"Coaching quarterbacks Jahri's first three seasons, before becoming offensive coordinator in 2009, I saw firsthand, the importance to what we were doing with Drew Brees in the passing game. In both the passing game and the running game, the quarterback and our skill players, especially the running backs, have many responsibilities. Jahri would set the standard, whether it was in the run game, in protection in the passing game, or helping set up successful screens. For an offense during Jahri's tenure that ranked first in the NFL six times, set the NFL record for offense in 2011 and gave up the fewest sacks in the league over that period, Jahri's contributions up front were a crucial part of that success."
Pete Carmichael, Saints assistant coach (2006-present), offensive coordinator (2009-present), Evans' offensive coordinator (2009-16)
"When we drafted Jahri Evans out of Bloomsburg, we figured out what we had in him pretty quickly in our first training camp and first preseason together as a staff and team in 2006. We knew he would be able to run block, but he showed us pretty quickly that he would be an elite pass protector as well. It was a blessing for me to be able to coach Jahri in the first three years of his career and see his hard work to improve and how he took care of his business every day. It made me proud to see the Hall of Fame player that he became because of the work he put in throughout the year and throughout the week that translated into elite gameday production, combined with the great teammate he was and the outstanding leader that he quickly developed into."
Doug Marrone, Saints Offensive Line Coach, Evans' position coach (2006-08)
"We felt like Jahri would have the ability to be something special as soon as we put the pads on. When we were in shells, t-shirts and helmets, you can't understand the unique talent Jahri has until we put the pads on. Then it became pretty obvious that he was special. When he first got to the Saints, his technique was not yet elite, but his ability to recover and his physicality was exceptional. I think it caught everyone's eye very early as soon as we put the pads on that this guy has something unique."
Jon Stinchcomb, Saints preseason television analyst, Saints tackle (2003-10), Evans' teammate/starting right tackle (2006-10), 2009 Pro Bowl selection
"You're talking about historically possibly the best offense in NFL history over a sustained period of time. He was instrumental and a cornerstone of that Drew Brees/Sean Payton era. It's really Drew Brees/Sean Payton/Jahri Evans era, because they worked hand in hand. Jahri's ability, headlining our ability as a unit to allow Drew and our playmakers to excel starts with the fact that we had the best interior and specifically the two best guards (Evans and Carl Nicks) in the league, the best in the league with Jahri."
Jon Stinchcomb, Saints preseason television analyst, Saints tackle (2003-10), Evans' teammate/starting right tackle (2006-10), 2009 Pro Bowl selection
"I think it starts with that it wasn't a simplistic system. It was complicated. Being able to know what you are doing is vital and it is a whole other level to be able to do it like Jahri did at the highest level. In the run game he was dominant, in the pass game he was dominant, in the screen game he was dominant. His versatility and ability to be elite at all the aspects in a pretty complicated offense makes him special. You look at some of these guys in the game and they were great in a singular fashion. They were great in pass protection, were great in the run game or were great in screens. Jahri was elite in all three. Coach Payton and this offense, they utilized all that and his abilities. For years, I think we were the best team in the screen game and we threw the ball exponentially more than most teams averaged during that era. Also he's a guy that was punishing in the run game. When you look at that, it was those unique aspects that he brought to the game that separates him from all the other really good players in that era."
Jon Stinchcomb, Saints preseason television analyst, Saints tackle (2003-10), Evans' teammate/starting right tackle (2006-10), 2009 Pro Bowl selection
"For 11 years, I watched Jahri dominate the best football players in the world up front. He was an absolutely dominant player."
Zach Strief, Saints Assistant Offensive Line Coach, Evans' teammate on the offensive line (2006-16)
"As a player, Jahri Evans never gives up. He's relentless. He's always counting a move. Even if you have him blocked, he's always into his second and third move countering. He's just very active. He can play over the tackle, play over the center, over the guard. He wasn't the biggest guy, but he was one of the most powerful."
Cameron Jordan, Saints Defensive End, Evans' teammate (2011-16)
"During practice, it was always the hardest to try and get a formidable blitz and pressure up the middle into Drew Brees' face, because he was so stout at first, recognizing blitzes and then second, physically strong enough to not get pushed around or not sacked. It was always the simplest gameplan at practice, but it was hardest to execute because you say you're going up against a shorter quarterback. Any other short quarterback it was just easy to blitz up the gut, get pressure up the middle, make it really hard for that quarterback to see over the line and yet you couldn't do it in practice (against Brees and the Saints interior line). It was the toughest thing to see how we are going to confuse Jahri, how we are going to get pressure from his side, how are we going to be able to try and manufacture some sort of blitz that had any kind of effectiveness, so that we would have any chance to affect Drew. We're talking about seven years of trying to get it done at practice and we could never get it done because he (Evans) was just too good."
Jonathan Vilma, FOX Sports, three-time Pro-Bowl LB, Evans' teammate
"You talk about a perfect combination of needing someone as stout, powerful as Jahri was and having the most accurate quarterback of all-time and knowing exactly what he needed and making sure that group was never messed with. Because of that we had so much success and of course Drew received all the attention and accolades, but mention to anybody who played against us or was a true football fan, they understand the importance of a Jahri Evans and why he was so valuable and why he became at one point the highest-paid guard in the NFL. All of those things added up because anybody that understood football knew that Drew wasn't going to have that same success without having that front secured and specifically the interior line positions and guard position secured. Anytime Drew needed to step up in the pocket he could do that. Because of that, we had a ton of success and a lot of that was because of Jahri."
