Highlighted Year: Steve Beuerlein, 1999

Quarterback, Carolina Panthers

Age: 34

12^th season in pro football (11^th active), 4^th with Panthers

College: Notre Dame

Height: 6’3”   Weight: 220

Prelude:

Beuerlein was chosen by the Raiders in the fourth round of the 1987 NFL draft. A drop-back passer with a good arm and limited mobility, he started 15 games in his first two years with modest results. He held out prior to the 1990 season, which soured the Raiders on him and, after not being activated for any games that year, Beuerlein was traded to Dallas. When starting QB Troy Aikman was injured in ’91, Beuerlein started the season’s last four games, all wins, plus another victory in the postseason (the only one of his career). He backed up Aikman in 1992 and then moved on to the Cardinals, where he started in 1993 and passed for 3164 yards and 18 TDs, with 17 interceptions, but clashed with Head Coach Buddy Ryan in ’94 and had a lesser year. Beuerlein was chosen by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 1995 expansion draft and was that franchise’s first starting quarterback, but lost out to Mark Brunell and was dealt to Carolina, where he initially backed up Kerry Collins in 1996 and ‘97. He took over for Collins in 1998 and completed a career-high 63.0 percent of his passes while throwing for 2613 yards and 17 TDs.

1999 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Passing

Attempts – 571 [2]

Most attempts, game – 47 at Washington 10/3, vs. Detroit 10/24

Completions – 343 [1]

Most completions, game – 29 at Green Bay 12/12

Yards – 4436 [1]

Most yards, game – 373 at Green Bay 12/12

Completion percentage – 60.1 [8]

Yards per attempt – 7.8 [3]

TD passes – 36 [2]

Most TD passes, game – 5 vs. New Orleans 1/2

Interceptions – 15 [8, tied with Peyton Manning & Elvis Grbac]

Most interceptions, game – 3 at San Francisco 10/17, at Atlanta 10/31

Passer rating – 94.6 [2]

300-yard passing games – 5

200-yard passing games – 15

Rushing

Attempts – 27

Most attempts, game – 4 (for 8 yds.) at Green Bay 12/12

Yards – 124

Most yards, game – 20 yards (on 3 carries) at St. Louis 11/14, (on 2 carries) vs. San Francisco 12/18

Yards per attempt – 4.6

TDs – 2

Scoring

TDs – 2

Points – 12

Awards & Honors:

Pro Bowl

Panthers went 8-8 to finish second in the NFC West.

Aftermath:

After his big year in 1999, Beuerlein had a lesser performance with a losing team in 2000, passing for 3730 yards and 19 touchdowns while giving up a career-high 18 interceptions. He was released by the Panthers and moved on to Denver, where he was inactive for all of 2001 due to an elbow injury that required surgery. He spent two more years with the Broncos, coaxed back by Head Coach Mike Shanahan for the last one in 2003, and brought savvy into his role as backup. Overall, Beuerlein lasted a total of 16 seasons, passing for 24,046 yards and 147 touchdowns, with most of his starts (51) coming with the Panthers, where he completed 60.4 percent of his passes for 12,690 yards and 86 TDs while giving up 50 interceptions. Tough and an able passer, his lack of mobility was a key limiting factor.

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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

1999: Jeff Garcia Signs with 49ers

On February 16, 1999 QB Jeff Garcia was signed to a two-year contract by the San Francisco 49ers. Garcia, just short of his 29^th birthday, had spent five years with Calgary of the CFL and had quarterbacked the team to a Grey Cup title in 1998.

Successful in college at San Jose State, the slightly-built (6’1”, 195) Garcia went undrafted by NFL teams in 1994 that were concerned about his lack of arm strength and awkward delivery, and signed with the Stampeders. He backed up Doug Flutie for two years, seeing scant action as a rookie but far more, and with good results, when the veteran quarterback was injured during 1995. After Flutie departed for Toronto in ’96, Garcia took over the starting job. The team won three division titles and a championship and Garcia received all-division honors three times and was the Western Player of the Year in 1997. He passed for 4276 yards and 28 touchdowns in ’98, giving him a total of 16,449 yards and 111 touchdowns, against 52 interceptions, overall in the CFL. Highly mobile, if not a particularly fast runner, he also rushed for 2358 yards and 24 TDs.

