MVP Profile: Harlon Hill, 1955

Offensive End, Chicago Bears

Age:  23

2^nd season in pro football & with Bears

College: Florence State

Height: 6’3”    Weight: 200

Prelude:

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

1955 Season Summary

Appeared in all 12 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Pass Receiving

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

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

Average gain – 18.8 [4]

TDs – 9 [1]

Scoring

TDs – 9 [1, tied with Alan Ameche]

Points – 54 [10, tied with Alan Ameche]

Awards & Honors:

NFL MVP: NEA

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

Pro Bowl

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

Aftermath:

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

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

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

Past Venue: Red Bird Stadium

Columbus, OH

aka Jets Stadium, Cooper Stadium       

Year opened: 1932

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

Names:

Red Bird Stadium, 1932-54

Jets Stadium, 1955-70

Franklin County Stadium, 1977-84

Cooper Stadium, 1984 to date

Pro football tenants:

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

Postseason games hosted:

None

Other tenants of note:

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

Columbus Bluebirds (baseball Negro leagues), 1933

Columbus Elite Giants (baseball Negro leagues), 1935

Columbus Jets (minor league baseball), 1955-70

Columbus Clippers (minor league baseball), 1978-2008

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

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

[Updated 2/3/14]

1965: Packers Obtain Carroll Dale from Rams

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MVP Profile: Peyton Manning, 2003

Quarterback, Indianapolis Colts

Age:  27

6^th season in pro football & with Colts

College: Tennessee

Height: 6’5”    Weight: 230

Prelude:

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

2003 Season Summary

Appeared and started in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Passing

Attempts – 566 [2]

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

Completions – 379 [1]

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

Yards – 4267 [1]

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

Completion percentage – 67.0 [1]

Yards per attempt – 7.5 [4]

TD passes – 29 [2, 1st in AFC]

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

Interceptions – 10

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

Passer rating – 99.0 [2]

400-yard passing games – 1

300-yard passing games – 4

200-yard passing games – 14

Rushing

Attempts – 28

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

Yards – 26

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

Yards per attempt – 0.9

TDs – 0

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 1

Yards – -2

Yards per catch – -2.0

TDs - 0

Postseason: 3 G

Pass attempts – 103

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

Pass completions – 67

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

Passing yardage – 918

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

TD passes – 9

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

Interceptions – 4

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

Rushing attempts – 4

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

Rushing yards – 3

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

Average gain rushing – 0.8

Rushing TDs – 0

Awards & Honors:

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

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

1^st team All-AFC: Pro Football Weekly

Pro Bowl

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

Aftermath:

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

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

[Updated 2/9/14]

[Updated 11/28/14]

1964: Giants Trade Sam Huff to Redskins

The New York Giants had largely dominated the NFL Eastern Conference from 1956 through ’63, coming in first in six of those eight seasons and winning one championship. The string had begun under Head Coach Jim Lee Howell, who retired following the 1960 season, and continued under his successor, Allie Sherman. While the offense, guided by QB Y.A. Tittle, had been highly productive from 1961 to ’63, it was the strong and savvy defensive unit that had consistently made the Giants a contender.

Thus, it was shocking on April 10, 1964 when New York traded one of the key players on the defense, MLB Sam Huff, along with rookie defensive lineman George Seals to the lowly Washington Redskins for DE Andy Stynchula, HB Dick James, and a fifth round draft choice for 1965. Coming after the retirement of DE Andy Robustelli and trade of DT Dick Modzelewski to Cleveland, the deal was a shock to fans and players alike.

“It’s kind of like getting hit with a bomb,” said Huff in reaction. “It’s so unexpected I haven’t gotten over the shock.”

As Huff pointed out at the time of the trade, the Giants defense had been not only effective but a close-knit unit as well. The 6’1”, 230-pound West Virginia native had been one of the most visible and popular members of that platoon since joining the club as a third-round draft pick in 1956. With deceptive speed and great strength, he had been selected to four straight Pro Bowls from 1958 to ’61, was a consensus first-team All-Pro on two occasions, and received some first-team All-Pro recognition in two others. Moreover, he had appeared on the cover of TIME magazine and gained additional notoriety from a television documentary that aired in 1960 called “The Violent World of Sam Huff.” While there were complaints that Huff received more publicity than he was due and was not the equal of contemporary middle linebackers such as Detroit’s Joe Schmidt or Green Bay’s Ray Nitschke, he was a fan favorite, prone to making big plays, durable, and unquestionably talented – his one-on-one battles with the two greatest fullbacks of the era, Cleveland’s Jim Brown and Jim Taylor of the Packers, were particularly noteworthy.

