1967: First AFL/NFL Combined Draft Convenes

A key issue in bringing about the merger of the American and National Football Leagues was the cost involved in competing for talent coming out of college each year. Thus, a major step in the process that would culminate with full merger in 1970 was the first combined AFL/NFL draft that commenced on Tuesday, March 14, 1967. The draft was conducted in New York under the direction of NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle and a total of 445 players were chosen, with the first seven rounds held on the opening day.

The New Orleans Saints, as a NFL expansion team for 1967, had the first and last selections at the end of each round plus one additional at the end of the second, third, and fourth rounds. However, they had already traded away the first overall pick, which went to the Baltimore Colts in exchange for backup QB Gary Cuozzo. The Colts used the selection to take Michigan State All-American DE Bubba Smith (pictured above).

The first round took four hours and 16 minutes to complete and several trades were part of it, in addition to deals that had already been struck. With a choice obtained from the New York Giants a week earlier in the trade of QB Fran Tarkenton, the Minnesota Vikings, who ended up with three picks in the first round, had the second overall selection and took HB Clint Jones, also an All-American from Michigan State.

Atlanta held the third pick but, disappointed that Bubba Smith was no longer available, dealt it to the San Francisco 49ers for flanker Bernie Casey, G Jim Wilson, and DE Jim Norton. The 49ers chose QB Steve Spurrier, the Heisman Trophy winner from Florida, with an eye toward grooming a successor to 31-year-old QB John Brodie.

Future Hall of Fame QB Bob Griese of Purdue (pictured at left) was chosen by Miami, which was also the first AFL team to select, with the fourth overall pick. Other eventual Hall of Famers chosen in the first round were HB Floyd Little of Syracuse by the Denver Broncos (sixth overall), Notre Dame DE Alan Page by the Vikings (15^th), and guard Gene Upshaw from Texas A & I by the Raiders (17^th).  Those selected in the second round were Jackson State CB Lem Barney by the Detroit Lions (34^th overall) and LB Willie Lanier of Morgan State by the Kansas City Chiefs (50^th). OT Rayfield Wright of Ft. Valley State was taken by the Dallas Cowboys in the seventh round (182^nd overall) and DB Ken Houston from Prairie View was a ninth-round selection of the Houston Oilers (214^th).

Among the NFL trades that occurred, the Steelers sent flanker Gary Ballman to Philadelphia for FB Earl Gros, G Bruce Van Dyke, and a third-round draft choice that was used to take C Rockne Freitas of Oregon State. The Los Angeles Rams dealt TE Marlin McKeever and their first draft choice to Minnesota for HB Tom Mason, TE Hal Bedsole, and a second-round draft pick (the Vikings used their draft choice to take Page and the Rams chose HB Willie Ellison from Texas Southern). The Giants traded LB Jerry Hillebrand to St. Louis for HB Bill Triplett. In a significant AFL transaction, Buffalo dealt QB Daryle Lamonica, split end Glenn Bass, and its third and fifth draft picks to Oakland for split end Art Powell and QB Tom Flores.

Another Michigan State player, LB George Webster, was taken by Houston with the fifth overall selection, one of four Spartans to go in the first round. Among other noteworthy selections, the Chiefs helped revamp their corps of linebackers by not only selecting Willie Lanier in the second round, but Jim Lynch of Notre Dame three spots earlier with the 47^th pick . In addition to Bubba Smith, who spent five seasons in Baltimore and was twice named to the Pro Bowl, the Colts selected another player who would star on defense in DB Rick Volk from Michigan, also in the second round, who was chosen to his first of three Pro Bowls as a rookie. Baltimore also took a chance on DB Preston Pearson, a basketball player from Illinois who did not play college football, in the 12^th round. Used on offense as a halfback, he went on to a 14-season career with the Colts, Steelers, and Cowboys.

Later in the second round, the Saints took WR John Gilliam from South Carolina State, who became the first player in franchise history to score a regular season touchdown on the opening kickoff of the first game. He went on to have his best seasons with the Cardinals and Vikings.

