Football
Football
The respected website, Football Nation, referred to Dan Towler as the “greatest running back you don’t know”, and they may be on to something as despite winning an NFL Championship with the Los Angeles Rams in 1951 when he was their star rusher, he was overshadowed by more prominent names throughout his brief career in professional football.
A member of the All-Time Pittsburgh Steelers team, Carnell Lake, would be named to four of his five Pro Bowls there, those four being consecutive (1994 to 1997). Used predominantly at Strong Safety, Lake would be A First Team All-Pro in 1997 and is one of the few Defensive Backs how had at least 15 Sacks and 15 Interceptions. Lake…
Undrafted out of Southern in 1966, Rich Jackson was given a chance by the Oakland Raiders, where he played only five games. Al Davis would trade Jackson to the Denver Broncos, but immediately it was a transaction that the Raiders owner would regret.
Bob Gain was drafted 5th Overall in 1951 by the Green Bay Packers, but that year he elected to play in Canada with the Ottawa Rough Riders instead.
One of the more popular Atlanta Falcons of his day, Bill Fralic, was the second overall Draft Pick in 1985 and immediately caught the attention of the Falcons fanbase as an All-Rookie Selection.
The 4th Overall Pick in 1977 from USC, Marvin Powell wasted little time affixing himself as the starting Right Tackle for the New York Jets. In 1979, Powell would begin a five-year run as a perennial Pro Bowl Selection, and in '79, 1981 & 1982, he was a First Team All-Pro. Without Powell's protection and presence, the offensive game would…
At first, this might seem like a person who may not deserve a rank, but the more we look at it, the more we think he deserves a spot on this list.
While Goose Gonsoulin was a 17th Round Pick by the San Francisco 49ers, the Baylor Bear was a 2nd Rounder by the Denver Broncos of the AFL, the professional team he elected to play for.
Out of SMU, Kyle Rote was the first overall Draft Pick in 1951, and the New York Giants had a lot of hope for their new Back. Rote was off to a good start, but knee issues necessitated a change in position where he moved to End, and he would become the top Receiver for the Giants in the 1950s. …
Len Younce would miss 1942 and 1945 (as many would then), but the 1941 pick from Oregon State would be one of the most versatile players even for an era where that skill was widely coveted. Younce excelled as a Guard, Linebacker, and a Punter and was an unsung hero for the Giants, who was incredibly versatile even in an…
There are a lot of polarizing debates in regards to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but the one for Quarterback, Jim Plunkett, might be one of the hottest debates of all.
One of the better dual threat Running Backs of his era, Matt Forte was a surprise starter as a rookie in a season that would see him rush for over 1,200 Yards and finish seventh in the league. The product of Tulane early established himself as a solid receiving back with 63 Receptions and he quickly became a favorite of…
Dan Marino may have been one of the greatest Quarterbacks in National Football League History, but it sure helped that he had Mark Clayton lined up with to throw Touchdowns to.
We have to way back for this one as Al Nesser played in the NFL from 1920 to 1931, and predated that before the NFL formed with a decade in the long-defunct Ohio League. Nesser was one of six brothers who played pro football, and he was the last player in professional football not to wear a helmet. He was…
Although Derrick Mason produced strong career statistics and had multiple seasons tabulating over 1,000 Receiving Yards, it is hard to make the strong case for Mason to receive a Hall of Fame induction. Mason would be the star receiver for both Tennessee and Baltimore, though he played in an era where the game opened up and there were stars that…
Duane Putnam was a 6th Round Pick by the Los Angeles Rams from the Pacific University in 1952, and by '54, he would establish himself as one of the premier Guards in the NFL.
Known as “The Hatchet” (which is reason enough to rank him on any football list), the small framed Cornerback was one of the most punishing tacklers of his day and a major cog in the wheel of those three NFL Championship Teams in the 1950’s. It is definitely worth noting that Jim David recorded an Interception in all three of…
Drafted 5th overall out of the University of Tennessee, Jamal Lewis was an immediate offensive force for the Baltimore Ravens rushing for 1,364 Yards in his rookie season. More importantly, the Ravens went to the Super Bowl, and Lewis rushed for over 100 Yards and a TD in their Super Bowl XXXV win. A knee injury took him out of…
A member of the AFL All-Time Team, Jon Morris chose the Boston Patriots over Vince Lombardi's Green Bay Packers when both teams drafted him in 1964. This was a bold decision to eschew Lombardi, don't you think?