However, Huff was 29 at the time of the trade and the defense was already developing holes during the offseason. Robustelli’s apparent retirement and the Modzelewski trade created concerns regarding the line, making Andy Stynchula attractive. A star at Penn State, the 6’3” and 250-pound Stynchula had played at defensive end in four years with the Redskins but was versatile enough to play tackle.

In addition, the running backs were aging and injuries had plagued the group in 1963. The 30-year-old Dick James (pictured at right) was an all-purpose halfback who had been with the Redskins for eight seasons and returned kicks as well as appeared in the backfield. He had never gained more than 384 yards rushing in a season – and never carried the ball more than 105 times – but was selected to the Pro Bowl in 1961. It was hoped he could provide needed depth.

“We felt we had to strengthen both our defensive line and our offensive backfield, and the price came high,” explained Sherman.

For Washington, it was the second major deal in ten days, following the exchange of QB Norm Snead for QB Sonny Jurgensen of Philadelphia. Head Coach/GM Bill McPeak was looking to obtain proven veterans in the hope of winning immediately – he was facing a “win-or-else” edict. In three seasons under his guidance, the Redskins had gone 9-30-3.

Linebacker had been a problem area for the Redskins, and together with Jimmy Carr, a defensive back that they intended to convert to outside linebacker who was obtained in the trade with the Eagles, Huff offered a major upgrade. Rod Breedlove, the starting RLB in ’63, was to compete with Bob Pellegrini and Allen Miller for the LLB starting spot (veteran John Reger was picked up prior to the season and filled the position capably). The 275-pound George Seals had been chosen by the Giants in the fourth round of the ’64 draft out of Missouri and was considered to be a defensive line prospect, replacing the departed Stynchula.

Hopes that Allie Sherman’s deal-making would put the Giants over the top in 1964 were shattered as the team collapsed instead. Andy Robustelli came out of retirement for one more year as a player-coach, but like many of his aging teammates on both sides of the ball, was no longer a stellar performer. Lou Slaby, in his first season after spending’63 on the taxi squad, filled in surprisingly well at middle linebacker, but was not of Huff’s caliber (and did not prove long-lasting). Stynchula started but, likewise, did not remind anyone of Modzelewski. Dick James was the primary punt returner, averaging 7.3 yards on his 21 returns, and ran back 23 kickoffs for a 22.4-yard average, but gained just 189 yards on 55 carries (3.4 avg.) and caught 12 passes for 101 more.

New York fell to the bottom of the Eastern Conference with a 2-10-2 record and Sherman’s trades were heavily criticized, especially since Modzelewski helped to solidify the defensive line for the Browns, who went on to win the ’64 NFL Championship, and Huff was selected to the Pro Bowl.

Indeed, Huff provided both the outstanding play and leadership that had been anticipated. He intercepted passes in each of the first three games and the defense overall improved from last (14^th) in the NFL in 1963 to seventh. They also defeated the Giants for the first time in seven seasons. While Washington was still a losing team, the record was an improved 6-8 (Bill McPeak was able to hold on for another year).

The Giants were unable to fully right the ship during the remainder of Sherman’s coaching reign, which ended following the 1968 season. The club had three 7-7 records during that time, but the trades of the 1963-64 offseason haunted him to the end. Andy Stynchula handled some of the placekicking as well as starting on the defensive line in 1965, his last in New York. He was dealt to the Colts prior to the 1966 season. Dick James didn’t make it that far as he was rendered expendable by a rising group of young running backs (called the “Baby Bulls” and led by HB Steve Thurlow and FB Ernie Wheelwright) and finished up his career in Minnesota in ’65.

Sam Huff played another three years for the Redskins, retired following the 1967 season, and then was coaxed back into action for one last year in 1969 when Vince Lombardi arrived as head coach and general manager. He played well with Washington, perhaps partly motivated by the bitterness that he maintained toward the Giants organization for trading him – reportedly, he called the field goal unit onto the field to add a final three-point nail in New York’s coffin near the end of a wild 72-41 Washington victory in 1966.

Huff was eventually enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, gaining admission in 1982. While arguments persisted as to how much the publicity he received in New York enhanced his reputation, there could be no question that his departure was keenly felt by the Giants defense and his play in Washington remained at a high level.

