John David (J.D.) Roberts (born October 24, 1932) was an American football player and coach, serving as head coach of the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League from the middle of the 1970 season until his dimsissal after four preseason games in 1973.
Roberts was hired by Saints owner John Mecom on November 3, 1970, replacing Tom Fears after New Orleans began 1970 with a 1-5-1 record. His first game came five days later at Tulane Stad...
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John David (J.D.) Roberts (born October 24, 1932) was an American football player and coach, serving as head coach of the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League from the middle of the 1970 season until his dimsissal after four preseason games in 1973.
Roberts was hired by Saints owner John Mecom on November 3, 1970, replacing Tom Fears after New Orleans began 1970 with a 1-5-1 record. His first game came five days later at Tulane Stadium against the Detroit Lions. The Saints won 19-17 when Tom Dempsey kicked a 63-yard (58 m) field goal, a record which broke the previous NFL mark by seven yards. Dempsey's record was tied by Jason Elam of the Denver Broncos in 1998, but nobody has bettered the mark.
The Saints' success did not carry over following Dempsey's miracle kick. A 21-10 loss the next week to the Miami Dolphins started a six-game losing streak which left the Saints with a 2-11-1 mark for the season.
With the second pick in the 1971 NFL Draft, Roberts and Mecom...
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