Countdown to the Saints' season start highlights every No. 31 wearer
With the Saints' opening game against Detroit just a month away, backup safety Jordan Howden will wear No. 31, joining 12 former players who have done so.
The Saints' season opener against the Detroit Lions is set for September 13, and backup safety Jordan Howden will be the latest player to sport the No. 31 jersey in training camp. Howden, entering his fourth year with New Orleans after being selected in the fifth round of the 2023 draft, becomes the thirteenth Saint to wear the number. The piece recounts the history of the jersey, beginning with Jim Taylor in 1967, the franchise's inaugural season, and noting that the number went unused for 34 years until Richard Newsome in 2001.
Since then, twelve more players have worn it, most for only a single season, with Aaron Glenn and Jairus Byrd being the most notable long-term wearers. Howden has logged 49 games, surpassing the previous record for appearances in the No. 31 uniform, but his performance has been modest, prompting a need for improvement on a defense seeking playmakers.
Why it matters
It tracks a unique team tradition and highlights a player who could become a key defensive contributor.
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