Highlighted Year: Jack Christiansen, 1952

Safety/Halfback, Detroit Lions

Age: 24 (Dec. 20)

2^nd season in pro football & with Lions

College: Colorado A & M (now Colorado State)

Height: 6’1”   Weight: 180

Prelude:

Christiansen initially concentrated on track but became an all-conference football selection at Colorado A & M in 1949 and ’50 and was chosen by the Lions in the sixth round of the 1951 NFL draft. While he starred on both offense and defense in college, Head Coach Buddy Parker put Christiansen on defense as a free safety where he intercepted two passes. He also was an explosive punt returner who averaged 19.1 yards on 18 returns that included four touchdowns. Opposing teams altered their punt return coverage in an effort to contain him.

1952 Season Summary

Appeared in 11 of 12 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Interceptions – 2

Return yards – 47

Fumbles recovered – 1

TDs – 0

Kickoff Returns

Returns – 16 [10, tied with Woodley Lewis & Don Stevens]

Yards – 409 [10]

Average per return – 25.6 [6]

TDs – 0

Longest return – 46 yards

Punt Returns

Returns – 15 [14]

Yards – 322 [5]

Average per return – 21.5 [1]

TDs – 2 [1, tied with Woodley Lewis, Ray Mathews & Johnny Williams]

Longest return – 79 yards

Rushing

Attempts – 19

Yards – 148

Yards per attempt – 7.8

TDs – 2

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 3

Yards – 32

Yards per catch – 10.7

TDs – 0

Scoring

TDs – 4         

Points – 24

Postseason: 2 G

Rushing attempts – 4

Rushing yards – 9

Average gain rushing – 2.3

Rushing TDs – 0

Pass receptions – 1

Pass receiving yards – 5

Pass receiving TDs – 0

Kickoff returns – 3

Kickoff return yards – 71

Kickoff return average – 23.7

Kickoff return TDs – 0

Punt returns – 1

Punt return yards – 18

Punt return TDs – 0

Awards & Honors:

1^st team All-NFL: AP

2^nd team All-NFL: UPI

Lions went 9-3 to finish first in the NFL National Conference, tied with the Los Angeles Rams, while leading the league in fewest rushing yards allowed (1145) and fewest points allowed (192). Won National Conference playoff over Los Angeles Rams (31-21) & NFL Championship over Cleveland Browns (17-7).

Aftermath:

Christiansen was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection in each of the next five seasons, when he was also chosen to the Pro Bowl. Leader of the outstanding defensive backfield that became known as “Chris’ Crew”, he twice led the league in interceptions and ended up with 46 in all, three of which were returned for TDs. The Lions won four Western Conference titles and three NFL Championships during his tenure with the club, which ended in 1958. His first two years were his best for returning punts, and he ended up with a 12.8-yard average on 85 returns that included eight touchdowns. Christiansen later went into coaching and was head coach of the San Francisco 49ers from 1963 to ’67 and collegiately at Stanford from 1972 to ’76. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 1970.

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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

Highlighted Year: Cloyce Box, 1952

Offensive End, Detroit Lions

Age: 29

3^rd season in pro football & with Lions

College: West Texas State (now West Texas A & M)

Height: 6’4”   Weight: 220

Prelude:

Box played football and basketball in a college career that was interrupted by military service during World War II. Chosen by the Washington Redskins in the 20^th round of the 1948 NFL draft, he was traded to the Lions, who initially used him at halfback. Box caught 15 passes for 276 yards (18.4 avg.) and four touchdowns as a rookie in ’49. He was shifted to end in 1950 and in a game against the Colts caught 12 passes for 302 yards, one short of the then-NFL record and setting a club mark. Box ended up with 50 catches for 1009 yards and 11 touchdowns for the year and was selected to the Pro Bowl as well as receiving second-team All-NFL recognition from the Associated Press. What he lacked in finesse, he made up for with his speed. Box missed all of the 1951 season as he returned to the military during the Korean War.

1952 Season Summary

Appeared in all 12 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 42 [9] 
Most receptions, game - 9 (for 155 yds.) vs. Green Bay 11/27

Yards – 924 [4]

Most yards, game – 202 (on 7 catches) vs. Dall. Texans 12/13

Average gain – 22.0 [4]

TDs – 15 [1]

Scoring

TDs – 15 [1]

Points – 90 [2]

Postseason: 2 G

Pass receptions – 3

Most pass receptions, game – 2 vs. LA Rams, National Conf. playoff

Pass receiving yards – 30

Most pass receiving yards, game – 20 vs. LA Rams, National Conf. playoff

Average yards per reception – 10.0

Pass Receiving TDs – 0

Awards & Honors:

1^st team All-NFL: AP

Pro Bowl

Lions went 9-3 to tie for first in the NFL National Conference while ranking second in both touchdowns (43) and scoring (344 points). Won National Conference playoff over Los Angeles Rams (31-21) and NFL Championship over Cleveland Browns (17-7).

Aftermath:

Box was bothered by injuries in 1953 and caught 16 passes for 403 yards and a 25.2-yard average gain that included a 97-yard TD reception. He retired following an injury-plagued 1954 season, having caught 129 passes for 2665 yards (20.7 avg.) and 32 touchdowns. In a short but productive career, he received first- or second-team All-NFL honors twice and was selected to two Pro Bowls. Box went on to become wealthy in the oil business, and while he often generated controversy with his methods, he also donated more than $1 million to a fund to assist former NFL players in need.

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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

[Updated 2/21/17]

1952: Lions Defeat Browns for NFL Championship

The Detroit Lions traveled to Cleveland to take on the Browns for the NFL Championshi p on December 28, 1952. The Lions, who had last achieved a league title 17 years before, had started off slowly with two losses in their first three games, but then won eight of their last nine contests to finish tied with the Rams atop the National Conference with a 9-3 record. Head Coach Buddy Parker’s club had a fine offense directed by QB Bobby Layne and featuring HB Bob “Hunchy” Hoernschemeyer, veteran FB Pat Harder, and end Cloyce Box, and they had versatile Doak Walker available at halfback, who had missed most of the season due to injury. The defense was strong and tough, anchored by mammoth MG Les Bingaman and featuring an excellent secondary with halfbacks Jim David and Yale Lary and safeties Jack Christiansen and Don Doll. The Lions had defeated the Rams, defending NFL Champions, in the playoff to determine the conference’s representative for the NFL Championship game.

