Rookie of the Year: Sammy White, 1976

Wide Receiver, Minnesota Vikings

Age: 22

College: Grambling

Height: 5’11” Weight: 189

Prelude:

White was a wingback in college who scored 43 touchdowns overall and was Southwestern Athletic Conference Co-Offensive Player of the Year in 1975. He was chosen by the Vikings in the second round of the ’76 NFL draft and he moved into the starting role vacated by John Gilliam, who had departed for the Falcons.

1976 Season Summary

Appeared in all 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 51 [11, tied with Ken Burrough]   

Most receptions, game – 9 (for 139 yds.) vs. LA Rams 9/19, (for 120 yds.) at Miami 12/11

Yards – 906 [5, 1st in NFC]

Most yards, game – 210 (on 7 catches) vs. Detroit 11/7

Average gain – 17.8 [15]

TDs – 10 [3, tied with Bob Chandler & Dave Casper, 1st in NFC]

200-yard receiving games – 1

100-yard receiving games – 3

Rushing

Attempts – 5

Yards – -10

Average gain – -2.0

TDs – 0

Kickoff Returns

Returns – 9

Yards – 173

Average per return – 19.2

TDs – 0

Longest return – 36 yards

Punt Returns

Returns – 3

Yards – 45

Average per return – 15.0

TDs – 0

Longest return – 31 yards

Scoring

TDs – 10 [9, tied with Bob Chandler, Dave Casper & Andy Johnson]

Points – 60

Postseason: 3 G

Pass receptions – 9

Most pass receptions, game – 5 vs. Oakland, Super Bowl

Pass receiving yards – 141

Most pass receiving yards, game – 77 vs. Oakland, Super Bowl

Average yards per reception – 15.7

Pass Receiving TDs – 3

Rushing attempts – 1

Rushing yards – 7

Rushing TDs – 0

Kickoff returns – 4

Kickoff return yards – 79

Kickoff return avg. – 19.8

Kickoff return TDs – 0

Awards & Honors:

NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year: AP, PFWA

NFC Rookie of the Year: UPI, NEA, Sporting News

1^st team All-NFC: UPI, Pro Football Weekly

Pro Bowl

Vikings went 11-2-1 to finish first in the NFC Central while leading the conference in passing yards (2855). Won NFC Divisional playoff over Washington Redskins (35-20) and NFC Championship over Los Angeles Rams (24-13). Lost Super Bowl to Oakland Raiders (32-14).

Aftermath:

Fast and a potent deep receiver, and benefiting from the presence of Ahmad Rashad on the other side, White had another Pro Bowl year in 1977 as he caught 41 passes for 760 yards (18.5 avg.) and nine touchdowns. While he was not chosen to the Pro Bowl again, he remained a consistent and productive receiver, peaking with a 1981 season in which he achieved career highs in receptions (66) and yards (1001). White missed five games due to a muscle pull in 1983 and further injuries limited his effectiveness in his last two seasons of 1984 and ’85. Over the course of ten seasons that were all with the Vikings, White caught 393 passes for 6400 yards (16.3 avg.) and 50 touchdowns, and he had another 17 catches for 313 yards (18.4 avg.) and five TDs in the postseason.

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Rookie of the Year Profiles feature players who were named Rookie of the Year in the NFL, AFL (1960-69), or USFL (1983-85) by a recognized organization (Associated Press – Offense or Defense, Newspaper Enterprise Association, United Press International, The Sporting News, or the league itself – Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year).

1976: Sammy White’s 210 Receiving Yards and 2 TDs Lead Vikings Over Lions

The Week 9 divisional matchup at Metropolatin Stadium in Bloomington, Minnesota on November 7, 1976 featured the Vikings (6-1-1) against the visiting Detroit Lions (4-4). Minnesota had barely beaten the Lions at Detroit in Week 3, pulling out a 10-9 win, and had lost for the first time the previous week at Chicago, 14-13. Still, they were a strong team that had won the NFC Central Division the previous three seasons and seven of the past eight years, going back to the pre-merger years of 1968 and ’69.

There had been concern with regard to the receiving corps during the offseason, but the addition of rookie wide receiver Sammy White, who had been drafted in the second round, and Ahmad Rashad, a veteran obtained from Buffalo, created a highly effective combination. By Week 9, White had caught 27 passes for 447 yards (an average gain of 16.6 yards) and three TDs.

White scored the first and last Minnesota touchdowns against the Lions, on passes from QB Fran Tarkenton covering 24 yards in the first quarter and 37 yards in the fourth. He also had a 52-yard gain in the process of accumulating a club-record 210 yards on 7 receptions.

Running back Chuck Foreman had two short scoring runs in between, while QB Greg Landry threw a touchdown pass for the Lions and RB Lawrence Gaines rushed for 116 yards and a score. In the end, it was the Vikings prevailing by a 31-23 margin.

Rashad also had solid numbers, if far less spectacular than White’s, with 6 receptions for 85 yards. Tarkenton completed 17 of 25 passes for 347 yards, including the two scoring passes to White and an interception. Since the Lions neutralized the Minnesota running game – Foreman was well below his 4.2 yards per carry rushing average with just 51 yards on 19 attempts – the success of the passing game determined the outcome.

The Vikings went on to finish first in the NFC Central yet again, with an 11-2-1 record, and won the NFC Championship before losing to Oakland in the Super Bowl. Detroit came in third in the division at 6-8.

Sammy White caught a total of 51 passes for 906 yards and 10 TDs in this, his first of ten seasons with the Vikings. He was an All-NFC selection by Pro Football Weekly and UPI, went to the Pro Bowl, and was the Associated Press NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. And in the years since, with the passing game enhanced by rules changes and a parade of great receivers passing through Minnesota, the 210-yard receiving performance still stands out.