Garcia had caught the eye of ex-49ers head coach Bill Walsh in college, and with Walsh returning to the team as general manager, the way was paved for the CFL star to come to the NFL. San Francisco had enjoyed a great deal of success over the past two decades and had not had a season with less than ten wins since the strike-shortened 1982 campaign. That included a 12-4 tally under Steve Mariucci in 1998 with Steve Young at quarterback. The successor to Joe Montana, the legendary quarterback of four Super Bowl-winning squads, Young had continued the record of excellence at the position for the 49ers, topping the NFL in passing a league record-tying six times, garnering selection to seven consecutive Pro Bowls, twice receiving MVP honors, and adding a Super Bowl victory following the 1994 season.

However, Young turned 37 during the ’98 season and took a physical beating that included a career-high 48 sacks. He had not appeared in all 16 games in any of the past four years and it was hoped that Garcia would be able to compete with backups Ty Detmer and Jim Druckenmiller for a spot on the roster (both were gone before the ’99 season commenced). Moreover, the 49ers as a whole were showing signs of impending decline. There was instability at the ownership level and the team was in salary cap trouble.  

The result was a drop to 4-12 in 1999 and Young was finished after three games (it would prove to be permanent) due to a severe concussion. Garcia started ten of the remaining contests, with ex-Bear Steve Stenstrom behind center for three, and played his best in the last few, hitting on eight of his 11 touchdown passes and giving up just three of 11 interceptions in December games. He benefited from the presence of excellent wide receivers in Jerry Rice, the aging but still effective all-time great, and Terrell Owens, a rising star in his fourth season, and the running game was solid with another newcomer, RB Charlie Garner, gaining 1229 rushing yards.

Questions regarding Garcia remained as the 49ers sought to rebuild, and they drafted two quarterbacks for 2000, Giovanni Carmazzi in the third round out of Hofstra and Louisiana Tech’s Tim Rattay in the seventh round. But Garcia allayed any concerns by having an outstanding year. He showed his commitment to conditioning by topping the whole team in an endurance competition during minicamp and also displayed a firm grasp of the West Coast offense that Montana and Young had excelled in. The team improved to 6-10 as Garcia passed for 4278 yards and 31 TDs, giving up only 10 interceptions, and rushed for 414 yards. He was named to the Pro Bowl.

Garcia had another Pro Bowl year in 2001, throwing for 3538 yards and 32 touchdowns, and San Francisco returned to the playoffs as a Wild Card with a 12-4 record. While Rice was gone, Owens was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection with 93 catches for 1412 yards and 16 TDs, although he was also disruptive and in conflict with Coach Mariucci. Garcia, fearless with regard to running out of the pocket, also suffered knee and rib injuries.

The 49ers topped the NFC West, albeit with a lesser 10-6 record, in 2002 and also won a playoff game for the first time with Garcia at quarterback, defeating the Giants in a come-from-behind Wild Card thriller, before losing to Tampa Bay in the Divisional round. Garcia was still a Pro Bowl selection, but with lesser numbers in a more conservative offense.

Coach Mariucci was let go following the playoff defeat and replaced by Dennis Erickson for 2003. Garcia, after not missing a start in the previous three seasons, was out for three games due to an ankle injury. Moreover, even when playing, he was showing signs of physical decline at age 33 and his performance suffered. His completion percentage (57.4) dropped below sixty for the first time, his 80.1 passer rating was his lowest since he first took over the starting job in 1999, and his 13 interceptions were his highest total with the 49ers. The team’s record dropped to 7-9 and Garcia’s standing was not helped, at least with the fans, when Tim Rattay won two of three starts in his absence. Owens also was a strong critic, further poisoning the atmosphere.