Cleveland, coached by Paul Brown, had yet to fail to reach a league title game in the franchise’s existence, either in the All-America Football Conference or, since 1950, the NFL. The Browns had finally lost one the previous year, to Los Angeles, but again topped the American Conference at 8-4. QB Otto Graham continued to direct the offense with skill, FB Marion Motley was productive after coming back from a knee injury, and the defense was solid behind DE Len Ford and MG Bill Willis. However, they had lost to the Lions during the regular season, and were without key players in end Mac Speedie and HB Dub Jones due to injuries.

There were 50,934 fans in attendance at Municipal Stadium. The first quarter was scoreless, with both teams missing field goals – Cleveland’s Lou Groza from 29 yards and Pat Harder of the Lions from 38 yards out.

Late in the opening period, a bad punt by Cleveland’s Horace Gillom that traveled only 22 yards gave the Lions good field position at the 50. Bobby Layne threw to Cloyce Box for ten yards and then kept the ball himself and ran 13 yards with the help of an outstanding block by Pat Harder on Len Ford. Four plays into the second quarter, end Bill Swiacki caught a pass for a 14-yard gain that reached the Cleveland two. A penalty backed Detroit up five yards, but after Walker made it back to the two on a sweep, Layne sneaked over from there for a touchdown. Harder successfully added the extra point and the Lions were in front by 7-0.

On the next series, Gillom made up for his earlier shank with a 62-yard punt that pinned the Lions back at their 12 and they stayed holed up in their own territory for the remainder of the half. The Browns failed to take advantage, however, as Groza missed two more field goal attempts in the second quarter, from 44 yards and then, with ten seconds remaining, from 47 yards. The score remained unchanged at halftime.

The Browns took the second half kickoff and drove to the Detroit 25, but a pass by Graham that went off HB Ken Carpenter’s fingers was intercepted by Jim David to end the threat. Midway through the third quarter, the Lions got the ball at their 30 following a punt by the Browns. Two plays later, after a four-yard carry by Harder, Walker broke through the line and ran 67 yards for a TD.

Now down by 14-0, the Browns got back into the game with a 68-yard scoring drive that took 12 plays. Graham completed two passes to end Dante Lavelli and once each to Gillom, HB Ray Renfro, and end Pete Brewster along the way, and FB Harry “Chick” Jagade (pictured at left) ran effectively, running for the final seven yards and a touchdown. Groza’s extra point halved the Detroit lead at 14-7.

Twice in the fourth quarter, the Browns drove inside the Detroit 10 and came up empty. First, early in the period Marion Motley ran 42 yards to the five yard line. However, the home team moved backward from that point as the Lions came through with big defensive plays. Motley was tossed for a five-yard loss by Don Doll and Graham was sacked twice for losses totaling 13 yards. A fourth-down pass was batted down by LB Dick Flanagan to end the threat.

The Lions got a break when a punt was muffed by Carpenter and LB Jim Martin recovered at the Cleveland 23. It resulted in a series that ended when Harder kicked a 36-yard field goal. Layne briefly fumbled the snap for the kick but was able to get it down in time and the visitors were ahead by ten points.

Graham passed the Browns back down the field before Motley ran for 15 yards to the Detroit eight. Again the Lions stiffened on defense, and a fourth down pass went through Renfro’s hands at the goal line. While the ball was caught by Brewster in the end zone, no defender had touched it in between and, under the rules at that time, it was an illegal catch and, thus, incomplete. That was the last gasp for the Browns as Detroit won by a final score of 17-7.

Cleveland dominated the game statistically, outgaining the Lions by 384 yards to 258 and compiling 22 first downs to Detroit’s 10. 227 of the Browns’ yardage total came on the ground, to 199 for Detroit. However, the Browns turned the ball over twice, to none suffered by the Lions, and Detroit recorded four sacks to one by Cleveland. Detroit’s pass rush, led by DE Jim Doran, was effective and harassed Otto Graham throughout the contest in addition to the sacks.

Bobby Layne didn’t throw often but was efficient when he did, completing 7 of 9 passes for 68 yards and no touchdowns, but also none intercepted. In addition, he ran the ball for 47 yards and a TD on 9 carries. With the long scoring carry, Doak Walker (pictured at right) compiled 97 rushing yards on 10 attempts. Walker and Pat Harder each caught two passes, with Harder’s 18 yards leading the club. Cloyce Box was used mostly as a decoy throughout the contest, most notably drawing two defenders on Walker’s touchdown run, and was limited to one catch for 10 yards.

For the Browns, Otto Graham was successful on 20 of 35 throws for 191 yards and had one intercepted. Chick Jagade ran for 104 yards on 15 carries that included a TD and Marion Motley contributed 74 yards on six attempts. HB Rex Bumgardner, Ray Renfro, and Dante Lavelli each hauled in four passes, for 43, 26, and 33 yards, respectively, while Pete Brewster gained 53 yards on his two receptions. Lou Groza had a rough day, missing all three of his field goal attempts.

The game marked the first of three straight meetings between the Lions and Browns for the NFL Championship. Detroit won again in 1953 by the narrowest of margins and the Browns routed the Lions in ’54.

1952: Willey Has Big Sack Performance as Eagles Defeat Giants

Sacks became an officially-compiled NFL statistic in 1982, with the single-game record to date for an individual being seven by Derrick Thomas of the Chiefs in 1990. Prior to ’82, and beginning in the 1960s, team sacks were compiled (the term sack did not come into use until the ‘60s as well), and earlier, yards lost while passing were subtracted from a team’s passing yards in order to come up with a net passing yardage total, but individual records were typically a matter of conjecture (although it should be noted that some researchers are doing good work in piecing together the historical record).

On October 26, 1952, DE Norm “Wild Man” Willey of the Philadelphia Eagles (pictured above) may have set the real individual sack record, although that is by no means certain. What is known about the game on that date between the Eagles and Giants is that it was highlighted by a dominating performance by Willey and the Philadelphia defense.

The Eagles, with a 2-2 record, were 15-point underdogs coming into the contest, having lost to the Giants in Philadelphia three weeks earlier by a decisive 31-7 score. First-year Head Coach Jim Trimble had made changes heading into the season, most notably moving star offensive end Pete Pihos to defense and replacing him with Bud Grant. They lost Hall of Fame HB Steve Van Buren to a career-ending knee injury during the preseason, but had added QB Bobby Thomason, who came from Green Bay.

