1985 New Orleans Saints season

NFL team season August 2023 March 2026 New Orleans Saints 1985 5–11 3rd NFC West Bum Phillips (weeks 1–12)Wade Phillips (interim, weeks 13–16) Bum Phillips Tom Benson Louisiana Superdome Did not qualify LB Rickey JacksonK Morten Andersen Saints seasons The 1985 New Orleans Saints season was the Saints 19th season. The offseason began with rampant rumors the franchise was on its way out of town. Original owner John W. Mecom Jr. was anxious to sell the team, and he threatened to move to Jacksonville, Florida if no suitable owner could be found. In May, local car magnate Tom Benson stepped up and pledged to meet Mecom's asking price of $70 million. Mecom and Benson sat down with Louisiana governor Edwin W. Edwards and hammered out a deal, which was finalized May 31. Prior to the sale to Benson, businessman Abram Nicholas Pritzker attempted to purchase the team, but he could not meet Mecom's asking price, and Edwards was unable to secure a loan from the Louisiana Legislature to assist Pritzker. Benson moved training camp from Vero Beach, Florida to Louisiana Tech University in Ruston. The team quickly brought in local legend and United States Football League standout Bobby Hebert to compete with Richard Todd and Dave Wilson for the starting quarterback position. Hebert won the position late in the season and started the final five games. Coach Bum Phillips offered to resign when Benson completed his purchase, but Benson declined the offer. The season got off to a disastrous start, as the Saints were routed 47–27 at home by the Kansas City Chiefs, and an angry woman poured a cup of beer on Phillips as he exited the field. The Saints won three consecutive games following a week two loss at Denver, but the season quickly turned sour, thanks to a six-game losing streak that dropped the club to 3–8. One day after winning at Minnesota to end the skid, Phillips resigned. His son, defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, took over as interim coach for the final four games. The Saints won their first game under the younger Phillips, routing the eventual NFC West champion Los Angeles Rams 29–3, but losses to the Cardinals, 49ers and Falcons ended the year on another glum note. The Saints finished with a non-winning record for the nineteenth time in as many seasons, going 5–11. Benson promised big changes following the campaign, which he delivered upon. Offseason NFL draft 1985 NFL draft 1985 New Orleans Saints 1 24 Alvin Toles Linebacker Tennessee yes 2 38 Daren Gilbert Offensive tackle Cal State Fullerton yes 3 68 Jack Del Rio Linebacker USC yes yes 4 95 Billy Allen Defensive back Florida State 7 179 Eric Martin Wide receiver LSU yes yes 8 206 Joe Kohlbrand Linebacker Miami (FL) yes 9 236 Earl Johnson Defensive back South Carolina yes 12 320 Treg Songy Defensive back Tulane no https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/nor/1985_draft.htm 1985 New Orleans Saints draftees Pro-Football-Reference.com November 5, 2014 Personnel Staff 1985 New Orleans Saints Owner – Tom Benson President – Eddie Jones Director of football operations – Pat Peppler Head coach/general manager – Bum Phillips Offensive coordinator – King Hill Offensive backfield – John Levra Wide receivers – Harold Richardson Offensive line – Carl Mauck Quality control – Joe Spencer Defensive coordinator – Wade Phillips Defensive line – Willie Zapalac Linebackers – John Paul Young Defensive backfield – Mark Hatley Strength and conditioning Strength and conditioning – Russell Paternostro Roster 1985 New Orleans Saints  3 Bobby Hebert 11 Richard Todd American football 22 Tyrone Anthony 35 Earl Campbell 43 Bobby Fowler American football 30 Wayne Wilson American football 88 Eugene Goodlow 86 Jeff Groth American football 84 Eric Martin wide receiver y 19 Guido Merkens 80 Mike Miller athlete 85 Hoby Brenner 87 Larry Hardy American football 82 John Tice 67 Stan Brock American football T 63 Brad Edelman G 77 Daren Gilbert T y 61 Joel Hilgenberg C 60 Steve Korte C 64 Dave LaFary T 70 Jim Rourke T 65 Adam Schreiber G 79 Ralph Williams American football G 75 Bruce Clark gridiron football DE 99 Tony Elliott defensive lineman NT 97 Jumpy Geathers DE 74 Derland Moore NT 73 Frank Warren American football DE 94 Jim Wilks DE 50 Jack Del Rio y ILB 92 James