1976: Expansion Bucs Obtain Steve Spurrier from 49ers

April 2, 1976 was a busy day of trading among NFL teams. In one of the deals that occurred, the 49ers sent nine-year veteran QB Steve Spurrier to the expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers for WR Willie McGee, LB Bruce Elia, and a second-round draft choice (used to take Eddie Lewis, a defensive back from Kansas).

McGee and Elia had been obtained through the expansion draft, from the Rams and Dolphins, respectively. McGee lasted two seasons in San Francisco and Elia for three, starting nine games at middle linebacker. Lewis was with the Niners until moving on to the Lions during the 1979 season, starting every game at cornerback in ’78 and intercepting three passes. More significantly, the way was thus cleared for Jim Plunkett, obtained from the Patriots shortly thereafter, to become San Francisco’s starting quarterback.

Spurrier, who turned 31 later in the month, had won the 1966 Heisman Trophy at Florida and was San Francisco’s first draft choice in 1967. He became the punter and backup to veteran quarterback John Brodie. In his first five seasons, Spurrier threw a total of just 204 passes, most of those when he started four games after Brodie was injured in 1969, and completed 108 for 1232 yards with six touchdowns and 18 interceptions.

Not very mobile and with a slow release, Spurrier had the arm strength to throw deep but was a mediocre short passer. Nevertheless, he had drawn generally good reviews for his performance in place of Brodie in ’69 (the 49ers led the NFL in passing yards with 3158 in an otherwise disappointing season) and was still considered to be a good prospect.

While it was back to the bench in 1970 and ’71, Spurrier again stepped in when Brodie went down with an ankle injury five games into the 1972 season. He filled in admirably in what proved to be his finest NFL season, completing 54.6 percent of his passes for 1983 yards with 18 TDs against 16 interceptions. The club went 6-2-1 during his starts, on the way to the playoffs for the third straight year. However, Brodie came off the bench in the season finale to rally the 49ers into the postseason and started against the Cowboys in the NFC Divisional playoff game.

In 1973, Spurrier finally displaced the 38-year-old Brodie as the team slumped to 5-9. Injured a week prior to the 1974 season, he saw action in only three games and in ’75 split the starting job with another aging veteran, Norm Snead. His nine seasons in San Francisco had ultimately been a disappointment. He passed for 5250 yards with 33 touchdowns and 48 interceptions and had a 13-12-1 record as the starting quarterback.

 “We have said all along that if we traded for an established quarterback, he would have to be one who is a good athlete,” said Ron Wolf, Tampa Bay’s VP for Operations. “In Steve Spurrier, we think we found the right blend for an expansion-team situation.”

In truth, Spurrier was expected to be nothing more than a caretaker for the new club, although there were hopes that offensive coordinator John Rauch would bring out his best. But the Buccaneers were a typically poor first-year squad, especially when it came to running backs and receivers, and went 0-14.

Spurrier started 12 games and completed 156 of 311 passes (50.2 %) for 1628 yards and 7 TDs with 12 picked off. Moreover, he was also sacked 32 times. His finest performance came against the Chiefs when he went 20-of-36 for 212 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions – it was his only 200-yard passing game of the year, and one of only two in which he tossed more than one scoring pass.

It proved to be the end for Spurrier’s career as a pro quarterback. He retired as a player but went on to a long and successful college coaching career, beginning with his becoming quarterbacks coach at his alma mater of Florida in 1978. Prior to head coaching stops at Duke (20-13-1 record), Florida (122-27-1), and South Carolina (66-37 through 2012), Spurrier coached the Tampa Bay Bandits of the USFL for three years (35-21) and, after winning six SEC titles and a national championship at Florida, had a far less successful two-year tenure in the NFL with the Washington Redskins (12-20).      