New York, under Head Coach Steve Owen for the 22^nd year, was at 3-1 and coming off the team’s first loss the previous week. QB Charlie Conerly directed a ball control running attack led by FB Eddie Price and HB Kyle Rote, plus rookie all-purpose HB Frank Gifford, who played on defense as well. Safety Emlen Tunnell starred both on defense and as a kick returner.

There were 21,458 fans at the Polo Grounds for the rematch of the two division rivals. The Giants got the first break on the opening kickoff when it rolled free and they recovered at the Philadelphia 15. Ray Poole kicked a 30-yard field goal to start the scoring.

Late in the period, the Giants drove to the Philadelphia one yard line but the Eagles stopped them with a rugged goal line stand. The tally remained at 3-0 until, in a five-minute segment in the latter part of the second quarter, the Eagles scored twice.

First, safety Ed “Bibbles” Bawel took a Tom Landry punt and returned it 52 yards for a touchdown, regaining his footing after being hit at the New York 30. Then, getting the ball back in the closing minutes of the first half, the Eagles mounted a 72-yard scoring drive. With seven seconds left on the clock, end Bobby Walston made an impressive leaping catch in the corner of the end zone of a pass from Bobby Thomason for a 19-yard touchdown, pulling it away from defenders Harmon Rowe and Frank Gifford. Walston successfully added the extra point after each TD and the Eagles took a 14-3 lead into halftime.

The Giants started off the second half in good fashion when Gifford returned the kickoff 60 yards to the Philadelphia 32. QB Fred Benners, who took over for a battered Charlie Conerly, completed a pass to end Bob McChesney for 24 yards and a run by Kyle Rote put the ball at the two yard line. However, the Eagles defense once again pulled off a successful goal line stand and the Giants turned the ball over on downs.

The only other score of the game came a little later in the third quarter when New York LB Jon Baker blocked a punt by Adrian Burk and DE Bud Sherrod recovered in the end zone for a touchdown. Poole added the extra point to make it a four-point contest, but that was it.

The Eagles physically punished the Giants, especially on defense, with a half dozen New York players sidelined by injuries. Those injured included Charlie Conerly, Eddie Price, and Frank Gifford. While the Eagles weren’t able to mount any further offense themselves, they held on to win by a final score of 14-10.

Game accounts indicated that Willey was a one-manning wrecking crew, and sportswriter Hugh Brown of the Philadelphia Bulletin credited him with an incredible 17 sacks during the course of the contest (or “dumping Charlie Conerly…while he was attempting to pass”, although Fred Benners was clearly a victim as well), including 11 in sequence. In addition to Willey, MG Bucko Kilroy and Pete Pihos had big days. Whatever the truth of the number of sacks – Willey himself years later thought it was 15, Kilroy suggested 12, and veteran pro football writer Paul Zimmerman, who was charting the game that day, gave the Eagles credit for 14 overall and Willey a total of 8 – it is clear that the Eagles had a great day defensively.

Philadelphia outgained the Giants by 225 yards to 109, with New York managing only 54 rushing yards on 34 attempts and a net of 55 passing yards thanks to 127 yards lost due to quarterbacks Conerly and Benners being tackled while attempting to throw. Interestingly, the Eagles suffered the only turnover of the game, on a fumble. Kyle Rote carried 7 times for 12 yards and Eddie Price was held to just 7 yards on 11 rushing attempts.

“I almost felt sorry for Charlie (Conerly),” said Jim Trimble later. “I remember vividly Charlie having a heck of a time just getting up. He was just mauled by Norm (Willey).”

The Eagles lost the following week at Green Bay but then reeled off three straight wins while the Giants won their next two contests but lost three of their last five games. The clubs ended up with identical 7-5 records, tying them for second place in the American Conference, a game behind the Browns.

Norm Willey’s performance against the Giants, which has taken on something  of a legendary status, was the highlight of an eight-season NFL career, all spent with the Eagles. The 6’2”, 224-pound Willey was a 13^th round draft pick out of Marshall in 1950, and with his speed off the defensive line, he regularly harassed opposing quarterbacks. He was twice named to the Pro Bowl and received at least some first-team All-NFL recognition in 1953, ‘54 and ’55. 

1952: Dallas Texans Stun Bears for Only Win

The Dallas Texans entered the 1952 NFL season with great expectations, having purchased the assets of the failed New York Yanks franchise with the intent of establishing a viable team in the football hotbed of Texas. Instead, the Texans averaged just 15,000 fans per game for four losses at the Cotton Bowl and the owners pulled out, with the league taking over operation of the club for the remainder of the schedule. The team wasn’t even based in Dallas any longer, having become a traveling club based out of Hershey, Pennsylvania.

Coached under these difficult circumstances by Jimmy Phelan, the Texans had talent on the roster, most notably halfbacks George Taliaferro and Buddy Young on offense and rookie DE Gino Marchetti and second-year DT Art Donovan on defense. But there were not nearly enough quality players and the team’s record stood at 0-9 as it hosted the Chicago Bears in Akron, Ohio on November 27.

Chicago, under owner and Head Coach George Halas, was suffering through a rare down year. The offense was missing the retired Johnny Lujack at quarterback and unproven quantities George Blanda, Steve Romanik, and Bob Williams split the job with inadequate results. The Bears came into the matchup with the Texans sporting a 4-5 tally, but were still a heavy favorite against the hapless road team – an opponent they had handily beaten earlier in the year at Dallas.

There were just 3000 in attendance at the Rubber Bowl for the Thanksgiving Day contest – far fewer than the 14,800 who turned out in the morning for a high school game. The first quarter was scoreless and then the Bears put the first points on the board when DHB Don Kindt tackled Buddy Young in the end zone for a safety. However, turnovers set up scores by the Texans during the second quarter.

First, LB Pat Cannamela recovered a fumble by HB Eddie Macon at the Chicago 45 and five plays later, FB Zollie Toth scored from two yards out, although the extra point attempt failed. Then, just before the half, end Gene Schroeder fumbled at his own 38 and DHB John Petitbon recovered for the Texans. The ensuing four-play drive resulted in George Taliaferro throwing to end Dick Wilkins for a 13-yard TD. This time the PAT was successful and the score stood at 13-2 in favor of Dallas at the half.