Jonathan Vilma, FOX Sports, three-time Pro-Bowl LB, Evans' teammate (2008-13)
"We played the Saints week two of my rookie year in 2012 and I hadn't seen interior guards as big and physical as what the Saints had with Jahri and Ben Grubbs before. Jahri was in the prime of his career and he was so smart and efficient. He understood when he had to move someone up front or just get to a spot and shield you off. He had a great feel for the game and I always felt like those guys were the most difficult to deal with because there was so much variety to their game and you couldn't anticipate how they would handle a block. He could switch it up and keep you guessing."
Luke Kuechly, Carolina Panthers LB (2012-19), 2010s All-Decade, five-time first-team All-Pro and seven-time Pro Bowler
"Size, athletic ability, and smarts were what Jahri had and areas where he did well. He was in the Sean Payton offense for so long that he understood it so well and played fast and was always in the right spot. You had to truly beat him to win, he wasn't giving up anything because of being lazy, in the wrong spot or because of an angle. 183 games at that position and for 11 years with the Saints. That's a big deal, consistency, intelligence and overall ability. Especially with Drew, there was a trust between those two and that's cool to see."
Luke Kuechly, Carolina Panthers LB (2012-19), 2010s All-Decade, five-time first-team All-Pro and seven-time Pro Bowler
"We always felt like the best way to pressure Drew Brees was up the middle because he was so efficient moving in the pocket on edge rushes. It wasn't an easy task because those three inside guys were so good and Jahri was always the guy that was consistently part of that group. There is a lot of be said about continuity on the offensive line- I'm sure Drew trusted him and that was a big part of Drew's success. Having that clean pocket to step up into inside."
Luke Kuechly, Carolina Panthers LB (2012-19), 2010s All-Decade, five-time first-team All-Pro and seven-time Pro Bowler
"In the Spring of 2006, Jahri Evans, then a student at Bloomsburg came by my house in New Jersey with his agent and wanted to watch some NFL games with me. I knew within minutes that Jahri was very bright and already a student of the game. In that 2006 NFL draft Jahri was drafted by the Saints and the union of Sean Payton, Drew Brees and Jahri was born. Jahri started nearly every game at right guard for a decade with the quarterback and the coach. He was exactly what Brees needed. Payton needed a guard that could keep powerful defensive tackle from pushing the pocket into the lap of Brees, so he could carve defenses up with pinpoint accuracy. Perhaps the best quality about watching Jahri throughout his career was his balance. He seemed to never be on the ground and was always between his man and the quarterback. The screen game was a huge part of the Saints offensive dominance during that stretch and Jahri on the move made a lot of the screen game go."
Brian Baldinger, NFL Network Host and Analyst
"Drew and Sean enjoyed a great deal of success because of the consistent work put in by Jahri Evans."
Brian Baldinger, NFL Network Host and Analyst
"He did his job up front every time we played the Saints. Everybody in the league, they wanted middle push, middle push, middle push, but you would be trying to get Drew (Brees) to look over the line, but Jahri did his job. There was a reason he made the big bucks and he received the All-Pro and Pro Bowls (honors). He was an outstanding player. It was an extremely key element for them in the passing game, having that success and being able to anchor those guys. If Drew needed to step to the side, I'm pretty sure he'd step right behind Jahri."
Kevin Williams, five-time first-team All-Pro DT, six-time Pro Bowl, 2000s NFL All-Decade, Evans' teammate (2015)
"Jahri was one of those guys who was strong and athletic, which made it tough on a defensive lineman, because most linemen are either one or the other. They are pretty strong and not athletic or they move their feet well but are weak. Jahri was one of those complete package guys that used his size, quickness and footwork very well, a great combination of abilities. I would always be doing a little more film study that week to prepare, trying to break it down."
Kevin Williams, five-time first-team All-Pro DT, six-time Pro Bowl, 2000s NFL All-Decade, Evans' teammate (2015)
"He was just a big, strong guy, and a really good athlete. Especially earlier in my career, but I still use a lot of finesse moves, and they work against a lot of guys, but I remember going against Jahri and thinking to myself, 'Why is this not working?' He was just so athletic for as big as he is. During our postseason run in 2009, going against him and feeling his presence and his power on the field – he really made his presence felt in the Divisional game. He's a tough guy to go against, and I have a lot of respect for him. He was just a monster out there in both the run game and the pass game and was an all-around great player – a lot of respect for him."
Calais Campbell, Baltimore Ravens Defensive End, 15-year NFL veteran defensive lineman, three-time All-Pro, six-time Pro Bowl, 2010s NFL All-Decade, went up against Evans with the Arizona Cardinals (2009-16)
"Given the big, wide body stature he had, he reminded me of Hall of Famer Larry Allen."
Jonathan Babineaux, Atlanta Falcons DT (2005-16), played against Evans for 11 seasons
