Jim Taylor Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Saints' first-ever draft pick and a Pro Football Hall of Fame legend who revolutionized the running game.
Jim Taylor stands as a towering figure not only for the Green Bay Packers but also in the broader history of American football, having been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1976. While his legendary career was defined by his dominance with the Packers during their championship era, his legacy resonates deeply within New Orleans Saints lore due to a pivotal moment in franchise history: he was the first player ever drafted by the Saints in the team's inaugural 1967 expansion draft.
- Role
- Running Back
- Hall of Fame Induction Year
- 1976
- Saints Draft Status
- First-ever pick (1967 Expansion Draft)
- Career MVP Award
- 1966 NFL Most Valuable Player
- Super Bowl Appearances
- 2 (with Green Bay Packers)
- Pro Bowl Selections
- 5
Lore & Background
Despite never playing a single down in a Saints uniform, Taylor remains the only player ever selected by New Orleans who would go on to be enshrined in Canton. His selection highlighted the desperate optimism of the early Saints era, where management reached for established legends to build a foundation. Today, his name is often cited in historical retrospectives as a 'what if' that underscores the difficulty of building a contender from scratch in 1967.
In Their Own Story
The air in the draft room was thick with anticipation and cheap cigars as the New Orleans Saints prepared for their first official act. The General Manager's hand hovered over the list, fingers trembling slightly before settling on the name that made Green Bay shudder: Jim Taylor. It was a bold gamble to steal the league's most feared running back from Vince Lombardi's dynasty. Though Taylor would never don the black and gold, the mere selection sent a shockwave through the NFL, signaling that New Orleans intended to play with the best, even if the dream of landing him in the Superdome remained unfulfilled.
Reader's Guide
The Achievement: Being selected as the first-ever pick by the New Orleans Saints in the 1967 Expansion Draft. When it Happened: January 1967, during the initial expansion draft held to populate the new franchise rosters before their inaugural season. Significance: This selection marks a unique historical footnote where the Saints' first-ever player choice was a future Hall of Famer. While Jim Taylor never played for New Orleans due to his contract status and loyalty to Green Bay, his selection demonstrated the high aspirations of the Saints' founding ownership. It remains the only instance in NFL history where an expansion team's very first pick resulted in a Pro Football Hall of Fame legend, even if he never suited up for them.
Did You Know?
- Jim Taylor was the first player ever selected by the New Orleans Saints, chosen with their first overall pick in the 1967 Expansion Draft.
- He is the only player drafted by the Saints who has been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, despite never playing a game for them.
- Taylor won the NFL Most Valuable Player award in 1966 while playing for Green Bay, just prior to being selected by New Orleans.
- He was part of the famous 'Three Yards and a Cloud of Dust' offense under Vince Lombardi before his selection by the Saints.