Rookie of the Year: Bobby Mitchell, 1958

Halfback, Cleveland Browns

Age: 23

College: Illinois

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 188

Prelude:

A track as well as football star in college, Mitchell was chosen by Cleveland in the seventh round of the 1958 NFL draft. After having an outstanding performance in the College All-Star Game against the Detroit Lions, he joined the Browns and was teamed with second-year FB Jim Brown to create an outstanding running tandem.

1958 Season Summary

Appeared in all 12 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing

Attempts – 80
Most attempts, game - 13 (for 108 yds.) vs. Pittsburgh 10/19, (for 65 yds.) vs. NY Giants 11/2

Yards – 500 [12]
Most yards, game - 147 yds. (on 11att.) vs. Chi. Cardinals 10/12

Average gain – 6.3 [3]

TDs – 1
100-yard rushing games - 2

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 16       

Yards – 131

Average gain – 8.2

TDs – 3

Kickoff Returns

Returns – 18  [4]

Yards – 454 [4]

Average per return – 25.2 [3]

TDs – 1 [3, tied with Terry Barr, Willie Galimore & Leroy Bolden]

Longest return – 98 yards

Punt Returns

Returns – 14  [14, tied with Johnny Morris, Jimmy Sears & Jim Shanley]

Yards – 165 [4]

Average per return – 11.8 [2]

TDs – 1 [1, tied with Yale Lary]

Longest return – 68 yards

All-Purpose yards – 1250 [5]

Scoring

TDs – 6

Points – 36

Postseason: 1 G (Eastern Conference playoff at NY Giants)

Punt returns – 1

Punt return yards – 2

Awards & Honors:

NFL Rookie of the Year: Sporting News

Browns went 9-3 to tie for first place in the Eastern Conference while leading the NFL in rushing (2526 yards). Lost Eastern Conference playoff to New York Giants (10-0).

Aftermath:

With his great speed and moves, Mitchell continued to play well for the Browns for the next three seasons. He had a 232-yard rushing performance in a game against the Redskins in 1959 and was selected to the Pro Bowl in ’60. Traded to Washington for 1962 in a move that integrated the club, Mitchell was shifted to flanker and led the NFL in pass receptions (72) and yards (1384) and was a consensus first-team All-Pro. He was also chosen to the Pro Bowl for the first of three consecutive seasons. Mitchell led the league in receiving yards again in ’63 (1436) and TD receptions in 1964 (10). Consistent and a game-breaking deep threat, he was also used occasionally at halfback, especially in 1967 when he carried the ball 61 times, in an attempt to bolster Washington’s weak running game. Retiring after the 1968 season, his career totals were 521 pass receptions (third all-time in the NFL at that point) for 7954 yards (15.4 avg.) and 65 TDs. Adding in his rushing and kick returning, his 14,078 total yards also ranked third at the time and his 91 touchdowns were fifth. Mitchell was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 1983.

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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). 

[Updated 2/8/14]
[Updated 2/22/17]

1955: Weed’s 3 Field Goals Help College All-Stars to Edge Browns

The 22^nd College All-Star Game on August 12, 1955 had a different twist than its predecessors in that a group of former pro coaches, led by Head Coach Curly Lambeau, directed the All-Stars rather than the usual college coaches. Lambeau, founder and long-time coach of the Green Bay Packers, had more recently coached the Chicago Cardinals and Washington Redskins. His assistants included Hunk Anderson, a noteworthy line coach with the Bears; Steve Owen, who coached the Giants for 23 years; and Hamp Pool, former head coach of the Rams.

The All-Star roster contained Notre Dame QB Ralph Guglielmi, Heisman Trophy-winning FB Alan “The Horse” Ameche from Wisconsin, and outstanding linemen in OT Jim Ray Smith of Baylor and Notre Dame C Dick Szymanski. But along with Guglielmi and HB L.G. Dupre of Baylor, the key player for the collegians would be diminutive (5’6”, 146 pounds) HB-PK Tad Weed of Ohio State (pictured above).