As footnotes, George Seals was moved to offensive tackle in 1964 and then was traded to Chicago just before the ’65 season, where he played for seven years and appeared both at guard on offense and tackle on defense. The 1965 fifth round draft choice that the Giants obtained along with Stynchula and James was used to take Frank Lambert, an end/punter out of Mississippi who spent two years as a punter for the Steelers.

Past Venue: Legion Field

Birmingham, AL

Year opened: 1927

Capacity: 71,594, up from 21,000 at opening

Names:

Legion Field, 1927 to date

Pro football tenants:

Birmingham Americans (WFL), 1974

Birmingham Vulcans (WFL), 1975

Alabama Vulcans (AFA), 1979

Alabama Magic (AFA), 1982

Birmingham Stallions (USFL), 1983-85

Birmingham Fire (WLAF), 1991-92

Birmingham Barracudas (CFL), 1995

Birmingham Thunderbolts (XFL), 2001

Postseason games hosted:

WFL Semifinal playoff, Americans 22 Hawaiians 19, Nov. 27, 1974

WFL Championship, Americans 22 Blazers 21, Dec. 5, 1974

USFL First Round playoff, Stallions 36 Bandits 17, July 1, 1984

USFL Quarterfinal playoff, Stallions 22 Gamblers 20, June 29, 1985

USFL Semifinal playoff, Stars 28 Stallions 14, July 7, 1985

WLAF Semifinal playoff, Dragons 10 Fire 3, June 1, 1991

Other tenants of note:

Univ. of Alabama-Birmingham (college football), 1991 to date

Notes: Hosted Dixie Bowl, 1948-49. Hosted annual Hall of Fame Classic, 1977-85. Hosted annual All-American Bowl, 1986-90. Hosts annual BBVA Compass Bowl, 2006 to date (originally Papajohns.com Bowl). Hosted one home game of AFL Boston Patriots, 1968. Hosted annual Alabama vs. Auburn football game, referred to as “Iron Bowl”, 1948-88. Frequently used for home games by the Univ. of Alabama and Auburn Univ. Owned by City of Birmingham and named in honor of the American Legion. Grass surface replaced by PolyTurf in 1970, restored to grass in 1996 and replaced by FieldTurf in 2006. Lights added in 1969. Upper deck removed in 2005. First game was college contest between Howard College (later Samford University) and Birmingham-Southern College, Nov. 19, 1927.

Fate: Still in use.

1976: Larry Csonka Signs with Giants

On April 7, 1976 and following some five hours of intense negotiations, the New York Giants announced that they had signed star FB Larry Csonka, formerly of the Miami Dolphins and World Football League’s Memphis Southmen, who was now available due to the demise of that short-lived entity.

The 29-year-old Csonka had originally planned to continue the search and sit down with other teams, including the Dolphins, Colts, and Browns, after meeting with the Giants. In all, 15 teams were known to have expressed interest in signing Csonka now that he was a free agent, with six serious offers, according to his agent.

The Dolphins had hoped that the 6’5”, 235-pound fullback would return to Miami once the WFL folded. Csonka had originally said he would let the Dolphins match any offer he received, but was angered by comments made by owner Joe Robbie to the effect that Csonka’s asking price was unrealistic. In the end, the Giants gave him the multiyear deal he was seeking, with three years for around $2 million.

The Syracuse All-American had gotten off to a slow start as a pro in his first two years with the struggling Dolphins. Taken in the first round of the 1968 NFL/AFL draft, he gained a total of 1106 yards for the 8-18-2 recent expansion team and had problems with injuries as well as adjustment to the pro game. Things changed dramatically for both Csonka and the Dolphins upon the arrival of Don Shula as head coach in 1970. The team made it to the postseason with a 10-4 record and the running game, led by Csonka and his 874 yards with a 4.5 average gain, was a big part of the turnaround.

Miami won three straight AFC titles from 1971-73 and back-to-back Super Bowls in the latter two years, including an undefeated record in 1972. A straight-ahead runner with battering-ram effectiveness between the tackles, Csonka was a consensus first-team All-Pro in 1971 and ’73 and was selected to five consecutive Pro Bowls from ’70 through ’74. In all, he rushed for 5900 yards on 1286 carries (4.6 avg.) and 41 touchdowns in the regular season and added another 871 yards on 215 attempts (4.1 avg.), including four hundred-yard games and recognition as MVP of Super Bowl VIII, in the postseason.

