- Saints RB Mike Bell prepped at Tolleson Union (Tolleson, Arizona) High School and was a standout at the University of Arizona. Bell and Cardinals LS Mike Leach were teammates while with the Denver Broncos.
- New Orleans tight ends coach Terry Malone started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at the University of Arizona from 1983-84. Malone and Cardinals defensive backs coach Teryl Austin served on the same staff at Michigan from 1999-2002. Malone tutored Arizona WR Steve Breaston from 2003-05 when he served as offensive coordinator of the Wolverines.
- Saints Equipment Manager Dan "Chief" Simmons is a St. Louis native, whose father Bill served in the same position with the Cardinals for 22 years. Dan apprenticed for his father during part of that time before coming to New Orleans in 1973.
- Saints defensive backs coach Dennis Allen, defensive line coach Bill Johnson and Arizona defensive coordinator Bill Davis served on the same coaching staff in Atlanta with the Falcons. Johnson and Cardinals defensive quality control coach Ryan Slowik served on the same staff in Denver from 2007-08.
- Head coach Sean Payton and Arizona wide receivers coach John McNulty served on the same staff in Dallas in 2003.
- Arizona scout Malik Boyd played at Southern University and went to training camp with the Saints in 1996.
- Cardinals scout Jerry Hardaway served as running backs and special teams coach at Grambling from 1978-83.
- Cardinals video assistant Jeff Gonzalez, a New Orleans native, previously served in the same position with the Saints.
- LS Jason Kyle attended McClintock (Tempe, Arizona) High School and was a three-year letterman and two-year starter at Arizona State.
- Arizona CB Michael Adams played at Louisiana-Lafayette from 2003-06.
- Arizona tight ends coach Freddie Kitchens served as a graduate assistant at LSU in 2000.
- Saints area scout Terry Wooden and Cardinals director, football administration Reggie Terry were teammates at Syracuse. Wooden's younger brother, JoJo, spent a brief period of time on the Cardinals' roster as a rookie free agent. JoJo is currently the Jets' Assistant Director, Player Personnel.
- Saints DT Jermon Bushrod/Rodney Leisle.aspx">Rodney Leisle went to training camp with Arizona Cardinals in 2009.
- Cardinals P Ben Graham appeared in a game for New Orleans in 2008 (International Series: Saints vs. Chargers).
- Cardinals DE Jason Banks prepped at McKinley (Baton Rouge) HS and played at Grambling from 2004-07.
- Saints C Jonathan Goodwin, LB Jonathan Vilma, Graham and Arizona TE Anthony Becht were teammates with the New York Jets.
- Saints back-up C Nick Leckey, who was a sixth round draft pick of the Cardinals in 2004 played for Arizona from 2004-07 and was teammates with Becht and Cardinals FB Dan Kreider in St. Louis in 2008.
- Saints LB Scott Shanle was teammates with Arizona CB Ralph Brown at Nebraska.
- Arizona C Ben Claxton played at Ole Miss.
- RB Reggie Bush, DT Sedrick Ellis, Cardinals QB Matt Leinart and G Deuce Lutui were teammates at USC.
- Cardinals WR Early Doucet prepped at St. Martinsville HS and starred at LSU.
- Assistant special teams coach Greg McMahon tutored Cardinals K Neil Rackers at Illinois.
- Kyle and coaching assistant Brian Young played Arizona QB Kurt Warner in St. Louis.
- TE Jeremy Shockey and Warner were teammates with the New York Giants in 2004.
- QB Drew Brees and Arizona LB Chike Okeafor were teammates at Purdue. Kyle and Okeafor were teammates in San Francisco in 2000.
- Vilma, Shockey and Arizona DB Antrel Rolle were teammates at the University of Miami (Fla.).
Saints and Cardinals Connections
Jan 11, 2010 at 07:50 AM
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