Representing the NFL were the Cleveland Browns, coached by Paul Brown. The team had dominated the All-America Football Conference (AAFC) before moving to the NFL in 1950, and added a second NFL title in 1954. But QB Otto Graham had retired and the Browns would be starting George Ratterman, the backup quarterback for the previous three seasons, in his place.

There were 75,000 fans present along with a national television audience. Weed started off the scoring in the first quarter with a 31-yard field goal for the All-Stars. The Browns responded with Ratterman sneaking over from a foot out for a touchdown.

The All-Stars came back quickly with a 48-yard kickoff return by Marquette HB Ron Drzewiecki. Dupre had a 19-yard run and the drive was capped when HB Frank Eidom from SMU ran for a three-yard touchdown. Cleveland put together a 10-play, 76-yard series that ended with HB Ray Renfro taking a pitchout and running 18 yards for a TD. The Browns were ahead again by 14-10.

The All-Stars once more drove to another score, highlighted by Dupre’s running. End Henry Hair from Georgia Tech caught a five-yard touchdown pass from Guglielmi and it was the collegians back on top at 17-14. Cleveland roared back as Ratterman threw to end Dante Lavelli for a 42-yard gain and then to Renfro for a 25-yard TD. Lou Groza’s extra point attempt was blocked but the Browns took a 20-17 lead into halftime.

Following the back-and-forth second quarter, there was just one score in the third quarter as Weed booted a 14-yard field goal to tie the game at 20-20. In the final period, Guglielmi passed to Dupre for a 19-yard gain to the Cleveland one that set up a touchdown carry by FB Mel Triplett of Toledo. QB Dave Leggett of Ohio State ran for the extra point and a 27-20 lead for the All-Stars. Weed made it a ten-point game with a 34-yard field goal that would prove to be decisive.

Late in the game the Browns put together an 80-yard scoring drive that concluded with HB Curly Morrison running for a five-yard TD, but time ran out on Cleveland as the All-Stars hung on to win by a score of 30-27.

The All-Stars outrushed the Browns, 200 yards to 163, and had an edge of 329 total yards to Cleveland’s 325. They also had more first downs, 20 to 15.

Ralph Guglielmi (pictured at left) played the full game for the All-Stars and completed 10 of 19 passes for 129 yards and had one picked off. L.G. Dupre rushed for 74 yards on 12 carries and gained another 39 on three pass receptions. Tad Weed kicked three field goals and two extra points.

For the Browns, QB George Ratterman was successful on 9 of 18 throws with two interceptions.

“This is the greatest offensive team I’ve ever had the pleasure of playing with,” said a triumphant Ralph Guglielmi. “Man, I never saw such blocking and tackling.”

“We have a lot to do,” said a disappointed Paul Brown in a quiet Cleveland locker room. “Our defense was poor but I thought George Ratterman did a pretty fair job. They got us. That’s the only thing to say. We were outplayed and soundly defeated. They had a great bunch of running backs and fine coaching, and earned everything they got.”

The Browns continued to struggle in the preseason until Otto Graham was persuaded to come out of retirement. Cleveland went 9-2-1 during the regular season and won another NFL title, after which Graham left for good.

The 30 points were the most for the All-Stars since the start of the series (a record they would exceed three years later). Curly Lambeau coached them for the next two years, but the All-Stars did not win again under his guidance.

Tad Weed played one season in the NFL with the Steelers, connecting on three of six field goal attempts and all 12 of his extra point attempts. Ralph Guglielmi, the first round draft choice of the Washington Redskins, had an undistinguished seven-year pro career. L.G. Dupre was drafted by the Colts in the third round and also played for seven years, contributing to a back-to-back NFL Championship team in Baltimore before finishing up with the fledgling Dallas Cowboys.