HB Travis Williams of Arizona State was chosen by the NFL Champion Packers in the fourth round and made a significant impact as a kickoff returner during his rookie season, averaging a record 41.1 yards and scoring four touchdowns. Another halfback, the undersized (5’9”, 190) Dickie Post of Houston, was picked by the Chargers right after Williams and led the club in rushing in his first year with 663 yards. He led the entire AFL in 1969.

The Lions did well with UCLA HB Mel Farr in the first round, Lem Barney in the second, and LB Paul Naumoff of Tennessee in the third round, who started six games as a rookie and kept on going for 12 seasons in Detroit.

In addition to Clint Jones and Alan Page, who was shifted inside to defensive tackle, the Vikings picked WR Gene Washington, the fourth Michigan State player chosen in the first round (eighth overall) who was selected to two Pro Bowls in an injury-shortened career (and not to be mistaken for the wide receiver of the same name who was drafted two years later and played with distinction for the 49ers). DB Bobby Bryant of South Carolina was taken in the seventh round and became a stalwart in the defensive backfield.

John Elliott was chosen as a guard out of Texas by the New York Jets in the seventh round and went on to distinguish himself at defensive tackle. Another player who paid dividends for the Jets was G Randy Rasmussen from Kearney State (now Univ. of Nebraska at Kearney), an unheralded pick in the 12^th round who remained with the team until 1981.

Kicker Don Cockroft of Adams State, picked by the Browns in the third round, filled a need both for a successor to the great but fading PK Lou Groza and as a punter. After a year on the taxi squad due to injury, he handled the punting and placekicking as one of the last of the straight-ahead kickers through 1980. Cleveland also made a good pickup in the 17^th (and last) round (439^th overall) with Ben Davis from Defiance College, who proved valuable as a kick returner and cornerback.

Another notable player chosen in the 17^th round was WR Dan Abramowicz from Xavier of Ohio (pictured at right) by the Saints (420^th overall). He not only made the fledgling club but started at split end and led the team with 50 catches for 721 yards as a rookie. A fine possession receiver, he topped the NFL with 73 receptions in 1969 and put together a 105-consecutive game pass receiving streak that was the league record at the time.

Oddly enough, the last player chosen was Jimmy Walker of Providence, picked as a wide receiver by the Saints, who also ended up being the first overall selection in the NBA draft in May. Not surprisingly, he chose to play pro basketball, and did so for ten years. Another draftee who chose basketball over pro football was Pat Riley, a flanker out of Kentucky taken in the 11^th round by the Dallas Cowboys who signed with the San Diego Rockets of the NBA and, following his playing career, became a successful coach and team executive.

Also as a footnote, tackle Richard Sligh from North Carolina College was picked by the Raiders in the tenth round. He failed as a defensive tackle and lasted just a year, but at 7’0” was the tallest player in AFL or NFL history.

The combined draft had the intended effect of ending competition between AFL and NFL teams for top talent coming out of college. It also helped the AFL clubs to improve their rosters as full merger with the NFL neared. Both the Jets and Chiefs, who won Super Bowls in addition to league titles following the 1968 and ’69 seasons, respectively, added players who would be in the starting lineup for those contests. The Dolphins, who went to three Super Bowls from 1971 to ’73 and won the last two not only started the process of assembling the necessary talent by drafting Bob Griese in 1967 but made good use of the 1968 and ‘69 combined drafts as well.

Highlighted Year: Andre Johnson, 2006

Wide Receiver, Houston Texans

Age: 25

4^th season in pro football & with Texans

College: Miami (FL)

Height: 6’3”   Weight: 219

Prelude:

Johnson caught 92 passes for 1831 yards and 20 touchdowns in college and was co-MVP of the 2002 Rose Bowl along with QB Ken Dorsey. He entered the 2003 NFL draft following his junior year and was chosen by the Texans with the third overall pick in the first round. With excellent size and speed, he moved directly into the starting lineup and caught 66 passes for 976 yards (14.8 avg.) and four TDs in ’03. He also proved to be effective after the catch and a fine blocker. Johnson followed up with his first Pro Bowl season in 2004, with 79 receptions for 1142 yards (14.5 avg.) and six TDs. While he continued to develop in ’05, Johnson missed three games due to injury and his productivity slipped to 63 catches for 688 yards (10.9 avg.) and two scores.