In the third quarter, DHB Stan Williams intercepted a pass for the Texans and returned it 25 yards to the Chicago 40. Dallas kept the ball on the ground, taking seven plays to score on a one-yard carry by QB Frank Tripucka. But the 20-2 lead proved to not be safe.

While Chicago had two drives end with pass interceptions in the fourth quarter, the Bears still rallied furiously to score three touchdowns and take the lead. DE Ed Sprinkle recovered a Tripucka fumble at the Dallas one to set up an easy TD for HB Billy Stone. George Blanda threw to HB Babe Dimancheff for a 41-yard touchdown and then to Schroeder for another TD from 35 yards out. Blanda successfully added the extra points after each and, with a 23-20 edge it appeared that the Bears would send the unfortunate Texans to another defeat.

However, with a minute to go Dallas drove 75 yards to score the deciding touchdown, including six pass completions by Tripucka – the last and biggest an 18-yard throw to end Tom Keane that moved the ball to the Chicago two yard line (he also hit Toth and ends Barney Poole and Ray Pelfrey along the way). For the second time Tripucka gained the last yard himself, diving into the end zone with 34 seconds left on the clock. The Texans came away with an unlikely 27-23 win.

Dallas had the most total yards (334 to 317) and first downs (22 to 15) although also the most penalties (7 for 82 yards, to 5 at a cost of 54 yards on the Bears). Chicago turned the ball over eight times, to four by the Texans.

Frank Tripucka (pictured at right) completed 16 of 26 passes for 205 yards for Dallas and also scored on the two short touchdown carries. George Blanda completed 9 of 16 aerials for 138 yards and two TDs in nearly pulling out a win for Chicago.

“Unaccustomed as I am to winning, I feel all right,” said a happy Coach Jimmy Phelan.

“It’s pretty hard for a team like ours to keep morale up with no home ties,” added Phelan. “We have nobody to play for except (NFL Commissioner) Bert Bell.”

It was the high point of a dismal season for the Texans. They lost their remaining two games to finish at the bottom of the National Conference with a 1-11 record before fading into oblivion – the last NFL franchise to fold. The Texans were replaced the following year by the re-born Baltimore Colts, and while just 13 players who had been with Dallas made the Baltimore roster, they included Buddy Young and George Taliaferro, as well as the future Hall of Famers Gino Marchetti and Art Donovan. Frank Tripucka, the fourth-year quarterback, moved on to Canada and eventually the American Football League in 1960.

The Bears ended up a spot above Dallas in the standings with a 5-7 tally – the club’s worst since 1945.

1952: Rams Rally in Fourth Quarter to Defeat College All-Stars

There were 88,316 fans present at Chicago's Soldier Field on a rainy Friday night for the 19^th College All-Star Game on August 15, 1952. What they saw was an error-filled struggle that came down to a fourth quarter rally by the defending pro champions.

The Los Angeles Rams, coached by Joe Stydahar, had been an offensive juggernaut in 1951. They boasted the quarterback tandem of Bob Waterfield and Norm Van Brocklin (pictured at right), outstanding receivers in ends Elroy “Crazylegs” Hirsch and Tom Fears, and a good stable of running backs.

The All-Stars were coached by Bobby Dodd of Georgia Tech and included future pro standouts in QB Babe Parilli of Kentucky, Washington HB Hugh McElhenny, and offensive end Billy Howton from Rice.  

The rain began shortly before the game started and continued, on-and-off, through the entire contest. The All-Stars took the lead in the second quarter thanks to a nine-play, 69-yard drive directed by Parilli that included passes to end Bob Carey of Michigan State and McElhenny. Getting down to the LA three yard line, HB Vic Janowicz, a Heisman Trophy winner from Ohio State, powered into the end zone for a touchdown and then kicked the extra point.

Fumbles cost the All-Stars significantly as they missed out on opportunities to extend their lead. A 51-yard drive to the LA 26 came up empty when they fumbled the ball away, as did a similar 52-yard series that also reached the Rams’ 26. As a result, while the collegians kept the Rams off the scoreboard for three quarters, they were still only ahead by 7-0 heading into the final period.

Norm Van Brocklin had thrown two costly interceptions, but he and the Rams came alive during a drive that commenced in the third quarter and stretched into the fourth. The quarterback known as “The Dutchman” completed two passes, and there was a 30-yard pass interference call that moved the ball deep into scoring territory, on a 76-yard possession that was capped by his three-yard touchdown pass to FB Paul “Tank” Younger. Bob Waterfield successfully added the extra point to tie the game.

No sooner did Parilli connect with McElhenny for a 60-yard gain when another fumble by the All-Stars gave the Rams the ball in LA territory. Waterfield’s 24-yard field goal with seven minutes remaining put the Rams ahead, and another Parilli interception assured that the pros would win the sloppy contest, 10-7.

The All-Stars outgained LA on the ground (178 to 107) while the Rams had more yards through the air (170 to 104). The collegians also rolled up 33 first downs to just 18 for the Rams.

Splitting the quarterbacking as usual, Bob Waterfield completed 5 of 14 passes for 40 yards while Norm Van Brocklin was successful on just 8 of 23 throws for 106 yards and two interceptions as well as a TD.

Bobby Dodd used virtually every player on his roster. Babe Parilli (pictured below) completed 6 of 11 passes for 88 yards and was named All-Star MVP, but was intercepted twice and fumbled four times. California LB Les Richter, who would go on to play for the Rams, was a standout on defense for the All-Stars.

The Rams were widely derided for their poor play against the All-Stars and, following a season-opening loss, Coach Stydahar resigned and was replaced by assistant Hamp Pool. The team finished strong to tie the Detroit Lions for first place in the National Conference with a 9-3 record, although LA lost the resulting playoff game.

Babe Parilli went on to a 16-year pro career in the NFL, CFL, and AFL. Hugh McElhenny had his best seasons with the San Francisco 49ers on his way to the Pro Football Hall of Fame while Les Richter, enshrined in 2011, was selected to the Pro Bowl eight straight times as a mainstay of LA’s defense.