The result was that, as part of a general housecleaning of veterans from the roster, Garcia departed the team and joined the Cleveland Browns in 2004 (Owens was also dealt, moving on to the Eagles by way of Baltimore). In five years with the 49ers, Garcia more than justified his being signed away from the CFL as he started 71 games, completed 61.4 percent of his passes for 16,408 yards and 113 touchdowns while giving up 56 interceptions. He also ran for 1571 yards on 318 carries for a healthy 4.9-yard average and 21 TDs. The team reached the playoffs twice with him behind center and he was chosen to three Pro Bowls and, despite the aspersions cast by Owens, generally received good reviews for his leadership qualities.    

The losing season in 2003 marked the beginning of a long period of decline for the 49ers. They were 2-14 with Rattay and Ken Dorsey behind center in ’04 and did not return to the postseason until 2011. Nine different players started at quarterback during that time period.

Jeff Garcia lasted a year apiece in Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia, with the last stop featuring a strong performance in guiding the Eagles to the postseason in 2006 after starting QB Donovan McNabb went down with an injury in the tenth game. Moving on to the Buccaneers in ’07, he enjoyed one last Pro Bowl season as Tampa Bay reached the playoffs. He saw significant action in competition with Brian Griese in 2008, which was the last year that he threw a pass in the NFL. He was picked up again by the Eagles in 2009 and Houston in 2011 as injury insurance and was active for one game during that period, and in between was with the Omaha Nighthawks of the United Football League.

Highlighted Year: Marv Bateman, 1976

Punter, Buffalo Bills

Age: 26

5^th season in pro football, 3rd with Bills (2nd complete)

College: Utah

Height: 6’4”   Weight: 214

Prelude:

Twice a consensus first-team All-American in college in 1970 and ‘71, Bateman was chosen by the Dallas Cowboys in the third round of the 1972 NFL draft. Veteran Ron Widby was traded away and Bateman averaged 38.2 yards on 51 punts as a rookie and 41.6 yards on 55 punts in ’73. A poor start in 1974 caused the Cowboys to waive him midway through the season and he was picked up by Buffalo. Bateman’s performance improved and he averaged 43.9 yards for the Bills, up from 36.9 in his first seven games for Dallas. He had a good 1975 season, averaging 41.6 yards.

1976 Season Summary

Appeared in all 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Punting

Punts – 86 [8]

Most punts, game – 11 at Dallas 11/15

Yards – 3678 [4]

Average – 42.8 [1]

Best average, game – 46.8 (on 5 punts) at New England 11/7

Punts blocked – 1

Longest punt – 78 yards

Awards & Honors:

2^nd team All-AFC: UPI

Bills went 2-12 to finish fifth in the AFC East.

Aftermath:

Bateman averaged 39.9 yards on 81 punts in 1977 but was released during the ’78 preseason. An attempt to come back with the 49ers ended with his choosing to retire during the preseason, but he did try one more abortive comeback with the Cardinals in ’80 before leaving the game for good. Over the course of six years, Bateman punted 401 times and averaged 40.9 yards, with 262 punts for a 41.7-yard average coming with the Bills. He was inducted into the Utah Sports Hall of Fame in 1987.

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Highlighted Years features players who were 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

2006: NFC Wins Turnover-Filled Pro Bowl

The AFC-NFC Pro Bowl on February 12, 2006 marked the 27^th consecutive game in the series to be played at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu. Coaches were John Fox of Carolina for the NFC and Denver’s Mike Shanahan for the AFC.

There were 50,190 fans in attendance and they sat in a steady rain that began to fall as the game commenced and didn’t let up until the second quarter. The tone for a sloppy first half was set in the opening series when the AFC was twice penalized for false starts. Indianapolis QB Peyton Manning threw to WR Marvin Harrison, a teammate with the Colts, for a 33-yard gain but the AFC ultimately had to punt.

