MVP Profile: Sid Luckman, 1943

Quarterback/Defensive Back, Chicago Bears

Age:  27 (Nov. 21)

5^th season in pro football & with Bears

College: Columbia

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 195

Prelude:

The Bears traded up to the second spot in the 1939 NFL draft to take Luckman, who had been a star single-wing tailback in college. Following a difficult rookie season of transitioning to T-formation quarterback (he played at halfback for part of the year), he led the Bears to championships in 1940 and ’41 and was an All-Pro selection in 1941 and ’42. Luckman was intelligent and an excellent tactician on the field as well as an outstanding passer from any range.

1943 Season Summary

Appeared in all 10 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Passing

Attempts – 202 [2]

Completions – 110 [2]

Yards – 2194 [1]

Completion percentage – 54.5 [2]

Yards per attempt – 10.9 [1]

TD passes – 28 [1]

Most TD passes, game – 7 at NY Giants 11/14

Interceptions – 12 [5, tied with Tony Canadeo]

Passer rating – 107.5 [1](Ranked 2nd by system used at time)

Rushing

Attempts – 22

Yards – -40

Yards per attempt – -1.8

TDs – 1

Punting

Punts – 34 [5]

Yards – 1220

Average – 35.9 [9]

Punts blocked – 1

Longest punt – 78 yards

Interceptions

Interceptions – 4 [10, tied with four others]

Return yards – 85 [7]

TDs – 0

Kickoff Returns

Returns – 1   

Yards – 7

Average per return – 7.0

TDs – 0

Punt Returns

Returns – 4   

Yards – 46

Average per return – 11.5

TDs – 0

Longest return – 14 yards

Scoring

TDs – 1         

Points – 6

Postseason: 1 G (NFL Championship vs. Washington)

Pass attempts – 26

Pass completions – 15

Passing yardage – 286

TD passes – 5

Interceptions – 0

Rushing attempts – 8

Rushing yards – 64

Average gain rushing – 8.0

Rushing TDs – 0

Interceptions – 2

Return yards – 39

TDs – 0

Punts – 5

Yards – 74

Average – 24.7

Punt returns – 2

Yards – 32

Average per return – 16.0

TDs – 0

Awards & Honors:

NFL MVP: Joe F. Carr Trophy

1^st team All-NFL: AP, UPI, INS, Chicago Herald-American, Pro Football Illustrated, NY Daily News

Bears went 8-1-1 to win Western Division while leading the league in total yards (3961), passing yards (2310), scoring (315 points), and touchdowns (45). Defeated Washington Redskins (41-21) for NFL Championship.

Aftermath:

Having joined the Merchant Marine, Luckman missed part of the 1944 season but was still selected as a consensus first-team All-Pro for the fourth straight year. He came back to lead the NFL in passing yards (1727) and TD passes (14) in ’45 and did so again in 1946 with 1826 yards and 17 touchdowns along with a league-leading 8.0 yards per attempt. The Bears won the NFL Championship, their fourth with Luckman at quarterback. He was a first-team All-Pro for one last time in 1947 as he threw for a career-high 2712 yards and again led the league in yards per attempt (8.4) although he also led in interceptions (31, by far his career high). He played three more seasons, largely as a backup to Johnny Lujack, and retired in 1950. Overall, his passing totals of 14,686 yards and 137 TD passes seem modest by modern standards, but his 8.4 yards per attempt still rank second all-time and his record of 28 TD passes in ’43 remained the NFL standard until 1959. The Bears retired Luckman’s #42 and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 1965.

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MVP Profiles feature players who were named MVP or Player of the Year in the NFL, AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974), or USFL (1983-85) by a recognized organization (Associated Press, Pro Football Writers Association, Newspaper Enterprise Association, United Press International, The Sporting News, Maxwell Club – Bert Bell Award, or the league itself). 

[Updated 2/9/14]

Past Venue: Frankford Stadium

Philadelphia, PA

aka Yellow Jacket Field

Year opened: 1923

Capacity: 10,000 (approx.)