However, going into the 1974 season, in which the Dolphins again reached the postseason before losing a close-fought game to Oakland in the Divisional round, it was already known that Csonka and two of his teammates were lame ducks in Miami. In a sensational development Csonka, HB Jim Kiick, and WR Paul Warfield signed with the Toronto Northmen of the WFL. The Northmen became the Memphis Southmen by the time the franchise took the field in ‘74, and, after playing out their Miami contracts, it was there that the celebrated trio played in 1975. The league went under after 11 weeks and Csonka, limited to seven games by injury, rushed for 421 yards on 99 carries (4.3 avg.) and one TD.

The head coach of the Giants, Bill Arnsparger, had been Miami’s defensive coordinator when Csonka was with the club. While New York had suffered through three straight losing seasons and had not reached the postseason since 1963, Csonka indicated that he didn’t consider the Giants to be in a rebuilding mode. “I’m too old to be starting from scratch. I don’t think I could endure rebuilding years now. I think the New York Giants are pretty well rebuilt.”

The confident words proved to be inaccurate. While the Giants had a capable quarterback in Craig Morton, the receiving corps was nothing special, the running game no better than fair, and the offensive line was mediocre. The defense was strong at linebacker but nowhere else. Morton had completed 51.2 % of his passes for 2359 yards and 11 TDs in ‘75, but he also threw 16 interceptions and was sacked on 47 occasions. The top rushers were FB Joe Dawkins (129 carries, 438 yards, 3.4 avg.), HB Doug Kotar (122 carries, 378 yards, 3.1 avg.), and HB Ron Johnson, once a star but now on the downside (116 carries, 351 yards, 3.0 avg. plus 34 catches for 280 yards). Dawkins and Johnson were both gone before the ‘76 season.

The addition of a solid fullback addressed one of the team’s needs, but there were too many other holes to fill. A change of venue, with the move to a newly-constructed stadium in the New Jersey Meadowlands, didn’t help. The Giants sank to 3-11 in 1976, losing their first nine games before finally registering a win. Csonka played in 11 games before being knocked out for the remainder of the year with a knee injury and gained just 569 yards on 160 carries (3.6 avg.) and four touchdowns – Kotar ended up leading the club with 731 yards on the ground.

Bill Arnsparger was dismissed as head coach halfway through the season and his successor was John McVay, who coincidentally had been Csonka’s coach in Memphis of the WFL. Morton was also gone, dealt to Denver where he revived his career. While two mediocre veterans, Steve Ramsey and Dennis Shaw, were brought in to compete for the vacant quarterback position, a rookie, Jerry Golsteyn, won the job but was soon replaced by another NFL newcomer by way of Canada, Joe Pisarcik. Csonka had another rough year on an offensively-challenged club, this time ranking third on the Giants with 464 yards on 134 attempts (3.5 avg.) and one TD.

The nadir for Csonka and the team was reached in 1978. While the record actually improved to 6-10 and several of the defeats were by close margins, a loss to Philadelphia at home came to epitomize the team’s futility and set the stage for a huge shakeup of the organization. The key play, which became a part of pro football folklore and was celebrated as “the Miracle of the Meadowlands” by Eagles fans and called simply “The Fumble” by morose Giants backers, came in the final seconds. With possession of the ball and time running out, Pisarcik was instructed to run a play rather than take a knee - an attempted handoff to Csonka resulted in a fumble, and the Eagles scored on the recovery to win the game in stunning fashion.

The Giants won only one more contest the rest of the way, negating what had been a promising 3-1 start. Along with the coaching staff and GM Andy Robustelli, Csonka was gone after the ’78 season. It was his least productive pro year as he rushed for only 311 yards on 91 carries for an average gain of just 3.4 yards and six touchdowns.

In three seasons with New York, Csonka ran the ball 385 times for 1344 yards (3.5 avg.) and 11 TDs. Never noted as a pass receiver, he added 15 catches for 132 yards and no scores. It was far less than had been anticipated when the big fullback joined the team.

Csonka returned to Miami for one last year in 1979, and had a solid performance with 837 yards on 220 carries for a 3.8-yard average and 12 touchdowns. It capped a career in which he gained 8081 yards in the NFL and he ultimately was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987. But it was the great performances with winning Miami teams that sealed his reputation – the brief WFL sojourn and three seasons with the Giants were mere footnotes.