Former New Orleans Saints quarterback Aaron Brooks and kicker John Carney have been elected to the Saints Hall of Fame for the Class of 2014. The selections were made by the Saints Hall of Fame Media Selection Committee.
Brooks became the Saints' starting quarterback in November 2000, and six weeks later, he led the team to its first playoff victory, a 31-28 triumph over the defending Super Bowl champion St. Louis Rams in the Superdome. The former University of Virginia standout would remain behind center in New Orleans for the next five seasons, starting a total of 82 regular-season games for the Black and Gold.
Brooks ended his Saints career by completing 56.4 percent of his passes for 19,156 yards, 120 touchdowns and 84 interceptions. His touchdown total ranks second and his yardage total third in Saints history. Brooks' best season statistically was in 2003, when he completed a career-best 59.1 percent of his pass attempts and he had an NFL-low interception rate of 1.5 percent.
Carney spent all or part of eight seasons (2001-06, 09-10) with the Saints as part of a 23-year NFL career in which he became one of only three players in history to play in four decades and became one of seven players to score more than 2,000 career points.
A product of Notre Dame, Carney connected on a franchise record 82.8 percent of his field-goal attempts as a Saint. His 168 field goals made, 203 attempts and 768 points scored all rank second in team history.
Of the 471 placement attempts in Carney's career as a Saint, perhaps his most famous was the game-winning field goal in the 2005 season opener against Carolina, 13 days after the region was ravaged by Hurricane Katrina. Coincidentally, an image of Brooks congratulating Carney after his game-winning kick graced the cover of the Sept. 19, 2005, issue of Sports Illustrated. Overall, Carney booted six game-winning field goals within the last 10 seconds of a contest since he joined the club in 2001.
The induction will take place at a date to be determined during the 2014 NFL season.
The Saints Hall of Fame Museum is located at Gate B on the Plaza Level of the Mercedes-Benz Superdome and is open by appointment during the week (Monday-Friday) between 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at a cost of $7 per person or $5 for seniors, children under 12 and for groups of 10 or more. For more information, call (504) 471-2192.
AARON BROOKS (2000-05—6 seasons)
• Quarterbacked Saints to first playoff victory in franchise history in 2000 vs. St. Louis
• Ranks second in franchise history with 120 passing touchdowns
• Ranks third in Saints history with 19,156 passing yards
• Had 10 career 300-yard passing games as a Saint, second-most in team history
• Set then-franchise record with 441 passing yards vs Denver, Dec. 3, 2000
• Shares team record for pass attempts in a game (60)
JOHN CARNEY (2001-06, 09-10—8 seasons)
• Saints' career leader in field goal percentage (.828)
• Ranks second in team history in points (768), field goals made (168), field goals attempted (203) and points after touchdown (264)
• Shares team record for field goals made in a season (31 in 2002)
• Kicked record-tying five field goals in a game on three occasions
• Kicked game-winning field goal in 2005 season opener at Carolina, Saints' first game after Katrina
• As a Saint, kicked six game-winning field goals within the last 10 seconds of a contest.
PREVIOUS HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
1988—Archie Manning and Danny Abramowicz
1989—Tommy Myers and Tom Dempsey
1990—Billy Kilmer
1991—Tony Galbreath and Derland Moore
1992—George Rogers, Jake Kupp and John Hill
1993—Joe Federspiel
1994—Henry Childs and Jim Finks
1995—Doug Atkins and Bob Pollard
1996—Dave Whitsell and Dave Waymer
1997—Stan Brock and Rickey Jackson
1998—Dalton Hilliard and Sam Mills
1999—Bobby Hebert and Eric Martin
2000—Pat Swilling and Vaughan Johnson
2001—Jim Wilks and Hoby Brenner
2002—Jim Mora and Frank Warren
2003—Jim Dombrowski and Wayne Martin
2004—Rueben Mayes and Steve Sidwell
**2005—No induction due to Hurricane Katrina
2006—Joel Hilgenberg
2007—Joe Johnson
2008—William Roaf
2009—Morten Andersen
2010—Joe Horn
2011—Sammy Knight
2012—Tom Benson and Deuce McAllister
2013—La'Roi Glover
