1995: Panthers Lose Debut to Falcons in Overtime

The Carolina Panthers, one of two NFL expansion teams for the 1995 season along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, took the field for their first regular season game on September 3. Coached by Dom Capers, most recently the defensive coordinator of the Steelers, the Panthers were coming into their first season facing the usual obstacles of a new team, utilizing either unproven or over-the-hill talent, but GM Bill Polian had been aggressive in free agency. The Panthers were to feature a conservative offense, tough defense, and solid special teams. QB Frank Reich (pictured above), the long-time backup in Buffalo, was starting while first draft choice Kerry Collins was groomed to take over the job, and there were veteran receivers in WRs Mark Carrier and Willie Green plus TE Pete Metzelaars. LB Sam Mills, formerly of the USFL and Saints, provided leadership as well as ability at inside linebacker, and there were other established hands in LB Lamar Lathon and CB Tim McKyer.

The Atlanta Falcons, Carolina’s first opponent, were coming off a 7-9 record in 1994, their third straight losing season and first under Head Coach June Jones. Operating a run-and-shoot offense, QB Jeff George threw for 3734 yards and 23 touchdowns and, while free agent WR Andre Rison departed in the offseason, there was a good group of small but fast of receivers for George’s passes. The defense was of greater concern, having given up a lot of points and fallen short in close contests in ‘94.

There were 58,808 fans in attendance at the Georgia Dome. The Falcons had the game’s first possession and went three-and-out. Carolina then went 65 yards in eight plays. Frank Reich had completions of 20 yards to Willie Green and 10 to Mark Carrier. Another pass to Carrier picked up 18 yards in a third-and-13 situation to reach the Atlanta 19. Following two carries by RB Randy Baldwin, Reich threw to Pete Metzelaars for eight yards and a touchdown. John Kasay added the extra point.

It didn’t take long for the Panthers to add to their lead. WR Roell Preston fumbled the ensuing kickoff and RB Vince Workman recovered for the visitors at the Atlanta 22. This time Carolina was only able to pick up a yard in three plays, but Kasay kicked a 39-yard field goal to make the score 10-0.

The Falcons came back with a seven-play, 47-yard series that was highlighted by Jeff George connecting with RB/WR Eric Metcalf (pictured at left) on a third down play for a 36-yard gain to the Carolina 16. Morten Andersen, a newcomer to the club after thirteen years in New Orleans, booted a 27-yard field goal to make it a seven-point margin.

Reich came out throwing on the next Carolina series, hitting Green for 11 yards and then Carrier for 46 yards to the Atlanta 23. The Panthers were unable to move any further but came away with another Kasay field goal, this time from 41 yards.

The teams traded punts as the game moved into the second quarter. Taking possession at their own two yard line following a Carolina punt, the Falcons came through with a big play when George threw to WR Bert Emanuel for 46 yards. George completed six more passes as Atlanta moved 98 yards in 11 plays, the last for a 12-yard TD to WR J.J. Birden. Andersen’s extra point narrowed Carolina’s lead to 13-10.

Following a short series by the Panthers, the Falcons drove to another score. George completed three passes but, after reaching the Carolina 33 at the two-minute warning, two more throws fell incomplete and Andersen kicked a 51-yard field goal. The score remained 13-13 at the half.

The Panthers were forced to punt following the first series of the third quarter and the home team went 58 yards in seven plays to take the lead. George threw to WR Terance Mathis for 23 yards and, in a third-and-eight situation, connected with Mathis again for 19 yards to the Carolina 14. Three plays later, he tossed a five-yard touchdown pass to Emanuel and, with Andersen’s PAT, the Falcons were in front by 20-13.

The defenses took control as neither team was able to sustain a drive until, with less than four minutes remaining in the period, Metcalf took off for a 19-yard gain to spur a series in which the Falcons reached midfield. However, FS Brett Maxie intercepted a pass to end the threat and the score remained tied heading into the final period.

The teams continued to exchange punts until RB Craig Heyward of the Falcons fumbled and Maxie recovered for Carolina at the Atlanta 22. However, two penalties and two sacks moved the Panthers back to the 44 and they were forced to punt.

Carolina got the ball again on a punt with 1:15 remaining in regulation. Starting at his own 20, Reich passed to RB Bob Christian for 23 yards and, after two incompletions, to Green for 13 yards. Reich threw long to Green once again, and the result was a 44-yard touchdown. A gamble for a two-point conversion was nullified by a false start and, backed up five yards, the Panthers kicked to tie the score at 20-20 instead.