2006 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 103 [1]          

Most receptions, game – 11 (for 152 yds.) vs. Washington 9/24

Yards – 1147 [11]

Most yards, game – 152 (on 11 catches) vs. Washington 9/24

Average gain – 11.1

TDs – 5

100-yard receiving games – 4

Rushing

Attempts – 3

Yards – 14

Average gain – 4.7

TDs – 0

Scoring

TDs – 5

Points – 30

Awards & Honors:

2^nd team All-NFL: AP

Pro Bowl

Texans went 6-10 to finish fourth in the AFC South.

Aftermath:

A promising 2007 season ended due to a knee injury after nine games, but he bounced back to lead the NFL in pass receptions (115) and receiving yards (1575) in ’08 and received consensus first-team All-NFL honors for the first of two consecutive years. Johnson led the league in receiving yards again in 2009 (1569) and had a third straight Pro Bowl year in 2010 despite suffering from a high ankle sprain and missing two games. Hamstring problems cost him nine games in 2011, a down year, but he rebounded with Pro Bowl seasons in 2012 and ’13 in which he again went over 100 catches and 1400 yards. Overall, through 2014, Johnson has caught 1012 passes for 13,597 yards (13.4 avg.) and 64 touchdowns, with five seasons over 100 catches and three above 1500 yards. He has been a consensus first-team All-NFL selection twice, received at least second-team honors after three other seasons, and has been selected to the Pro Bowl seven times.

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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

Highlighted Year: Charley Brock, 1945

Center/Linebacker, Green Bay Packers

Age: 29

7^th season in pro football & with Packers

College: Nebraska

Height: 6’2”   Weight: 210

Prelude:

Brock was chosen in the third round of the 1939 NFL draft by the Packers and quickly became a contributor on the line. The team advanced to the NFL Championship game, and Brock intercepted two passes as Green Bay defeated the Giants. He followed up in 1940 by gaining first-team All-NFL recognition from Collyers Eye and playing in the Pro All-Star Game (predecessor to the Pro Bowl) for the second time. Brock was considered to be equally outstanding as a center on offense and a “ball thief” at linebacker, where he intercepted a career-high six passes in 1942 and was again named to the Pro All-Star Game. An appendectomy cost Brock four games during the 1943 season but he still garnered consensus second-team All-NFL honors. He was named team captain in 1944, a season that the Packers capped with another NFL Championship, and was a second-team All-NFL selection of UPI.

1945 Season Summary

Appeared in all 10 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Interceptions – 4 [6, tied with seven others]

Int. return yards – 122 [1]

Int. TDs – 2 [1]

Fumble recoveries – 5

Scoring

TDs – 2

Points – 12

Awards & Honors:

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

2^nd team All-NFL: Chicago Herald-American

Packers went 6-4 to finish third in the NFL Western Division.

Aftermath:

Brock followed up in 1946 by recovering six fumbles and gaining first-team All-NFL honors from Pro Football Illustrated. He played one more season in ’47 before accumulated wear-and-tear forced his retirement. Overall, he played in 92 regular season games over nine seasons, all with Green Bay. He was officially credited with 20 interceptions, three of which were returned for touchdowns, and he also had a TD on a fumble recovery. He was inducted into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame.

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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

Highlighted Year: Lem Barney, 1969

Cornerback, Detroit Lions

Age: 24 (Sept. 8)

3^rd season in pro football & with Lions

College: Jackson State

Height: 6’0”   Weight: 185

Prelude:

Recruited as a quarterback, Barney was shifted to cornerback and intercepted 26 passes in three college seasons and received All-Southwestern Conference honors after each. Although relatively unknown coming out of a small college, he was chosen by the Lions in the second round of the 1967 NFL draft and moved directly into the starting lineup with outstanding results. Barney co-led the NFL with 10 interceptions, three of which he returned for touchdowns, and also handled the team’s punting. He received second-team All-NFL honors from the NEA and New York Daily News, was named to the Pro Bowl, and was NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year as chosen by the Associated Press. Barney followed up in 1968 by intercepting another 7 passes and garnering consensus first-team All-NFL recognition in addition to a second Pro Bowl selection. Physical as well as fast, he was an instinctive ball hawk and excellent in man-to-man coverage.