Names:

Frankford Stadium, 1923-33

Yellow Jacket Field (unofficial)

Pro football tenants:

Frankford Yellow Jackets (Ind./NFL), 1923-30

Postseason games hosted:

None

Other tenants of note:

None

Notes: Located at intersection of Frankford Avenue and Devereaux Street in the Frankford section of Philadelphia. The venue suffered damage due to, first, a fire and then a windstorm in 1929. Crowds for Yellow Jackets games were noted for their enthusiasm, helped by the participation of the Yellow Jackets Band and the Frankford Legion Post 211 Drum & Bugle Corps. Venue also used for midget and women’s football.

Fate: Severely damaged by a fire in 1931 (forcing the Yellow Jackets to play in other venues), the structure was demolished following purchase by the Frankford Legion Athletic Association in 1933 and rebuilt as Franklin Legion Athletic Field (later renamed Yellow Trojan Field). A car dealership and row homes have since been constructed on the site.  

[Updated 2/16/15]

1983: Breakers Pull Away in Second Half to Beat Wranglers

The United States Football League Week 7 contest at Tempe, Arizona on April 17, 1983 featured the Boston Breakers, a 4-2 team that was in contention in the Atlantic Division, against the Arizona Wranglers, 3-3 along with the other three clubs in the Pacific Division.

The Breakers, coached by Dick Coury, had a potent offense directed by 35-year-old QB John Walton, who came out of retirement following previous stints in the Continental, World, and National football leagues. WR Charlie Smith, formerly of the NFL Eagles, combined with rookie wide receivers Nolan Franz and Frank Lockett to provide good targets and the running game was paced by HB Richard “Fast” Crump (pictured above). A solid linebacker corps, led by rookie Marcus Marek, anchored the defense. Boston was a game behind the division-leading Philadelphia Stars coming into the contest in Arizona.

Head Coach Doug Shively’s Wranglers had less talent across the board. The roster was undistinguished, but the team was holding its own in a mediocre division and had put together two exciting come-from-behind wins in doing so. Rookie QB Alan Risher played well and had a big-play wide receiver available in Jackie Flowers. Another ex-Eagle, Calvin Murray, was the top running back.

There were 20,911 in attendance at Sun Devil Stadium, and they had little to cheer about. Boston got the first big break early in the first quarter as Arizona punter Jim Asmus fumbled a snap and was tackled at his own two yard line. Walton promptly fired a pass to Crump for a touchdown.

The Wranglers immediately turned the ball over again thanks to a fumble on the ensuing kickoff. The Breakers came away with a 38-yard Tim Mazzetti field goal and the score was 10-0 with 7:21 left in the opening period.

Arizona finally got on the board halfway through the second quarter when Risher tossed a four-yard scoring pass to Flowers. With 31 seconds remaining before halftime, Mazzetti booted a 20-yard field goal and the score was 13-7 at the intermission.

In the third quarter, Boston put together a seven-play, 58-yard drive that resulted in FB Tony Davis running for a six-yard TD. The score was 20-7 with just under nine minutes remaining in the period. It got worse for the home team three minutes later when Breakers safety Joe Restic intercepted a Risher pass which resulted in Mazzetti adding to the margin with a 50-yard field goal.

Before the period was over, Arizona scored again, this time on a one-yard touchdown run by Murray that was followed by a successful two-point conversion on a throw from Risher to WR Neil Balholm. It was 23-15 after three quarters of play and Arizona was still within striking range.

However, there would be no late-game heroics for the mistake-prone Wranglers in this contest. The Breakers put it away with three fourth quarter touchdowns, the first two on four-yard runs by Crump and the last a fumble recovery by Lockett in the end zone. Arizona scored once more on a two-yard pass from backup QB Todd Krueger to Balholm, and the two connected again on a successful two-point conversion, but by then the outcome had long been decided. Boston came away with a convincing 44-23 win.

