In just his first year with the Saints, the former Oklahoma standout helped captain the defense while leading the team in tackles and starting all 16 games at middle linebacker. Originally a second round (37th overall) selection by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2008 NFL Draft, the versatile linebacker has started 79 of the 80 games he has appeared in and has totaled 734 tackles (481 solo), five sacks, three interceptions, nine forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and 25 passes defensed. Lofton totaled double-digit tackle numbers seven times in his first campaign with the Black and Gold on his way to posting the highest tackle total for a Saints defender since 1997.
NFL CAREER – In just his first year with the Saints, the former Oklahoma standout helped captain the defense while leading the team in tackles and starting all 16 games at middle linebacker. Originally a second round (37th overall) selection by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2008 NFL Draft, the versatile linebacker has started 79 of the 80 games he has appeared in and has totaled 734 tackles (481 solo), five sacks, three interceptions, nine forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and 25 passes defensed. Lofton totaled double-digit tackle numbers seven times in his first campaign with the Black and Gold on his way to posting the highest tackle total for a Saints defender since 1997.
CAREER TRANSACTIONS – Agreed to terms on a five-year contract with the Saints (UFA-Atl.), 3/24/12; Signed to a four-year contract by the Falcons, 7/25/08; Selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the second round (37th overall) of the 2008 NFL Draft.
HONORS – 2011: NFC Defensive Player of the Week (Week 17); 2008: Pro Football Weekly/PFWA All-Rookie; The Sporting News All-Rookie
2012 – Started all 16 games at MLB, while posting double-digit tackle totals seven times. Recorded 157 tackles (94 solo), one sack, 10 passes defensed, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries…Registered eight stops (five solo) in his Saints debut vs. Washington, Sept. 9…Tied for the team lead with 13 tackles (eight solo) at Carolina, Sept. 16…Registered a season-high and team-leading 14 tackles (ten solo) and tied a career-high with two passes defensed vs. Kansas City, Sept. 23…Posted double-digit stops, 13 (nine solo), for the third consecutive contest while leading the team at Green Bay, Sept. 30…Recorded nine tackles (eight solo) and a sack of Philip Rivers for a loss of 12 yards vs. San Diego, Oct. 7…Led defense with 12 tackles (seven solo) while also adding a pass defense and a fumble recovery at Denver, Oct. 28…Posted eight stops (six solo) and forced a fumble vs. Philadelphia, Nov. 5…Totaled team-leading nine tackles (four solo) vs. San Francisco, Nov. 25…Led team with 12 tackles (six solo) including one stop for a loss and a pass defense at Atlanta, Nov. 29…Ranked first on team with 12 stops (seven solo) at N.Y. Giants, Dec. 9…Tied for team lead with eight tackles (five solo), adding a pass defense and making a key play to get New Orleans the ball back at the Cowboys five-yard line when he forced DeMarco Murray to fumble and picked it up, setting up a quick touchdown at Dallas, Dec. 23…Finished second on team with seven tackles (three solo) and added a pass defense vs. Carolina, Dec. 30. 2011 – Started all 16 games at MLB, posting a career-high 167 tackles (101 solo) in addition to a sack, two interceptions, one returned for a touchdown, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and seven passes defensed…Anchored one of league’s top run defenses as the Falcons finished ranked sixth in the NFL (97.0 yards per game)…Recorded double-digit stop totals 10 times…Started at MLB in NFC Wild Card Playoff at N.Y. Giants, 1/8/12, and tied for team lead with 12 tackles…Registered 13 tackles (eight solo), including a stop for a loss at Chicago, Sept. 11…Contributed a team-high 11 tackles (nine solo) and two passes defensed vs. Philadelphia, Sept. 18…Finished with 13 tackles (eight solo), with a stop for a loss at Tampa Bay, Sept. 25…Picked off Tavaris Jackson for his second career interception at Seattle, Oct. 2, in addition to nine tackles (four solo)…Made 12 tackles (four solo) vs. Green Bay, Oct. 9…Posted