Pat Swilling

Sport: Football

Induction Year: 2007

Induction Year: 2007

An outside linebacker with the Saints who played with the club from 1986-92, Pat Swilling was a five-time Pro Bowl pick (four with the Saints) during a 12-year NFL career. He was a member of the famed Dome Patrol (with fellow linebackers Rickey Jackson, Sam Mills and Vaughan Johnson) who made league history in 1992 when, for the first time, four linebackers from the same team were voted to the Pro Bowl. He is third on the club’s all-time list with 76.5 sacks and trails only Rickey Jackson (115) and Wayne Martin (82.5). Swilling was the AP’s Defensive Player of the Year in 1991 when he led the NFL with 17 sacks and recorded 60 tackles while forcing six fumbles. He was traded to Detroit and played for the Lions (1993-94) before moving on to the Oakland Raiders (1995-96, 1998). He finished his NFL career playing in 185 games and had 106.5 sacks and six interceptions. He later served 2 1/2 years in the Louisiana legislature as a representative from New Orleans East.