Bobby Hebert

"The Cajun Cannon"

When you mention Bobby Hebert's name, the word "championship" usually follows. Hebert, who was born Aug. 19, 1960 in Cut Off, led the South Lafourche High School Tarpon football team to the state 4A championship in 1977. He led the Michigan Panthers to the United States Football League championship in 1983, and the Oakland Invaders to the championship game in 1985. He led the New Orleans Saints to its first playoff appearance in 1987.

Hebert was a multi-sport athlete at South Lafourche High School, playing football and basketball. He was quarterback for Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, La. The Michigan Panthers in the new United States Football League selected Hebert in the third round of the 1983 draft, the 34th pick overall. He signed with the Panthers on Jan. 22, 1983.

He had a distinguished career with the new league. He set the USFL's record for most touchdowns in a game with 5 on June 26, 1983, against Chicago. He led the Panthers to the chamionship in 1983, was named MVP of the championship game and selected the USFL's Quarterback of the Year, Sporting News Player of the Year, and quarterback on The Sporting News' USFL all-star team. In 1983, he was 257-451 for 3,568 yards with 27 touchdowns and 17 interceptions. 1984 didn't produce a championship year for Hebert but he was still able to go 272-500 for 3,758 yards with 24 touchdowns and 22 interceptions. In 1985, with the league foundering, the Panthers and Oakland Invaders mergered with Hebert as quarterback. He was 244 of 456 for 3,811 yards, with 30 touchdowns and 19 interceptions in leading Oakland to the title game. He was granted his unconditional release on July 15, 1985, and signed with the New Orleans Saints on Aug. 7, 1985.

The Cajun Cannon had come home. Or so it seemed. Hebert played seven seasons with his hometown team, helping to bring the Saints its first winning season and its first berth in the playoffs as a wildcard in 1987. His early tenure with the Saints was marred by injury. He sat out two months of the 1986 season with a broken foot. His later term with the Saints would be controversial. He sat out the 1990 season in a contract dispute. His feud with Coach Jim Mora eventually led to his unconditional release on March 1, 1993. He signed with cross-league rival Atlanta on April 21, 1993 and had one of his better years, topping it off with an appearance in the NFL Pro Bowl. He stayed with Atlanta in a back-up role until the end of the 1996 season. He says he's still ready to play if anyone needs him.

Hebert was named to the Saints Hall of Fame in 1999 and inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in 2000.

CAREER STATISTICS

			PASSING
Year 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996	Team NO NO NO NO NO NO NO Atl Atl Atl Atl	Games 6 5 12 16 14 9 16 14 10 4 14	Att 181 79 294 478 353 248 422 430 103 45 488	Com 97 41 164 280 222 149 249 263 52 28 294	Pct 53.6 51.9 55.8 58.6 62.9 60.1 59.0 61.2 50.5 62.2 60.2	Yds 1208 498 2119 3156 2686 1676 3287 2978 610 313 3152	Yds/Att 6.7 6.3 7.2 6.6 7.6 6.8 7.8 6.9 5.9 7.0 6.5	Lg 76 84 67 40 54 65 72 98 40 37 57	TD 5 2 15 20 15 9 19 24 2 2 22	Rating 74.6 40.5 82.9 79.3 82.7 79.0 82.9 84.0 51.0 88.5 72.9
Totals		Games 120	Att 3,121	Com 1,839	Pct 58.9	Yds 21,683	Yds/Att 6.9	Lg 98	TD 135	Rating 78.0

INTS SACKS RUSHING
Year
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
Team
NO
NO
NO
NO
NO
NO
NO
Atl
Atl
Atl
Atl
Int
4
8
9
15
15
8
16
17
6
1
25
Int%
2.2
10.1
3.1
3.1
4.2
3.2
3.8
4.0
5.8
2.2
5.1
Sckd
17
5
20
24
22
16
15
29
3
0
27
Yds
150
34
119
171
171
134
119
190
17
0
150
Att
12
5
13
37
25
18
32
24
9
5
15
Yds
26
14
95
79
87
56
95
49
43
-1
59
Yds/R
2.2
2.8
7.3
2.1
3.5
3.1
3.0
2.0
4.8
-0.2
3.9
Lg
8
7
19
16
11
16
18
14
20
2
25
TD
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1

Totals Int
124 Int%
4.0 Sckd
178 Yds
1,255 Att
195 Yds
602 Yds/R
3.1 Lg
25 TD
1

FUMBLES

Year
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
Team
NO
NO
NO
NO
NO
NO
NO
Atl
Atl
Atl
Atl
No.
1
3
4
9
2
5
3
11
2
0
10
Lost
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
4
Rec.
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
0
0
2
Ret. TD
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

Totals No.
50 Lost
4 Rec.
5 Ret. TD
0

Compiled by Eddie "Bush" Bernard

Return to Lafourche.com Sports

		INTS		SACKS		RUSHING
Year 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996	Team NO NO NO NO NO NO NO Atl Atl Atl Atl	Int 4 8 9 15 15 8 16 17 6 1 25	Int% 2.2 10.1 3.1 3.1 4.2 3.2 3.8 4.0 5.8 2.2 5.1	Sckd 17 5 20 24 22 16 15 29 3 0 27	Yds 150 34 119 171 171 134 119 190 17 0 150	Att 12 5 13 37 25 18 32 24 9 5 15	Yds 26 14 95 79 87 56 95 49 43 -1 59	Yds/R 2.2 2.8 7.3 2.1 3.5 3.1 3.0 2.0 4.8 -0.2 3.9	Lg 8 7 19 16 11 16 18 14 20 2 25	TD 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
Totals		Int 124	Int% 4.0	Sckd 178	Yds 1,255	Att 195	Yds 602	Yds/R 3.1	Lg 25	TD 1

FUMBLES
Year 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996	Team NO NO NO NO NO NO NO Atl Atl Atl Atl	No. 1 3 4 9 2 5 3 11 2 0 10	Lost 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4	Rec. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 2	Ret. TD 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Totals		No. 50	Lost 4	Rec. 5	Ret. TD 0