Former New Orleans Saints safety Sammy Knight has been elected to the Saints Hall of Fame while former long-time media member Bruce Miller has been chosen as the recipient of the Joe Gemelli Fleur De Lis Award for 2011. Both will be inducted at a ceremony this fall.
Knight, who played six seasons for the Saints from 1997-2002, was part of the first New Orleans Saints team in franchise history to win a playoff game in the 2000 season under Jim Haslett.
Signed as a free agent out of USC in 1997, Knight led the Saints in interceptions in five of his six seasons in New Orleans and he remains the all-time leader in interception returns for touchdowns in franchise history with four.
Knight is third all-time in New Orleans Saints history in interceptions with 28. He recorded 100 or more tackles in four of six seasons with the Saints. Knight was chosen as a Pro Bowl starter in 2001.
Knight was durable with the Saints, starting all 16 games for four consecutive years from 1999-2002. He had ten fumble recoveries and forced five fumbles in his New Orleans Saints career.
Knight had a career-high three interceptions in the season opener at Buffalo on September 9, 2001, tying a club record.
Miller, who worked in sports media for 50 years, came to New Orleans in December of 1957 and never left the Crescent City other than serving three months in Lake Charles in 1974, worked at WDSU Television (1961-1973), WDSU Radio (1957-1961), WGSO Radio (1974-1980) and at WWL Radio (1980-2000).
While at WWL, Miller covered the New Orleans Saints for over two decades, hosting the team's radio pre-game and halftime radio shows, hosting a show with Offensive Coordinator King Hill, conducting post-game interviews with Jim Mora and filling in twice to do play-by-play and color on the Saints Radio Network.
Miller served as the play-by-play voice of Tulane University from 1959-1975 and later worked two more years with Green Wave broadcasts. Miller was inducted into the Tulane Athletics Hall of Fame in 2007.
SAFETY SAMMY KNIGHT (1997-2002—6 seasons)
*Led Saints in interceptions in five of six seasons in New Orleans ('97, '98, '00, '01, '02)
*Had 6 interceptions in 1998 and 2001—3rd in NFL in interception return yards with 171 in 1998
*All-time leader in interception returns for touchdowns with 4
*Had 3 interceptions at Buffalo on 9/9/01 (season opener)
*Recovered team-high 5 fumbles, club-best 6 interceptions in 2001
*3rd all-time in interceptions with 28 for 464 yards and 4 touchdowns, had 22 pass deflections
*Had over 100 tackles in four of six seasons (1999—102, 2000—116, 2001-120, 2002—127)
*Was a starter in the 2001 Pro Bowl
*Had ten fumble recoveries with one returned for touchdown, 5 forced fumbles with Saints
*Started all 16 games for four consecutive years (1999-2002)
*Had a 91-yard interception return for touchdown against Minnesota in 1998
*Played in 94 games, starting 89, finished with 624 tackles
**Helped lead Saints to division title and first-ever playoff win over Rams in 2000
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
PREVIOUS JOE GEMELLI FLEUR DE LIS AWARD RECIPIENTS
1989—Al Hirt
1990—Joe Gemelli (award later named for him)
1991—Dave Dixon
1992—Charlie Kertz
1993—Wayne Mack
1994—Erby Aucoin
1995—Aaron Broussard
1996—Marie Knutson
1997—Angela Hill
1998—Joe Impastato
1999—Frank Wilson
2000—Bob Remy
2001—Peter "Champ" Clark
2002—Dean Kleinschmidt
2003—Jim Fast
2004—Bob Roesler
2005—NO INDUCTEES due to Hurricane Katrina
2006—Buddy Diliberto
2007—New Orleans Saints Fans (Marcy Beter)
2008—Barra Birrcher
2009—Jerry Romig
2010—Dan Simmons and Glennon "Silky" Powell