MVP Profile: Brett Favre, 1996

Quarterback, Green Bay Packers

Age:  27 (Oct. 10)

6^th season in pro football, 5^th with Packers

College: Southern Mississippi

Height: 6’2”   Weight: 220

Prelude:

Chosen by the Atlanta Falcons in the second round of the 1991 NFL draft, Favre saw scant action in Atlanta before being traded to Green Bay after one year. There was no question as to the young quarterback having outstanding tools, in particular a strong passing arm, but with new Head Coach Mike Holmgren looking to operate the West Coast offense, he was viewed as a raw talent with questionable maturity who would back up veteran Don Majkowski. However, Majkowski was injured early in the season and Favre nearly led the Packers to the postseason as he passed for 3227 yards and 18 TDs with a 64.1 completion percentage and was selected to the Pro Bowl. He also displayed toughness, playing the last seven games with a separated left shoulder. There were growing pains in ’93 as Favre, a natural improviser, bridled at Holmgren’s efforts at making him more disciplined. He led the NFL by throwing 24 interceptions, but Green Bay made it to the postseason and Favre was again named to the Pro Bowl. While he wasn’t selected in ’94, his numbers improved to 3882 yards passing with 33 TDs against 14 interceptions. In 1995 Favre led the league in passing yards (4413), TD passes (38), and TD percentage (6.7) and was not only selected to the Pro Bowl but was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection and received MVP recognition.

1996 Season Summary

Appeared and started in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Passing

Attempts – 543 [5]

Most attempts, game – 61 vs. San Francisco 10/14

Completions – 325 [3, tied with Vinny Testaverde]

Most completions, game – 28 vs. San Francisco 10/14

Yards – 3899 [4, 1st in NFC]

Most yards, game – 395 vs. San Francisco 10/14

Completion percentage – 59.9 [9]

Yards per attempt – 7.2 [10]

TD passes – 39 [1]

Most TD passes, game – 4 on five occasions

Interceptions – 13 [17, tied with four others]

Most interceptions, game – 2 vs. San Francisco 10/14, at St. Louis 11/24, vs. Denver 12/8

Passer rating – 95.8 [2]

300-yard passing games – 2

200-yard passing games – 12

Rushing

Attempts – 49

Most attempts, game - 7 (for 2 yds.) vs. Tampa Bay 10/27

Yards – 136

Most yards, game – 25 yards (on 2 carries) at Minnesota 9/22

Yards per attempt – 2.8

TDs – 2

Scoring

TDs – 2

Points - 12

Postseason: 3 G

Pass attempts – 71

Most attempts, game - 29 vs. Carolina, NFC Championship

Pass completions – 44

Most completions, game - 19 vs. Carolina, NFC Championship

Passing yardage – 617

Most yards, game - 292 vs. Carolina, NFC Championship

TD passes – 5

Most TD passes, game - 2 vs. Carolina, NFC Championship, vs. New England, Super Bowl

Interceptions – 1

Most interceptions, game - 1 vs. Carolina, NFC Championship

Rushing attempts – 14

Most rushing attempts, game - 5 vs. San Francisco, NFC Divisional playoff, vs. Carolina, NFC Championship

Rushing yards – 35

Most rushing yards, game - 14 vs. Carolina, NFC Championship

Average gain rushing – 2.5

Rushing TDs – 1

Awards & Honors:

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

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

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

Pro Bowl

Packers went 13-3 to finish first in the NFC Central while leading the NFL in scoring (456 points) and touchdowns (56). Won NFC Divisional playoff over San Francisco 49ers (35-14), NFC Championship over Carolina Panthers (30-13), and Super Bowl over New England Patriots (35-21).

Aftermath:

Favre earned MVP honors for a third straight year in 1997 and the Packers were NFC Champions again. He led the NFL in touchdown passes (35) and was a consensus first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection as well. He played through many injuries over the ensuing years to put together a string of 297 consecutive starts that finally ended in 2010. Along the way he had six 4000-yard passing seasons and reached 3000 in 18 years. He also threw 30 or more TD passes nine times. After initially retiring from the Packers in 2007, Favre made a comeback that led to an acrimonious departure from Green Bay and he played with the New York Jets in 2008. A season that started promisingly with the Jets proved disappointing and Favre led the league by tossing 22 interceptions. Again calling it quits, he was lured back by the Minnesota Vikings, finishing up with two seasons there. Overall, Favre left as the all-time NFL leader in pass attempts (10,169), completions (6300), yards (71,838), TD passes (508), and, on the downside, interceptions (336).

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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 2/4/14]
[Updated 11/29/14]

Rookie of the Year: Chuck Foreman, 1973

Running Back, Minnesota Vikings

Age: 23 (Oct. 26)

College: Miami (Florida)

Height: 6’2”   Weight: 206

Prelude:

Seeking an upgrade at running back, the Vikings took Foreman in the first round of the 1973 NFL draft (12^th overall). In college, he had played in the defensive backfield and at wide receiver as well as running back and excelled, setting school records for total yards, scoring, touchdowns, and kickoff return yards.