Getting the ball back with 20 seconds on the clock, the Falcons tried to win the game in regulation as George completed two passes, but a 58-yard field goal try by Andersen fell short and the contest went into overtime.

The Panthers had the initial possession in the OT period and Reich completed two passes, but fumbled when stripped by DE Lester Archambeau, who recovered the ball at the Carolina 31. Six plays later, at 2:42 into the extra period, Andersen booted a 35-yard field goal and Atlanta came away the winner by a final score of 23-20.

The Falcons led in total yards (391 to 312) and first downs (20 to 17). Carolina was hurt by gaining only 51 yards on 20 running plays and giving up nine sacks. The Panthers also committed seven penalties, to four flags thrown on Atlanta. By contrast, the Falcons gave up three sacks and were more balanced on offense, rushing for 117 yards while gaining 274 net passing yards.

Jeff George completed 27 of 45 passes for 290 yards and two touchdowns while giving up one interception. Eric Metcalf had 9 catches for 95 yards and ran for 56 yards on just 7 carries. Terance Mathis contributed 8 receptions for 83 yards and Bert Emanuel added 6 for 90 yards and a TD. Craig Heyward paced the ground game with 61 yards on 19 carries.

For the Panthers, Frank Reich was successful on 23 of 44 throws for 329 yards and two TDs while giving up no interceptions. Willie Green (pictured below) pulled in 7 of those passes for 121 yards and a score and Mark Carrier had 5 receptions for 96 yards. Randy Baldwin led what there was of a running attack with 43 yards on 17 attempts.

“There is no moral victory,” said a disappointed Frank Reich. “It’s win or lose. We want to win early and win often. Anything less in unacceptable. This was tough. We had our chance.”

The Panthers went on to lose their first five games before reeling off four consecutive wins on the way to a respectable 7-9 record, placing fourth in the NFC West. They also defeated the Falcons in the rematch at Clemson Memorial Stadium. Atlanta lost the next week but then won three in a row and finished at 9-7, placing second in the division and qualifying for a Wild Card spot. The Falcons were defeated by Green Bay in the first postseason round.

By the point the season turned around for the Panthers, Frank Reich had given way to Kerry Collins as the starting quarterback. He ended up throwing just 39 more passes, completing 44 percent in all, and the two TD passes against the Falcons were his only scoring tosses. Mark Carrier and Willie Green remained effective receivers, with Carrier catching 66 passes for 1002 yards (15.2 avg.) and three touchdowns and Green hauling in 47 for 882 yards (18.8 avg.) and six TDs.

Eric Metcalf continued to be highly productive for the Falcons with 104 pass receptions for 1189 yards (11.4 avg.) and eight touchdowns to go along with his 133 yards on 28 rushing attempts (4.8 avg.). Adding in kick returns, Metcalf gained a total of 1983 all-purpose yards, which ranked fifth in the NFL. Terance Mathis and Bert Emanuel also had over a thousand receiving yards with 1039 apiece, on 78 and 74 catches, respectively. 

1997: Eddie George Runs for 216 Yards as Oilers Beat Raiders in Tennessee Debut

The team that had been known as the Houston Oilers for 37 years began a new chapter as a Tennessee-based franchise on August 31, 1997. Coached by Jeff Fisher, the Oilers were coming off of an 8-8 record in ’96. While they faded badly after getting off to a 5-2 start, they were a rebuilding team that also showed improvement and had young talent at key positions. Mobile third-year QB Steve McNair was heading into his first season as the starter, with veteran Chris Chandler having been dealt away during the offseason. RB Eddie George (pictured at right) rushed for 1368 yards and received Rookie of the Year recognition, and he was expected to carry even more of a load in his second year.

The team they were facing in the opening week was the Raiders, who had returned to Oakland two years before after a 13-season sojourn in Los Angeles. The Raiders were coming off a 7-9 tally in 1996 and had made changes at head coach, where Joe Bugel was replacing Mike White, and quarterback, with the talented but immature Jeff George taking over from Jeff Hostetler. They also had a fine runner in Napoleon Kaufman and a reliable receiver in WR Tim Brown. However, the defense was full of question marks.

There was a disappointing crowd of 30,171 in attendance at the 62,300-seat Liberty Bowl in Memphis, which was to serve as a first-year home for the Nashville-bound club, on a damp and hazy day, and many of them were there to support the visiting Raiders.

