Age: 24
3rd
season in pro football & with Texans
College: Stanford
Height: 6’3” Weight: 215
Prelude:
Burford
caught a NCAA-leading 61 passes for 757 yards in 1959 and received first-team
All-America honors from the American Football Coaches Association and Time
magazine. He was chosen by the Cleveland Browns in the ninth round of the 1960
NFL draft but signed with the Texans of the new AFL and had 46 catches for 789
yards (17.2 avg.) and five touchdowns as a rookie. Burford followed up with 51
receptions for 850 yards (16.7 avg.) and another five TDs in ’61, when he was
also named to the AFL All-Star Game. What he lacked in speed he made up for in
moves, technique, and reliability.
1962 Season Summary
Appeared in 11
of 14 games
[Bracketed
numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]
Pass
Receiving
Receptions – 45
[8]
Most
receptions, game – 10 (for 171 yds.) at Boston 10/12
Yards – 645 [9]
Most yards,
game – 171 (on 10 catches) at Boston 10/12
Average gain
– 14.3 [18]
TDs – 12 [1]
100-yard
receiving games – 1
Rushing
Attempts – 1
Yards – 13
TDs – 0
Scoring
TDs – 12 [4]
Points – 72 [9]
Missed
postseason game due to injury
Awards & Honors:
1st
team All-AFL: League, AP, UPI
Texans went 11-3
to finish first in the AFL Western Division while leading the league in
touchdowns (50, tied with Houston Oilers). Won AFL Championship over Houston
Oilers (20-17).
Aftermath:
The team
moved to Kansas City in 1963 and Burford, recovered from the knee injury that
cost him the last few games of the ’62 season, caught a career-high 68 passes,
for 824 yards (12.1 avg.) and nine touchdowns. He went on to play with the
Chiefs until 1967, and started for the ’66 AFL Championship squad that appeared
in the first Super Bowl. Overall, Burford caught 391 passes for 5505 yards
(14.1 avg.) and scored 55 TDs. He received All-AFL honors once and was named to
one AFL All-Star Game.
--
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
