New Orleans Saints First Round Draft Choices: Chuck Muncie (1976)

The first round of the 2016 NFL Draft will be held on Thursday, April 28, in Chicago, Illinois.

Between now and then, we’ll be looking back at all of the drafts of the New Orleans, from 1967-2015.

Yesterday, we looked back at 1975.

Today: 1976

The 1976 draft, was the tenth draft in franchise history.

Fortunately for the Saints, it was a good one.

The pick: Chuck Muncie, a running back, out of California, who played eight years for the Saints, from 1976-1980.

After concluding his college career at California, where he finished second in the 1975 Heisman Trophy voting, Muncie was selected by the Saints in the first round of the 1976 NFL Draft..

A starting tailback for his four-and-a-half years with the Saints, Muncie was part of the backfield labeled “Thunder & Lightning” with fullback Tony Galbreath.

After rushing for 2,017 yards and 15 touchdowns over his first three seasons, Muncie had his best year with the Saints in 1979, being named a Pro Bowler, after rushing for 1,198 yards and 11 touchdowns, becoming the first Saints player ever named to a Pro Bowl, and the first player in franchise history to eclipse 1,000 rushing yards.

The Saints traded Muncie to the San Diego Chargers during the 1980 season, where he was named to two more Pro Bowls before his playing days ended after the 1984 season.

A native of Uniontown, Pennsylvania, Muncie had drug problems, which hastened his retirement, and eventually landed him in prison.

Muncie turned his life around and turned to helping others by founding the Chuck Muncie Youth Foundation.

Muncie, a 6-foot-3, 227-pounder, rushed for 3,393 yards and 28 touchdowns in four-and-a-half years with the Saints, the former which ranks him eighth in franchise history.

In 10 NFL seasons, Muncie rushed for 6,702 yards and 71 scores.

Muncie passed away in 2013, at the age of 60.

The Saints hit on their second pick in 1976 as well, selecting Galbreath, who compiled 2,865 rushing yards and 2,221 receiving yards in 5 years with the franchise.