The teams exchanged punts to start the game. Commencing their second possession from their own nine yard line, the Raiders suffered a turnover when Napoleon Kaufman fumbled after catching a pass from Jeff George and the LB Lonnie Marts recovered for the Oilers at the 20. Four plays later, Al Del Greco kicked a 30-yard field goal to put the home team in front by 3-0.

Oakland responded by moving into Tennessee territory when George threw to TE Rickey Dudley for a 26-yard gain. Two runs by Kaufman gained nine yards but a third down option pass was incomplete and Cole Ford’s 46-yard field goal attempt was wide to the left.

The Oilers came back with a five-play, 63-yard drive that featured a pass from Steve McNair to WR Willie Davis that picked up 21 yards to the Oakland 38. Another pass by McNair resulted in a 48-yard touchdown completion to WR Chris Sanders. Del Greco added the extra point and Tennessee took a 10-0 lead into the second quarter.

Following a punt by the Raiders, Tennessee’s next series ended with McNair being intercepted by SS James Trapp to give Oakland good starting field position at the Oilers’ 49. However, after advancing to the 37, the visitors lost ground and once again had to punt. Oakland again got the ball back on a turnover, this time a fumble by WR Derrick Mason, and again failed to capitalize. The half ended with the Oilers ahead by ten, and Eddie George had already gained 95 yards rushing.

Tennessee started off the third quarter with a 14-play series that covered 47 yards, converting two third downs along the way, and finishing up with Del Greco kicking a 37-yard field goal. But down by 13 points, the Raiders struck quickly on their next possession. On the second play, George completed a pass to Tim Brown for a 59-yard touchdown and, with Ford’s successful conversion, the tally stood at 13-7.

Following a short series by the Oilers that resulted in a punt, Oakland put together another scoring drive that stretched into the final period and was helped along by a pass interference penalty in a third-and-nine situation. George completed passes to Brown for 19 and 13 yards along the way and capped the nine-play, 75-yard possession with another throw to Brown for a 27-yard TD. With Ford’s extra point, the Raiders were in the lead by 14-13.

The teams traded punts before Tennessee put together a 90-yard series that took 13 plays. The last six were all runs by George, the final carry good for a 29-yard touchdown. George then successfully ran for a two-point conversion and, with just over two minutes remaining in regulation, the Oilers were back in the lead at 21-14.

The Raiders started off from their own 47 following a 34-yard kickoff return by RB Tim Hall. George completed four straight passes, the longest covering 18 yards to WR Olanda Truitt, to get to the Tennessee 16. The next three throws fell incomplete and, while RB Derrick Fenner ran for seven yards, two sacks had the Raiders back at the 16 and facing fourth-and-goal and the clock down to 28 seconds. However, George tossed a bullet to Brown between two defenders for a TD and, with Ford adding the all-important extra point, the game was tied at 21-21 and went into overtime.

Tennessee had the first possession in the extra period but went three-and-out and had to punt. The Raiders were no more successful and punted in turn. Starting at their 35, the Oilers got two pass completions from McNair to TE Frank Wycheck, one for 21 yards and then for 10 to reach the Oakland 32. McNair ran the ball himself around end for 11 more yards and, after George went up the middle for six yards, Del Greco came in to kick the decisive field goal from 33 yards. The Oilers came away the winner in their first game as a Tennessee team by the final score of 24-21.

Tennessee had more total yards (419 to 332), with 255 yards of that total coming on the ground, and also had the edge in first downs (20 to 17). The Oilers also turned the ball over twice, to one turnover suffered by Oakland. Each team recorded three sacks.

Eddie George rushed for 216 yards on 35 carries that included a touchdown – it was the second-highest opening-game rushing total in NFL history at the time. Steve McNair completed 13 of 25 passes for 182 yards and had one TD as well as one interception. He further contributed 23 yards on the ground. RB Ronnie Harmon caught 5 passes for 50 yards and Chris Sanders gained 51 yards on his two receptions that included a touchdown. Al Del Greco was successful on all three of his field goal attempts, including the game-winner in overtime.

For the Raiders, Jeff George (pictured at left) was successful on 21 of 37 throws for 298 yards and three TDs with none intercepted. Tim Brown caught 8 of those passes for 158 yards and three scores. Napoleon Kauffman ran for just 32 yards on 12 carries.