The Breakers outgained Arizona, 325 yards to 253, while the Wranglers had the edge with 19 first downs to Boston’s 18. Time of possession was nearly equal – the Breakers held the ball for 30:26 to Arizona’s 29:34. However, turnovers put the Wranglers in an early hole and sealed their fate – they gave up the ball five times to Boston’s one.

John Walton had an efficient day, completing 20 of 26 passes for 183 yards with one touchdown and none intercepted. Richard Crump rushed for an even 100 yards on 21 carries that included two TDs and caught 5 passes for 17 yards and one score. Nolan Franz had 6 receptions for 63 yards and Charlie Smith gained 66 yards on his 4 catches. Tim Mazzetti’s three field goals gave him 12 straight and, together with five extra points, he took over as the USFL’s scoring leader with 56 points.

For the Wranglers, Alan Risher was successful on 13 of 26 throws for 123 yards with a TD but two intercepted; Todd Krueger tossed 11 passes in relief and completed 6 for 55 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Calvin Murray was the leading rusher with 77 yards on 19 attempts and a TD. Neil Balholm pulled in 7 passes for 81 yards and a touchdown while Jackie Flowers caught 5 for 35 yards.

The Breakers remained in contention throughout the season, finishing second in the division with an 11-7 record and barely missing a wild card spot in the postseason. Arizona, however, completely collapsed, winning one more game the rest of the way and ending up tying Washington for the USFL’s worst record at 4-14.

John Walton missed time due to injury but still managed to throw more passes (589) than any other USFL quarterback and completed 56 percent of them for 3772 yards with 20 touchdowns and 18 interceptions. Richard Crump was the league’s seventh-ranked rusher with 990 yards on 190 carries, giving him a 5.2-yard average. He also scored a total of 12 TDs. The ex-Falcon Tim Mazzetti (pictured below) ended up second in scoring (119 points) and field goals (27). 

MVP Profile: Harlon Hill, 1955

Offensive End, Chicago Bears

Age:  23

2^nd season in pro football & with Bears

College: Florence State

Height: 6’3”    Weight: 200

Prelude:

An obscure player from a small college, Hill was chosen by the Bears in the 15^th round of the 1954 NFL draft. He quickly became a star, catching 45 passes for 1124 yards (a league-leading 25.0 avg. gain) and 12 TDs. He received first-team All-Pro recognition from the UPI, New York Daily News, and Sporting News and was selected to the Pro Bowl.

1955 Season Summary

Appeared in all 12 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 42 [7, tied with Ray Mathews]     
Most receptions, game - 8 (for 151 yds.) at LA Rams 10/30 

Yards – 789 [3]
Most yards, game - 151 (on 8 catches at LA Rams 10/30

Average gain – 18.8 [4]

TDs – 9 [1]

Scoring

TDs – 9 [1, tied with Alan Ameche]

Points – 54 [10, tied with Alan Ameche]

Awards & Honors:

NFL MVP: NEA

1^st team All-NFL: AP, NEA, UPI, NY Daily News, Sporting News

Pro Bowl

Bears went 8-4 to finish second in the Western Conference, a half game behind the 8-3-1 Lions, and led the NFL in total yards (4316) and rushing yards (2388) while placing second in scoring (294 points) and touchdowns (37).

Aftermath:

Hill had another big year in 1956 as the Bears won the Western Conference, catching 47 passes for 1128 yards (24.0 avg.) and 11 touchdowns, and was again a consensus first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection. With his speed combined with outstanding faking ability, he regularly drew double and triple coverage. However, major injuries limited his performance in 1957 and ’58 as he pulled in a combined 48 receptions for 848 yards (17.7 avg.) and 5 TDs. Hill bounced back with a 36-catch, 578-yard performance in 1959, but caught just 15 more passes over the last three years of his career that ended with stops in Detroit and Pittsburgh in 1962. Overall, he had 233 pass receptions for 4717 yards (20.2 avg.) and 40 TDs, but the bulk of his accomplishments came in his first three seasons.

