Football
Football
London Fletcher was a tackling machine that had accumulated over 2,000 Tackles in the National Football League. This is where Fletcher’s best chance for the Hall lies as he was only a four-time Pro Bowl selection, a number that right or wrong does matter. Fletcher, however, does hold a resume with all those tackles, longevity, a Super Bowl Ring with…
In this era of sports specialization, it is hard to imagine that football players used to change positions regularly. Pete Retzlaff played various offensive positions, but he could always be counted on to catch the ball.
From the University of Mississippi, Larry Grantham was a second round pick by the New York Titans in 1960 (he was a 15th rounder in the NFL) and a member of the original team.
The Atlanta Falcons have had many ups and downs over the years. With a seventeen-year career playing in the ATL, Mike Kenn has seen it all.
The 1944 2nd Overall Draft Pick from the University of Wisconsin, Pat Harder, lived up to the hype. He helped the Chicago Cardinals win the 1947 NFL Championship and was selected for the First Team All-Pro for three consecutive years. Playing at fullback, and also serving as the Cardinal’s place kicker, Harder became the first player in NFL history to…
Considering that Todd Christensen was drafted as a Running Back, it is impressive that he developed into one of the most successful Tight Ends of the 1980s.
Generally, non Quarterbacks don’t have spectacular seasons in their 30’s, but Henry Ellard did. In fact, he really didn’t become a star in the National Football League until he turned 27.
Darren Woodson arrived in Dallas as one of the Draft Picks acquired in the Herschel Walker trade, and the 2nd Rounder from Arizona State wasted little time establishing himself as a force in the Cowboys Secondary, even though he was a Linebacker in college. A member of the All-Rookie Team, Woodson aided Dallas to a win in Super Bowl XXVII…
Drafted 8th overall by the San Diego Chargers in 1986, Leslie O'Neal made an immediate impact in the NFL by winning the Defensive Rookie of the Year and accumulating 12.5 Sacks. He would suffer a knee injury that would take him out of football for a year and a half, but by 1989 he was ready to come back, and…
There were many stars of the Chicago Bears throughout the 1980s and many were flashy and unforgettable. Jay Hilgenberg was an unsung hero of that squad and an anchor of the Offensive Line.
In the 1960s, the Los Angeles Rams defense was primarily known for its "Fearsome Foursome" Defensive Line, but there was a star in their Secondary by the name of Eddie Meador, who would be chosen for six Pro Bowls. Meador came from Arkansas Tech and would become the starting Left Cornerback in his second season. That year (1960), he would…
Ottis Anderson had one of the best rookie seasons ever for a Running Back gaining over 1,600 yards on the ground. Too bad he did for a bad St. Louis Cardinals team that was barely on the National radar.Anderson would prove he was not a one-season wonder. Although he would never again equal his rookie numbers he still posted decent…
Linebackers are built to strike fear in Quarterbacks. Greg Lloyd seemed destined to strike fear in virtually everyone around him.
Alan Ameche was the Heisman Trophy winner in 1954, and the Wisconsin Badgers star promptly went 3rd Overall in the Draft. Chosen by the Baltimore Colts, he would win the NFL Rookie of the Year, leading the league in Rushing Yards, Rushing Touchdowns, and Yards from Scrimmage. This was Ameche's best statistical year, but he would become an offensive fixture…
Usually, when you speak of a five-year career in any sport, you can't be talking about a great player. Not very many people had a five-year run like Cecil Isbell.
Drafted 3rd Overall in the 1985 NFL Draft, the former Texas A&M Aggie was settling into a nice role where he played Defensive End for the Houston Oilers. He did well and would go to his first Pro Bowl in 1988, but a switch from the 3-4 to 4-3 Defense forced Childress to move to Defensive Tackle, and it fit…
The New Orleans Saints offense has been good for so long, it is forgotten that when they were finally able to put decent teams together in the early ’90s, it was on the strength of their defense. Pat Swilling was a big part of those squads.
While Rosey Grier was better known for being one of the inaugural members of the Los Angeles Rams' "Fearsome Foursome," the defensive stalwart was a better player in the first two-thirds of his professional career when he was with the New York Giants. Grier helped the New York win the 1956 NFL Championship, and the two Pro Bowls (1956 and…
It is one thing to be highly touted out of college and rack up serious statistics in the National Football League. It is quite another to do that when you go undrafted. Rod Smith lit up the league when nobody saw it coming.