Football
Football
Had the NFL officially tracked Sacks in the years leading up to 1982, Al “Bubba” Baker might have gained some Hall of Fame traction. Baker began his professional career with the Detroit Lions and instantly became the heart of Detroit’s Silver Rush Defense. The former Colorado State Ram led the league (unofficially) in Sacks as a rookie with 23. He…
Russ Washington played both Offensive Tackle and Defensive Tackle at the University of Missouri, and the man who stood at 6’ 5” and nearly 300 pounds made the mouths of NFL scouts water. The San Diego Chargers selected him fourth overall in 1968, where he was used as a Defensive Tackle over his first two seasons. He did well, but…
Playing his college ball at Marquette, George Andrie played his entire 11-year career with the Dallas Cowboys. Except for his final season, Andrie was Dallas’ starting Defensive End (nine years on the right side) and compiled a five-year streak of Pro Bowls (1965-69). Andrie was a physical marvel, with the size and strength to stuff the run and the speed…
Playing his entire professional career with the New England Patriots, the team that drafted him in the second round of 1974. Nelson was a starter at Left Inside Linebacker as a rookie, and he held that role until he retired after the 1987 season. Nelson patrolled the interior beautifully for the Pats, as one of the best (though widely not…
A dynamic offensive weapon for the Lions in the 1990s, Herman Moore would twice lead the National Football League in Receptions. Moore may have been overshadowed by Barry Sanders, but Moore was a four-time Pro Bowl selection who had over 1,000 Yards in each of those campaigns. He held all the major franchise receiving records until Calvin Johnson broke them.
While Larry Morris never made a Pro Bowl or a First Team All-Pro, he was chosen for the 1960s All-Decade Team. This speaks to Morris’ consistency, as he was highly regarded as an NFL Linebacker. He would be a dependable presence in the Bears’ Defense that won the 1963 NFL Championship.
At the University of Nebraska, Glenn Presnell first played for the semi-pro Ironton Yanks in 1929. The Yanks were not part of the NFL but played games against NFL teams, sometimes emerging as the victor. Presnell would sing with the NFL's Portsmouth Spartans, where he would be a bona fide triple threat in terms of passing, running and kicking and…
One of the most underrated Guards in the game, Dave Szott, was never chosen for a Pro Bowl, though he was good enough to make several. Szott was not a behemoth like other Linemen but used skill and leverage to outmaneuver his opponent. Rarely beaten, Szott had no discernable weakness, well except for the lack of accolades!
