As the New Orleans Saints implement offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak's offense, one difference is how the team uses fullbacks. The Saints signed fullback Zander Horvath to compete to take on this new role.
Horvath is entering his third year in the NFL having spent the 2023 season on the practice squads of the Los Angeles Chargers and Pittsburg Steelers. Horvath said he was excited to get a chance to suit up for the Black and Gold after signing with the team in free agency.
"It's been a long time coming, and you know when you're at home for a while, you're thinking if you're going to have another opportunity or not or if it's your last, just waiting for them to call," Horvath said on the New Orleans Saints Podcast earlier in the offseason.
Horvath was drafted in the seventh round with the 260th overall pick of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Chargers and would play 15 games in his rookie season with the team, tallying four carries for eight yards and catching five passes for eight yards with two touchdown, while adding one special teams tackle. Horvath said he is excited to get to work in Kubiak's system.
"I think that'll be a great opportunity and coming in, getting drafted as a fullback and playing, playing on special teams area as well was great," Horvath said. "And going from that to a year of sitting out, practice squads, and barely being on teams was a huge change. So, having another opportunity to showcase what I can do and actually get utilized in different ways with Coach Kubiak's system, I think would be great."
The offense Kubiak worked with in the San Francisco 49ers is one that uses fullbacks in several roles rather than exclusively having them in as a downhill blocker. Horvath said he would watch 49ers game tape during his time with previous teams and said he thinks his skill set as a former collegiate and high school running back can be a match for what Kubiak does.
"I'm used to catching the ball, running and coming out of the backfield and doing everything like that too," he said. "So, having the ability to incorporate that into my skill set when I'm on the field can I think help the team. And, you know, the defense when they're out there they usually expect just running the ball somewhere up the middle when the full back is in. And so, with an offense that's going to have someone who can be utilized in different ways like that, I think it's going to benefit the team. So, I'm just excited to have a different role, something similar to that, where I can do more than just block."
Horvath, 6 feet 3 and 230 pounds, will be competing with returning Saints fullback Adam Prentice , but Horvath said the competition is a "good opportunity."
"Coming into the league I was drafted, but they still had another fullback that I was competing against and luckily I beat them out and made the team," he said. "So hopefully we can have another opportunity like that here, but I think it's going to push both of us to our full potential because, at the end of the day, jobs are on the line, so you got to give it everything you got. If it was just one fullback to you could catch yourself slacking and so I don't want to ever be in that position."
Horvath attended Purdue University though he had to work his way for that role too after he was only initially offered a scholarship by West Point as well as a preferred walk-on spot at the linebacker position at Indiana University. Eventually, the Boilermakers offered him a preferred walk on as a running back and he would go on to play in 38 career games, racking up 1,181 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on 268 carries and 68 receptions for 592 yards with one TD catch.
"My whole life I played running back and the dream was to play D1 college ball. So, I took that opportunity going as preferred walk on there. Did well my first year, did great during camp, and then they offered me a scholarship after that following camp. So, I think it worked out in my favor and. I was there for five years trying to do the best I could do and eventually got drafted so I would say things worked out for the better."
Off the field, Horvath and his wife are expecting their first child, a baby girl. He also has an artistic hobby. Horvath does commissioned drawings, primarily of cars. Horvath said he picked up the skill from his mother and her family and does it as a side hustle.
"So, I've always been doing that just as a side hobby and I know I took art class in high school just because they were super easy for me, but I didn't really get into doing a bunch of different work until Covid, just with the amount of time and I was getting bored." the 25-year-old said. "So, I started doing some of the cars and posted them on Facebook and eventually people started asking about commission work. So, I never really thought about that to begin with and started doing a couple of those, and they started popping off and now prices have gone up. My work has gotten a lot better too. I try to maintain that year-round. It's just a good side hobby because I was going to do it either way, but it might as well make a little bit of money off of it too."
