The New Orleans Saints have the chance to add two players to their list of Pro Football Hall of Famers this year. Drew Brees and Jahri Evans have made it past the semifinalist stage and were announced as finalists for this year's Hall of Fame Class.
Brees and Evans played together for 11 years, and for 11 years, Evans was a critical piece of protecting Brees. Keeping the interior clean is important for any quarterback, but it was even more important for Brees as a vertically challenged quarterback. It's no coincidence that the Saints best years from 2009-2013, Evans was an All-Pro player each season.
The Saints don't have an expansive list of players enshrined in Canton, and a few of those players and coaches only saw New Orleans for a minor stretch of their career. Brees and Evans are Saints through and through. If the Saints pull of the two for one special, it'll put Brees and Evans in a rare class of teammates inducted together.
Drew Brees and Jahri Evans hoping to pull off the rare feat of teammates being inducted in the Hall of Fame together
There are countless players who have played together who have shared the field together that are also in Canton together. However, that list shrinks dramatically when you look at how many of those teammates were also enshrined in the same year.
It takes a phenomenal career and a bit of luck as well. For example, Ray Lewis and Ed Reed were clear first ballot players. Many thought they'd ride off into the sunset together after the Ravens' Super Bowl victory. Reed chose to play one more year away from Baltimore, and that kept the iconic duo from going in together.
Both Brees and Evans have the career part under wraps, and it's the reason we're in this situation. Now it's time to see if luck is on their side. Does the wait finally stop for Evans when Brees is up for consideration?
Drew Brees is one of the most obvious Hall of Famers you'll ever see. Brees was a key part of defining what is considered as the Golden Age of quarterbacks. When he called it quits, you could buy your plane ticket 5 years in advance. There was absolutely no doubt Brees would be a first ballot Hall of Famer.
Evans is a different story. He's worked his way up from a semifinalist to a finalist in the last three years. The road is tough, but the door is open for Evans this year. It's not a ridiculous slate of first ballot players, so this could be the year the offensive lineman gets the knock. If he gets to go in with his quarterback, the wait will certainly be worth it. It would also provide a great moment for Saints fans.