1952: Bud Grant Gains 203 Receiving Yards as Eagles Defeat Dallas Texans

In their first season under 34-year-old Head Coach Jim Trimble, the Philadelphia Eagles underwent several changes. It was not promising when Hall of Fame HB Steve Van Buren suffered a career-ending knee injury in training camp. But there were good additions in Bobby Thomason, a 24-year-old quarterback obtained from the Packers, and rookie LB/C Wayne Robinson. In perhaps the most extraordinary move, star offensive end Pete Pihos was shifted almost exclusively to defensive end. Replacing him, across from second-year end/placekicker Bobby Walston, was Harold “Bud” Grant (pictured above), also in his second season out of Minnesota.

An accomplished all-around athlete in college, Grant had been a seventh-round draft choice of the Eagles in 1950, but when he considered their $7000 salary offer too low, he played pro basketball with the Minneapolis Lakers instead. He finally signed with Philadelphia for the ’51 season and mostly played on defense. Coach Trimble felt his 6’3” height would be helpful as a receiver on offense.

The Eagles, who had slipped badly after winning back-to-back NFL Championships in 1948 and ’49, were much improved as the various personnel changes worked out (Pihos proved his versatility by gaining All-Pro recognition as a defensive player). By the time they hosted the Dallas Texans on December 7, 1952, they were 6-4 and chasing the Browns in the NFL’s American Conference.

The visiting Texans were a failed team playing out the string. Much was anticipated when the New York Yanks franchise was transferred to Dallas, but the club played poorly, turnout at the Cotton Bowl was dismal, and the league was forced to take it over halfway through the schedule. Playing all games on the road and based out of Hershey, Pennsylvania, the Texans were 1-9 after having won for the first time in their previous contest on Thanksgiving Day against the Bears at the Rubber Bowl in Akron. Head Coach Jimmy Phelan’s team had talent, including halfbacks George Taliaferro and Buddy Young and future greats such as DE Gino Marchetti and DT Art Donovan, but there was not nearly enough.

There were 18,376 fans in attendance at Shibe Park and they saw the home team take control of the game in the first quarter. The Eagles scored the first time they had the ball, driving 41 yards in seven plays. FB John Huzvar powered over from five yards out for a touchdown.

On the next possession, Philadelphia went 70 yards in four plays with Thomason tossing a pass to Grant for a 41-yard TD. Walston kicked a 29-yard field goal before the period was over and the Eagles were up by 17-0 after a quarter of play.

It didn’t get any better in the second quarter for the Texans. QB Bob Celeri fumbled when attempting to throw from his end zone and Eagles safety Ebert Van Buren, brother of the rushing star, recovered to make it 24-0. Dallas did finally get on the board thanks to a one-yard run by Buddy Young and the tally was 24-7 at the half.

In the third quarter, Grant scored for the second time on a 23-yard pass play from Thomason. The Eagles scored again when eleventh-year veteran DT Vic Sears intercepted a pass for the only time in his career. Celeri was in punt formation for the Texans, but the snap went over his head. He made the recovery and dodged tacklers until hit by DT Mike Jarmoluk, at which point he lateraled, with the ball going directly to Sears. Sears lumbered nine yards into the end zone and Philadelphia led comfortably by 38-7 heading into the fourth quarter.

The Texans scored two meaningless touchdowns in the final quarter, one when DB Stan Williams returned a fumble 24 yards for a touchdown. The last was on a pass from QB Frank Tripucka to end Dick Wilkins that covered 42 yards. The Eagles won by a final tally of 38-21.

The Eagles outgained Dallas, 391 yards to 241, although the Texans gained more first downs, 17 to 15. The game was sloppy and had many penalties - 18 for 165 yards in all, 13 of which were called on the Eagles. There were also eight fumbles, seven of which resulted in turnovers. Four of those were by the Texans, who turned the ball over a total of seven times, to five by Philadelphia.

Bud Grant was the game’s biggest star as he shredded the Dallas secondary to catch 11 passes for 203 yards and the two TDs. Bobby Thomason completed 10 of 14 passes, two for touchdowns. Grant caught six passes from Thomason and the other five from Adrian Burk who, in an arrangement that would remain in effect for the next few years, split the quarterbacking with Thomason.

The Eagles kept their slim postseason hopes alive, but they lost the season finale to the Redskins to end up tied for second with the Giants at 7-5. Dallas finished the sorry year at the bottom of the National Conference with a 1-11 record and headed into oblivion (the remnants of the team, including Marchetti and Donovan, resurfaced as the Baltimore Colts in 1953).

Bud Grant had an outstanding season overall, placing second in the NFL in both pass receptions (56) and yards (997). His seven touchdowns tied for fifth with Gordie Soltau of the 49ers and 17.8 average gain-per-catch placed seventh. Having gone through the season without signing a contract, Grant went to Canada in ‘53 and played for Winnipeg for four years, where he continued to excel as a receiver. Named the team’s head coach at age 30 in 1957, he enjoyed great success as his clubs won two Grey Cup titles. He returned to the NFL in 1967, this time as coach of the Minnesota Vikings, and lasted a total of 18 years with four Super Bowl appearances along the way.

1952: Rams Hold Off 49ers to Win Key Division Battle

The November 30, 1952 game between the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams featured two 6-3 teams that were in contention in the NFL’s National Conference, but appeared to be heading in different directions.

The 49ers, in their third season after coming over from the All-America Football Conference (AAFC), had gotten off to a 5-0 start. Head Coach Buck Shaw’s team had an exciting offense that was benefiting from the addition of rookie HB Hugh McElhenny. However, one play - a decision by veteran QB Frankie Albert to fake rather than punt from deep in his own territory that came up short against the Bears - led to the first loss of the year. It also led to bad relations between Coach Shaw and Albert and the whole season unraveled from there. They lost three of their next four games, including a 35-9 thrashing at Los Angeles the week before. Albert lost his starting job to Y.A. Tittle and there was open talk of dissension on the club. However, on this day they were motivated to try and win for their captain, FB Norm Standlee, who was hospitalized with a mild case of polio.

Meanwhile, the defending-champion Rams had fallen into disarray during the preseason. The defense was performing badly and Head Coach Joe Stydahar was feuding with assistant Hamp Pool. When LA lost its opening game to the Browns by a score of 37-7, Stydahar resigned and Pool was elevated to head coach. It didn’t pay immediate returns as the club fell to 1-3, but the defense finally jelled and, with the win over the 49ers the previous week, the Rams had reeled off five straight wins and were back in contention for another title. The quick-striking offense was still the team’s greatest strength, utilizing the quarterback tandem of Norm Van Brocklin and Bob Waterfield, ends Tom Fears and Elroy “Crazy Legs” Hirsch, and a stable of fine running backs led by FB “Deacon Dan” Towler.

