Saints OL Cesar Ruiz reveals an old friend was more important to New Orleans than many previously realized during his career
An unsung hero for New Orleans’ offenses of the recent past.
It’s easy to believe that players like Drew Brees and Alvin Kamara have been dynamic leaders over the years for the New Orleans Saints offense. For right guard Cesar Ruiz, he went from listening to the music of a former veteran pre-game to hearing him decipher defensive plans of attack on the field during games.
His teammate along the offensive line helped develop Ruiz into the player and experienced leader that he is today for the Saints. His impact flew under the radar while he resided in New Orleans.
Terron Armstead was a leader on and off the field with New Orleans
In a recent exclusive interview with Ruiz, the Saints’ starting RG for the last five years, the 26-year old veteran discussed a plethora of topics, headlined by his offseason bike giveaway that landed him a nomination as the NFLPA Community MVP. “Let’s Ride with Cesar Ruiz” was hosted in Ruiz’s hometown of Camden, New Jersey and focused on promoting bike safety, active lifestyles, and stronger community ties.
Another one of the most notable aspects of his comments was his focus on former Saints offensive tackle Terron Armstead. Armstead was named to five Pro Bowls during his career and spent nearly a decade as a key blocker for New Orleans’ offense. His production reached further than just the numbers put up by the unit during his tenure, though.
Ruiz mentioned Armstead as a leader in the locker room and as a veteran who was always there to lend him a helping hand as he began his trek in the NFL. Armstead never shied away from trying to help develop his teammates in the trenches, and was far more than just a dominant left tackle at his peak.
Armstead, coined T.Stead, also started his own path as in music. He released four songs between 2020 and 2022 on Spotify and others streaming platforms. Armstead was also listed as a contributing artist to a project titled, “Crowd Control,” which included songs with other NFL players.
Ruiz clearly connected with Armstead and created a strong bond that has molded him into the teammate and player that he is today.
“This is dope. This is going to be my vet,” Ruiz said. “This is going to be a guy that I’m going to go listen to this music and I’m going to go support it regardless. And then I turned it on. I was like, I was just, ‘Actually, this is good.’ This is really good. So, Terron (Armstead) is super talented. Man, we’ve had times, we spend times in the offseason, man, where I just sat there and listened sat there and listened to him freestyle for 10 minutes. I was like, ‘Bro, you could rap, bro. I didn’t know you had it like that. You’ve got bars, bro.’ Like, he’s super gifted and talented.”
Ruiz is set to start inside for an offensive line that’s seen a bit of a youth movement over the past two years. New Orleans’ starting offensive tackles are now projected to be second-year OT Taliese Fuaga, who impressed plenty a season ago, as well as rookie Kelvin Banks Jr. opposite him.
Transition period for Cesar Ruiz with young tackles in the mix
Becoming a mentor to players who joined the roster as young pieces to the offense has become a part of the job description for Ruiz, and it seems he wouldn’t have it any other way. He wants to set a great example for the talented newcomers, just as Armstead did for Ruiz was at the peak of his play.
“I was once that super young guy that was asking Terron and Eric [McCoy] and Ram (Ryan Ramczyk), and Drew (Brees) for all the help,” Ruiz said. “‘You know, what I should do with just off the field? How do I become a pro? What do you do with your body?’ And now, I’m answering those questions.
“It’s funny, though, because I’m 26, so it’s like — I’m not old, but I have played a lot of ball.”
Ruiz has settled in after early seasons in the pros forced him to swap spots along the interior on multiple occasions. Injuries and inconsistency along the line brought that necessity to the table, but the Saints are confident in their current group as a whole.
The former first-round pick has plenty of opportunities ahead of him, but he will never forget the impact made on him by Armstead and other veterans from his past in the league.
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