Age: 24
3rd
season in pro football & with Saints
College: Xavier
(OH)
Height: 6’1” Weight: 195
Prelude:
Abramowicz
caught 120 passes for 1685 yards and 14 touchdowns in college but was
considered too slow by pro scouts and the expansion Saints took him in the 17th
round of the 1967 NFL draft. He moved into the starting lineup midway through
his rookie season and caught 50 passes for 721 yards (14.4 avg.) and six TDs.
What Abramowicz lacked in speed he made up for with reliability and a knack for
getting open. He followed up in 1968 with 54 receptions for 890 yards (16.5
avg.) and seven touchdowns.
1969 Season Summary
Appeared in all
14 games
[Bracketed
numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]
Pass Receiving
Receptions – 73
[1]
Most
receptions, game – 9 (for 115 yds.) vs. Baltimore 10/19, (for 105 yds.) at
Atlanta 12/7
Yards – 1015 [3]
Most yards,
game – 129 (on 8 catches) vs. Pittsburgh 12/21
Average gain
– 13.9
TDs – 7 [11,
tied with Wendell Tucker, Joe Morrison & Dave Williams]
100-yard
receiving games – 4
Rushing
Attempts – 3
Yards – 61
Average gain
– 20.3
TDs – 0
Scoring
TDs – 7
Points – 42
Awards & Honors:
1st
team All-NFL: AP, NEA
2nd
team All-NFL: NY Daily News, Sporting News
Saints went 5-9
to finish third in the Capitol Division of the NFL Eastern Conference.
Aftermath:
Abramowicz
followed up with 55 catches for 906 yards (16.5 avg.) and five touchdowns in
1970. While still a well-regarded possession receiver, his numbers dropped in
1971 and ’72 and he was traded to San Francisco during the 1973 season, where
he caught 35 passes for 442 yards (12.6 avg.). Following one more year with the
49ers, he was briefly with the Buffalo Bills, catching no passes in 1975, his
final NFL season. Along the way, he caught at least one pass in 105 consecutive
games, which was the NFL record at the time. Overall, Abramowicz had 369 catches
for 5686 yards (15.4 avg.) and 39 touchdowns. He was one of the first two
players named to the New Orleans Saints Hall of Fame in 1988 (along with Archie
Manning).
--
Highlighted Years features players who were consensus
first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the
following statistical categories:
Rushing:
Yards, TDs (min. 10)
Passing:
Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating
Receiving:
Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)
Scoring: TDs,
Points, Field Goals (min. 5)
All-Purpose:
Total Yards
Defense:
Interceptions, Sacks
Kickoff
Returns: Average
Punt Returns:
Average
Punting:
Average
*Leagues
include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL
(1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)
**NFC/AFC since 1970
**NFC/AFC since 1970