There were 51,000 fans in attendance at Kezar Stadium on an overcast day. The game was billed as a “grudge fight” between the two West Coast rivals, and both teams were fired up right from the start.

The Rams scored first, in the opening quarter, driving 59 yards in nine plays capped by a 15-yard touchdown pass from Van Brocklin to HB V.T. “Vitamin” Smith. San Francisco tied the game early in the second quarter, climaxing a 15-play, 55-yard drive with a five-yard scoring pass from Tittle to end Gordie Soltau. Waterfield kicked a 27-yard field goal to again put the Rams in front following a 75-yard possession and the halftime score was 10-7.


Waterfield kicked another field goal in the third quarter, from 32 yards, and then two interceptions of Tittle passes by DHB Jack Dwyer (pictured at left), a local product out of Loyola of Los Angeles, set up LA touchdowns

The first of the TDs was by Towler, who charged 29 yards down the middle of the field for the score following two outstanding passes, to Fears and Hirsch. The second pickoff gave the Rams the ball on the San Francisco 15 and “Vitamin” Smith scored on a two-yard carry. It appeared to be a runaway for Los Angeles at 27-7 heading into the fourth quarter.

However, Tittle brought the 49ers back in the final period. First, in a two-play possession he threw twice to end Bill Jessup, first for a 58-yard gain on the last play of the third quarter, followed by a 10-yard scoring pass to start off the fourth. Then, following an interception of a Waterfield pass by LB Jimmy Powers that gave the Niners the ball on the LA 22, Tittle fired a scoring pass to McElhenny in the end zone. The big lead was down to six points at 27-21.

However, the 49ers missed an opportunity to take the lead after recovering a fumble at the LA 13 on the following kickoff return when LB Hardy Brown knocked the ball loose from FB Jack “Moose” Myers, bringing the home crowd to a frenzy. However, in a key series, the defense held and San Francisco was forced to turn the ball over on downs.

The Rams capped the scoring late in the fourth quarter by keeping the ball on the ground, most notably on a 51-yard carry by HB Woodley Lewis. Towler pounded into the end zone from three yards out for the touchdown, giving LA a 34-21 win.

It was an impressive performance by the LA defense which held San Francisco’s top-ranked running attack to 67 yards in 27 carries – and most of that came on a 24-yard run by Joe Perry and 11-yard carry by McElhenny. The Niners had just nine rushing yards in the first half. Meanwhile, the Rams piled up 251 yards on the ground. Overall, they outgained San Francisco by 388 yards to 208 and had more first downs, 19 to 14. Both teams turned the ball over three times. LA sacked Tittle five times, but the 49ers weren’t able to dump either of the Rams’ quarterbacks for a loss.

Dan Towler rushed for 132 yards on 19 carries. Woodley Lewis, with his long run, gained 64 yards on just three attempts. Norm Van Brocklin completed 12 of 18 passes for 100 yards with a TD and an interception and Bob Waterfield added three completions in seven throws for 37 yards with one picked off. Tom Fears caught 6 passes for 45 yards while “Crazy Legs” Hirsch gained 47 yards on his 4 receptions.

For the 49ers, Y.A. Tittle went to the air 26 times and completed 10 for 155 yards with three TDs but also three interceptions. Joe Perry gained 53 rushing yards on 14 carries.

Six receivers caught two passes apiece, with Bill Jessup (pictured below) accumulating the most yards with 68. Jessup was available to the 49ers on a weekend pass from the San Diego Naval Station, although he exceeded his 150-mile limit and was disciplined by the Navy afterward.


The loss essentially knocked the 49ers out of contention - they split their final two games to end up in third place in the National Conference with a 7-5 record. Los Angeles won its final two contests to end up tied atop the conference with the Lions at 9-3. However, the Rams lost the resulting playoff game at Detroit, thus losing out on a shot at winning back-to-back titles.

Dan Towler led the NFL in rushing with 894 yards on 156 carries (5.7 avg.) and 10 touchdowns. San Francisco’s Joe Perry and Hugh McElhenny placed third and fourth with 725 and 684 yards, respectively. McElhenny topped the league by averaging 7.0 yards per carry and also had the most all-purpose yards with 1731.

1952: Rookie Ollie Matson Scores 2 TDs as Cards Beat Bears

The Chicago Cardinals had a new head coach for 1952 in Joe Kuharich, who had played for the team in the 1940s. They also had a rookie who set a collegiate career rushing record on Kuharich’s successful Univ. of San Francisco team in FB Ollie Matson (pictured above). Matson was fresh from winning two medals in the Olympics at Helsinki (bronze in the 400-meter run, gold as a member of the 1600-meter relay team) and, at 6’2” and 220 pounds, had a rare combination of size and speed. He was also versatile and, at least initially, Kuharich’s preference was to utilize him primarily as a defensive halfback as well as on kickoff returns.

Beyond Matson, who was optimistically referred to as “The Messiah” among Cardinals fans, there wasn’t a great deal of talent. Charley Trippi, once a great halfback during the team’s glory years in 1947 and ’48, had been converted into a mediocre quarterback. They lost their season-opening game to Washington by a 23-7 score.

On October 5 the Cardinals took on their cross-city rivals, the Bears, before 34,697 fans at Comiskey Park. The Bears, typically a strong team under owner/Head Coach George Halas, had beaten Green Bay in their opening game and came into the contest as 13-point favorites.

There was no scoring in the first quarter, but George Blanda kicked a 39-yard field goal early in the second period for the Bears. They followed up by driving 66 yards to a one-yard touchdown plunge by FB Fred “Curley” Morrison to extend the lead to 10-0.

Following the touchdown, Matson took the ensuing kickoff at dead center on his goal line and went 100 yards as he swerved down the sideline for a touchdown, passing the last defender, HB Billy Stone, with ease. The score remained 10-7 at the half as the Cards’ offense was never able to penetrate beyond midfield prior to the last two minutes of the second quarter.