Coach Jeff Fisher awarded a game ball to Tennessee Gov. Don Sundquist, but garbled the presentation by saying “This is from the Hou…er, Tennessee… Oilers organization.”

The Week 1 win was followed by four consecutive losses before the Oilers won six of their next eight contests and finished up with another 8-8 season that placed them third in the AFC Central. Practicing in Nashville, 210 miles away, while playing before sparse crowds in Memphis hurt, and the team moved to Nashville’s Vanderbilt Stadium in 1998 before finally coming to rest in a newly-constructed stadium in ’99 – and with a new name, the Titans, as well.

The Raiders dropped to 4-12, tying with San Diego at the bottom of the AFC West. While Jeff George passed for a league-leading 3917 yards and topped the AFC with 29 TD passes and Tim Brown caught 104 passes for 1408 yards, they could not make up for poor defensive play.

Eddie George went on to rush for 1399 yards on 357 carries (3.9 avg.) and was chosen to the Pro Bowl for the first of four straight seasons. The 216-yard performance against Oakland remained his career high.

1994: Lions Overcome Falcons in Overtime

The Atlanta Falcons had a new head coach and quarterback for the 1994 NFL season as they opened against the Lions on September 4. Offensive coordinator June Jones had succeeded Jerry Glanville as head coach following a disappointing 6-10 season in ’93 and they picked up QB Jeff George from the Colts to operate their version of the run-and-shoot offense.

The Lions, coached by Wayne Fontes, were also debuting a new quarterback in Scott Mitchell, a highly-regarded (but not much experienced) backup in Miami who was signed to a big free agent contract. Star RB Barry Sanders (pictured above) had missed five games late in the previous season but was ready for the new one (and would not miss another game for the remainder of his illustrious career). Herman Moore was a rising talent at wide receiver.

There was a crowd of 60,740 present at the Pontiac Silverdome. The Falcons had first possession and punted. Following a 22-yard return by WR Mel Gray that gave the Lions good starting field position at their 47, it took just three plays for the home team to get on the board. Mitchell threw to Herman Moore for a 34-yard gain, Barry Sanders ran 18 yards, and RB Derrick Moore gained the last yard for a touchdown and, adding Jason Hanson’s extra point, a 7-0 lead.

That was it for the scoring in the opening period. The teams traded punts until the Falcons went 58 yards in eight plays in the second quarter. Keeping the ball on the ground, the big play was a 25-yard carry by RB Erric Pegram who also finished the drive off with a one-yard touchdown run. Norm Johnson’s extra point tied the score. Neither team was able to get out of its own end of the field for the remainder of the period as the score remained 7-7 at the half.

The Lions started off the third quarter with a seven-play, 70-yard scoring drive. Sanders ran effectively, gaining 26 yards on three carries, and a pass interference penalty picked up 18 yards to the Atlanta four yard line. From there, Mitchell passed to Herman Moore for a TD.

The Falcons responded with a long drive of their own. Jeff George completed 10 straight passes in the 12-play possession that covered 80 yards including the last to WR Andre Rison for a two-yard touchdown. The game was again knotted with the offenses having come to life.

Detroit was on the move as the period ended and, early in the fourth quarter, Mitchell connected with WR Anthony Carter for a nine-yard TD. It capped a 12-play, 76-yard series and gave the Lions a lead that didn’t last long when, on the first play following the ensuing kickoff, George threw to Rison for a 69-yard touchdown.

The Lions went three-and-out on the next possession, which forced the first punt of the second half, and Atlanta rolled down the field on a long drive that covered 78 yards in 12 plays. Three times George converted third downs on passes to Rison, the first for 28 yards in a third-and-seven situation, the second gaining 17 yards on a third-and-12 play, and the third picking up 9 yards while facing third-and-four. It was WR Terance Mathis finishing the series off with a touchdown on a 15-yard scoring pass from George. The Falcons were ahead by 28-21 with just under four minutes remaining in regulation.

Following the kickoff the Lions took possession at their 35. The first two plays gained nothing but, facing third-and-10, Mitchell hit Herman Moore for 11 yards. Two plays later he threw to Carter for 14 yards. Two short gains and an incomplete pass had the Lions in a fourth-and-one situation at the Atlanta 31 with 54 seconds on the clock. Mitchell completed a pass to TE Rodney Holman for 16 yards and two plays later connected with Carter for a 15-yard touchdown. Hanson added the all-important extra point and the score was once again even at 28-28.

