NFL CAREER – Selected by the Saints in the second round (60th overall) of the 2021 NFL draft, Pete Werner has become a mainstay in the New Orleans defense, appearing in 73 games with 63 starts, posting 404 tackles (255 solo), 2.5 sacks, 18 stops for a loss, ten pass breakups, one interception, two forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries. Werner turned in another productive campaign in year five, appearing in all 17 games with 15 starts and posting 81 tackles (49 solo), five pass breakups and a career-high three fumble recoveries. The sixth-year pro will continue to provide leadership on the New Orleans defense under second year Defensive Coordinator Brandon Staley in 2026.
2025 – Appeared in all 17 games (15 starts), posting 81 tackles (49 solo), two sacks, five pass breakups and a career-high three fumble recoveries…Started and finished tied for a team-high with nine tackles (team-high seven solo) and one sack, his first full career takedown, vs. Arizona, Sept. 7…Made 50th career start, recording five solo stops, including one stop for loss and a career-best two pass breakups, Vs.. San Francisco, Sept. 14…Started and led team in tackles, finishing with 13 stops (seven solo), tying a career-high, and had one fumble recovery, at Seattle, Sept. 21…Started, finishing with team-high 11 stops (five solo) and one QB hit, vs. N.Y. Giants, Oct. 5…Started and recorded five solo tackles, including a sack for one-yard loss, vs. New England, Oct. 12, setting career-high with two takedowns on season…Started and finished with two tackles, at Chicago, Oct. 19…Started and played on special teams and finished with four stops (one solo), at Tampa Bay, Oct. 26…Started and played on special teams and finished with six tackles (three solo), including one stop for loss and one fumble recovery, at Carolina, Nov. 9…Started and played on special teams, finishing with two tackles (one solo), including one stop for loss and a pass breakup, Vs.. Atlanta, Nov. 23…Started and played on special teams, posting three stops (two solo) and one pass breakup, his fifth of season and a new career-high, at Tampa Bay, Dec. 7…Started and played on special teams, recording three solo tackles and had one fumble recovery, setting a new single season career-high, vs. Carolina, Dec. 14…Started and played on special teams, recording five tackles (three solo), which broke the 400-stop mark for his career, at Tennessee, Dec. 28…Started and played on special teams and finished with two tackles, in season finale at Atlanta, 1/4/26. 2024 – Started all 13 games he played in, posting 92 tackles (54 solo) and one pass breakup, his second consecutive campaign with at least 90 stops…Finished with two tackles (one solo) vs. Carolina, Sept. 8…Recorded eight tackles (five solo) at Dallas, Sept. 15…Made second career start at MLB in place of the injured Demario Davis and played on special teams, recording six tackles (three solo) at Atlanta, Sept. 29…Missed next three contests (groin/hamstring)…Tied for team lead with nine tackles (seven solo), including two stops for loss at L.A. Chargers, Oct. 27…Finished with a team-high eight tackles (five solo), including a stop for loss at Carolina, Nov. 3…Started at WLB in 50th career NFL contest, recording five tackles (four solo) with a pass breakup Vs.. Atlanta, Nov. 10...Finished with six tackles (three solo), vs. Cleveland, Nov. 17…Recorded eight tackles (seven solo) vs. L.A. Rams, Dec. 1…Finished with six tackles (five solo) at N.Y. Giants, Dec. 8…Made seven tackles (two solo) vs. Washington, Dec. 15…Finished with nine tackles (two solo) at Green Bay, Dec. 23…Recorded season-high 13 tackles (seven solo), which tied a career-best, vs. Las Vegas, Dec. 29...Performance marked eighth career double-digit tackle game…Inactive for season finale at Tampa Bay (concussion). 2023 – Started all 16 games he played in at WLB, posting career-best 93 tackles (career-high 60 solo), one interception, two fumble recoveries (tied for team lead) and two pass breakups…Recorded eight tackles (three solo) and a half-sack in the season-opening win Vs. Tennessee, Sept. 10…Posted a season-best 11 stops (seven solo) at Green Bay, Sept. 24…Vs. Tampa Bay, Oct. 1, added eight tackles (five solo)…Recorded first career interception, three tackles, and one pass breakup in shutout win at New England, Oct. 8…In win vs. Chicago, Nov. 5, had a key fumble recovery to seal game in fourth quarter, adding three solo tackles…At Atlanta, Nov. 26, recorded eight tackles (seven solo)…Recorded two solo stops and a fumble recovery, vs. Carolina, Dec. 10…Posted five tackles (two solo), including season-high two stops for loss at L.A. Rams, Dec. 21…Added nine tackles (season-best eight solo) and a stop for loss in win at Tampa Bay, Dec. 31…In finale win, vs. Atlanta, 1/7/24, posted four stops (two solo). 