Best Saints By The Numbers: #99
All summer long, we’ve listed the best players in New Orleans Saints history to wear every number, 00-99.
Today, we complete our chore.
Yesterday, we did #98.
Today, in our 101st, and final edition, we do #98:
The pick: Tony Elliott
When deciding who is the best New Orleans Saints player to ever wear #99, the choice is limited to defensive linemen Tony Elliott, Joel Smeenge, Willie Broughton, Pio Sagapolutele, Norman Hand, Darren Mickell, Kenderick Allen, Shaun Smith, and Hollis Thomas (DT).
Our choice is going to be Elliott, a defensive lineman, who played for the Saints for 7 years, from 1982–1988.
After playing his college football at North Texas, Elliott was selected by the Saints in the fifth round of the 1982 NFL Draft.
A native of Bridgeport, Connecticut, Elliott was used primarily as a reserve in his first three years with the Saints.
The 6-foot-2, 282-pound Elliott became a starter for the team in 1985, the final season under former head coach Bum Phillips, and remained a starter for the following three seasons, under Jim Mora, who replaced Phillips.
Elliott was a starter at defensive tackle for the Saints for 57 of a possible 59 games between 1985-1988.
Elliott retired following the 1988 season, after dealing with substance abuse issues.
In 7 NFL seasons, all with the Saints, Elliott appeared in 84 games, including 60 as a starter, compiling 13 sacks and 3 fumble recoveries.
Elliott passed away in 2007.
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