The Falcons had one last shot in regulation and, following the return of the squibbed kickoff by safety Alton Montgomery to the Atlanta 44, two completions to Rison got the ball to the Detroit 34, but a field goal try by Norm Johnson from 52 yards sailed wide to the right and the contest went into overtime.

An added concern for the Lions heading into OT was that the placekicker Hanson had gotten hurt making the tackle on the kickoff following the game-tying touchdown. He suffered a cramp in his leg that had trainers working on him afterward.

Atlanta got the ball first in OT but was forced to punt after a short series. Starting with good field position at the Falcons’ 49, Mitchell threw to WR Brett Perriman for 30 yards and, following three runs by Sanders, Hanson, despite being in apparent pain from his injury, kicked a 37-yard field goal at 5:14 into the extra period.  Detroit won by a final score of 31-28.

Atlanta had the edge over the Lions in total yards (389 to 352) and first downs (22 to 21). There was only one turnover, which was suffered by Detroit, although the Falcons were penalized 10 times at a cost of 90 yards against a total of five flags thrown on the Lions, for 40 yards.

Scott Mitchell completed 16 of 31 passes for 203 yards and three touchdowns with one intercepted. Barry Sanders rushed for 120 yards on 27 carries. Herman Moore (pictured below) caught 6 passes for 84 yards and a TD while Anthony Carter, a veteran newcomer to Detroit following nine seasons with the Vikings, contributed 5 receptions for 61 yards and two scores.

For the Falcons, Andre Rison had a big day as he pulled in 14 catches for 193 yards and two touchdowns. Jeff George was successful on 29 of 37 throws for 281 yards and three TDs with none picked off. Terance Mathis added another 8 receptions for 63 yards and a score. Erric Pegram led the ground game with 23 carries for 91 yards and a TD.

The Lions went on to finish third in the highly competitive NFC Central with a 9-7 record. All three Wild Card spots went to teams from the division and the Packers defeated Detroit in the first round. Atlanta ended up third in the NFC West at 7-9.

Scott Mitchell had a rough first year in Detroit as he injured his shoulder in the season’s second game and was lost for the rest of the way in Week 10. He completed just 48.4 percent of his passes for 1456 yards with 10 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Barry Sanders continued to be outstanding, leading the NFL in rushing with 1883 yards. Herman Moore caught 72 passes for 1173 yards and 11 TDs and was selected to the Pro Bowl for the first of four straight years.

Andre Rison didn’t go to the Pro Bowl but had 81 pass receptions for 1088 yards and eight touchdowns. Terance Mathis did get selected as he pulled in 111 passes for 1342 yards and 11 TDs. Jeff George completed 61.5 percent of his throws for 3734 yards and 23 touchdowns against 18 interceptions.

1990: Colts Trade Rison & Hinton to Falcons to Draft Jeff George

On April 20, 1990, two days before the NFL draft commenced, the Atlanta Falcons (a 3-13 club in ’89) traded the first overall pick and a fourth-round draft choice to the Indianapolis Colts for OT Chris Hinton, WR Andre Rison, and two draft picks (fifth round in 1990, first round in ’91). The deal was contingent upon the Colts reaching a contract agreement with Illinois QB Jeff George, which they accomplished at 5:30 that morning following an all-night bargaining session.

George (pictured above), an Indianapolis native, signed a six-year, $15 million contract that included a $3.5 million signing bonus. The package made him the third-highest-paid quarterback in the league without playing a down as a pro, behind Buffalo’s Jim Kelly and Randall Cunningham of Philadelphia (and ahead of such notable veteran quarterbacks as Joe Montana, Dan Marino, and John Elway).

While many Colts fans objected to the deal, General Manager Jim Irsay made clear his commitment to it. “Obviously, we feel that this trade will prove to be very significant for this organization,” he said. “Our position is, let's let time decide.”

The price was very steep. Hinton had been selected to the Pro Bowl six times since joining the Colts in 1983 when they were still in Baltimore – ironically, they obtained him from the Broncos as part of the deal that sent the draft rights to QB John Elway to Denver. Rison was the team’s top draft choice in 1989 and showed great promise during his rookie season, catching 52 passes for 820 yards.

“I'm an action guy. This is just an ideal place for me. I expect a lot of great things are going to happen for me and Indianapolis in the next year,” the confident George said. He had passed for 2932 yards and 22 touchdowns in his last season at Illinois. His college career had started at Purdue, but when the head coach was fired, he transferred to Illinois (after initially committing to Miami). George passed up his last year of college eligibility to enter the draft. While he had ideal size at 6’4” and 218 pounds, and there was no question as to his athletic ability, the lack of stability during his college career raised some questions.