1969 Season Summary

Appeared in 13 of 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Interceptions – 8 [2, tied with Bobby Bryant]

Most interceptions, game – 1 on eight occasions

Int. return yards – 126 [3]

Most int. return yards, game – 32 (on 1 int.) at Pittsburgh 9/21

Int. TDs – 0

Fumble recoveries – 2

Kickoff Returns

Returns – 7

Yards – 154

Average per return – 22.0

TDs – 0

Longest return – 32 yards

Punt Returns

Returns – 9 [20, tied with five others]

Yards – 191 [3]

Average per return – 21.2

TDs – 1 [1, tied with Travis Williams & Ricky Harris]

Longest return – 74 yards

Rushing

Attempts – 3

Yards – 36

Average gain – 12.0

TDs – 0

Punting

Punts – 66 [9]

Most punts, game – 10 vs. Minnesota 11/27

Yards – 2249 [12]

Average – 34.1 [15]

Best average, game – 40.0 (on 3 punts) vs. St. Louis 11/16

Punts blocked – 1

Longest punt – 53 yards

Scoring

TDs – 1

Points – 6

Awards & Honors:

1^st team All-NFL: Hall of Fame, AP, PFWA, UPI, NEA, NY Daily News, Pro Football Weekly, Sporting News

Pro Bowl

Lions went 9-4-1 to finish second in the Central Division  of the NFL Western Conference while ranking second in the league in fewest yards (3084) and fewest points (188) allowed.

Aftermath:

A contract dispute followed by an ankle injury led to a lesser performance in 1970, and while Barney still intercepted 7 passes, his tendency to gamble for the big play caused him to get burned often as well. He came back to regain Pro Bowl stature four more times in a career that lasted until 1977, all with the Lions. Overall, Barney intercepted 56 passes, seven of which were returned for touchdowns, and he also averaged 9.2 yards on 143 punt returns and 25.5 yards running back 50 kickoffs. Used less as a punter, he had a 35.5-yard average on 113 kicks. Barney had 11 TDs in all, a testament to his big-play ability, and five of them came on plays that covered over 50 yards. He was a consensus first-team All-Pro twice, received at least second-team recognition on three other occasions, and was named to the Pro Bowl seven times. Barney was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 1992.

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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

1983: Stars Hold Off Gold in USFL Debut

Two of the new United States Football League’s teams, the Philadelphia Stars and Denver Gold, made their debut at Denver’s Mile High Stadium on March 6, 1983. The Gold had remained true to the USFL’s original plan of keeping player costs low and lacked high-priced talent on the roster, but Head Coach Red Miller was a popular figure among Denver football fans, having led the NFL Broncos to a Super Bowl appearance. QB Jeff Knapple was out of Northern Colorado and played briefly for the Broncos and RB Bo Matthews had spent eight seasons in the NFL, primarily with San Diego. Moreover, the Gold sold more season tickets than any other USFL team coming into the inaugural season, some 33,000, and there were 45,102 enthusiastic fans in attendance for the opening contest.

The visiting Stars faced many questions entering their first season. Head Coach Jim Mora, a former assistant coach with New England in the NFL, had only been hired in January after George Perles, originally signed to coach the team, quit to take the head coaching job at Michigan State. The defense had come in for considerable criticism in the media following a disastrous preseason scrimmage against the Tampa Bay Bandits. The biggest name on offense was rookie RB Kelvin Bryant out of North Carolina, while the quarterback was Chuck Fusina (pictured calling signals above), formerly of Penn State and a little-used backup in the NFL. 

The field at Mile High Stadium had been covered by a tarp and was in good condition while piles of snow ringed the sidelines from a major storm the previous day, but the weather was pleasant for the game. The Gold had the first possession and Jeff Knapple completed two passes to TE Bob Niziolek, but after reaching their own 45, another throw was intercepted by SS Scott Woerner.

