Highlighted Year: Julian Fagan, 1970

Punter, New Orleans Saints

Age: 22

1^st season in pro football

College: Mississippi

Height: 6’3”   Weight: 205

Prelude:

Fagan averaged 41.5 yards on 199 punts in college and was chosen by the Houston Oilers in the 17^th round of the 1970 NFL draft. Failing to make the club, he was picked up by the Saints.

1970 Season Summary

Appeared in all 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Punting

Punts – 77 [9]

Most punts, game – 8 at Minnesota 9/27, vs. Chicago 12/20

Yards – 3269 [9]

Average – 42.5 [8, 1^st in NFC]

Best average, game – 49.6 (on 5 punts) at Miami 11/15

Punts blocked – 2

Longest punt – 64 yards

Rushing

Attempts – 1

Yards – -6

TDs – 0

Awards & Honors:

1^st team All-NFC: AP, Sporting News

Saints went 2-11-1 to finish fourth in the NFC West.

Aftermath:

Fagan spent two more seasons with the Saints, averaging 41.4 yards on 77 punts in 1971 and 40.8 yards on 71 punts in ’72. Traded to the New York Jets as part of a four-player deal that involved another punter, Steve O’Neal, in 1973, Fagan had a poor year, averaging just 37.1 yards in his last pro season. Overall, over the course of four years he punted 299 times for an average of 40.5 yards, with 225 of those punts for a 41.6-yard average coming with the Saints. Fagan went on to practice law in his native Mississippi.

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Highlighted Years features players who were 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