Gary Johnson received the nickname “Big Hands” innocently enough.  In eighth grade, Johnson grabbed a basketball in gym class, and the P.E. teacher yelled the following:

“Get your big hands off my basketball!”

Those meat hooks would be put to good use on the gridiron, first at Grambling, where he was a three-time Little All-American, and then for the San Diego Chargers, who drafted Johnson eighth overall in 1975.

An All-Rookie Selection, Johnson had his first double-digit sack year in 1977 (13.5).  As the Chargers offense improved by a decade’s end under Don Coryell and Quarterback Dan Fouts, the defensive corps also shaped up, making the Bolts serious AFC contenders. 

From 1979 to 1982, Johnson was named to the Pro Bowl, with First Team All-Pros coming his way in 1980 and 1981.  Johnson led the NFL in Sacks in 1980 with 17.5, but the Chargers were unable to get over the hump, and he was able to join the mighty San Francisco 49ers and help them win Super Bowl XIX, where Johnson got three Sacks in that postseason.

Russ Francis was the first Tight End drafted in 1975. The Oregon product went on to have two distinct NFL careers.

Starting his professional career with the New England Patriots, Francis's blocking ability, paired with his soft receiving hands, earned him three straight Pro Bowls (1976-78) and Second-Team All-Pro honors in 1976 and 1978. This was a great time for Francis on the field, though there were some problems off of it. 

The Pats were not the juggernaut of the first two decades of the 2000s and were looked at within the NFL as a laughable organization.  This was especially true in the 1970s, as New England refused to pay Francis’ bonus for a Pro Bowl (their rationale was that he didn’t play the game due to injury), and he was also upset with the Patriots’ attempt to cancel his roommate, Darryl Stingley’s medical insurance after he was paralyzed by a Jack Tatum hit.  Francis retired in 1981, with his heart out of the game.  He returned for a second phase in 1982, this time as a San Francisco 49er.

Francis’s second half did not generate a Pro Bowl, but he was a factor in the Niners’ Super Bowl XIX win over Miami, where he had five Receptions.  Francis’ blocking opened holes for Roger Craig, created space for Jerry Rice, and protected Joe Montana.  It was a great fit for Francis, whose profile rose, even if his individual accolades did not. 

San Francisco released him during the 1987 season, and he returned to the Patriots, where he played one more year.

Debuting for the San Francisco 49ers as a second-round pick from UCLA in 1976, Randy Cross played his entire 13-year career with the Niners, where he helped them win three Super Bowls.

Cross was an All-Rookie at Center, where he played the first three years of his career.  He moved to Right Guard in 1979, where he played until 1986 and earned three Pro Bowls.  Cross went back to Center for his last two seasons, retiring in 1988.

The Offensive Lineman started 180 of 185 Games in his career, with an Approximate career Value of 132.