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MVP Profiles feature players who were named MVP or Player of the Year in the NFL, AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974), or USFL (1983-85) by a recognized organization (Associated Press, Pro Football Writers Association, Newspaper Enterprise Association, United Press International, The Sporting News, Maxwell Club – Bert Bell Award, or the league itself). 

[Updated 2/9/14]
[Updated 2/21/17]

Past Venue: Red Bird Stadium

Columbus, OH

aka Jets Stadium, Cooper Stadium       

Year opened: 1932

Capacity: 15,000. Listed at 11,887 when UFL Colts played there.

Names:

Red Bird Stadium, 1932-54

Jets Stadium, 1955-70

Franklin County Stadium, 1977-84

Cooper Stadium, 1984 to date

Pro football tenants:

Columbus Bullies (APFA/AFL), 1939-41
Columbus Colts (UFL), 1961-62

Postseason games hosted:

None

Other tenants of note:

Columbus Red Birds (minor league baseball), 1932-54

Columbus Bluebirds (baseball Negro leagues), 1933

Columbus Elite Giants (baseball Negro leagues), 1935

Columbus Jets (minor league baseball), 1955-70

Columbus Clippers (minor league baseball), 1978-2008

Notes: Owned and operated by Franklin County, Ohio. Located in Franklinton section of Columbus. Originally constructed by MLB St. Louis Cardinals as venue for its Columbus-based AAA farm club. Grass surface replaced with AstroTurf, 1984, and returned to grass in 2000. Significantly renovated in 1977, with luxury boxes added. Stadium renamed in 1984 for Harold Cooper, a Franklin County commissioner who played a significant role in keeping professional baseball in Columbus during the 1950s. Pro football Bullies were members of minor American Professional Football Assoc. in 1939 and transferred to third major incarnation of American Football League for 1940-41.

Fate: Currently closed but may be renovated into multi-purpose venue, including auto racing.

[Updated 2/3/14]

1965: Packers Obtain Carroll Dale from Rams

On April 13, 1965 the Green Bay Packers, looking to improve an aging corps of receivers, traded LB Dan Currie to the Los Angeles Rams for WR Carroll Dale.

Green Bay, under Head Coach/GM Vince Lombardi, won back-to-back NFL Championships in 1961 and ’62 but failed to win the Western Conference in 1963 and ’64. The club was still fundamentally strong but was in need of some retooling, and the receiving corps was one of the areas of concern.

The duo of flanker Boyd Dowler and split end Max McGee was a good one and had been together since 1959 when Dowler broke in with a Rookie of the Year season. While Dowler was still in his prime at age 27 and had led the team with 45 catches for 623 yards in ’64, the nine-year pro McGee, at 32, was effective but showing signs of wear. His reception totals had steadily dropped since a career-high 51 in 1961 and he ended up pulling in 31 passes for 592 yards, although for a healthy 19.1-yard average and team-leading six touchdowns. In addition, TE Ron Kramer, an outstanding blocker as well as receiver, had played out his option and was demanding a trade – he was accommodated by being shipped off to the rival Detroit Lions.

The Packers had first sought to address the issue by picking Baylor end Larry Elkins in the first round of the ’64 draft, but he signed with the AFL’s Houston Oilers instead (he lasted two injury-plagued seasons and caught a total of 24 passes).

 “We lost our first draft choice and, as a result, we needed a receiver with speed,” explained Lombardi.

The 6’1”, 197-pound Carroll Dale was just short of his 27^th birthday at the time of the trade and had been with the Rams for five years, who had drafted him in the eighth round out of Virginia Tech in 1960. He moved into the starting lineup at tight end as a rookie but was shifted to flanker in 1963 and, overall, caught 149 passes for 2663 yards (17.9 avg.) and 17 touchdowns.

As for the Rams, Head Coach Harland Svare was looking to upgrade the linebacker corps (Svare was himself a former NFL linebacker). While the defensive line was outstanding and contained ends Deacon Jones and Lamar Lundy and tackles Merlin Olsen and Rosey Grier, the rest of the platoon was spotty. The team had not posted a winning record since 1958 and was coming off of a 5-7-2 campaign in ’64.

