2001 New Orleans Saints season

The 2001 season was the New Orleans Saints' 35th in the National Football League (NFL) and their 26th playing home games at the Louisiana Superdome. The Saints failed to improve on their 10–6 record and NFC West division championship from 2000 and finished 7–9, thus missing the playoffs for the eighth time in the past nine seasons.

2001 New Orleans Saints season
Head coach	Jim Haslett
Home stadium	Louisiana Superdome
Results
Record	7–9
Division place	3rd NFC West
Playoffs	Did not qualify
Pro Bowlers	3 WR Joe Horn DT La'Roi Glover SS Sammy Knight
← 2000 Saints seasons 2002 →

The Saints were outscored 160–52 in their final four games, including losses of 40–10 and 38–0 in their last two games, against the Washington Redskins and the San Francisco 49ers.

Offseason

NFL draft

Main article: 2001 NFL draft

2001 New Orleans Saints draft
Round	Pick	Player	Position	College	Notes
1	23	Deuce McAllister *	Running back	Mississippi
3	70	Sedrick Hodge	Linebacker	North Carolina
3	81	Kenny Smith	Defensive tackle	Alabama
4	115	Moran Norris	Fullback	Kansas
5	153	Onomo Ojo	Wide receiver	UC Davis
6	185	Mitch White	Offensive tackle	Oregon State
7	221	Ennis Davis	Defensive tackle	USC
Made roster    *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

^[1]

Personnel

Staff

2001 New Orleans Saints staff

Front office Owner – Tom Benson General manager of football operations – Randy Mueller Assistant general manager of football operations – Charles Bailey Director of football administration – Mickey Loomis Director of player personnel – Rick Mueller College Scouting Coordinator – Rick Thompson Head coaches Head coach – Jim Haslett Assistant head coach/secondary – Rick Venturi Offensive coaches Offensive coordinator – Mike McCarthy Quarterbacks – Frank Cignetti, Jr. Running backs – Dave Atkins Wide receivers – Hubbard Alexander Tight ends – Bob Palcic Offensive line – Jack Henry Offensive assistant/quality control – Jim Hostler

Defensive coaches Defensive coordinator – Ron Zook Defensive line – Sam Clancy Linebackers – Winston Moss Secondary/special teams Assistant – Joe Baker Defensive assistant/quality control – Mike Woodford Special teams coaches Special teams – Al Everest Strength and conditioning Strength and conditioning – Rock Gullickson Assistant strength and conditioning – Evan Marcus

Roster

2001 New Orleans Saints roster

Quarterbacks (QB) 18 Jeff Blake  2 Aaron Brooks 12 Jake Delhomme Running backs (RB) 27 James Fenderson 25 Fred McAfee 26 Deuce McAllister KR 33 Moran Norris FB 44 Terrelle Smith FB 34 Ricky Williams Wide receivers (WR) 87 Joe Horn 88 Willie Jackson 84 Michael Lewis 89 Wane McGarity PR 86 Onome Ojo WR 80 Robert Wilson Tight ends (TE) 81 Lamont Hall 83 Johnny Mitchell 82 Boo Williams

Offensive linemen (OL) 69 Tom Ackerman C/G 62 Jerry Fontenot C 65 Chris Naeole G 70 Marcus Price T 76 Tutan Reyes G/T 74 Scott Sanderson T 78 Daryl Terrell G/T 68 Kyle Turley T 63 Wally Williams G Defensive linemen (DL) 92 Martin Chase DT 97 La'Roi Glover DT 93 Darren Howard DE 94 Joe Johnson DE 90 Kenny Smith DT 98 Willie Whitehead DE

Linebackers (LB) 56 Charlie Clemons MLB 52 Sedrick Hodge OLB 57 Curtis Holden OLB 58 Jonathan Jackson MLB 59 Keith Mitchell OLB 54 Darrin Smith OLB Defensive backs (DB) 20 Jay Bellamy FS 41 Tim Carter CB 37 Steve Gleason SS 36 Michael Hawthorne CB 21 Steve Israel CB 29 Sammy Knight SS 31 Richard Newsome FS 28 Chris Oldham CB 22 Fred Thomas CB 24 Fred Weary CB 42 Jerry Wilson CB/S Special teams (ST)  3 John Carney K  4 Toby Gowin P 47 Kevin Houser LS

Practice squad 96 Jermaine Miles DE 30 Dee Moronkola CB 11 Jim Robinson WR 39 Trayvon Waller S 79 Mitch White T 53 active, 7 inactive, 5 practice squad Reserve 50 Phil Clarke LB (IR) 85 Cam Cleeland TE (IR) -- Albert Connell WR (Susp.) 99 Norman Hand DT (IR) 53 Roger Knight LB (IR) 23 Kevin Mathis CB (IR) 77 Willie Roaf T (IR) Rookies in italics

Regular season

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Attendance
1	September 9	at Buffalo Bills	W 24–6	1–0	Ralph Wilson Stadium	71,447
2[A]	Bye
3	September 30	at New York Giants	L 13–21	1–1	Giants Stadium	78,451
4	October 7	Minnesota Vikings	W 28–15	2–1	Louisiana Superdome	70,020
5	October 14	at Carolina Panthers	W 27–25	3–1	Ericcson Stadium	72,049
6	October 21	Atlanta Falcons	L 13–20	3–2	Louisiana Superdome	70,020
7	October 28	at St. Louis Rams	W 34–31	4–2	Trans World Dome	66,189
8	November 4	New York Jets	L 9–16	4–3	Louisiana Superdome	70,020
9	November 11	at San Francisco 49ers	L 27–28	4–4	3Com Park	68,063
10	November 18	Indianapolis Colts	W 34–20	5–4	Louisiana Superdome	70,020
11	November 25	at New England Patriots	L 17–34	5–5	Foxboro Stadium	60,292
12	December 2	Carolina Panthers	W 27–23	6–5	Louisiana Superdome	70,020
13	December 9	at Atlanta Falcons	W 28–10	7–5	Georgia Dome	68,826
14	December 17	St. Louis Rams	L 21–34	7–6	Louisiana Superdome	70,332
15	December 23	at Tampa Bay Buccaneers	L 21–48	7–7	Raymond James Stadium	65,526
16	December 30	Washington Redskins	L 10–40	7–8	Louisiana Superdome	70,020
17[A]	January 6	San Francisco 49ers	L 0–38	7–9	Louisiana Superdome	70,020
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Standings

NFC West
view talk edit	W	L	T	PCT	PF	PA	STK
(1) St. Louis Rams	14	2	0	.875	503	273	W6
(5) San Francisco 49ers	12	4	0	.750	409	282	W1
New Orleans Saints	7	9	0	.438	333	409	L4
Atlanta Falcons	7	9	0	.438	291	377	L2
Carolina Panthers	1	15	0	.063	253	410	L15

Notes

1. The Saints were originally scheduled to host the San Francisco 49ers during Week 2 of the original NFL schedule (September 16) at Louisiana Superdome. However, due to the September 11 attacks, the game was rescheduled to Week 17.