47 days until Saints season opener: Every player to wear No. 47

The New Orleans Saints are down to 47 days before their 2025 regular season opener against the Arizona Cardinals. Kellen Moore enters his first season as the team's head coach in their 59th year of operation. Here is a look at all the players who have worn No. 47 during the regular season with New Orleans.

Saints' History of No. 47

• S Bruce Cortez (1967)
• S Marv Woodson (1969)
• RB Bill Dusenbery (1970)
• RB Virgil Robinson (1971-72)
• RB Jack DeGrenier (1974)
• S Mike Spivey (1980-81)
• RB Cliff Austin (1983)
• WR David Rackley (1985)
• RB Dwight Beverly (1987)
• CB Cedric Mack (1992-93)
• S Greg Jackson (1996)
• TE Josh Wilcox (1998-99)
• C Kevin Houser (2000-08)
• C Jake Ingram (2010)
• LS Justin Drescher (2010-16)
• LB Alex Anzalone (2017-20)
• LB Khaleke Hudson (2024)
• LB Danny Stutsman (current)

There have been 17 players to wear No. 47 in a regular season game for the Saints. Of those, 14 of them have worn it for two years or less with 10 doing it for less than a year. Bruce Cortez was the first Saint to wear No. 47, though he did so for only one game. A Round 16 pick in their first ever draft of 1967, Cortez was also the first player drafted by New Orleans to wear this number.

Bill Dusenbery was the first offensive player to don 47 for the Saints, but for only eight games in 1970. Virgil Robinson was the first to wear 47 into a second season, spanning 1971 into 1972. Robinson rushed for 97 yards and a score over 14 contests and in 1971 was the team's kick returner. Mike Spivey was the next to wear 47 into a second year nearly a decade later, appearing in 14 games over two seasons. Cornerback Cedric Mack bettered that by one game after almost another decade, wearing 47 through the 1992 and '93 campaigns.

The first of only three players to wear No. 47 for at least three years was Kevin Houser from 2000 through 2008. Listed as a center, Houser was the team's long snapper for 144 games over his seven years. He is the longest-tenured No. 47 for the Saints. The second longest is Justin Drescher. Also a long snapper, Drescher suited up in 102 contests for New Orleans.

A distant third on games played in No. 47 with the Saints is linebacker Alex Anzalone. A third round choice from the Florida Gators in the 2017 NFL draft, Anzalone is also the highest drafted player by New Orleans to wear the jersey number. Anzalone was often injured during his time with the team, appearing in 38 games over his first four years before signing with the Detroit Lions. When he was on the field, he was a productive defender. As a Saint, Anzalone had an interception and forced 3 fumbles while recording 8 tackles for loss and 4 sacks.

New Orleans used a Round 5 choice in this year's draft on Oklahoma Sooners linebacker Danny Stutsman. In the defensive system of new coordinator Brandon Staley, Stutsman may be a terrific fit as New Orleans tries to rebuild a defense that up until last year had been formidable.

This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: 47 days until Saints season opener: Every player to wear No. 47