The INDsider -> Leslie Turk THU, SEP 24 9:48AM by Leslie Turk

La. has more NFL players per capita than any other state

Pick up The Times-Picayune today (ok, well, read it online) and you’ll swear there is something in the gumbo. With 26 players from the New Orleans area playing in the National Football League, Louisiana has more players per capita in the NFL than any other state. There is one NFL player for every 55,862 people in the Pelican State, and there are 80 Louisiana natives in the NFL overall, tying Georgia for fifth place in terms of total numbers.

California, 205, has the most natives in the NFL, followed by Texas, 179, Florida, 176, and Ohio, 90.

The numbers, which come out annually, are based a report by USA Football, the sport’s national governing body on youth and amateur levels. In fact, the T-P reported that 28 of the NFL’s 32 teams have at least one player from Louisiana:

“Maybe it’s some of the food, “ said Craig Steltz, a Chicago Bears safety and former LSU and Rummel standout. “Maybe it’s the Cajun food that’s made down in the South. You just can’t explain it how they have the number of guys that are playing in the NFL and competing at a high level.

“It’s just a whole lot of fun. Guys from Florida, Louisiana and Texas are always talking about who has the best high school teams.”

The talk doesn’t stop with high school football. It continues to the college game, where LSU has won two BCS titles since 2003 and has 41 players on NFL rosters, tied with Miami for the most by a university.

Read the T-P story, which includes a list of local players that have gone pro, here.

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written by Shock Caller , September 24, 2009 - 04:08 pm

I'm glad you have brought this data to the table. I've been preaching that the best football happens in our own backyard. Between LSU and the rest of the Universities, we got a whole lotta players in the Big League.

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written by give me a break , September 24, 2009 - 08:14 pm

Wow, this is fantastic.
this is certainly a list to aspire to.
we need more football players. it has always been a major disappointment to me that Vick wasn't a louisiana native.
Finally, something our children can aspire to: professional sports.

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written by Shock Caller , September 24, 2009 - 11:26 pm

Someone obviously never made it in sports. Oh btw, "Give Me A Break" they make more money than you so shut your hole...Withot sports, A LOT of kids would not continue their education. Spend some time in the school system and evaluate my words and observations at a later date. Sports Programs and all Atheletes are NOT the Evil of this world sir.

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written by Cajunrunner , September 25, 2009 - 08:08 pm

While I was never a pro athlete and never will be, an athletic scholarship helped pay part of my college expenses, so while not the most important thing, athletics can provide many benefits.

Yes, our state's education system needs to improves, as well as ethics of our politicians, business climate, etc.

Why can't we at least be proud of those guys who accomplished so much. Many of them are not like Mike "Dog Fighting" Vick. LA has contributed many good character guys currently in the NFL, such as Devery Henderson, Jake Delhomme, Brandon Stokley and Charles Tillman.

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