Following a punt by the NFC from its end zone, the AFC had good field position for its next possession but Manning, again intending a pass for Harrison, was intercepted by Chicago CB Nathan Vasher, who returned it 30 yards. Five plays later, the NFC returned the favor when QB Matt Hasselbeck of the Seahawks was picked off by Denver FS John Lynch. The AFC then drove 45 yards in seven plays that featured three runs by RB Edgerrin James of the Colts that covered 22 yards and three completions by Manning, the last to Miami WR Chris Chambers for a 16-yard touchdown. The score was not without controversy as Chambers came down with only one foot in bounds, but it was ruled a catch due to the defender, CB DeAngelo Hall of the Falcons (pictured below), pushing the receiver out of bounds even though it appeared on the replay that Chambers was not touched. Cincinnati’s Shayne Graham added the extra point.

As the game entered the second quarter, the teams exchanged punts. The NFC put together a 10-play, 73-yard series as Atlanta QB Michael Vick completed three passes, the longest to WR Larry Fitzgerald of the Cardinals for 32 yards, although Vick fumbled a third down snap to force a field goal attempt. Arizona’s Neil Rackers was successful from 32 yards to narrow the score to 7-3.

The AFC responded with a 62-yard drive in 11 plays and resulted in a 31-yard Graham field goal. Vick tossed an interception and Manning threw two more as the first half wound down. The third Manning interception of the game was by Dallas SS Roy Williams, who returned it 11 yards and then lateraled to Hall who picked up 57 yards to give the NFC the ball at the AFC 20. The NFC used up 18 of the last 20 seconds of the half to run three plays, the last of which was a Vick throw to Atlanta teammate TE Alge Crumpler for a 14-yard TD. Rackers added the point after and the score was tied at 10-10 at halftime.

Following a trade of punts to start the third quarter, Carolina QB Jake Delhomme passed the NFC into AFC territory, but he fumbled when sacked by DT Casey Hampton of the Steelers and DT Marcus Stroud of the Jaguars recovered at the AFC 49. However, three plays later a pass by Kansas City QB Trent Green was intercepted by LB Derrick Brooks of the Buccaneers (pictured at top), and he returned it 59 yards for a touchdown. Rackers added the PAT and the NFC held a 17-10 lead.

The AFC had to punt following its next possession but got the ball right back thanks to a fumble by WR Santana Moss of the Redskins at the end of a 20-yard run that was recovered by Denver CB Champ Bailey. In a series that extended into the fourth quarter, the AFC went 68 yards in 10 plays as Green completed three passes and RB Larry Johnson, also of the Chiefs, had a 20-yard carry. Green ran for the last yard and a TD and, with Graham kicking the point after, the score was again tied at 17-17.

The NFC drove 59 yards in 13 plays before facing a fourth-and-two situation after a Hasselbeck pass to Atlanta RB Warrick Dunn picked up 14 yards to the AFC four on a third-and-16 play. While the crowd booed the decision to settle for a field goal, Rackers connected from 22 yards to put the NFC back in front by 20-17 with 6:29 remaining to play.

The next two AFC possessions ended with QB Steve McNair of the Titans fumbling the ball away, with Philadelphia LB Jeremiah Trotter recovering the second at the AFC 18. A Vick bootleg on a third-and-17 play picked up the necessary yardage for a first down at the eight, and the series ended with Rackers kicking a 20-yard field goal to make it a six-point game with 1:13 remaining on the clock.

McNair came out passing for the AFC and two completions got the ball to the NFC 49. But the next three throws fell incomplete and McNair was sacked on the last play of the game. The NFC won by a final score of 23-17.

There were 10 turnovers in all, with six by the AFC. The AFC’s turnovers came on four interceptions and two fumbles, and while the NFC fumbled six times, only two led to turnovers in addition to two interceptions. The NFC gained the most total yards (279 to 260) while the AFC had the edge in first downs (19 to 18).