The teams exchanged punts, with the Stars pinning the Gold inside their 20 and starting their second possession of the game in Denver territory at the 42. The visitors moved methodically down the field and scored on a two-yard bootleg by Chuck Fusina. David Trout added the extra point.

Neither team was able to move effectively for the remainder of the opening period, again trading punts. Philadelphia’s maligned defense was particularly effective, utilizing stunts and blitzes to keep Denver’s offense in check (and that hadn’t been utilized in the preseason).

In the second quarter, Philadelphia advanced into Denver territory but a 36-yard field goal attempt by Trout was blocked. The Gold were still unable to generate offense and a third-down sack had them punting from their own end zone. The Stars again moved well but a fumble by Kelvin Bryant was recovered by FS Tom Sullivan at the Denver 18.

Shortly thereafter, a long pass by Knapple was intercepted by CB Roger Jackson and the Stars advanced effectively, but a botched field goal attempt kept them from potentially adding to their lead with 21 seconds left in the first half. However, on the next play RB Harry Sydney fumbled the ball away after catching a short pass, giving the Stars one last shot in the dwindling seconds. Trout finished off the half with a 50-yard field goal and the score was 10-0 at halftime.

The Stars were forced to punt following the first series of the third quarter and the Gold had good field position just inside Philadelphia territory. However, a sack on third down by LB Glenn Howard cost 13 yards and forced Denver to kick the ball away. Another punt was followed by a diving Howard intercepting a Knapple pass at his own 43, but the visitors were again stifled by the tough Denver defense and punted.

The next possession for the Gold ended with Knapple fumbling the ball away on a bootleg, giving the Stars the ball at the Denver 34. Philadelphia capitalized when Trout kicked a 29-yard field goal in the last minute of the period and the visitors took a 13-0 lead into the fourth quarter.

The home fans booed the ineffective Knapple as he returned to the field for the next Denver series, which ended with yet another turnover, this time an interception by LB Jon Brooks. Following a 47-yard field goal attempt by the Stars that had to be aborted due to a bad snap, the Gold took over with favorable field position and it was Ken Johnson, a veteran with five years of CFL experience, at quarterback. He threaded a pass to WR Vic James on a third-and-15 play to get the ball to the Philadelphia 20 and another throw rifled to Niziolek picked up another 17 yards to the three. Three running plays had the Gold facing fourth-and-inches and Johnson kept the ball himself, running wide for a touchdown to cap the nine-play, 54-yard series. Speelman added the extra point to make it a six-point contest with 6:30 to play.

The fired-up Denver defense forced the Stars to punt and the Gold took over at their 35. With the Stars blitzing on every play and the crowd roaring, the Gold advanced into Philadelphia territory on a possession highlighted by a 23-yard carry by Sydney and a Johnson pass to James to get to the nine. Sydney plowed for four yards to the five but, with their backs to the wall and time running out, the Stars stopped two running plays and a lob by Johnson into the end zone on fourth down was beyond FB Larry Canada’s grasp. Philadelphia held on for a 13-7 win.

In a game dominated by the defenses, the Stars led in total yards (232 to 215) while Denver had the edge in first downs (15 to 13). However, the Gold turned the ball over six times, to one suffered by Philadelphia. The Stars also were penalized nine times while four flags were thrown on Denver.

Chuck Fusina completed 16 of 29 passes for 137 yards and gave up no interceptions while running for Philadelphia’s lone touchdown as part of his 25 yards on 7 rushing attempts. Kelvin Bryant had a modest debut with 51 yards on 18 carries but led the Stars with 6 catches, for 34 yards. WR Scott Fitzkee gained 46 yards on his three pass receptions.

For the Gold, Jeff Knapple was successful on 11 of 23 throws for just 70 yards while giving up four interceptions. Ken Johnson was 6 of 10 in relief for 66 yards and had none intercepted. Harry Sydney ran for 50 yards on 9 carries. Larry Canada, in addition to running the ball 7 times for 20 yards, led the team with five pass receptions, for 27 yards, while Vic James gained 38 yards on his two catches and Bob Niziolek accumulated 34 yards on his three receptions.

“I can’t say enough about them,” said Coach Jim Mora of his team’s defense. “They’ve been taking a lot of – I don’t want to say crap – but they had something to prove today.”