2022 – Played in 12 games with 11 starts (did not open finale) at WLB, recording 79 tackles, (55 solo), three pass breakups, two forced fumbles and a special teams stop, as New Orleans ranked fifth in total defense. Despite missing five contests, third on team in tackles…In opening win at Atlanta, Sept. 11, started and played on special teams and tallied 12 tackles (career-high 11 solo), a stop for loss, his first-career forced fumble and one coverage stop…Vs.. Tampa Bay, Sept. 18, recorded eight tackles (six solo) and one pass breakup…At Carolina, Sept. 25, led team with ten tackles (six solo)…Vs. Seattle, Oct. 9, posted seven tackles (four solo) and a forced fumble on the first play from scrimmage of third quarter…At Arizona, Oct. 20, led team with seven tackles (three solo), two stops for loss and one pass breakup…Vs. Las Vegas, Oct. 30, led team with 11 tackles (seven solo), including a stop on last play of contest at the Saints four-yard line to preserve a 24-0 shutout victory, adding a pass breakup. Third double-digit tackle total of season…Vs. Atlanta, Dec. 18, returned to field after missing four games (ankle) and had four tackles (three solo)…At Cleveland, Dec. 24, inactive (hamstring)…At Philadelphia, 1/1/23, started and also played on special teams, downing a punt at the Eagles' four-yard line…Vs. Carolina, 1/8/23, recorded two assisted tackles. 2021 – Appeared in 15 games with eight starts at WLB, posting 59 tackles (37 solo) and three special teams stops…In season-opening win vs. Green Bay (played in Jacksonville, Fla. due to Hurricane Ida), Sept. 12, made regular season debut on special teams…Inactive (hamstring) at Carolina, Sept. 19…At New England, Sept. 26, made his first career NFL start and also played on special teams, finishing with two defensive tackles (one solo)…Started and had ten tackles (six solo) with one QB hit, Vs. N.Y. Giants, Oct. 3...At Washington, Oct. 10, started and led the team with a career-high 13 tackles (eight solo)…Started and finished with six tackles (five solo), at Seattle, Oct. 25…Vs. Tampa Bay, Oct. 31, started and recorded four tackles (three solo) with a stop for loss…Rotated at WLB and on special teams, recorded two tackles (one solo) with a stop for loss and two assisted coverage stops, vs. Atlanta, Nov. 7…Rotated in at WLB and on special teams and finished with one solo tackle and one coverage stop, at Tampa Bay, Dec. 19…Vs. Miami. Dec. 27, Started and led defense with ten tackles…Rotated at WLB and special teams and finished with two tackles (one solo), vs. Carolina, 1/2/22.
COLLEGE – As senior, voted by Big Ten coaches as first-team All-Conference and also was a Butkus Award semifinalist, starting all eight games during an COVID-19 abbreviated Big Ten season, recording 54 tackles (28 solo), 2.5 stops for loss, a sack, two forced fumbles and one pass breakup as the Buckeyes reached the College Football Playoff championship game…In 2019, started all 14 games for CFP semifinalists and second on Buckeyes with 64 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, three pass breakups and two fumble recoveries, earning honorable mention All-Big Ten…As sophomore, started 13 of 14 games for the Big Ten and Rose Bowl champion Buckeyes and recorded 58 tackles (38 solo), a career-high 7.5 stops for loss, three sacks, two forced fumbles and seven pass breakups…Lettered as a true freshman, playing in 11 games and contributing nine tackles, most on special teams…Real estate and urban analysis major and was three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection.
PERSONAL – Rivals, 247Sports and Scout four-star prospect as a standout OLB at Indianapolis Cathedral HS…Ranked among the Top 300 players nationally (Scout and 247Sports) and among the Top 20 outside linebackers…First-team AP Class 6A all-state pick as senior for a team that advanced to the regional finals…Missed three games due to injury, but still finished the season with 64 tackles, including 17 stops for loss and eight sacks…Finished third for Indianapolis Star Mr. Football honors and earned the Star's state's top linebacker award…Rated No. 1 OLB in Midwest by Scout and PrepStar all-Midwest region honoree…Father, Greg, starred in football and baseball at DePauw University, is a member of its Athletics Hall of Fame, played two years in the NFL with the New York Jets and Philadelphia Eagles and has an orthodontist practice…Older brother, Dan, played football at Harvard from 2016-18…In October, 2023 Werner and several Saints teammates joined Ochsner oncology patients and their supporters for a dinner at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center…Provided moral support to local military in the Saints/Dudley DeBosier Battle of the Branches seven-on-seven Flag Football Tournament in 2022 and 2023 for Salute to Service Month at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center. Military members from the Army, Marines, Air Force, and Navy formed teams competed in a round-robin tournament, while also engaging in individual and team challenges like Tug-A-War, 40 Yard Dash, Long Ball Throw, Pushup Challenge, and Field Goal Kicking…2023 team nominee for NFL Salute to Service Award…Participated in the NFL's My Cause, My Cleats initiative to promote the Uniform Funding Foundation (TUFF), which serves thousands of youth athletes through uniform donations, college enrichment tours and skills camps…Participated in 2023, 2024 and 2025 Zurich Classic Celebrity Shootout for Charity, winning 10,000 dollars as a member of the winning team his first three years, which he has donated to the Boys and Girls Club of Metro Louisiana…Annual participant in Saints Hall of Fame Golf Tournaments at Chateau Country Club and on the Mississippi Coast…Visited with team partners at the 2025 Saints Partner Party presented by COX…In June met with visitors and veterans at the National World War II Museum…Wants to become involved in commercial real estate following playing career.
