The Best Pro Athletes From New Orleans, Ranked

17. Odell Beckham, Jr.

He ’s still on the young side of his vocation , but ODB is forging a strong path for himself in the NFL , having been named the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2014 and going to the Pro Bowl in ‘ 14 and last year . It ’s a career deserving learn , but still a bit unripened . We just hope he ’ll see the lighter , move back home to NOLA , and give a hand to the Who Dat Nation in our dire times . Help us , Odell !

16. Michael Lewis

He might not have been the biggest star in the NFL , but Lewis ’s upgrade from New Orleans beer truck driver to receiver for his hometown Saints is both noteworthy and inspirational , so we ’re throwing him on here . Ever view “ unbeatable ” with Markie Mark ? It ’s like that , only with the Saints , which is clearly way well , and we be intimate an awesome underdog story .

15. Eddie Price

This one goes a ways back , but Price had a celebrated life history at Tulane as a linebacker and move on to lead the NFL in rushing for the NY Giants in 1951 , clear him a office in the Hall of Fame . If you look at the photos , he ’s almost comically pocket-sized compared to the beasts in the innovative NFL , but the man had it where it counted . To this day , no Tulane player has yet to beat his record of 3,095 career railway yard . That ’s monolithic .

14. Tazzie Colomb

If you ’re not a fan of female professional muscle building ( and why would you not be ? ) , the name Tazzie Colomb probably does n’t call up a bell . But it should , because Tazzie has become one of the most prolific bodybuilding / powerlifting cleaning woman in the domain , and one of longest competing IFBB professional bodybuilders of all time . In a sport that unhappily pretty much nobody pays attending to , Tazzie is a star , and a NOLA native to kick . You rock , Taz .

13. Reggie Wayne

A Super Bowl champion and six - time Pro Bowl filling , Reggie was a wide receiver to be reckoned with during his career with the Colts . He even go the league in receiving yards in 2007 , a land tenure that include fellow teammate and New Orleanian Peyton Manning , which surely did n’t bruise his hazard of have a chunk placed absolutely into his hands . The seventh in all - time career receptions and eighth in receive yards , the gentleman’s gentleman had a talent for play grab . And , you know , pull ahead football game games .

12. Sylvester Ritter (i.e.,“The Junkyard Dog”)

Artfully speaking , “ pro sport ” also includes “ pro wrestling , ” so we ’re obliged to nod our heads at The Junkyard Dog here , one of the mainstay of Hogan - era WWF wrestling in the ‘ 80 , along with the Iron Sheik , Roddy Piper , Jake the Snake , Rowdy Roddy Piper , and other great . Notably , JYD was " the first dim grappler to be made the unquestioned top star of his promotion , ” for which he should be acknowledged , as well as his deafening and charismatic coming into court in the band .

11. Marshall Faulk

With a rushing phonograph record of 12,280 yards , a Super Bowl Ring , three team MVP , and an NFL Hall of Fame career , Faulk is not just one of the best running backs to ever come out of New Orleans , but one of the best to roleplay the gameperiod . He was big , but fast as hell , clock the 100 G at 10.3 seconds . Think of that : the length of an intact football field … in less than 11 second base . And then he made a habit of doing that kind of thing with all sorts of angry , juiced - up teras trying to down him . On top of that , he ’s still holds numerous NFL career records , everything from most receiving yards by a running back in a season to several that start with “ fastest instrumentalist to ever … ” It ’s a earnestly impressive listing .

10. Avery Johnson

Johnson , an elegant point safety nicknamed “ The Little General , ” is best bang for his stretch playing for the San Antonio Spurs , during which the team dominated the court and won the backup in 1999 . After sixteen years in the NBA for various team , Johnson continued his career as a highly successful coach for the Mavericks ( fastest tutor to ever reach 150 wins ) and the NJ / Brooklyn Nets ; he is currently the men ’s tutor at Alabama . And we ’ll forgive him for wearing Crimson Tide red , because he went to St. Aug. and at nerve he ’s all NOLA .

9. Archie Manning

The paterfamilias . The humanity . The Manning ! Archie hails from Mississippi , sure as shooting , but he ’s clear an adopted Logos of the Crescent City , having magnificently quarterbacked for a horribly beleaguered Saints team , but he was – and still is – one of the most beloved jock in New Orleans . The fact that he both father and lift two succeeding NFL Hall of Fame signal caller here should really say it all , but that ’s a aloof second to his own prowess on the field , which was truly something to see , especially in spite of tragically horrible offensive protection ( he got give the sack … a lot ) . Also , his first name is really “ Elisha , ” so you cognise it could n’t have been easy for him as a kid .