MVP Profile: Tom Brady, 2010

Quarterback, New England Patriots

Age:  33

11^th season in pro football & with Patriots

College: Michigan

Height: 6’4”    Weight: 225

Prelude:

A lightly-regarded sixth-round draft choice by New England in 2000, Brady got his chance when starting QB Drew Bledsoe was injured in the second game of the ’01 season. With the young quarterback showing surprising poise and leadership ability, the team surged in the second half and ended up with a stunning win over the St. Louis Rams in the Super Bowl. Brady was selected to the Pro Bowl, as he also would be in 2004 and ‘05. The Patriots won two more championships over the next three seasons, and he led the NFL with 28 TD passes in 2002 and 4110 yards passing in ‘05. In 2007, he passed for a NFL-record 50 TDs while also leading the league in passing yards (4806), completion percentage (68.9), yards per attempt (8.3), and passer rating (117.2). He was a consensus first-team All-Pro for the first time as well as league MVP and the Patriots went undefeated in the regular season – however, they were upset in the Super Bowl by the Giants. Brady’s 2008 season ended prematurely due to a knee injury in the opening game. He came back to throw for 4398 yards and 28 TDs in 2009 and was selected to the Pro Bowl for the fifth time.

2010 Season Summary

Appeared and started in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Passing

Attempts – 492 [11]

Most attempts, game – 44 vs. Baltimore 10/17

Completions – 324 [9]

Most completions, game – 30 at Pittsburgh 11/14

Yards – 3900 [8]

Most yards, game – 369 at Chicago 12/12

Completion percentage – 65.9 [5]

Yards per attempt – 7.9 [5]

TD passes – 36 [1]

Most TD passes, game – 4 at Detroit 11/25, vs. NY Jets 12/6

Interceptions – 4

Most interceptions, game – 2 vs. Baltimore 10/17, at NY Jets 9/19

Passer rating – 111.0 [1]

300-yard passing games – 4

200-yard passing games – 10

Rushing

Attempts – 31

Most attempts, game - 5 (for 6 yds.) at Miami 10/4

Yards – 30

Most yards, game – 13 yards (on 3 carries) at Buffalo 12/26

Yards per attempt – 1.0

TDs – 1

Scoring

TDs – 1

Points - 6

Postseason: 1 G (AFC Divisional playoff vs. NY Jets)

Pass attempts – 45

Pass completions – 29

Passing yardage – 299

TD passes – 2

Interceptions – 1

Rushing attempts – 2

Rushing yards – 2

Average gain rushing – 1.0

Rushing TDs – 0

Awards & Honors:

NFL MVP: AP, PFWA, Sporting News

NFL Offensive Player of the Year: AP

1^st team All-NFL: AP

Pro Bowl

Patriots went 14-2 to finish first in the AFC East and gain the top playoff seed in the conference while leading the NFL in scoring (518 points) and touchdowns (65). Lost AFC Divisional playoff to New York Jets (28-21).

Aftermath:

Brady had a seventh Pro Bowl year in 2011, leading the AFC with 5235 passing yards, 39 touchdowns, and a 105.6 passer rating. The Patriots won another AFC title but again fell short against the Giants in the Super Bowl.

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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). Also includes Associated Press NFL Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year.

[Updated 2/8/14]

Rookie of the Year: Jim McMahon, 1982

Quarterback, Chicago Bears

Age:  23

College: Brigham Young

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 187

Prelude:

Following a record-setting career at BYU, where he operated in a pro style offense, McMahon was chosen by the Bears in the first round of the 1982 NFL draft (fifth overall) – the first QB taken by Chicago in the top round in over 30 years. While there were concerns regarding a knee injury and limited eyesight, as well as lack of ideal height, McMahon had also demonstrated outstanding leadership skills. Following the 57-day player strike in 1982, he was inserted into the starting lineup.