Haynes American football OLB 57 Rickey Jackson OLB 55 Joe Kohlbrand y OLB 51 Whitney Paul OLB 58 Glen Redd ILB 54 Alvin Toles y ILB 24 Terry Hoage SS 21 Earl Johnson defensive back y CB 39 Brett Maxie y FS 25 Johnnie Poe CB 26 Willie Tullis CB 49 Frank Wattelet FS 44 Dave Waymer CB  7 Morten Andersen K 10 Brian Hansen American football P -- Rob Bennett y TE IR 68 Kelvin Clark G IR 46 Hokie Gajan RB IR 20 Russell Gary S IR 53 Scott Pelluer LB IR 71 Petey Perot G IR 47 David Rackley American football CB IR 83 Carl Roaches WR IR 18 Dave Wilson American football QB IR 89 Tyrone Young WR IR Regular season Schedule thumb|right|150px|A ticket for a September 15, 1985 game between the Saints and the Denver Broncos. Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance 1 September 8 Kansas City Chiefs L 27–47 0–1 Louisiana Superdome 57,760 2 September 15 at Denver Broncos L 23–34 0–2 Mile High Stadium 74,488 3 September 22 Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 20–13 1–2 Louisiana Superdome 45,320 4 September 29 at San Francisco 49ers W 20–17 2–2 Candlestick Park 58,053 5 October 6 Philadelphia Eagles W 23–21 3–2 Louisiana Superdome 56,364 6 October 13 at Los Angeles Raiders L 13–23 3–3 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 48,152 7 October 20 at Atlanta Falcons L 24–31 3–4 Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium 44,784 8 October 27 New York Giants L 13–21 3–5 Louisiana Superdome 54,082 9 November 3 at Los Angeles Rams L 10–28 3–6 Anaheim Stadium 49,030 10 November 10 Seattle Seahawks L 3–27 3–7 Louisiana Superdome 47,365 11 November 17 at Green Bay Packers L 14–38 3–8 Milwaukee County Stadium 52,104 12 November 24 at Minnesota Vikings W 30–23 4–8 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome 54,117 13 December 1 Los Angeles Rams W 29–3 5–8 Louisiana Superdome 44,122 14 December 8 at St. Louis Cardinals L 16–28 5–9 Busch Memorial Stadium 29,527 15 December 15 San Francisco 49ers L 19–31 5–10 Louisiana Superdome 46,065 16 December 22 Atlanta Falcons L 10–16 5–11 Louisiana Superdome 37,717 Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text. Game summaries Week 8 Giants 0 7 0 14 Saints 3 0 0 10 October 27 Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana 3:00 p.m. Indoors (dome) Bob Frederic Pat Summerall John Madden CBS Pro-Football-Reference.com Week 12 Saints 14 6 3 7 Vikings 7 3 3 10 November 24 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis, MN 1:00 p.m. Indoors (dome) Fred Silva Dick Stockton and Wayne Walker CBS yes Q1 NO Wilson 41 yard run (Andersen kick) NO 7–0 Q1 MIN Anderson 54 yard pass from Kramer (Stenerud kick) Tie 7–7 Q1 NO Campbell 4 yard run (Andersen kick) NO 14–7 Q2 NO Andersen 26 yard field goal NO 17–7 Q2 NO Andersen 47 yard field goal NO 20–7 Q2 MIN Stenerud 22 yard field goal NO 20–10 Q3 NO Andersen 45 yard field goal NO 23–10 Q3 MIN Stenerud 22 yard field goal NO 23–13 Q4 MIN Stenerud 37 yard field goal NO 23–16 Q4 MIN Jones 6 yard pass from Kramer (Stenerud kick) Tie 23–23 Q4 NO Tice 39 yard pass from Hebert (Andersen kick) NO 30–23 yes Earl Campbell 35 Rush, 160 Yds Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2014-Nov-09. Week 15 49ers 0 7 10 14 Saints 0 9 7 3 December 15 Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, LA 1:00 p.m. EST 46,065 Indoors (dome) Ben Dreith yes Q2 SF Clark 26 yard pass from Montana (Wersching kick) SF 7–0 Q2 NO Andersen 46 yard field goal SF 7–3 Q2 NO Warren 42 yard blocked field goal return (kick failed) NO 9–7 Q3 SF Wilson 52 yard pass from Montana (Wersching kick) SF 14–9 Q3 NO Goodlow 76 yard pass from Hebert (Andersen kick) NO 16–14 Q3 SF Wersching 24 yard field goal SF 17–16 Q4 NO Andersen 41 yard field goal NO 19–17 Q4 SF Francis 17 yard pass from Montana (Wersching kick) SF 24–19 Q4 SF Craig 15 yard run (Wersching kick) SF 31–19 yes Joe Montana 25/38, 354 Yds Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2014-Dec-18. Standings Notable events On opening day, quarterback Dave Wilson set the unwanted record of completing only two of twenty-two passes: the lowest pass completion percent in an NFL game for any quarterback with a double figure total of attempts. References External links 1985 New Orleans Saints at Pro-Football-Reference.com New Orleans Saints Category:New Orleans Saints seasons New