New Orleans Saints: 30 greatest players in franchise history
. Center. 1984-93. Joel Hilgenberg. 27. player. 15
Even more so than guards, centers really don’t get a ton of credit. All too often, their contributions are overlooked, while the guys picking up yards and scoring touchdowns are the ones receiving the praise. Luckily for Joel Hilgenberg, I’m about to show him some well-deserved love.
A Saints lifer, Hilgenberg spent all 10 of his NFL seasons bullying opposing defenders while wearing the gold and black. The Iowa native played in 142 games for New Orleans, starting 97 of them and quickly asserting himself as an anchor for the offensive line after stealing a top spot on the depth chart.
Hilgenberg managed a single Pro Bowl appearance back in 1992. While the lack of league-wide recognition is a bit of a bummer, his role in three-straight playoff appearances was more than enough to earn him this spot on a list loaded with talent.
Fun fact: Hilgenberg is one of only a handful of brother duos to play along the same offensive lines in NFL history. He and his brother Jay Hilgenberg both played for the Saints at the same time, providing even more awesomeness to his New Orleans legacy.