1982 Season Summary

Appeared in 8 of 9 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Passing

Attempts – 210 [19]

Most attempts, game – 33 vs. St. Louis 12/19

Completions – 120 [18]

Most completions, game – 19 at Seattle 12/12

Yards – 1501 [18]

Most yards, game – 280 at LA Rams 12/26

Completion percentage – 57.1 [13]

Yards per attempt – 7.1 [14]

TD passes – 9 [14, tied with Vince Ferragamo & Doug Williams]

Most TD passes, game – 2 vs. Detroit 11/21, vs. New England 12/5, at LA Rams 12/26

Interceptions – 7

Most interceptions, game – 3 vs. Detroit 11/21

Passer rating – 79.9 [9]

200-yard passing games – 2

Rushing

Attempts – 24

Most attempts, game - 7 (for 23 yds.) at LA Rams 12/26

Yards – 105

Most yards, game – 24 yards (on 5 carries) vs. St. Louis 12/19

Yards per attempt – 4.4

TDs – 1

Punting

Punts – 1

Yards – 59

Scoring

TDs – 1

Points – 6

Awards & Honors:

NFC Rookie of the Year: UPI

Bears went 3-6 to finish 12^th in the NFC, with the divisions having been discarded due to the players’ strike.

Aftermath:

Well known for his outlandish behavior as for skill on the field during seven years in Chicago, McMahon improved upon his promising rookie year, along with the team. The Bears went to the playoffs in 1984 and won the Super Bowl in ’85, a season in which McMahon was also chosen for the Pro Bowl. However, injuries were a constant issue. A smart, if quirky, quarterback who was adept at exploiting weaknesses in enemy defenses, the team went 46-15 in the regular season with McMahon behind center – but he missed a third of Chicago’s games along the way due to a series of maladies. Forced to sit out ever more time due to injury, and constantly feuding with Head Coach Mike Ditka, McMahon was dealt to San Diego in 1989 and moved on to a backup role with Philadelphia in ’90. He played well in relief of the injured Randall Cunningham in 1991, but again missed significant time due to his own injuries. He moved on to Minnesota for 1993, his last year as a full-time starter, and following a season in Arizona, ended up as Brett Favre’s backup in Green Bay for his last two years (1995-96). Overall, McMahon completed 58 percent of his passes for 18,148 yards with 100 TDs and his overall record as a starting QB was 67-30.

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Rookie of the Year Profiles feature players who were named Rookie of the Year in the NFL (including NFC/AFC), 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). 

[Updated 2/8/14]

MVP Profile: Ottis Anderson, 1979

Running Back, St. Louis Cardinals

Age: 22

1^st season in pro football

College: Miami (FL)

Height: 6’2”    Weight: 210

Prelude:

A record-setting runner in college, Anderson was taken by the Cardinals in the first round of the 1979 NFL draft (eighth overall). With breakaway speed to go with his size, he moved immediately into the starting lineup as a rookie with spectacular results.

1979 Season Summary

Appeared and started in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing

Attempts – 331 [4]

Most attempts, game - 31 (for 109 yds.) at NY Giants 9/9

Yards – 1605 [3]

Most yards, game – 193 yards (on 21 carries) vs. Dallas 9/2

Average gain – 4.8 [9]

TDs – 8 [14, tied with four others]

100-yard rushing games – 9

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 41       

Most receptions, game – 5 (for 11 yds.) vs. Pittsburgh 9/16, (for 39 yds.) at Dallas 10/21

Yards – 308

Most yards, game - 58 (on 4 catches) at Houston 10/7

Average gain – 7.5

TDs – 2

Passing

Pass attempts – 1

Pass completions – 0

Interceptions – 0

All-Purpose yards – 1913 [4]

Scoring

TDs – 10 [15, tied with five others]

Points – 60

Awards & Honors:

NFC Player of the Year: Sporting News

NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year: AP

1^st team All-NFL: AP, PFWA

2^nd team All-NFL: NEA

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

Pro Bowl

Cardinals went 5-11 to finish fifth in the NFC East while leading the NFC in rushing yards (2582).

Aftermath:

While the rookie rushing total remained his career high, Anderson continued to be a consistently outstanding runner and had over a thousand yards in five of his first six seasons (only missing in strike-shortened 1982). Injuries limited him to 479 yards in 1985 and he was traded to the New York Giants during the ’86 season. He saw little action as a reserve in 1987 and ’88 but moved back into the starting lineup at age 32 in 1989 and rushed for 1023 yards and 14 TDs. He had another solid year in ’90, gaining 784 yards, scoring 11 touchdowns, and gaining MVP honors in the Super Bowl. Anderson was a reserve again in 1991 and ’92, his last two seasons. Overall, he had six 1000-yard rushing totals and gained 10,273 yards, the eighth-ranked career total in NFL history at the time of his retirement. His 86 touchdowns (81 rushing, 5 receiving) ranked 18^th. He also caught 376 passes for 3062 yards and was twice selected to the Pro Bowl.

