Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

NFL

Tracy Porter, Brett Maxie, Ed Daniels and Steve Gleason set to be honored by Saints Hall of Fame

The media selection committee of the Saints Hall of Fame has selected cornerback Tracy Porter and safety Brett Maxie for induction in 2025. In addition, two awards will be given out by the media selection committee. The first is the Joe Gemelli “Fleur de Lis” Award, which will be presented posthumously to former WGNO Sports Director Ed Daniels. The second is the Saints Hall of Fame Courage Award, which will honor Steve Gleason, whose unwavering strength continues to inspire the entire New Orleans community.

Porter, 5 feet 11, 200 pounds, is one of the most celebrated defensive backs in franchise history. He played four seasons with the Saints from 2008-2011 after being selected in the second round (40th overall) of the 2008 NFL Draft out of Indiana. In 43 career regular season games with 39 starts for the Black and Gold, the Port Allen native recorded 227 tackles (178 solo), seven interceptions, four forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and 37 pass breakups. He also started all six postseason contests he appeared in, posting 34 tackles (28 solo), two interception returns for 100 yards, including one brought back 74 yards to clinch the team’s Super Bowl XLIV victory, one forced fumble and two pass breakups. Porter also played one season with Denver (2012), one season with Oakland (2013), one season with Washington (2014) and two with Chicago (2015-16),

One of the most iconic plays in Saints history came at the hands of Porter in Super Bowl XLIV against the Indianapolis Colts. With just 3:24 remaining and the Colts threatening to tie the game, Porter anticipated a slant route and jumped in front of Peyton Manning’s pass at the 26-yard line, and sprinted 74 yards for a touchdown. The interception did not just seal the victory—it ignited a celebration across New Orleans as the Saints captured their first-ever Super Bowl title, forever changing the legacy of the franchise and the spirit of the city. Two weeks earlier in the NFC Championship played at the Superdome against the Minnesota Vikings, Porter intercepted Brett Favre with 19 seconds left in the fourth quarter at the New Orleans 22-yard line to stop a potential Vikings game-winning drive and sending the contest to overtime where the Saints would prevail, 31-28, to clinch their ticket to Super Bowl XLIV.

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

Maxie, 6-2, 210, was an undrafted free agent that signed with New Orleans to begin his NFL career in 1985 out of Texas Southern. He played nine seasons for the Black and Gold and wreaked havoc as one of the best safeties in franchise history. In 118 games with 72 starts, Maxie recorded 438 tackles, 15 interception returns for 206 yards with three brought back for touchdowns, three sacks, five fumble recoveries and one special teams stop. He also started all three postseason contests he played in for New Orleans, including the first playoff contest in franchise history on January 3, 1988, vs. Minnesota. The 1987 season marked the Saints’ first winning record in franchise history at 12-3, with Maxie playing a pivotal role in their success. In Week 11 at Pittsburgh, Maxie made a play that is remembered as one of a signature moment in Saints history. He secured a key tackle on fourth down to seal not only the victory for New Orleans, but also the first winning season in the 20-year history of the Saints. Maxie also played for the Atlanta Falcons (1994), Carolina Panthers (1995-96) and San Francisco 49ers (1997).

Daniels was a New Orleans native who graduated from Rummel High School and Loyola University. He began his broadcasting career in Lake Charles in 1980 before moving back to New Orleans to work as a sports reporter at WDSU-6. After working there for almost a decade, he found his permanent professional home at WGNO in 1992 as the station’s sports director.

Daniels covered the Saints, Pelicans and the area’s college and high school sports scene with the utmost professionalism throughout his tenure. One of his biggest achievements was engineering the creation of the station’s “Friday Night Football” program, dedicated to shedding attention on high school sports and its athletes as a whole.

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

Daniels also served as a radio color analyst for the Saints preseason radio broadcasts from 1995-99 and was an original member of the Saints Hall of Fame Selection Committee since its inception in 1988. He was recognized for his work by receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Press Club of New Orleans in 2014 and was three times named the Louisiana Sportscaster of the Year by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association. Daniels died in 2024 at 67.

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Posts

NFL

‎ The New England Patriots are gearing up for a crucial offseason, with the combine and free agency on the horizon. In this article,...

NFL

OFFICIAL: Steelers Lock In Franchise Star — T.J. Watt Signs Three-Year, $40.5 Million Contract Extension to Anchor Pittsburgh Defense Through 2027   Pittsburgh, PA...

Duke Blue devils

In a stunning turn of events, Duke phenom Cooper Flagg has found himself at the center of a high-stakes scenario that could change the...

Advertisement