Best Saints By The Numbers: #82

All summer long, we’re going to list the best players in New Orleans Saints history to wear every number, 00-99.

Yesterday, we did #81.

Today, #82:

The pick: John Tice

When deciding who is the best New Orleans Saints player to ever wear #82, the choice is limited to linebacker linemen Johnny Brewer, defensive lineman Bob Pollard, receivers Ike Harris, Eddie Kennison,  Qadry Ismail, and Eddie Kennision, and tight ends John Tice, Darren Gottschalk, Ken O’Neal, Ben Watson, Irv Smith, Andrew Glover, Boo Williams, Nate Lawrie, and Marcellus Rivers.

Our selection is going to be Tice, a tight end, who played for the Saints for 10 years, from 1983-1992.

After playing his college football at Maryland, Tice was selected by the Saints in the third round of the 1983 NFL Draft.

A native of Shore, New York, Tice caught 13 passes in his first two seasons, before becoming a part-time starter in 1985.

The 6-foot-5, 242-pound Tice went on to compile 103 receptions for 1,074 yards and 12 touchdowns over his four seasons as a regular starter.

Tice played four more seasons, before retiring at the end of the 1992 season.

In 10 NFL seasons, all with the Saints, Tice appeared in 134 games, including 57 as a starter, finishing with 158 receptions for 1,603 yards and 15 touchdowns.