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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). Also includes Associated Press NFL Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year.

[Updated 2/8/14]

1961: Jurgensen and McDonald Lead Eagles Past College All-Stars

The 28^th annual installment of the College All-Star Game on August 4, 1961 presented a matchup involving a reigning NFL Champion undergoing a significant transition against a highly-regarded group of All-Stars.

The Philadelphia Eagles had won the 1960 NFL Championship, but lost both MVP quarterback Norm Van Brocklin and Head Coach Buck Shaw to retirement. Replacing Shaw was Nick Skorich, elevated from offensive line coach, while the new quarterback was the promising but untested Sonny Jurgensen (pictured at right).

Meanwhile, the All-Stars, coached for the fourth straight year by Otto Graham, contained a solid group of future pro standouts that included ends Aaron Thomas of Oregon State and Mike Ditka from Pittsburgh, quarterbacks Norm Snead of Wake Forest and UCLA’s Billy Kilmer, FB Bill Brown of Illinois, HB Bernie Casey from Bowling Green, Georgia Tech G Billy Shaw, and OT Jim Tyrer from Ohio State. On defense were DE Bob Lilly of  TCU, tackles Joe Rutgens of Illinois and Ernie Ladd from Grambling, and MLB E.J. Holub of Texas Tech.

It had been raining early in the evening of the Friday night contest, making the field soggy, and one highly-regarded All-Star was lost for the game when Navy HB Joe Bellino slipped on the wet turf while warming up and pulled a leg muscle.

There were 65,000 in attendance at Chicago’s Soldier Field and many of them booed the Eagles as they took the field, adding incentive for them to prove that they were a worthy defending champion. Still, the All-Stars came out fast as Bill Brown returned the opening kickoff 39 yards and Norm Snead fired a pass to Aaron Thomas that covered 42 yards to the Philadelphia 12 yard line. However, the drive moved backward from there and came to an end two plays later when Brown fumbled the ball away to the Eagles, with DT Jess Richardson recovering.

Taking over at his own 20, Jurgensen sparked the possession when, on a play when it appeared that he would be sacked, he improvised and instead tossed the ball behind his back to end Pete Retzlaff who went 13 yards for a first down. The Eagles capped the seven-play drive when Jurgensen threw to wide-open flanker Tommy McDonald, who leaped high to make the catch and fell on his back in the end zone for a 27-yard touchdown. Two seconds before the opening period ended, Jurgensen tossed a second TD pass, this time covering 25 yards to Retzlaff.

The All-Stars began to move in the second quarter under the direction of QB Billy Kilmer (pictured below). After tossing completions to Southern Methodist HB Glynn Gregory, Thomas, and end Fred Arbanas of Michigan State, they were at the Philadelphia 31. But once again the attack stalled and the Eagles took over at midfield.

Philadelphia’s backup QB King Hill pitched out to HB Timmy Brown for a 23-yard gain, FB Ted Dean gained four, and then Hill threw to McDonald for a touchdown and a 21-0 lead that carried into halftime.

Tempers flared several times during the game, especially right before the end of the first half in a scuffle in front of the Eagles’ bench with Grambling’s big Ernie Ladd in the middle of it.

The Eagles kept the ball mostly on the ground in the second half and slowed down the tempo, with the two quarterbacks throwing short passes when necessary. E.J. Holub intercepted a Jurgensen pass at the All-Star 36 late in the period, and while the All-Stars were unable to move the ball, Kilmer punted to the Philadelphia three yard line just prior to the close of the quarter.

The All-Stars finally got on the board in the fourth quarter as Kilmer, working out of a spread formation, threw to Gregory for an 18-yard touchdown. That capped a quick six-play, 75-yard drive. In the final seconds, lineman Dick Grecni intercepted a Hill pass and ran 57 yards for a TD. The two touchdowns came two minutes apart, but only salvaged pride for the All-Stars, with Philadelphia winning convincingly by a score of 28-14.