nine tackles (six solo) and a pass defense vs. Carolina, Oct. 16…Recorded 11 tackles (eight solo) at Detroit, Oct. 23…Posted 12 tackles and forced Delone Carter to fumble on the Colts’ second play from scrimmage at Indianapolis, Nov. 6…Made 10 tackles (six solo), including one stop for a loss vs. New Orleans, Nov. 13…Recorded a season-high 14 tackles (11 solo) and first sack of 2011 at Houston, Dec. 4…Registered eight tackles (six solo) and first-career fumble recovery vs. Jacksonville, Dec. 15…Made nine tackles (three solo), one for a loss vs. New Orleans, Dec. 26…Led defense with 14 stops (eight solo), tying his season-high and returned an interception 26 yards for his first-career touchdown vs. Tampa Bay, 1/1/12, as he was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week. 2010 – Started all 16 games at MLB and finished with 142 tackles (101 solo), two sacks, three forced fumbles, an interception and three passes defensed, as he led team in stops and forced fumbles…Registered double-digit tackles seven times…Tallied 12 tackles (10 solo) and a sack for a nine-yard loss at Pittsburgh, Sept. 12…Registered nine tackles (eight solo), a second quarter sack of Alex Smith, an interception and a pass defense vs. San Francisco, Oct. 3…Recorded season-high 17 tackles (12 solo) at Philadelphia, Oct. 17…Logged nine tackles (six solo), a career-high two forced fumbles and a pass defense vs. Cincinnati, Oct. 24…Notched 11 tackles (eight solo) vs. Baltimore, Nov. 11…Posted 11 tackles (nine solo) at St. Louis, Nov. 21…Registered six tackles, one pass defense and forced Aaron Rodgers to fumble, which was recovered by Atlanta in the end zone vs. Green Bay, Nov. 28…Finished with 10 tackles (seven solo) at Tampa Bay, Dec. 5…Notched 11 tackles (nine solo) vs. New Orleans, Dec. 27. 2009 – Started all 16 games at MLB and posted a team-high 160 tackles, two passes defensed and two forced fumbles…Recorded 13 tackles and one forced fumble in opener vs. Miami, Sept. 13…Registered career-high 19 tackles (13 solo) at New England, Sept. 27…Collared 11 tackles, one stop for a loss and one forced fumble against Chicago, Oct. 18…Finished with a team-high 15 tackles at the N.Y. Giants, Nov. 22, which included 14 solo stops. 2008 – Appeared in all 16 games with 15 starts at MLB as a rookie and finished with 108 tackles, one sack, one forced fumble, three passes defensed and seven special teams stops…Ranked second in the NFL for tackles among all rookies…Earned NFL All-Rookie honors from both The Sporting News and Pro Football Weekly…Had 11 tackles (eight solo) vs. Chicago, Oct. 12…Tallied two tackles, one forced fumble and his first career sack when he took down Donavan McNabb for a loss of seven yards at Philadelphia, Oct. 26…Notched a team-high seven tackles at Oakland, Nov. 2, for a defense that did not allow a first down in the first half and allowed a franchise-low three in the entire game…Posted six tackles (five solo) in NFC Wild Card Playoff game at Arizona, 1/3/09.
COLLEGE – Appeared in 38 games with 19 starts as a three-year letterman at Oklahoma from 2004-07…Finished his college career with 197 tackles, 16 stops for a loss, one sack, three interceptions, four forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and two passes defensed…As a junior, earned FWAA, Sports Illustrated, and The Sporting News First Team All-American honors in addition to AP Second Team All-America as a senior when he recorded 157 tackles, tied for the seventh-best season total in school history and the most by a Sooner since 1979…Also named Associated Press Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year in 2007 while garnering All-Big 12 First Team accolades by coaches and AP.
PERSONAL – Attended Kingfisher (Okla.) HS, where he was a three-year letterman at LB and FB…Led the team with 168 tackles as senior and finished career with 505 total stops…2004 Parade first-team All-American…Led team to 3A State Championship in 2003 and semifinals in 2004…Garnered All-State honors by The Oklahoman and first-team Coaches All-State in 2004…Also competed on basketball and track teams…One of the most active Saints players in community, participated in club’s Play 60 Hometown Huddle event and is also a regular visitor of patients at Ochsner Medical Center…Born June 2, 1986.