Swinging the deal with Green Bay meant sacrificing the only veteran outside receiver left on the roster since LA had also recently traded split end Jim “Red” Phillips to Minnesota, along with DT Gary Larsen (the Rams received Minnesota’s top draft choice, WR Jack Snow, in return. Veteran flanker Tommy McDonald was obtained from the Cowboys later in the offseason).

Dan Currie, just short of 30 at the time of the deal, was taken by the Packers in the first round in 1958 after an outstanding college career at Michigan State. 6’3” and 240 pounds, he had starred in Green Bay for seven years and received All-Pro honors in 1962. However, he had been made expendable by the presence of younger linebackers Lee Roy Caffey and Dave Robinson, plus second-year backup Tommy Crutcher and rookie Bill Curry from Georgia Tech (who would be shifted to center).

“Of course, I have mixed emotions about leaving Green Bay,” said Currie. “It’s tough leaving a great group of guys. But these things happen in pro football. Going to the Rams means a new challenge to me.”

Things started slowly for Dale in Green Bay, as he gradually took on McGee’s role and caught 20 passes for 382 yards (19.2 avg.) and two touchdowns. Dowler was still the top receiver (44 catches, 610 yards) while young TE Marv Fleming struggled and was supplanted by veteran Bill Anderson. The Packers were back on top at the end, however, beating Cleveland for the NFL title. In the postseason, Dale caught three passes for 63 yards in the overtime Western Conference playoff win over the Colts and started off the scoring in the NFL Championship game with a 47-yard touchdown reception.

Dale had a better year in 1966, forcing McGee to the bench and making big plays as the team’s top deep receiver. He ended up with 37 receptions for 876 yards (23.7 avg.) and seven TDs. He again had a touchdown in the league title game and in the first Super Bowl, against the AFL Champion Kansas City Chiefs, he pulled in 4 passes for 59 yards (McGee came off the bench when Dowler went down with an injury early in the contest and had an outstanding performance).

In all, Dale played eight seasons in Green Bay, experiencing one more championship before Lombardi left and the club faded from contention. He remained an important part of the offense and was selected to the Pro Bowl three straight times, from 1968 to ’70. Dale had his most receiving yards (879) in 1969 and a career high in catches (49) in 1970 and ended up with 275 receptions for 5422 yards (19.7 avg.) and 35 touchdowns as a Packer. He finished up with the Vikings in 1973 and appeared in one last Super Bowl.

As for Dan Currie in Los Angeles, he started at right outside linebacker in 1965 but appeared to be in decline. Following another losing season (4-10), Svare was replaced as head coach by George Allen, who revamped the linebacker corps by obtaining more veteran talent. Currie lost his starting job to Pro Bowl OLB Maxie Baughan, obtained from the Eagles. It was his final season.

As a footnote, the rookie Jack Snow and veteran Tommy McDonald performed admirably for the Rams in ‘65. Snow caught 38 passes for 559 yards on his way to a productive 11-year career in LA. McDonald made the Pro Bowl with a career-high 67 catches for 1036 yards and nine TDs. 

MVP Profile: Peyton Manning, 2003

Quarterback, Indianapolis Colts

Age:  27

6^th season in pro football & with Colts

College: Tennessee

Height: 6’5”    Weight: 230

Prelude:

Son of NFL quarterback Archie Manning and a star in college, Manning was chosen by the Colts with the first overall draft pick in 1998. It didn’t take long for him to justify the selection as he set NFL rookie records with 3739 passing yards and 26 TD passes. He led the league with 575 pass attempts, also a record for a rookie at the time, but also with 28 interceptions on a 3-13 club. The record turned around to 13-3 in ’99, the Colts qualified for the postseason, and Manning was selected to the Pro Bowl for the first time as he passed for 4135 yards and, while he again threw 26 TD passes, his interceptions dropped to 15. A classic drop-back passer, he lacked his father’s mobility but made up for it with a quick release – not to mention an excellent work ethic. Manning led the NFL with 357 completions, 4413 yards, and 33 TD passes in 2000 and again was chosen for the Pro Bowl. Following a lesser year in ’01 as the Colts dropped to 6-10, he bounced back with a third Pro Bowl season in 2002, passing for 4200 yards (his fourth straight year over 4000) and 27 touchdowns. The team was back in the playoffs, but for the third straight time Manning and the Colts came up short in their initial postseason game.

