Wide Receiver,
Pittsburgh Steelers
Age: 22
College: Southern
Mississippi
Height: 5’10” Weight: 190
Prelude:
Lipps
excelled as a pass receiver and punt returner in college, catching 91 passes
for 1477 yards and averaging 10.6 yards on 78 punt returns. He was chosen by
the Steelers in the first round (23rd overall) of the 1984 NFL
draft. With his great speed and a solid work ethic, he proved to be a good fit
on a young and overachieving team.
1984 Season Summary
Appeared in 14
of 16 games
[Bracketed
numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]
Pass
Receiving
Receptions – 45
Most
receptions, game – 7 (for 118 yds.) vs. San Diego 11/25
Yards – 860
Most yards,
game – 183 (on 6 catches) vs. Kansas City 9/2
Average gain
– 19.1 [5]
TDs – 9 [7,
tied with Paul Coffman & Mike Quick]
100-yard
receiving games – 2
Rushing
Attempts – 3
Yards – 71
Average gain
– 23.7
TDs – 1
Punt Returns
Returns – 53
[3, tied with Greg Pruitt]
Yards – 656
[1]
Most yards,
game – 128 (on 4 ret.) at New Orleans 11/19
Average per
return – 12.4 [3]
TDs – 1
Longest
return – 76 yards
All-Purpose
yards – 1587 [10]
Scoring
TDs – 11 [10,
tied with four others]
Points – 66
Postseason: 2 G
Pass
receptions – 8
Most pass
receptions, game - 5 at Denver, AFC Divisional playoff
Pass
receiving yards – 131
Most pass
receiving yards, game – 86 at Denver, AFC Divisional playoff
Average yards
per reception – 16.4
Pass
Receiving TDs – 1
Rushing
attempts – 1
Rushing yards
– 0
Rushing TDs –
0
Kickoff
Returns – 3
Yards – 73
Average per
return – 24.3
TDs – 0
Punt Returns
– 4
Yards – 16
Average per
return – 4.0
TDs – 0
Awards & Honors:
NFL Rookie of
the Year: NEA, Sporting News
NFL Offensive
Rookie of the Year: AP, PFWA
AFC Rookie of
the Year: UPI
1st
team All-NFL: PFWA, Pro Football Weekly
2nd
team All-NFL: AP
1st
team All-AFC: Pro Football Weekly
Pro Bowl
Steelers went
9-7 to finish first in the AFC Central while leading the NFL in punt return
yards (696). Won AFC Divisional playoff over Denver Broncos (24-17). Lost AFC
Championship to Miami Dolphins (45-28).
Aftermath:
Lipps
followed up with another Pro Bowl year in 1985, catching 59 passes for 1134
yards (19.2 avg.) and 12 touchdowns while averaging 12.1 yards on 36 punt
returns that included two more TDs. Injuries hindered his performance the next
two years, and he had just 49 receptions for 754 yards in a total of 17 games
over that span. Lipps came back to catch an even 50 passes in each of the next
three seasons, from 1988 to ’90, although his high for yards (973) came in ’88.
While his speed began to diminish, making him more of a possession receiver
than the deep threat he had been originally, he was still reliable and a good
runner after the catch, regularly drawing double coverage. In 1991 he had 55
catches, but for just 671 yards (12.2 avg.). He departed for the New Orleans
Saints, but appeared in only two games due to injury in what was his last year.
Overall, Lipps caught 359 passes for 6019 yards (all but one catch and one yard
coming with Pittsburgh) and returned 112 punts for an 11.0 average, scoring a
total of 46 touchdowns.
--
Rookie of the Year Profiles feature players who were named Rookie
of the Year in the NFL, AFL (1960-69), or USFL (1983-85) by a recognized
organization (Associated Press – Offense or Defense, Newspaper Enterprise
Association, United Press International, The Sporting News, or the league
itself – Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year).
