New Orleans Saints' Best Quarterback in History

There have been many quarterbacks to play for the Saints. The team was formed in 1967. Since then, there have been three amazing quarterback's to play for them.

Archie Manning

A lot of non-Saints fans have called Manning a draft bust. The first six seasons were horrible for Manning. However, he re-signed with Saints and stuck with it. He was 16-43-1 in those first six seasons.

Then in his seventh season, with new coach Dick Nolan, who had won a Super Bowl with the Chiefs, Manning saw the best season of his career so far. They drafted Wes Chandler, who would become Manning's favorite target to throw to.

In his seventh season, he lead the Saints to their best ever record of 7-9. Manning also made the pro bowl that season for the first time. He was also named NFL Man of the Year.

Archie would make the pro bowl the next season also. He lead the Saints to an 8-8 record. They were just one win shy of making the playoffs this season. Many fans were ecstatic about the progress of the team, and Manning, since Dick Nolan had arrived.

Then came 1980. This season was the death of the Saints. It was the birth of the Aints. Fans wore paper bags to games. The team hit a deep skid in their progression this season.

Manning did have a 62 percent completion percentage. He did throw for 3,716 yards. He did throw 23 touchdowns. The thing that hurt him tho was throwing 20 interceptions.

Manning would last one more season after this in New Orleans but barely saw any snaps. He was traded by Bum Phillips to  Houston for an Offensive lineman.

He threw for 23911 yards, 125 touchdowns,173 interceptions. He was one of the best  quarterbacks to never see the playoffs. 

Bobby Hebert - The Cajun Cannon

Bobby Hebert Joined the Saints in 1985 and would share snaps 'til 1988.

He was one of the main reasons that New Orleans made there first playoff appearance in 1987—twenty years after the team was formed. The team tho in the playoffs collapsed against the Vikings.

The team was blown out. Fans tho were pleased with the way that Coach Mora was bringing the team up. Bobby Hebert became his target to build around after this season.

In 1991 he lead the Saints to there first ever NFC West Division Champion.  He managed to share time with Steve Walsh that season. Both quarterbacks pretty much had the same stats that year. Steve Walsh threw for 1638 yards, 11 touchdowns, 6 interceptions. Hebert threw for 1676 yards, 9 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions.

The main difference between these quarterbacks was that when Hebert was in the game, the Saints went 9-2. That means that without Hebert, the Saints would have only won two games that season.

In 1992, Hebert lead the Saints as a full-time starter for a repeat performance. They won the West again. Yet they lost yet again in the first round of the playoffs.

The next season Hebert was no longer with the team. He signed with arch-rival Atlanta. He made his first pro bowl with them in 1993.

He is currently a radio personalty for the Saints on WWL radio 880 am. He has been added to the Saints Hall of Fame and the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame.

He threw for 21683 yards, 135 touchdowns, and 124 interceptions.

Drew Brees

In 2006, a year after Katrina devastated the gulf coast, Owner Tom Benson brought the Saints back to New Orleans. He fired Coach Jim Haslett and brought in offensive-minded Sean Payton to lead the Saints.

Sean Payton cleaned house and got rid of quarterback Aaron Brooks. Sean decided to take a gamble on quarterback Drew Brees. Brees had just come off of shoulder surgery. Was not resigned with Chargers, who had decided to go with Phillip Rivers.

Drew Brees had something to prove to his critics. He lead the Saints threw an amazing season. Which really started with the Saints home opener in the dome that year. They smashed Atlanta in the face on Monday Night Football.

He wound up bringing the team all the way to the NFC Championship.  Unfortunately New Orleans would loose that game. Even with the team loosing to the Bears, it would go down as the greatest season in Saints History.

Since arriving in New Orleans, Brees has Carried not just this team, but the whole city on his back. 

Brees since becoming a Saint has had the three best seasons ever as a QB for this team. He has passed in three seasons for 13,953 yards, 88 touchdowns, and only 46 interceptions.

Last season he had almost the best season by a quarterback in the league ever. He came real close to breaking Dan Marino's single season passing record. Threw for 5,069 yards.

Brees has become the heartbeat of New Orleans. Fans are looking forward to many more years from this quarterback.

Overall, with leading his team to the playoffs three out of five years, and winning the NFC West twice, one would have to name Bobby Hebert as the best Saints quarterback in history.

Drew Brees, though, has the potential to pass him up on the list. We also can not disregard Archie Manning and the valiant effort that he did when he had no team around him.