The Eagles had 401 total yards to 271 for the All-Stars, who were held to zero net rushing yards. Philadelphia held a much narrower edge in first downs, 17 to 16. The All-Stars intercepted three passes, to just one by the NFL champs, but lost one fumble while the Eagles gave up none.

Sonny Jurgensen completed 10 of 19 passes for 158 yards and three touchdowns and King Hill was 7 of 11 for 103 yards and a TD. Tommy McDonald (pictured below) accounted for three of the touchdowns.

Aaron Thomas was the receiving star for the All-Stars, catching 5 passes for 123 yards. Billy Kilmer was successful on 11 of his 20 throws for 173 yards while Norm Snead completed 8 of 13 for 97 yards.

“I’d like to turn around and play these guys again tomorrow night and on a dry field,” said a defiant Coach Otto Graham afterward. “I think we’d beat ‘em.”

“Our guys were concerned about being somewhat downgraded while the stars were being touted and we went out to justify our championship,” said Nick Skorich on behalf of the Eagles.

Sonny Jurgensen went on to have an outstanding breakout season, setting a record for passing yards with 3723 and tying the NFL record for TD passes with 32 (Houston’s George Blanda tossed 36 in the AFL). Tommy McDonald remained his favorite receiver, catching 64 passes while pacing the NFL in receiving yards (1144) and touchdown receptions (13). Philadelphia just missed winning the Eastern Conference for the second year in a row, finishing second to the New York Giants at 10-4.

Bill Kilmer, taken in the first round of the ’61 draft by the 49ers, went on to a long career that included stints in New Orleans and Washington as a quarterback better known for his leadership skills than passing finesse. Norm Snead, also a first round draft pick, was with Washington for three years before being dealt to the Eagles in a celebrated trade for Jurgensen. Aaron Thomas joined Kilmer with the 49ers, who took him with a fourth round pick, but spent most of his 10-season career with the New York Giants, where he caught 247 passes. 

1963: VanderKelen Leads College All-Stars to Upset Over Packers

The 30^th College All-Star Game on August 2, 1963 did not appear ahead of time as if it would offer much of a contest. Most of the All-Star Games had been won by the defending NFL Champions, and in this instance it was Head Coach Vince Lombardi’s Green Bay Packers taking the field, having won their second straight league title in ’62. Green Bay had a powerful lineup, with QB Bart Starr (who tossed five TD passes in the previous year’s 42-20 shellacking of the All-Stars), FB Jim Taylor, and an outstanding line on offense and a defense that included future Hall of Famers in DE Willie Davis, DT Henry Jordan, CB Herb Adderley, and safety Willie Wood. However, star HB Paul Hornung had been suspended for gambling and would not be appearing in the offensive backfield. The Packers were also without another future Hall of Famer, MLB Ray Nitschke, who was injured, and Taylor was playing with a bad knee.

The All-Star team that was facing the Packers, coached for the sixth straight year by Otto Graham, contained many future pro stars that included Ohio State OT Bob Vogel; G Ed Budde from Michigan State; linebackers Dave Robinson from Penn State (who would play for Green Bay), Lee Roy Jordan out of Alabama, and Minnesota’s Bobby Bell; and UCLA safety Kermit Alexander. The player who started at quarterback and ended up being the star of the game, however, wasn’t even drafted by a NFL club.

Wisconsin’s Ron VanderKelen (pictured above) had been passed over in the draft (held on Dec. 3, 1962), but after a brilliant performance in the Rose Bowl he became a hot commodity and was signed by the Minnesota Vikings (the New York Titans – soon to be Jets – had taken him in the 21^st round of the AFL draft). Of the four quarterbacks on the All-Star roster, VanderKelen was selected to start by Graham.