Matt Hasselbeck completed 10 of 17 passes for 85 yards and no touchdowns while giving up one interception. Michael Vick was four of 12 for 69 yards and a TD while also being picked off once and ran for 17 yards on two carries. Carolina WR Steve Smith had 8 catches for 46 yards. RB Tiki Barber of the Giants led the NFC with 33 yards on 11 rushing attempts. Derrick Brooks, playing in his ninth consecutive Pro Bowl, was named MVP of the game due to his key interception for a touchdown.

For the AFC, Peyton Manning was successful on 13 of 26 throws for 139 yards and a touchdown, but gave up three interceptions while Trent Green went to the air 11 times and had five complete for 39 yards and one interception. Kansas City TE Tony Gonzalez had 5 pass receptions for 36 yards and Marvin Harrison gained 74 yards on his four catches. Larry Johnson rushed for 33 yards on 8 carries.

 “It all goes to the players because there isn’t a lot of scheming,” said Coach Fox of the NFC. “They went out and made plays.”

The win for the NFC, which had lost four of the previous five contests, tied the series at 18-18 since it had gone to the AFC vs. NFC format following the 1970 season.

Highlighted Year: Michael Jackson, 1996

Wide Receiver, Baltimore Ravens

Age: 27

6^th season in pro football & with Browns/Ravens

College: Southern Mississippi

Height: 6’4”   Weight: 195

Prelude:

Jackson, a college teammate of Brett Favre, was chosen by the Browns in the sixth round of the 1991 NFL draft thanks to a recommendation from ex-Cleveland star TE Ozzie Newsome. He started seven games as a rookie and caught 17 passes for 268 yards, impressing with his height and speed but lacking in refinement. Jackson improved to a team-leading 47 catches for 755 yards (16.1 avg.) and seven touchdowns in ‘92 and followed up with 756 yards on 41 receptions for an 18.4-yard average and eight TDs in 1993. A hamstring injury limited him to nine games in 1994, but he bounced back in ’95 with 44 catches for 714 yards (16.2 avg.) and nine touchdowns in an otherwise down season for the team. The franchise moved to Baltimore and was re-named the Ravens for 1996 (with the Cleveland Browns name and history staying behind).

1996 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 76 [17]          

Most receptions, game – 9 (for 150 yds.) vs. Jacksonville 11/24

Yards – 1201 [6]

Most yards, game – 150 (on 9 catches) vs. Jacksonville 11/24

Average gain – 15.8 [15]

TDs – 14 [1, tied with Tony Martin]

100-yard receiving games – 4

Scoring

TDs – 14 [5, tied with Tony Martin]

2-point PATs – 2 [2, tied with Edgar Bennett, Mark Brunell & Keenan McCardell]

Points – 88

Ravens went 4-12 to finish fifth in the AFC Central although ranking second in the NFL in passing yards (3978) and first in the conference in TD passes (34).

Aftermath:

Jackson followed up on his outstanding 1996 season by catching 69 passes for 918 yards (13.3 avg.) and four touchdowns in ’97, slowed by nagging injuries and affected by the offense becoming more ground-oriented. Further injuries limited him to 38 receptions for 477 yards and no TDs in 13 games in 1998, in what was his last season. After failing to catch on as a free agent with Seattle, he retired. Overall, Jackson caught 353 passes for 5393 yards (15.3 avg.) and 46 TDs over the course of eight years with the Browns and Ravens.

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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

1960: Oakland Hires Eddie Erdelatz as First Head Coach

On February 9, 1960 the last of the new American Football League franchises to name a head coach for the inaugural season did so. Eddie Erdelatz, a native Californian who had been successful at Navy for nine years, was introduced as the new head coach of the as yet unnamed Oakland football team.

The 46-year-old Erdelatz (he turned 47 prior to the ’60 season) played college football at St. Mary’s and became an assistant coach there and at the Univ. of San Francisco afterward. Following service in World War II in which he was a naval officer, he was an assistant coach at Navy before first entering the professional ranks as defensive coach for the San Francisco 49ers of the AAFC. He returned to the Naval Academy, this time as head coach, in 1950.