The Philadelphia defense kept doing the job for the remainder of the season, and the offense improved with Bryant as the key performer. The Stars went 15-3 and advanced to the USFL Championship game, where they lost a close contest to the Michigan Panthers. Denver’s defense also continued to play well, but the offense remained a problem and neither Coach Miller nor QB Knapple made it to the end of the season. Miller was fired with the team’s record at 4-7, to be replaced by Craig Morton, the quarterback of the 1977 AFC Champion Broncos. Knapple was waived and picked up by the New Jersey Generals on the way to leading the league by giving up 19 interceptions (while tossing just three TD passes). Denver placed third in the Pacific Division with a 7-11 record but remained popular with the fans and led the USFL in attendance.

Highlighted Year: Steve Atwater, 1991

Safety, Denver Broncos

Age: 25 (Oct. 28)

3^rd season in pro football & with Broncos

College: Arkansas

Height: 6’3”   Weight: 213

Prelude:

Atwater was chosen by the Broncos in the first round of the 1989 NFL draft (20^th overall) and moved directly into the starting lineup at free safety. Playing with poise and having good range and size, he teamed well with veteran SS Dennis Smith. He followed up with a 1990 season in which he received his first Pro Bowl selection as well as being named second-team All-NFL by NEA and All-AFC by UPI and Pro Football Weekly.

1991 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Interceptions – 5 [8, tied with fourteen others]

Most interceptions, game – 1 on five occasions

Int. return yards – 104 [6, tied with Najee Mustafaa]

Most int. return yards, game – 49 (on 1 int.) at San Diego 12/22

Int. TDs – 0

Sacks – 1

Fumble recoveries – 1

Forced fumbles – 1

Tackles – 150

Postseason: 2 G

Interceptions – 1

Int. return yards – 0

TDs – 0

Awards & Honors:

1^st team All-NFL: AP, PFWA, NEA, Pro Football Weekly

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

Broncos went 12-4 to finish first in the AFC West while leading conference in sacks (52), interceptions (23, tied with Buffalo), fewest yards allowed (4549), fewest passing yards allowed (2755), and fewest points allowed (235). Won AFC Divisional playoff over Houston Oilers (26-24). Lost AFC Championship to Buffalo Bills (10-7).

Aftermath:

Atwater was again a consensus first-team All-NFL choice in 1992 and also gained Pro Bowl honors for the third of seven straight seasons. He was shifted to strong safety in ’94 but moved back to free safety in 1995. While no longer as dominating as during his peak years, Atwater remained a formidable player with his physicality.  Shoulder problems hindered his performance in 1997, ending his Pro Bowl string, but he remained an important contributor as the team won the Super Bowl, a contest in which he distinguished himself. Atwater was removed during passing situations in ’98, his last year with Denver, although he gained Pro Bowl honors once more, his eighth overall selection. The club repeated as NFL Champion and Atwater departed, playing one last season with the New York Jets in 1999 before retiring. In the course of 11 seasons, Atwater, in addition to his Pro Bowl selections, was twice a consensus first-team All-NFL choice and received second-team All-NFL and/or All-AFC honors after four other years. He intercepted 24 passes (all with the Broncos), one of which he returned for a TD, and was credited with over a thousand tackles.    

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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

1985: Denver Rolls Up Yardage to Defeat Stallions

The Denver Gold were 0-1 as they took on the Birmingham Stallions in a United States Football League game on March 3, 1985. A team that drew well at home but failed to post a winning record in either of its first two USFL seasons, the Gold now was coached by Darrel “Mouse” Davis, formerly of Portland State and most recently offensive coordinator of the Houston Gamblers. Utilizing the high-powered run and shoot offense, the Gamblers had been exciting and productive. Now Davis was bringing the same scheme to Denver, but the run and shoot had misfired in the opening week 31-10 loss to Oakland.

Birmingham, coached by Rollie Dotsch, was coming off of a 14-4 record in ’84 and won its first contest of 1985 (over New Jersey). The Stallions had QB Cliff Stoudt and WR Jim Smith, both formerly of the Steelers, and ex-Buffalo RB Joe Cribbs as key players on offense, which was anchored by an outstanding line.

