May 30, 2016

Highlighted Year: Bobby Joe Conrad, 1963

Flanker, St. Louis Cardinals


Age: 28 (Nov. 17)
6th season in pro football & with Cardinals
College: Texas A & M
Height: 6’0”   Weight: 195

Prelude:
The versatile Conrad played at quarterback, halfback, and fullback in addition to end in college and was part of the 1956 Texas A & M team that won the Southwest Conference title. He also starred in the 1958 College All-Star Game upset of the Detroit Lions, kicking four field goals and intercepting a pass. Conrad was chosen by the New York Giants in the fifth round of the ’58 NFL draft but was traded to the Cards prior to the season and was used in the defensive backfield as a rookie, intercepting four passes, as well as for returning punts and placekicking. He was shifted to offense in 1959 and backed up at halfback for two seasons, rushing for a career-high 328 yards in ’59, before being moved to flanker in 1961, where he broke out with 30 catches for 499 yards (16.6 avg.) and two touchdowns. Conrad had a bigger year in 1962, hauling in 62 pass receptions for 954 yards (15.4) avg. and four TDs as part of a productive tandem with split end Sonny Randle.

1963 Season Summary
Appeared in all 14 games
[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Pass Receiving
Receptions – 73 [1] 
Most receptions, game – 8 (for 112 yds.) vs. Green Bay 10/20
Yards – 967 [6]
Most yards, game – 122 (on 6 catches) vs. Philadelphia 12/8
Average gain – 13.2
TDs – 10 [4, tied with Gail Cogdill & Frank Clarke]
100-yard receiving games – 2

Rushing
Attempts – 1
Yards – 0
TDs – 0

Punt Returns
Returns – 1
Yards – 1
Average per return – 1.0
TDs – 0

Scoring
TDs – 10 [6, tied with four others]
Points – 60 [15, tied with four others]

Awards & Honors:
1st team All-NFL: AP, UPI, NY Daily News
2nd team All-NFL: NEA

Cardinals went 9-5 to finish third in the NFL Eastern Conference.

Aftermath:
Conrad followed up with 61 catches for 780 yards (12.8 avg.) and six touchdowns in 1964 and achieved Pro Bowl recognition. Consistent if not especially fast or flashy, he remained a capable possession receiver for the Cards through 1968, a total of 11 seasons, before finishing up with the Dallas Cowboys in 1969. Overall, he caught 422 passes for 5902 yards (14.0 avg.) and 38 TDs, with 418 of those catches for 5828 yards and all of the TDs coming with the Cardinals. Conrad also returned 33 kickoffs for a 24.6-yard average and 51 punts for an average of 9.1 yards and two TDs. As a placekicker he booted 14 field goals out of 33 attempts and made good on 95 of 99 extra points which, combined with his 42 touchdowns, accounted for a total of 389 points. Conrad received first-team All-NFL recognition once, second-team honors after one other season, and was selected to one Pro Bowl.

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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