Pat Holmes took an atypical route to the NFL, as in 1962, he passed up on the Philadelphia Eagles, who took him in the Third Round in 1962, and went to Calgary Stampeders of the CFL instead. A CFL All-Star in 1965, Holmes went back to the United States in 1966, though not to Philadelphia, but Houston of the American Football League.
Holmes became one of the few players to earn All-Stars in both the CFL and AFL when the Defensive Lineman earned the latter honor in his second season with the Oilers. He was also a First Team All-Pro that year. Holmes was an All-Star again in 1969, and he remained with Houston until 1972 when he joined the Kansas City Chiefs.
With the Oilers, Holmes recorded an even 30.0 Sacks.
After two unimpressive years with the Chicago/St. Louis Cardinals of the NFL, Glick joined the Houston Oilers in 1961, where he made the most of his new opportunity.
A starting Safety for the majority of his Oilers career, Glick helped his new team win the AFL Championship. He then began a three-year run as an AFL All-Star, with the middle campaign seeing Glick record an AFL-leading 12 Interceptions and earn a First Team All-Pro. Glick played until 1966, when a back injury forced him out. He would have 30 Interceptions for Houston. He would also have 910 Return Yards.
When the New England Patriots traded Leon Gray to the Houston Oilers in 1979 for a pair of Draft Picks, Gray’s linemate, John Hannah, famously quipped, "There goes our Super Bowl."
The Patriots did not win one until the next millennium, though to be fair, neither did the Oilers. Gray was only with Houston for three seasons, but he was the same dominating presence at Left Tackle that he was in New England. Gray helped the Oilers reach the 1979 AFC Championship, and he went to his third Pro Bowl and second First Team All-Pro. Gray remained spectacular over the next two seasons, collecting another Pro Bowl and a First Team All-Pro, and the Oilers brass never had to worry about that position while he was there.
Before the 1982 Season, Gray was part of another curious trade when he was sent to New Orleans for Archie Manning.
Ed Husmann was a seven-year NFL vet (six with the Chicago Cardinals and one with Dallas), with his last year coming in 1960. After the Cowboys released him, Husmann found a new life in the AFL with the Oilers, and it would be the best run of his career.
Husmann aided the Oilers in retaining their AFL Title, and in the process, he was named to the All-Star Team and led the league in Sacks (8). The Defensive Tackle was again an All-Star the next two seasons, with a First Team All-Pro coming in 1962 with a second Sack title (10) occurring.
He played until 1965, finishing out his career with a season in Edmonton of the Canadian Football League. Husmann had 33 Sacks for the Oilers.