The Midshipmen had posted losing records prior to his arrival, winning a total of just five games in the preceding four years. By 1952, the third year under Erdelatz’s direction, they had a 6-2-1 record, and they didn’t post a losing tally for the remainder of his tenure. Overall, Navy went 50-26-8 under Erdelatz, including wins in the Sugar and Cotton Bowls.

Erdelatz abruptly resigned in April of 1959 due to a dispute that had developed with the athletic department. He sat out the ‘59 season and had recently been passed over for the head coaching position at the Univ. of California, where he was considered a leading candidate, losing out to Marv Levy.

“We’re just getting started and I don’t know any more about this than the next guy,” said Erdelatz, whose signing was viewed as a step toward gaining credibility for the fledgling club.

The Oakland franchise had not yet been named, did not have a home field, and had not signed any players. They were a latecomer to the new circuit, having replaced the team that was originally slated to play in Minnesota but was lured away by the NFL (to begin play in 1961). As a result, the franchise’s draft choices had gone unpursued. To help the late-starting team fill out its roster, it was allowed to choose five unprotected players from each of the other seven AFL clubs. Oakland had an eight-member ownership group, the leader of which, Chet Soda, attempted to foist the name Senors on the new club before it was named the Raiders. Finding a place to play in the Oakland area proved more difficult, as the regents of the Univ. of California turned down a request to use that school’s stadium and the Raiders were forced to share San Francisco’s Kezar Stadium with the 49ers.

Oakland lost its first two games, including the opener at Kezar Stadium against the Houston Oilers with only 12,703 fans in attendance (which proved to be the season high). However, the Raiders then beat the Oilers in the rematch at Houston and that was the first of three wins in four contests to get them to .500. They were 5-5 before losing three straight games, including back-to-back defeats by lopsided scores to the Chargers, and finished at 6-8 which, all things considered, was viewed as a respectable result and put them in third place, ahead of Denver, in the Western Division.

Veteran Babe Parilli and newcomer Tom Flores from the Univ. of the Pacific alternated at quarterback, and Flores led the AFL in completion percentage at 54.0. The offense was ground-oriented and topped the circuit in rushing yards with 2056. HB Tony Teresa led the way with 608 yards on 139 carries (4.4 avg.) and six touchdowns. FB Billy Lott contributed 520 yards on 99 attempts for a healthy 5.3-yard average gain and also led the club in pass receiving with 49 catches for 524 yards. End Gene Prebola and flanker Al Goldstein were the best of the receivers.

Several rookies that the Raiders were able to sign made good on the offensive line, including center Jim Otto out of the Univ. of Miami (pictured below), who moved directly into the starting lineup and ended up being an All-AFL selection. G Don Manoukian was another first-year player who started, garnering second-team All-AFL honors, and while the other guard, Wayne Hawkins, didn’t receive any honors in ’60, he did as a mainstay on the line over the remainder of the decade.

The defense was far less impressive. While there were capable performers at defensive end in Charley Powell and Carmen Cavalli, the tackles were undersized and had difficulty stopping the run. MLB Tom Louderback was steady and CB Eddie Macon, who intercepted nine passes, and safety Alex Bravo were ex-NFL and CFL players who did well in the backfield. But only the Broncos gave up more yards than Oakland’s 4983 and the Raiders surrendered 28 touchdown passes, tying with Houston in that category for the most in the league.

Beyond what happened on the field, the Raiders averaged a league-low of 9875 in attendance at each home game. It was hoped that a move to Candlestick Park for 1961 would help (it would be another year before a temporary home was finally constructed in Oakland). The situation was not helped by disarray in the front office and ongoing financial problems. Only six of the 30 draft choices were signed for ’61. Commissioner Joe Foss stepped in to broker a consolidation of the ownership syndicate down to three people.

