Saints Rewind: Craig 'Ironhead' Heyward's 73-Yard TD Run Against the Raiders
The short version
- Craig 'Ironhead' Heyward scored on a 73-yard run against the Raiders in 1988
- The play followed a 51-yard Morten Andersen field goal and an 85-yard Raiders touchdown pass
- Heyward was drafted by the Saints earlier that year
- His sons Cameron and Connor Heyward also play pro football
- The retrospective coincides with the Saints' 2026 home opener against the Las Vegas Raiders
Before New Orleans hosts Las Vegas, a look back at Craig Heyward's 73-yard touchdown run against the Raiders in 1988.
With the New Orleans Saints preparing to host the Las Vegas Raiders in their 2026 home opener, the team's retrospective series looks back at one of the franchise's memorable moments against the Raiders. The featured play is a 73-yard rushing touchdown by running back Craig Heyward, known as "Ironhead," from 1988.
The play came after the Saints had opened the scoring with a 51-yard Morten Andersen field goal, only for the Los Angeles Raiders to answer with an 85-yard touchdown pass. Heyward responded on the ground.
Heyward was hit at the line of scrimmage but stayed on his feet, spun out of the pile, and worked his way through the Raiders secondary on his way to the end zone.
The touchdown came just months after the Saints drafted Heyward in 1988, early in a career that made him known as one of the NFL's toughest players. His sons, Cameron and Connor Heyward, have also gone on to play professional football.