8. Eli Manning

OK , so Eli might really have more championship ring than his brother , but that does n’t necessarily have in mind he ’s a better field general . Statistically speaking , he does n’t even come near . This , of path , will be debated into the ages in bars and living rooms across the country , and specially in NOLA , for years to come . As the youngest Manning , he ’s always had something to test , but it ’s safe to say he ’s proven it , and will in all likelihood get together his big blood brother in the Hall of Fame some year down the road .

7. Will Clark

How could we perchance give off “ Will the Thrill ” ? His legacy is attributed mostly to his powerful term of office with the San Francisco Giants , but NOLA locals still share stories of him tap homers into the upper stories of theater across the ballock orbit when he was a NOLA high schooler . In fact , his first MLB coming into court at the plate resulted in a home run … against Nolan friggin ’ Ryan , of all hurler . From there , he cemented his position in the firmament of New Orleans - bred mutation stars .

6. Audrey Patterson

She does n’t have the most recognizable name in the world of pro summercater , but track superstar Audrey Patterson should be known to all and taught to schoolchildren across the commonwealth because of a singularly impactful achievement : she was the first African - American woman to win a medal in the Olympics . This bump in 1948 , at the London Olympics , and is a will to her artistry as a gifted smuggler , both a national and international star as well as an Olympic god . An amazing woman and a portrayal of sportsmanship and resilience .

5. Paul Morphy

Whether or not you conceive competitive chess game a “ athletics , ” there ’s no deny that Morphy , a womb-to-tomb New Orleanian , was one of the titans of the game . Even the elusive Bobby Fischer admitted as much . He was hailed ( unofficially ) as a Chess World Champion , and essentially the hombre just could n’t be tick . A tragic death at age 40 present him the nickname “ The Pride and Sorrow of Chess , ” but two things were for certain : he was a headmaster , and he was from New Orleans .

4. Clyde Drexler

He might be known mostly for his control on the court for the Portland Trailblazers ( and anyone who playedNBA Jamin the ‘ 90s wanted Drexler on their team ) , but Clyde is a lofty Logos of the Big Easy . The all - prison term leading scorekeeper for Portland , he was a 10 - clip All Star , a championship victor , and a appendage of the NBA ’s 50th day of remembrance “ All Time Team . ” Not bad for a kid from NOLA , right ?

3. Pete Maravich

OK , so technically “ Pistol ” Pete Maravich was n’t contain or raise in New Orleans , but we ’re have him extra consideration here based on 1 ) his exceptional , mind - boggle gift on the basketball motor lodge , and 2 ) how important his legacy has been to the city . Maravich displayed an effortless elegance and handling skills seldom cope with in the history of the secret plan , first at LSU , and then in the pro , where he dazzled fan while playing for the New Orleans Jazz . When he was initiate into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame ( one of the youngest ever ) , he was cited as " perhaps the greatest originative offensive talent in account . ” The man was inaccessible and a legend .

2. Mel Ott

People do n’t recall “ baseball ” and “ New Orleans ” very often , mostly because we have n’t had a major conference team here in … well , ever . But one of the absolute titans of the game was a bona fide New Orleanian : Mel Ott , one of the best power hitters to ever peck up a squash racket . Technically , he ’s from Gretna , right across the river , but that ’s just splitting hairs . No player in chronicle has yet to best his 18 - season batting dominance record , not even in the recent era of steroid dingers . And with eight successive 100 RBI season ( the first in chronicle , and still an elite club ) , twirler would just take the air the guy rather than getting the pill anywhere near the plate . That , friends , is how good this New Orleanian was at the plot .

1. Peyton Manning

As far as homegrown skill and talent on the gridiron are concerned , it ’s difficult to top Peyton “ chicken Parm you taste so good ” Manning , who will for 10 be make love as one of the not bad field general to ever play the game . It does n’t hurt that you have the genes and the training from an NFL legend as a founding father , but Peyton was put oppose teams to shame in high school , then at Tennessee , and long into his heralded pro calling with the Colts and the Broncos . His stats are almost unreal , and it ’s only a matter of time before he ’s in the Hall of Fame . One of the smartest , most intuitive , savviest QBs to play the game .

Honorable Mention: Richard Simmons

So aerobics instruction on TV is n’t a professional sport . So what ? ! We still love Richard and all his ebullience for fitness , peculiarly for friends and family of a certain age whom he ’s instigate to get dynamic and “ sudate to the oldies . ” sanctify you , good sir !

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