By the time Tommy Hart arrived in New Orleans, he twice had been named All-Pro and twice had finished in the top six for NFL Defensive Player of the Year in his 12 seasons, 10 with the 49ers and two with the Bears.
But the veteran defensive end still had something left in 1980, his 13th and final NFL season.
"That was my rookie year," former Saints right tackle Stan Brock remembered. "He came in to a veteran group of players.
"I remember him helping me immensely with how to play football and how to be a professional. He helped me a lot with that."
Hart's family announced that he died peacefully on Nov. 20 at the age of 80.
The Macon, Ga., native played collegiately at Morris Brown College in Atlanta and was a 10th-round draft pick (No. 261 overall) by San Francisco in 1968.
Hart finished his career with 83 sacks in 177 career games, including a career-high 17, plus an interception, in 1972. Sacks became an official statistic in 1982. Hart finished sixth in Defensive Player of the Year voting in '72 and was named All-Pro.
In 1976, when he was named All-Pro and to the Pro Bowl, he totaled 16 sacks and a fumble recovery and finished third in Defensive POY voting.
He recovered eight fumbles in his career and returned two of them for touchdowns, and also recorded two interceptions and two safeties.
"He came in late in his career and he was a great competitor, a great teammate," Brock said. "He came in as a defensive lineman and he had a great reputation. I thought he brought a lot of maturity to our football team."
In Hart's lone season with the Saints, he had three sacks in 15 games, with 12 starts. Details on a celebration of life service will be announced later.