1973 Season Summary

Appeared in 12 of 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing

Attempts – 182 [19, tied with Emerson Boozer]

Most attempts, game - 23 (for 86 yds.) vs. LA Rams 10/28

Yards – 801 [18]

Most yards, game – 116 yards (on 16 carries) at Chicago 9/23

Average gain – 4.4 [15]

TDs – 4

100-yard rushing games – 3

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 37      

Most receptions, game – 6 (for 53 yds.) vs. Oakland 9/16

Yards – 362

Most yards, game - 62 (on 5 catches) vs. Green Bay 9/30

Average gain – 9.8

TDs – 2

Scoring

TDs – 6

Points – 36

Postseason: 3 G

Rushing attempts – 37

Most rushing attempts, game - 19 at Dallas, NFC Championship

Rushing yards – 134

Most rushing yards, game - 76 at Dallas, NFC Championship

Average gain rushing – 3.6

Rushing TDs – 1

Pass receptions – 12

Most pass receptions, game - 5 vs. Miami, Super Bowl

Pass receiving yards - 78

Most pass receiving yards, game - 28 at Dallas, NFC Championship

Average yards per reception – 6.5

Pass Receiving TDs - 0

Awards & Honors:

NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year: AP, PFWA

NFC Rookie of the Year: NEA, Sporting News

Pro Bowl

Vikings went 12-2 to finish first in the NFC Central. Won NFC Divisional playoff over Washington Redskins (27-20) and NFC Championship over Dallas Cowboys (27-10). Lost Super Bowl to Miami Dolphins (24-7).

Aftermath:

Foreman was selected to the Pro Bowl in each of his first five seasons and received first- or second-team All-NFL honors every year from 1974 to ’77. Outstanding as a receiver out of the backfield as well as a ball carrier, Foreman totaled over a thousand yards from scrimmage in each of his first six years and had over a thousand yards in rushing alone for three straight seasons (1975-77). He led the NFL in pass receptions (73) and NFC in touchdowns (22) in 1975, and was league leader in TDs in 1974 and ‘76. His productivity dropped significantly after 1977 and he finished his career with the New England Patriots in 1980. Overall, Foreman rushed for 5950 yards on 1556 carries (3.8 avg.), caught 350 passes for 3156 more yards, and scored a total of 76 TDs. 

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Rookie of the Year Profiles feature players who were named Rookie of the Year in the NFL, AFL (1960-69), or USFL (1983-85) by a recognized organization (Associated Press – Offense or Defense, Newspaper Enterprise Association, United Press International, The Sporting News, or the league itself – Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year). 

[Updated 2/4/14]

1983: Bandits Overcome Stars in USFL Battle of Unbeatens

The United States Football League game at Philadelphia’s Veterans Stadium on March 27, 1983 featured a matchup of two teams that had started out strongly in the new league’s inaugural season. Both the Philadelphia Stars and Tampa Bay Bandits were unbeaten after three weeks of play.

The Bandits, coached by Steve Spurrier, had an outstanding passing game with veteran QB John Reaves, who had started his pro career as the first draft choice of the NFL Eagles in 1972 (Reaves and Spurrier pictured at right). He had good targets in another veteran pro, WR Danny Buggs, and newcomer Eric Truvillion, the other starting wide receiver. The overlooked defense was a good one and featured NT Fred Nordgren and CB Jeff George.

Philadelphia, under Head Coach Jim Mora, was less flashy on offense, featuring star rookie RB Kelvin Bryant and ex-NFL backup QB Chuck Fusina. The defense was especially tough, with the linebacking corps led by unheralded Sam Mills at its heart.

There was a disappointing crowd of 18,718 on hand at the Vet with a steady rain falling. The Bandits scored on four of their first six possessions to take command. The first touchdown came less than three minutes into the opening quarter and followed the recovery of a Fusina fumble by Jeff George.  Reaves threw to Eric Truvillion from 33 yards out.

The Stars came back to tie the score as Kelvin Bryant ran for a 35-yard touchdown. However, later in the first quarter George struck again as he intercepted a pass by Fusina and returned it 22 yards for a TD.

