New Orleans Saints Fullback Tony Galbreath, 1976-1980

Tony Galbreath may not have been the most flashiest of NFL runners during his time in professional football, but Old School Saint fans will always remember and appreciate him. Chosen in the 2nd round of the 1976 draft by legendary head coach Hank Stram after a very productive college career at Missouri he teamed up with fellow team mate Chuck Muncie to form  “Thunder and Lightning” – the name given to the Saints backfield duo.

Galbreath was everything a team could want in a fullback. He was a capable runner and excellent blocker, but where he excelled was receiving. Head Coach Dick Nolan commented that utilizing Tony Galbreath in the passing game was just as effective as running it. Every year with the Saints he either led the team in receiving or was #2. In 1978 he not only led the team in rushing yards and receiving – he set a new team record for catches breaking the previous record set by the legendary Danny Abramowicz. His mark would last for 10 seasons, until 1988 when Eric Martin set a new mark. He is still #9 on the All-Time New Orleans Saints Catches in a career with 254 receptions.

In the above picture, Galbreath goes up over Oakland Raiders linebacker Monte Johnson making a spectacular one-handed 17-yard touchdown catch from Archie Manning in the infamous 1979 Monday Night heartbreaker against Oakland. The Saints blew a 35-14 halftime lead to lose in the final minutes 42-35.

Tony Galbreath Career Statistics with the New Orleans Saints

Rushing Statistics