The Raiders traded Babe Parilli to the Patriots, making Tom Flores the unchallenged starting quarterback. However, any optimism regarding the ability of the Raiders to build upon their 1960 foundation was quickly quashed when Oakland lost its first two games by a combined score of 99-0 (55-0 to Houston and 44-0 to the Chargers). Erdelatz suffered the distinction of being the first AFL head coach to be fired and assistant Marty Feldman took over. It didn’t help, as the club finished at 2-12.

Erdelatz ended up with a 6-10 record as coach of the Raiders in what was his last coaching job. After failing to land head coaching positions with Army and the St. Louis Cardinals of the NFL for 1962, he left football for a business career that ended with his death from cancer just four years later.

The Raiders would sink to 1-13 in 1962 before the hiring of Al Davis as head coach and general manager in ’63 brought about a turnaround in the troubled franchise’s fortunes.

Highlighted Year: Jamal Anderson, 1998

Running Back, Atlanta Falcons

Age: 26 (Sept. 30)

5^th season in pro football & with Falcons

College: Utah

Height: 5’11” Weight: 234

Prelude:

Anderson was chosen by the Falcons in the seventh round of the 1994 NFL draft and was strictly a backup during his first two seasons who also returned kickoffs in ’95. He broke out in 1996, beating out Craig Heyward, the starter for the previous two seasons, and gaining 1528 yards from scrimmage, with 1055 yards on 232 carries and 473 yards on 49 catches. A powerful runner and at his best between the tackles, he also could be graceful and had the ability to burst to the outside. Anderson was hindered by an ankle sprain in ’97 but still rushed for 1002 yards and caught 29 passes for another 284 yards.

1998 Season Summary

Appeared and in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing

Attempts – 410 [1]

Most attempts, game – 32 (for 104 yds.) at New England 11/8

Yards – 1846 [2, 1^st in NFC]

Most yards, game – 188 yards (on 31 carries) at St. Louis 11/29

Average gain – 4.5 [7]

TDs – 14 [2, tied with Fred Taylor]

100-yard rushing games – 12

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 27      

Most receptions, game – 4 (for 58 yds.) vs. Indianapolis 12/6

Yards – 319

Most yards, game – 58 (on 4 catches) vs. Indianapolis 12/6

Average gain – 11.8

TDs – 2

Passing

Attempts – 2

Completions – 0

Interceptions – 0

All-Purpose yards – 2165 [4]

Scoring

TDs – 16 [4]

2-pt PATs – 1 [6, tied with many]

Points – 98 [20, tied with Todd Peterson]

Postseason: 3 G

Rushing attempts – 70

Most rushing attempts, game – 29 vs. San Francisco, NFC Divisional playoff

Rushing yards – 276

Most rushing yards, game – 113 vs. San Francisco, NFC Divisional playoff

Average gain rushing – 3.9

Rushing TDs – 2

Pass receptions – 10

Most pass receptions, game – 6 at Minnesota, NFC Championship

Pass receiving yards – 59

Most pass receiving yards, game – 33 at Minnesota, NFC Championship

Average yards per reception – 5.9

Pass Receiving TDs – 1

Awards & Honors:

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

1^st team All-NFC: Pro Football Weekly

Pro Bowl

Falcons went 14-2 to finish first in the NFC West. Won NFC Divisional playoff over San Francisco 49ers (20-18) and NFC Championship over Minnesota Vikings (30-27). Lost Super Bowl to Denver Broncos (34-19).

Aftermath:

After setting a NFL record for rushing attempts in 1998, Anderson’s 1999 season ended in the second game with a knee injury that required surgery. He came back in 2000 and, following a slow start, rushed for 1024 yards and caught 42 passes for another 382 yards. However, another major knee injury in 2001 proved to be career-ending. Overall, Anderson rushed for 5336 yards on 1329 carries (4.0 avg.) and caught 156 passes for 1645 yards (10.5 avg.), scoring a total of 41 touchdowns (34 rushing, 7 receiving).

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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