After a scoreless third quarter, Matson struck again, this time in his defensive role as he returned a fumble by HB Chuck Hunsinger for a 34-yard touchdown, running over the unfortunate (and much smaller) Stone along the way and giving the Cardinals a 14-10 lead.

Late in the fourth quarter, with less than three minutes remaining, Cardinals DB Roy Barni recovered a fumble by end Gene Schroeder, who had caught a pass from QB Steve Romanik. On the next play, Trippi (pictured below) faked a pass and then scored for the Cards on a 59-yard run down the middle of the field. It was the icing on the cake as the Cardinals defeated the Bears, 21-10.


The Bears won the statistical battle, outgaining their intracity rivals (297 yards to 216) and accumulating more first downs (17 to 13). However, they also turned the ball over more often (5 to 3), and two of those turnovers led to scores for the Cardinals. FB Jack Dottley of the Bears had a notable performance, running for 121 yards on 24 carries in defeat.

The Cardinals won their next two games to improve to 3-1, but then lost five straight and finished in a tie for last place in the American Conference (along with the Redskins) with a 4-8 record. The Bears had an uncharacteristically poor season, falling under .500 for the first time since 1945 at 5-7 for a fifth-place finish in the National Conference.

Ollie Matson’s performance had fans calling for him to be used more on offense. “We are trying to work Matson into our offense,” Joe Kuharich said. “But as it is he's much too valuable to us as a defensive half.”

Kuharich did work his multitalented star into both platoons, and Matson ran for 344 yards on 96 carries with three touchdowns at fullback, caught 11 passes for 187 yards and three more scores, intercepted two passes on defense, and scored a second TD on a kickoff return as he ranked second in the league in that category with a 31.2 average. Overall, he scored 9 touchdowns and was fourth in the NFL with 1241 all-purpose yards. Matson was a first-team All-Pro choice by the Associated Press as a defensive halfback (modern cornerback) and was selected to the Pro Bowl.

Matson missed all of the 1953 season due to military service, but returned to the Cardinals in ’54 and was a force to be reckoned with, at both halfback and fullback on offense as well as returning kicks. By the time he was traded to the Rams following the ’58 season, he had twice led the NFL in all-purpose yards, had rushed for a total of 3331 yards, gained another 2150 on 130 pass receptions, and averaged 10.9 yards per punt return and 28.5 yards per kickoff return while bringing back three of the punts and six of the kickoffs for touchdowns – the latter a new league career record. He was named to the Pro Bowl in all six seasons with the Cards and was a consensus first-team All-Pro in each of the first five (he was a consensus second-team choice in 1958).

Matson ran into some controversy, primarily after being traded to Los Angeles for nine players, due to high expectations, but as talented as he was, he couldn’t lift subpar teams into contention. Still, with his impressive all-around abilities, he played for 14 years in the NFL (eventually being reunited with Coach Kuharich, who quit the Cardinals after one year, in Philadelphia) and became the first to accumulate over 10,000 all-purpose yards. At the time of his retirement, he ranked second to only Jim Brown with 12,884 total yards (5173 rushing, 3285 receiving, 595 returning punts, 3746 returning kickoffs, 51 returning interceptions, 34 returning fumbles) and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1972.

1952: Pat Harder Spurs Lions to Win Over Rams in Conference Playoff

The 1952 NFL season ended with both the Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Rams tied atop the National Conference with 9-3 records, necessitating a playoff game. The clubs met at Detroit’s Briggs Stadium on December 21 to determine who would represent the conference against the Cleveland Browns for the league championship.

The Rams were the defending league champions and had made it to the title game three consecutive years as either the Western Division champ (1949) or champion of the renamed National Conference (1950 and ’51). There had nevertheless been organizational turmoil early in the season as Joe Stydahar, the head coach since 1950, resigned after a bad loss in the opening game and assistant Hamp Pool (with whom Stydahar had been feuding) was elevated to the top job. After getting off to a sluggish 1-3 start, LA won eight straight games. The Rams still boasted the league’s most explosive offense that included quarterbacks Norm Van Brocklin and Bob Waterfield, receivers Tom Fears and Elroy “Crazylegs” Hirsch, and the NFL’s leading rusher, FB Dan Towler.


Detroit, meanwhile, was a team on the rise under second-year Head Coach Buddy Parker. The offense was led by QB Bobby Layne, who had been obtained in 1950 and proved to be an excellent fit with his passing and leadership abilities. Star all-purpose HB Doak Walker missed time due to injury, but HB Bob “Hunchy” Hoernschemeyer (pictured at left) ranked fifth in the NFL in rushing (457 yards). 30-year-old veteran FB Pat Harder (pictured at top) had been obtained from the Cardinals, with respectable results, although more due to his blocking than running. End Cloyce Box led the league in touchdowns with 15. The defense was especially tough, with a backfield that was perhaps the best in the NFL.

There were 47,645 fans present on a cold, foggy day in Detroit. The Lions scored on their first possession, following an uncharacteristically poor punt by Van Brocklin. The Rams were double-teaming Box, as well as Walker out of the backfield, so Layne threw passes down the middle to big (262-pound) end Leon Hart that gained, first, 22 yards and then 13. Harder capped the 52-yard drive with a 12-yard touchdown run and successfully kicked the extra point to make it 7-0.

There was no further scoring in the opening period, but, following a miss by Waterfield on a 34-yard field goal attempt in the second quarter, Detroit put together a six-play, 80-yard drive that ended with Harder running for a four-yard TD. The possession was highlighted by two passes to Walker, one from Layne for a 50-yard gain and the other an option pass by Hoernschemeyer that went for 24 yards and put the Lions in scoring position. The Rams finally got on the board near the end of the half when Van Brocklin tossed a 15-yard touchdown pass to Fears that capped a seven-play drive following an interception and made it 14-7.

Early in the third quarter, Van Brocklin threw a pass to end Bob Carey at the Detroit 40 that looked to be a big play in the making, but Carey fumbled and safety Yale Lary recovered for the Lions. Detroit made the most of the break as Walker threw a halfback option pass to Hart in the end zone for a 24-yard TD. Shortly thereafter, a 43-yard field goal by Harder (who had kicked all of the extra points as well) increased Detroit’s margin to 24-7.

The Rams fought back with an 80-yard drive deep into Lions territory, highlighted by a 47-yard run by HB Skeets Quinlan, but after getting a first down on the six yard line, four straight runs into the line by Towler were stopped and LA was forced to turn the ball over on downs at the Detroit one.