2003 Season Summary

Appeared and started in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Passing

Attempts – 566 [2]

Most attempts, game – 48 vs. New England 11/30

Completions – 379 [1]

Most completions, game – 34 at Tampa Bay 10/6

Yards – 4267 [1]

Most passing yards, game – 401 vs. NY Jets 11/16

Completion percentage – 67.0 [1]

Yards per attempt – 7.5 [4]

TD passes – 29 [2, 1st in AFC]

Most TD passes, game – 6 at New Orleans 9/28

Interceptions – 10

Most interceptions, game – 2 at Cleveland 9/7, at Jacksonville 11/9

Passer rating – 99.0 [2]

400-yard passing games – 1

300-yard passing games – 4

200-yard passing games – 14

Rushing

Attempts – 28

Most attempts, game - 5 (for 17 yds.) at Tennessee 12/7

Yards – 26

Most yards, game – 17 yards (on 5 carries) at Tennessee 12/7

Yards per attempt – 0.9

TDs – 0

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 1

Yards – -2

Yards per catch – -2.0

TDs - 0

Postseason: 3 G

Pass attempts – 103

Most attempts, game - 47 at New England, AFC Championship

Pass completions – 67

Most completions, game - 23 at New England, AFC Championship

Passing yardage – 918

Most yards, game - 377 vs. Denver, AFC Wild Card playoff

TD passes – 9

Most TD passes, game - 5 vs. Denver, AFC Wild Card playoff

Interceptions – 4

Most interceptions, game - 4 at New England, AFC Championship

Rushing attempts – 4

Most rushing attempts, game - 2 at New England, AFC Championship

Rushing yards – 3

Most rushing yards, game - 4 at New England, AFC Championship

Average gain rushing – 0.8

Rushing TDs – 0

Awards & Honors:

NFL MVP: AP, NEA, Bert Bell Award, Sporting News

1^st team All-NFL: AP, PFWA, Sporting News

1^st team All-AFC: Pro Football Weekly

Pro Bowl

Colts went 12-4 to win the AFC South and gain the third playoff seed in the conference while leading the NFL in passing yards (4179) and placing second in scoring (447 points, tied with the Rams). Won Wild Card playoff over Denver Broncos (41-10) and Divisional playoff over Kansas City Chiefs (38-31). Lost AFC Championship to New England Patriots (24-14).

Aftermath:

Manning again received MVP consideration and was a consensus first-team All-Pro in 2004 as he set a record with 49 TD passes while leading the league in passing (121.1 rating) for the first of three straight years and also topped the NFL in TD percentage (9.9) and yards per attempt (9.2). He was consensus first-team All-Pro for the third consecutive year in 2005 and, in ’06, finally overcame years of frustration in the playoffs as the Colts won the Super Bowl. Manning led the NFL in TD passes with 31 that year, against just 9 interceptions. Overall, he started 208 straight regular season games at quarterback until sidelined for all of 2011 with a neck injury. He also received MVP honors on four occasions, was a consensus first-team All-Pro five times, and was selected to 11 Pro Bowls. He has passed for 54,828 yards, with 11 seasons over 4000 (including the last five straight through 2010), and 399 TD passes. Released by the Colts and signed by the Denver Broncos for 2012, his place among the great quarterbacks of all-time is secure.

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MVP Profiles feature players who were named MVP or Player of the Year in the NFL, AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974), or USFL (1983-85) by a recognized organization (Associated Press, Pro Football Writers Association, Newspaper Enterprise Association, United Press International, The Sporting News, Maxwell Club – Bert Bell Award, or the league itself).

[Updated 2/9/14]

[Updated 11/28/14]