There were 27,400 fans in attendance at Legion Field in Birmingham and they saw Denver get off to a fast start. On the offense’s first play from scrimmage, QB Vince Evans connected with RB Bill Johnson on a screen pass that gained 55 yards to the Birmingham one yard line. Johnson carried on the next play to gain the final yard and a touchdown and Brian Speelman added the extra point.

The Stallions responded by driving 80 yards in eight plays. Cliff Stoudt finished the series off with a seven-yard TD run and Danny Miller tied the score with the point after. It seemed as though the Gold would score again on the next possession as they reached the Birmingham nine, but FS Chuck Clanton recovered a fumble to snuff out the threat. Three plays later, however, Stoudt fumbled a bad snap that went out of the end zone for a safety to put the visitors back in the lead by 9-7.

Early in the second quarter, Evans threw long to RB Vincent White for a 48-yard touchdown. Speelman’s PAT put the Gold ahead by 16-7. Shortly thereafter, a Stoudt pass was intercepted by Clanton and, two plays after that, Evans completed a pass to WR Leonard Harris for a 39-yard TD. Speelman again converted and Denver was up by 23-7 with 8:33 remaining in the first half.

Later in the period, the Gold put together a 48-yard drive in nine plays that concluded with Speelman kicking a 28-yard field goal. The Stallions got a break on defense when Clanton intercepted his second pass of the game, returning it 23 yards to the Birmingham 48. Stoudt tossed a touchdown pass to Jim Smith eight plays later that covered nine yards with 32 seconds left on the clock. Miller kicked the extra point and the score was 26-14 at halftime.

Early in the third quarter, the Stallions drew closer as Stoudt threw to WR Joey Jones for a 53-yard TD. Miller converted and the Denver margin was down to five points at 26-21. The Gold came back with a 10-play, 78-yard series that was capped by Evans gaining one yard for a touchdown on a quarterback sneak. Speelman’s kick made it a 33-21 contest.

Early in the fourth quarter, Denver scored again when Johnson ran eight yards for a TD, followed by another Speelman extra point. The Stallions had opportunities to close the gap again, but twice came up empty inside the Denver ten in the final period.  They picked up two more points when Evans was tackled in the end zone for a safety, but it was of no consequence as the Gold came away with a convincing 40-23 win.

Denver compiled a total of 564 yards, with 284 coming on the ground, to 325 yards for the Stallions. The Gold also had the edge in first downs (24 to 19) and time of possession (35:02 to 24:58). However, Denver was hindered by five turnovers, to just one suffered by Birmingham, and 12 penalties, while only five flags were thrown on the Stallions.

Vince Evans completed 14 of 28 passes for 284 yards and two touchdowns, although giving up three interceptions. RB Todd Gerhart led the impressive running game with 119 yards on 21 carries, followed by Bill Johnson’s 74 yards on 9 attempts that included two TDs, and Evans contributed 50 yards on five carries. Leonard Harris topped the Denver receivers with four catches for 74 yards.

For the Stallions, Cliff Stoudt was successful on 17 of 38 throws for 259 yards and two TDs, giving up one interception and scoring once on the ground. Joe Cribbs had just 36 yards on 9 carries. Jim Smith caught 6 passes for 83 yards and Joey Jones gained 96 yards on four receptions that included a TD. Chuck Clanton (pictured at left) starred on defense, accumulating all three interceptions, recovering a fumble, and getting credit for eight tackles.

“We still have a lot of work to do,” said Coach Davis of his team’s performance. “We had too many picks (interceptions), but we’re certainly pleased. We’re excited to get our first win and hope it’s the first of many.”

Denver won four of its next five games on the way to an 11-7 record that placed second in the Western Conference. The team ranked third in the USFL in total yards (6629) and, with Vince Evans splitting time at quarterback with Bob Gagliano, rated third in passing yards (4550). In the Gold’s only playoff game, they were thrashed in the Quarterfinal round by the Memphis Showboats. The Stallions recovered to go 13-5 and finish at the top of the Eastern Conference. They defeated Houston in the first round but lost to the Baltimore Stars at the Semifinal level.