In the second quarter, Tampa Bay’s lead was narrowed to 14-10 thanks to a 35-yard David Trout field goal. Zenon Andrusyshyn responded with a 43-yard field goal for the Bandits to make it 17-10. Just some two minutes later, Tampa Bay drove to a touchdown with the thanks of a gadget play. Reaves passed to Danny Buggs who picked up 11 yards and lateraled to RB Sam Piatt for another 13 yards to the Philadelphia 12. Four plays later, Piatt ran for a TD from a yard out.

Andrusyshyn booted a 38-yard field goal and, before halftime, the Stars finally scored again when Trout kicked a 37-yard field goal. Nevertheless, the Bandits held a commanding 27-13 lead at the halfway point.

The Stars, minus the injured Fusina, chipped away some more at Tampa Bay’s lead early in the third quarter when Trout connected for another field goal, this time from 27 yards. The Bandits played conservatively on offense and were helped by the defense’s ability to stop the normally-efficient Philadelphia offense, particularly the passing game.

Philadelphia still managed to make it interesting less than five minutes into the fourth quarter when backup QB Jim Krohn tossed a screen pass to Bryant, who proceeded to take it all the way for a 38-yard TD. However, the try for a two-point conversion failed and the Stars never again crossed midfield for the remainder of the contest. Tampa Bay came away the winner by a score of 27-22.

Tampa Bay led in total yards (389 to 295) and had the edge in first downs (18 to 17). Although they fumbled seven times, the Bandits lost just two of them and each team ended up with three turnovers. The Tampa Bay defense recorded five sacks while the Stars got to Reaves just once.

John Reaves completed 16 of 32 passes for 269 yards and a touchdown as well as an interception. Danny Buggs caught 4 passes for 90 yards and, while Eric Truvillion was held to just two receptions, they included the one TD. Sam Piatt ran for 75 yards and one touchdown on 24 carries and RB Greg Boone contributed another 11 attempts for 54 yards.

For the Stars, Kelvin Bryant was the star on offense with 112 rushing yards on 22 carries that included a TD and three catches for 57 yards and another score. Chuck Fusina and Jim Krohn combined to complete just 13 passes in 31 attempts for 177 yards. WR Scott Fitzkee had 6 receptions for 48 yards.

“It was great to win here,” exulted John Reaves. “I was 0-8 as a starter for the Eagles. The adrenaline was really pumping. It was something special. I was really looking forward all week to coming back here.”

“He (Reaves) played extremely well,” said Steve Spurrier of his 33-year-old quarterback. “We didn’t have many plays for him in the second half. We just tried to grind out the clock.”

“Mistakes got us in the hole early and we were never able to get out,” said Jim Mora from the home team’s perspective.

Fortunes changed for the teams as the season progressed. Tampa Bay was crushed by the Chicago Blitz the following week and, two games later, Reaves went down with a broken wrist. While getting good performances from the backup quarterbacks, the Bandits faltered on defense and lost four of their last six games to end up at 11-7, which put them third in the highly-competitive Central Division and out of the playoffs. The Stars, on the other hand, recovered to top the Atlantic Division with a league-best 15-3 record. They made it to the USFL Championship game, where they lost a close contest to the Michigan Panthers.

1995: Ricky Watters Officially Joins Eagles

As a transition free agent, RB Ricky Watters had to wait a week after he signed an offer sheet with the Philadelphia Eagles to find out if the San Francisco 49ers, the club he had represented in the Pro Bowl after each of the past three seasons, would match it. On March 25, 1995 he officially switched clubs when the 49ers refused to match Philadelphia’s three-year, $6.9 million offer.

“We’re thrilled to have obtained one of the premier running backs in the NFL,” enthused new Eagles Head Coach Ray Rhodes (also a recent transplant from San Francisco, where he had been the defensive coordinator).

It was the second major off-season signing by the Eagles, who had seen a promising 7-2 start in 1994 degenerate into seven consecutive losses to end up at 7-9. FB Kevin Turner had earlier been signed away from the Patriots in an effort to upgrade the offensive backfield.

Watters was picked in the second round of the 1991 draft by the 49ers out of Notre Dame, where he set the record for longest punt return in that school’s storied history (97 yards). His pro career began inauspiciously when he broke his foot in training camp and ended up spending the season on injured reserve. But he gained over a thousand yards rushing in ’92 and became a significant contributor to the team’s success over three years, capped by a three-TD performance in the Super Bowl victory over San Diego following the ’94 season.