Indianapolis had two veteran quarterbacks on the roster, Chris Chandler, who started as a rookie in 1988 but went down with a knee injury in ’89, and Jack Trudeau, who also played collegiately at Illinois. Head Coach Ron Meyer indicated that one of them would likely be dealt (it was Chandler, to Tampa Bay).

It looked as though the Colts had made the right decision during the second half of the ’90 season. After getting off to a 2-6 start (not helped by star RB Eric Dickerson being suspended for the first five games), Indianapolis won five of the remaining eight games with George starting at quarterback and playing well. In the five wins, he threw for 1070 yards with 10 touchdowns and only one picked off, and overall for the year totaled 2152 yards with more TD passes (16) than interceptions (13).

However, it was all down hill from there. The team collapsed to 1-15 in 1991 and Meyer was replaced as head coach by Ted Marchibroda – a move that was anticipated as being one that would spur George’s progress. The team’s record improved, but for all of his ability, George was highly erratic (not helped by the lack of a strong ground game once Dickerson departed plus poor pass protection) as well as prone to complain, a poor leader, and resistant to being coached. By his fourth year (1993), he was at odds with Marchibroda, his teammates, and the fans and the offense often seemed more effective when Trudeau was behind center. George was traded after the season – ironically enough, to the Falcons.


As for Atlanta, trading the first overall pick in 1990 had worked out well. Rison (pictured at left) proved to be an excellent fit in new Head Coach Jerry Glanville’s run-and-shoot passing offense. He set a new team record with 82 pass receptions while accumulating 1208 yards and 10 touchdowns and was a consensus first-team All-Pro. Hinton started off slowly due to a contract holdout, but was back in good form by midseason and part of an improved offensive line. However, the fifth-round draft choice obtained from the Colts was used to take Reggie Redding, a tight end from Cal State-Fullerton who was converted to offensive tackle and had a short and inconsequential career.

The Falcons were back in the postseason in 1991 with a 10-6 record and Rison put together another Pro Bowl season (81 catches, 976 yards, 12 TDs). The first-round draft choice for ’91 that had been picked up from the Colts was used to take WR Mike Pritchard, who contributed 50 receptions for 624 yards as the Falcons boasted an exciting passing offense. Hinton was selected to his seventh Pro Bowl after the season.


The team’s fortunes ultimately declined again, but in five years in Atlanta, Rison caught 423 passes for 5633 yards and 56 touchdowns (he led the NFL in TD receptions with 15 in 1993, when he also gained a career-high 1242 yards; his high for catches was 93 in 1992). Hinton played four years with the Falcons and was a consensus first-team All-Pro selection in 1993. In three seasons before moving on to Denver, Pritchard caught 201 passes for 2187 yards (10.9 avg.) and 10 TDs.

Jeff George never achieved the level of success that was anticipated when he came into the NFL. Despite a strong arm and quick release, good performances were all-too-frequently followed by ineffectiveness and controversy, and the stops along the way over the course of his NFL career became progressively shorter. Two productive years in Atlanta were followed by his being suspended during the ’96 season after a nationally-televised tirade directed at Head Coach June Jones; from there it was on to two years in Oakland (where he led the NFL with 3917 passing yards in 1997, but didn’t fit into new Head Coach Jon Gruden’s West Coast-style offense in ‘98), a season with the Vikings, and two in Washington (where he became a source of friction between owner Dan Snyder and head coaches Norv Turner and Marty Schottenheimer). Efforts at staging a comeback in the ensuing years went nowhere.

To be sure, the quarterback crop in 1990 had not been a strong one – only one other was taken in the first round, and it was Heisman Trophy-winner Andre Ware out of Houston, chosen by Detroit with the seventh pick and a complete bust as a pro. The only signal-callers of consequence taken in that entire draft were Neil O’Donnell (chosen by Pittsburgh, third round), Scott Mitchell (fourth round by the Dolphins), and John Friesz (sixth round, San Diego). On the other hand, outstanding players at other positions selected in the first round that year included DT Cortez Kennedy (Seattle), LB Junior Seau (San Diego), and RB Emmitt Smith (Dallas). The fourth round draft pick that the Colts obtained from Atlanta went for WR Stacey Simmons out of Florida, who played just one year as a kick returner.