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Craig Heyward's 73-yard TD run vs. Raiders is Saints Play of the Day