Watters parted the 49ers amid much acrimony – the player criticizing the front office and offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan for a lack of respect, the team accusing him of selfishness.  Thus, he came to Philadelphia amid both excitement and wariness. The Eagles were excited by his obvious ability on the field, but there were concerns as to his attitude. It didn’t help when, in his first regular season game in Philadelphia, he gained only 37 yards on 17 carries and displayed an apparent lack of effort in not catching two passes thrown toward him in a dismal loss to Tampa Bay, and when questioned later uttered the words “For who? For what?” that many fans would never forget in spite of an apology and later accomplishments.

And there were accomplishments. After the inauspicious beginning to the 1995 season, Watters went on to gain 1273 yards on the ground and catch 62 passes. He went over the thousand-yard mark all three years that he was with the Eagles, and never caught fewer than 48 passes. He gained a total of 3794 yards rushing on 975 carries for a 3.9-yard average and 31 TDs. His 353 carries in ’96 led the NFL (and set a team record), and the 1411 yards rushing that year were the second-highest total in franchise history to date. Watters had 12 hundred-yard rushing performances for the Eagles, with a high of 173 yards on 25 attempts, including a 49-yard touchdown carry, against the Miami Dolphins in 1996.

An outstanding receiver out of the backfield as well as a workhorse running back, Watters caught a total of 161 passes for 1318 yards, an 8.2 average, and one TD. He had a high of 11 receptions for 90 yards vs. Washington in ’95.

Altogether, Watters gained 5112 yards in total offense in Philadelphia, with a high of 1855 in 1996, when he also scored a career-high 13 TDs. He was a second-team UPI All-NFC selection in 1995 and ’96, and went to the Pro Bowl after both of those seasons as well (he went to the Pro Bowl five times total, including three times as a 49er).

At 6’1” and 217 pounds, Watters was a very physically punishing power runner. He played with a passion and unique style that drew much admiration around the league, and in tandem with change-of-pace back Charlie Garner made the Eagles running game tough to stop. The team finished among the top ten ground-gaining offenses in each of Watters’ seasons there.

And yet there was always the controversy. No amount of carries was enough, and Watters was continually feuding with offensive coordinator Jon Gruden. A high-strung player who was quick to speak his mind on the sidelines and away from the playing field, he drew constant criticism for lacking maturity. His complaints for not getting the ball enough seemed odd during seasons when he was leading the league, or among the leaders, in total rushing attempts, as well as catching a healthy share of passes. While durable and well-conditioned, he tended to wear down with overuse, which also undermined his complaints.

As for the Eagles overall, they reached the postseason in 1995 and ’96, going 10-6 both years to earn Wild Card berths, and after winning a high-scoring contest against the Lions in the first year, didn’t win another playoff game. They dropped to 6-9-1 in 1997 – and would drop further after Watters’ departure.

The relationship between Watters and the Eagles deteriorated both prior to and during the ’97 season, and with promising RB Duce Staley waiting in the wings the team made no attempt to sign him to a contract extension; he left as he came, signing as a free agent with the Seattle Seahawks in 1998. With the Seahawks, he became the first player in NFL history to gain a thousand yards rushing in a season with three different teams. His career came to an end in 2001.

(NOTE: This post is significantly adapted from a profile of Watters that I wrote for Concretefield.com as part of the “Greatest Eagles by the Numbers” series)

MVP Profile: Terrell Davis, 1996

Running Back, Denver Broncos

Age: 24 (Oct. 28)

2^nd season in pro football & with Broncos

College: Georgia

Height: 5’11” Weight: 200

Prelude:

Unheralded coming out of college, Davis was taken by the Broncos in the 6^th round of the 1995 NFL draft and emerged to rush for 1117 yards and catch 49 passes.