However, in the fourth quarter Los Angeles got a break when Layne went to the air deep in his own territory and was intercepted by middle guard Stan West, who returned it to the Detroit 20. Waterfield replaced Van Brocklin at quarterback and shortly thereafter Towler scored from five yards out to cut the Lions’ margin to 24-14. It was a three-point game when LA’s Verda “Vitamin T” Smith returned a punt 56 yards for another TD.

With the game coming down to the last minute, the Rams had the ball at their own 11 but a pass from Waterfield, intended for Hirsch, was instead intercepted by LB LaVern Torgeson at the LA 30. Hoernschemeyer scored a nine-yard clinching touchdown and the Lions won the game and division title by a score of 31-21.


Detroit outgained the Rams by 365 yards to 307 and had the edge in first downs with 18 to LA’s 15. While the Lions gave up more turnovers (four to three), the two fumbles and the last-minute interception were more costly to Los Angeles.

Pat Harder was the player of the game for Detroit as he ran for 72 yards on 8 carries, including two touchdowns, and caught a pass for six more yards. Adding up the two TDs, one field goal, and four extra points, he accounted for 19 points.

Doak Walker (pictured above right) ran for 29 yards on 7 attempts, caught two passes for 75 more yards, and threw a touchdown pass. Bob Hoernschemeyer gained 49 yards on 11 rushes, including a TD.

Bobby Layne (pictured below) completed 9 of 21 passes for 144 yards and was intercepted four times. The Lions made good use of their two halfback option passes that totaled 48 yards and directly scored one touchdown while setting up another. Leon Hart was the leading pass receiver for the Lions with 5 catches for 86 yards and a TD.


For the Rams, Norm Van Brocklin completed 15 of 19 passes for 166 yards with a touchdown and none intercepted while Bob Waterfield added 3 of 9 for 13 yards and was picked off once. Tom Fears led the receivers with 7 catches for 76 yards and a TD while Crazylegs Hirsch had 5 receptions for 45 yards. “Deacon Dan” Towler ran for 54 yards on 13 carries and had one touchdown.

The game truly marked a changing of the guard in the West (the conferences would be renamed Western and Eastern in 1953). The Lions went on to defeat the Browns for the NFL Championship in ’52 and won the Western Conference again in 1953 and ’54 (in all instances they faced Cleveland in the title game, winning again in ’53 but losing in 1954). The Rams did not return to the postseason until 1955.

Pat Harder played one more season in 1953. While a good fullback, his kicking made him significant to two championship teams (the 1947 Cardinals as well as ’52 Lions) and he was the NFL’s scoring leader in three consecutive seasons (1947 to ’49). Harder retired with 531 career points that included 38 touchdowns, 35 field goals, and 198 extra points.

The playoff game against the Lions was the last for Bob Waterfield (pictured below). The quarterback who led the Rams to their first championship in 1945 while the franchise was still in Cleveland, he had also been a good defensive back during the single-platoon era and was one of the league’s best kickers as well. Waterfield was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1965.

1952: Billy Howton Becomes First Rookie 1000-Yard Receiver with 200-Yard Game

When end Billy Howton was chosen by the Green Bay Packers in the second round of the 1952 draft, he wasn’t sure that he wanted to play pro football. At 6’2” and 190 pounds, he thought he might be too thin, and had already accepted a high school coaching job. But Packers QB Tobin Rote, like Howton a Texan who had played collegiately at Rice, convinced him to give it a try. Rote proved, certainly in this instance, that he was a good judge of talent.

Howton not only made the team but had a significant impact in his rookie season. He scored on a 39-yard TD pass from Rote in the season-opening game against the Bears, and accumulated six touchdowns in his first five contests. Sure-handed and fast, he proved to be an outstanding deep threat and drew comparisons to legendary Green Bay end Don Hutson.

On December 7, 1952 in a game against the Los Angeles Rams at the Memorial Coliseum, Howton caught six passes for an even 200 yards. While his longest reception of the day was 76 yards, he didn’t score at all. But he did pass the thousand-yard mark in pass receiving yardage, something that happened rarely in those days and that no rookie had done before in the NFL.

Unfortunately, while the Packers showed improvement on both sides of the ball in ’52, they were no match for the better teams in the league; in this game, the Rams defeated them, 45-27. Both Rote and rookie Babe Parilli saw action at quarterback and, largely thanks to Howton’s heroics, accumulated 287 passing yards. However, they also combined to throw five interceptions, and adding two fumbles, the Packers turned the ball over seven times. The Rams also held Green Bay to 83 rushing yards on 36 attempts.

While the Packers were at one point 6-3 during the season, losses in the last three games on the road against the Lions, Rams, and 49ers gave them a 6-6 record for the season; they finished in fourth place in the National Conference. Still, it was progress, as the team hadn’t had a record anywhere near .500 since 1947. Meanwhile, the win for the Rams was their seventh of an eventual eight straight to close out the regular season, tying them with the Lions for first place in the National Conference with a 9-3 record. They lost the ensuing playoff to Detroit.

Billy Howton caught 53 passes for 1231 yards (an outstanding 23.2-yard average) and 13 touchdowns. He was the only thousand-yard receiver in the league (runner-up Bud Grant of the Eagles had 997). The touchdown receptions ranked second and the yards-per-catch average placed third. His yardage total remained the record for a rookie until Houston’s Bill Groman totaled 1473 yards in the AFL in 1960, and ranked second for another 38 years. The 13 TD catches were the rookie record until broken by Minnesota’s Randy Moss in 1998 (John Jefferson of San Diego tied the mark in 1979).

Quarterbacks Rote and Parilli certainly benefited from Howton’s presence – they ranked second and third in yards per attempt, respectively. Rote led the NFL with an 8.3 TD percentage.

Howton had one other thousand-yard season (1188 in 1956) on his way to retiring after the 1963 season as the career leader in both yards (8459) and receptions (503). However, Raymond Berry passed his career pass receptions mark the following year, and his yardage total in 1966. With the opening up of the passing game since the late 70s, his lifetime totals have been left in the dust and he has largely been forgotten (it didn’t help that he played with the Packers in their long down period pre-Vince Lombardi, and, after a year in Cleveland, with the Cowboys before they began to win). But his rookie season was one of the best ever for a pro receiver.