There was a crowd of 65,000 in attendance at Soldier Field for the Friday night game. It seemed like business as usual when Green Bay scored in the first five minutes of the contest. Boyd Dowler, punter for the Packers as well as starting flanker, had put the All-Stars in a hole with his kick to the eight yard line. Iowa HB Larry Ferguson fumbled the ball away and the Packers recovered at the 11. Jim Taylor scored from six yards out for the early lead.

The All-Stars responded with a 57-yard drive highlighted by VanderKelen throwing to ends Paul Flatley from Northwestern and Miami of Ohio’s Bob Jencks, as well as the running of Ferguson. Jencks finished it off with a 20-yard field goal.

Late in the first quarter, CB Tom Janik from Texas A & I intercepted a Bart Starr pass and returned it to the Green Bay 27. A VanderKelen throw to end Pat Richter (pictured below), who had been a teammate at Wisconsin, gained 21 yards to close out the opening period. Ferguson opened the second quarter by blasting five yards into the end zone and Jencks added the extra point as the All-Stars took the lead by a 10-7 score.

The Packers came back with a 59-yard drive, mostly behind the running of Taylor and HB Tom Moore, who had a 27-yard carry along the way, and ended up with a 21-yard Jerry Kramer field goal. The All-Stars had a chance to add to their lead with a field goal of their own before the half, but a 19-yard attempt by Jencks was unsuccessful after being deflected by Herb Adderley. The score remained tied at the midway point.

There was no scoring in the third quarter with Mississippi QB Glynn Griffing in for VanderKelen. But, after the All-Stars recovered a fumble, Griffing passed the All-Stars down the field. The collegians were also aided by the running of Nebraska FB Bill Thornton and Washington HB Charlie Mitchell along the way. Jencks booted a 33-yard field goal to cap the 63-yard drive that put the All-Stars back in front at 13-10.

The Packers missed a scoring opportunity when Kramer was wide on a 37-yard field goal attempt. It set the stage for the game’s pivotal, and most sensational, play. VanderKelen, now back in for the All-Stars, threw 20 yards to Richter who pulled in the pass near the sideline and ran the rest of the way for a 73-yard touchdown. The Packers were in a ten-point hole with time running short.

Green Bay did score once more, driving 63 yards - mostly through the air - and Taylor pounded in from the one yard line, but there were only six seconds left and the All-Stars came away with a stunning 20-17 win. The crowd erupted once the final gun sounded and VanderKelen was carried off the field by his teammates.

The All-Stars had more first downs (16 to 15) and both out-rushed (141 to 96) and out-passed (183 to 119) the Packers. Each team suffered an interception and fumbled the ball away once. Green Bay was penalized for 77 yards to just 13 lost by the All-Stars.

Ron VanderKelen, the All-Star MVP, completed 9 of 11 passes for 141 yards and a touchdown. Glynn Griffing was successful on 6 of 10 throws for 42 yards.

“VanderKelen won the starting quarterback job in the last few days of the practices,” said Otto Graham. “He and Griffing did so well I just didn’t have a chance to use the others (Heisman Trophy-winner Terry Baker of Oregon State and Sonny Gibbs from TCU).”

For the Packers, Bart Starr completed 19 of 32 passes for 169 yards. Jim Taylor, playing hurt against an aggressive All-Star defense, gained 51 yards on 16 carries.

“We have no excuses,” said an embarrassed Vince Lombardi. “That was a fine All-Star squad and VanderKelen is a great pro prospect. He handles himself exceptionally well.”

The Packers narrowly missed finishing atop of the Western Conference once again in the ensuing NFL season, going 11-2-1 to end up second to the Chicago Bears.

Ron VanderKelen went on to play five seasons with Minnesota, and while he occasionally competed with Fran Tarkenton for the starting job, he was strictly a backup quarterback as a pro. Given an opportunity to start in 1967, he was quickly supplanted by Joe Kapp and finished up with a year in the CFL. He was never able to replicate his fine Rose Bowl and College All-Star Game performances in the NFL, but he led the All-Stars to perhaps the greatest upset in the history of the series.

The win for the All-Stars was the first since 1958, and the ninth (and last) of the series that was dominated by the pro teams, who won 31 of the games (there were two ties).