Highlighted Year: Alfred Jenkins, 1974

Wide Receiver, Birmingham Americans

Age: 22

1^st season in pro football

College: Morris Brown

Height: 5’10” Weight: 161

Prelude:

A star with a small college, Jenkins was ignored in the NFL draft. After failing in a tryout with the Houston Oilers he signed with the Americans of the new WFL for 1974.

1974 Season Summary

Appeared in all 20 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 60 [5, tied with Ed Marshall]         

Yards – 1326 [1]

Most yards, game – 200 (on 5 catches) vs. Memphis 7/24

Average gain – 22.1 [1]  

TDs – 12 [2]

Rushing

Attempts – 3

Yards – 8

Yards per attempt – 2.7

TDs – 0

Punt Returns

Returns – 30 [8]

Yards – 262 [6]

Average per return – 8.7 [7]

TDs – 0

Longest return – 42 yards

Scoring

TDs – 12 [8, tied with John Land]

Action points – 5 
Points – 89 [10]

Postseason: 2 G

Pass receptions – 3

Most pass receptions, game – 2 vs. Hawaiians, WFL Second Round playoff

Pass receiving yards – 64

Most pass receiving yards, game – 46 vs. Hawaiians, WFL Second Round playoff

Yards per reception – 21.3

Pass Receiving TDs – 1

Punt returns – 2

Punt return yds. – 31

Punt return avg. – 15.5

Punt return TDs – 0

Longest return – 27 yards vs. Hawaiians, WFL Second Round

Awards & Honors:

1^st team All-WFL: League, Sporting News

Americans went 15-5 to finish second in the WFL Central Division and qualified for the postseason. Won Second Round playoff over The Hawaiians (22-19) & WFL Championship, aka World Bowl, over Florida Blazers (22-21).

Aftermath:

Jenkins jumped to the Atlanta Falcons in the NFL in 1975 and continued to be productive. He caught 38 passes for 767 yards (20.2 avg.) and 6 TDs in ’75. It was the first of nine NFL seasons, all with the Falcons, until 1983, when he left the team to enter drug treatment. He excelled in Atlanta’s fine passing game with his speed and leaping ability, garnering Pro Bowl honors in 1980 and ’81 and consensus first-team All-NFL recognition in 1981. With the Falcons, Jenkins had 360 pass receptions for 6267 yards (17.4 avg.) and 40 touchdowns.

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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