{
  "id": 262524,
  "title": "37 days until Saints opener: Every player to wear the No. 37 jersey",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/07/37-days-until-saints-opener-every-player-to-wear-the-no-37-jersey",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-07T11:55:06.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/37-days-until-saints-opener-115506541.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "As New Orleans prepares to kick off the 2026 regular season on September 13 against the Detroit Lions, the team is marking the countdown to the opener with a unique tradition. Every player set to wear the No. 37 jersey is highlighted in an ongoing countdown series. Cornerback Dalys Beanum, currently wearing the number, is entering his second training camp with the Saints and is competing for one of the last cornerback spots. If successful, Beanum would become the 19th player to wear the 37 uniform during a Saints regular season game. The article delves into the history of this iconic number, starting with the team's inaugural season in 1967. LB Steve Stonebreaker became the first player to wear No. 37, donning it for 24 games over the 1967 and 1968 seasons. The physical Stonebreaker left his mark on the team, registering a sack and two fumble recoveries. Following Stonebreaker, Tom Myers became the first draft pick to wear the number. A Round 3 selection in the 1972 NFL draft, Myers went on to have an impressive 10-year career with the Saints, playing in 136 games and recording 36 interceptions, with two of those returns for touchdowns. Myers was inducted into the Saints Hall of Fame in 1989. The next player to don No. 37 was RB Mel Gray, who came to the Saints via the Los Angeles Express of the USFL. Although limited in offensive touches during his three-year stint with New Orleans, Gray's impact as a kick and punt returner was significant. Averaging 13.4 yards per punt return and scoring once, Gray's contributions were crucial. He was later traded to the Detroit Lions, where he achieved four All-Pro seasons and was named to the 1990s All-Decade team. Bennie Thompson followed Gray in wearing No. 37, primarily associated with special teams and earning a Pro Bowl berth in 1991. Jimmy Spencer, a cornerback for the Saints, had the longest tenure wearing the number, appearing in 64 games over four seasons. Spencer's contributions included 9 interceptions in two years, leading the team in that category. Since Spencer's departure, only one player has worn the number for more than two seasons, with nine wearing it for a year or less. Currently, Dalys Beanum is set to become the most recent wearer of the historic No. 37 jersey.",
  "summary": "A couple special teams legends lead the group of players who wore No. 37 for the New Orleans Saints. One of them has a statue outside the Superdome.",
  "key_points": [
    "September 13 marks Saints' 2026 opener against Detroit Lions.",
    "Cornerback Dalys Beanum to wear No. 37 for first time.",
    "Beanum entering second training camp with Saints."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}