Meet The Saints Legend Van Jakes

Van Jakes joined the Saints in 1986 after starting his career with the Chiefs an undrafted free agent out of Kent State. He became a valuable member of the Saints’ secondary, known for his ball hawking playmaking ability. During his tenure with the Saints, Jakes appeared in 40 games with 25 starts to tailing eight interceptions. In New Orleans, he was part of the first Saints playoff team, the winningest season in franchise history up to that point, going 12-3 in 1987. He went on to be an integral part of a Saints defense that ranked in the top five in the NFL in points allowed (1987-88).After playing for the Packers in 1989-1990, he decided to retire from the NFL in 1991.Jakes became a successful entrepreneur and franchisee of several prominent restaurants and founded the Jake 22 Management Company. He is an avid golfer and racquetball player.