1996 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing

Attempts – 345 [3]

Most attempts, game - 32 (for 154 yds.) at New England 11/17

Yards – 1538 [2, 1st in AFC]

Most yards, game – 194 yards (on 28 carries) vs. Baltimore 10/20

Average gain – 4.5 [7]

TDs – 13 [3, tied with Ricky Watters]

100-yard rushing games – 7

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 36      

Most receptions, game – 6 (for 42 yds.) vs. San Diego 10/6, (for 37 yds.) at Minnesota 11/24

Yards – 310

Most yards, game - 56 (on 4 catches) at New England 11/17

Average gain – 8.6

TDs – 2

Total Yards – 1848 [6]

Scoring

TDs – 15 [3, tied with Emmitt Smith]

Points – 90

Postseason: 1 G (AFC Divisional playoff vs. Jacksonville)

Rushing attempts – 14

Rushing yards – 91

Average gain rushing – 6.5

Rushing TDs – 1

Pass receptions – 7

Pass receiving yards - 24

Average yards per reception – 3.4

Pass Receiving TDs - 0

Awards & Honors:

NFL Offensive Player of the Year: AP

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

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

Pro Bowl

Broncos went 13-3 to finish first in the AFC West with the conference’s best record while leading the NFL in total offense (5791 yards) and rushing yards (2362). Lost AFC Divisional playoff to Jacksonville Jaguars (30-27).

Aftermath:

Davis rushed for 1538 yards and led the NFL with 15 rushing TDs in 1997 and was MVP of the Super Bowl win over Green Bay. His crowning achievement came in a 1998 MVP season in which Davis rushed for 2008 yards and 21 touchdowns as the Broncos repeated as champions. But after rushing for 6413 yards in four years, and receiving consensus first-team All-NFL recognition from 1996 to ‘98, Davis gained just 211 yards on the ground in 1999 as he sustained a major knee injury in the fourth game. Returning in 2000, he struggled, appearing in only five contests and rushing for 282 yards. Davis ran for 701 yards in one last injury-riddled season in 2001. For his career, he gained 7607 yards on 1655 carries (4.6 avg.), added another 1280 on 169 pass receptions, and scored 65 touchdowns.

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

[Updated 2/4/14]
[Updated 11/29/14]

Rookie of the Year: Earl Faison, 1961

Defensive End, San Diego Chargers

Age: 22

College: Indiana

Height: 6’5”   Weight: 256

Prelude:

Following an outstanding college career in which he was All-American and All-Big 10, Faison was chosen by the Chargers in the first round of the 1961 AFL draft (seventh overall – he was also drafted by Detroit of the NFL in the fifth round of that league’s draft). He quickly moved into the starting lineup across from DE Ron Nery in a defensive line that also included tackles Ernie Ladd and Bill Hudson and was named “The Fearsome Foursome”.

1961 Season Summary

Appeared in all 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Sacks – N/A

Interceptions – 2

Most interceptions, game – 1 at Dallas 9/10, vs. Houston 9/24

Int. return yards – 14

Most int. return yards, game – 8 (on 1 int.) vs. Houston 9/24

Int. TDs – 0

Scoring

2-pt PAT – 1

Points – 2

Postseason – 1G (AFL Championship vs. Houston)

Sacks – N/A

Interceptions – 0

Awards & Honors:

AFL Rookie of the Year: UPI

1^st team All-AFL: League, AP, UPI, NY Daily News, Sporting News

AFL All-Star Game

Chargers went 12-2 to finish first in the AFL Western Division while leading the league in total defense (3720 yards), passing defense (2363 yards), and interceptions (49), while ranking second in sacks (42). Lost AFL Championship to Houston Oilers (10-3).

Aftermath:

Faison missed half of the 1962 season due to a knee injury, although his performance was still strong enough to gain him second-team All-AFL recognition (UPI) and a spot in the AFL All-Star Game. An outstanding pass rusher who was widely considered the best at his position in the league at a time before sacks were compiled, he was a consensus All-AFL first-team pick in each of the next three seasons, including the 1963 Championship year for the Chargers. Contract problems caused the Chargers to attempt to trade Faison and Ernie Ladd to Houston in 1966, but the deal was voided by Commissioner Joe Foss and he was dealt to the expansion Miami Dolphins during the season, after which he retired. In just six seasons, Faison was a consensus first-team All-AFL selection four times and was selected to five AFL All-Star Games. He went on to become a long-time educator and high school football coach.

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Rookie of the Year Profiles feature players who were named Rookie of the Year in the NFL (including NFC/AFC), AFL (1960-69), or USFL (1983-85) by a recognized organization (Associated Press – Offense or Defense, Newspaper Enterprise Association, United Press International, The Sporting News, or the league itself – Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year). 

[Updated 2/4/14]