Highlighted Year: Marcus Allen, 1993

Running Back, Kansas City Chiefs

Age: 33

12^th season in pro football, 1^st with Chiefs

College: Southern California

Height: 6’2”   Weight: 210

Prelude:

After winning the 1981 Heisman Trophy at USC, Allen was chosen by the Raiders in the first round of the ’82 draft. In the strike-shortened 1982 season, he led the NFL with 1098 yards from scrimmage, 14 TDs, and 84 points. For his efforts, he was a consensus Rookie of the Year and first-team All-NFL selection and was chosen to the Pro Bowl. He gained over a thousand yards rushing in each of the next three seasons, with a high of 1759 yards in ’85, which led the league along with his 2314 yards from scrimmage. He also topped the league in touchdowns with 18 in 1984 and was the MVP of the Super Bowl following the ’83 season, after rushing for 191 yards. Allen was a proficient receiver out of the backfield, catching a total of 237 passes in his first four seasons. He was a consensus first-team All-Pro in 1982 and ’85, when he also received MVP recognition, and was selected to the Pro Bowl five times. However, after 1985, Allen never again ran for a thousand yards or caught more than 51 passes in a season. Bothered by injuries (and involved in disputes with owner Al Davis), he shared time with other running backs during the remainder of his career with the Raiders, most notably Bo Jackson. Having rushed for 8545 yards on 2090 carries (4.1 avg.) and caught 446 passes for another 4258 yards (9.5 avg.) and scoring a total of 98 touchdowns, Allen left the Raiders for the Chiefs in 1993 and took over the starting running back job from Harvey Williams during the season.

1993 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing

Attempts – 206 [15]

Most attempts, game – 22 (for 74 yds.) vs. Buffalo 11/28

Yards – 764 [15]

Most yards, game – 91 yards (on 17 carries) vs. Denver 9/20

Average gain – 3.7

TDs – 12 [1]

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 34

Most receptions, game – 5 (for 36 yds.) at Miami 10/31, (for 20 yds.) vs. San Diego 12/19

Yards – 238

Most yards, game – 36 (on 5 catches) at Miami 10/31

Average gain – 7.0

TDs – 3

Scoring

TDs – 15 [2, tied with Andre Rison, 1^st in AFC]

Points – 90

Postseason: 3 G

Rushing attempts – 53

Most rushing attempts, game – 21 vs. Pittsburgh, AFC Wild Card playoff

Rushing yards – 191

Most rushing yards, game – 74 at Houston, AFC Divisional playoff

Average gain rushing – 3.6

Rushing TDs – 3

Pass receptions – 7

Most pass receptions, game – 4 vs. Pittsburgh, AFC Wild Card playoff

Pass receiving yards – 77

Most pass receiving yards, game – 36 at Buffalo, AFC Championship

Average yards per reception – 11.0

Pass Receiving TDs – 0

Awards & Honors:

NFL Comeback Player of the Year: AP

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

Pro Bowl

Chiefs went 11-5 to finish first in the AFC West. Won AFC Wild Card playoff over Pittsburgh Steelers (27-24) and AFC Divisional playoff over Houston Oilers (28-20). Lost AFC Championship to Buffalo Bills (30-13).

Aftermath:

Having reinvigorated his career, Allen played another four seasons with the Chiefs, still scoring 11 TDs as a backup in his final year at age 37. He retired in 1997 with 123 career touchdowns, as well as 12,243 rushing yards and 587 pass receptions (the record for a running back at the time) for another 5412 yards. Of those totals, 3698 rushing yards and 1153 receiving yards came in Kansas City. Allen was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 2003.

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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

1962: Eagles Trade Billy Barnes to Redskins in Four-Player Deal

On March 21, 1962 the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Redskins made a four-player trade, with the Eagles sending HB Billy Barnes (pictured at right) and safety Bobby Freeman to Washington in exchange for C Jim Schrader and CB Ben Scotti.

The teams were in significantly different situations following the 1961 season. The Eagles had been NFL Champions in 1960 and, while they had lost both Head Coach Buck Shaw and QB Norm Van Brocklin to retirement, contended in ‘61 while featuring the league’s most productive offense. The Redskins, cellar dwellers in ‘60, had suffered through a dreadful 1961 season with the league’s poorest attack while compiling a 1-12-1 record. A rookie, Norm Snead, started at quarterback and experienced a rough trial by fire. HB Dick James led the team in rushing with just 374 yards and FB Don Bosseler, once a productive ball carrier, suffered through an injury-riddled season and gained 220 yards.

Washington’s transaction with the Eagles followed the momentous December trade of the rights to first draft choice Ernie Davis, the Heisman Trophy-winning halfback out of Syracuse, to Cleveland for halfbacks Bobby Mitchell, a savvy veteran of four years, and Leroy Jackson, a sprinter out of Western Illinois who had been a first round draft pick by the Browns (and who thus became the first African-American players for the Redskins, along with RB/DB Ron Hatcher, who was drafted in the eighth round and signed before their acquisition). While Davis was a powerful runner (and who tragically never played in the NFL, dying of leukemia at age 23), the Redskins hoped to make good use of Mitchell’s and Jackson’s speed.

Billy Barnes (often referred to with his middle name included as Billy Ray Barnes) was stocky and not especially fast but played with great determination. He had been chosen in the second round of the 1957 NFL draft out of Wake Forest and was selected to the Pro Bowl after each of his first three seasons. High-spirited off the field but a fierce competitor on it, QB Norm Van Brocklin nicknamed Barnes “the Boiler” because his face would turn red during games. He rushed for a high of 687 yards on 181 carries (3.8 avg.) in 1959 and had his best year as a pass receiver out of the backfield in ’58 with 35 catches for 423 yards (12.1 avg.). His production had dropped in both 1960 and ’61 due to a knee injury and the presence of young halfbacks Ted Dean and Timmy Brown made him available to the Redskins. In five seasons with the Eagles, Barnes rushed for 3421 yards and gained another 1786 yards on 153 catches, scoring a total of 28 touchdowns.

The key to the deal for Philadelphia was Jim Schrader (pictured at left), who filled a need at center, thus freeing up Chuck Bednarik, who moved between center and linebacker, to move back to the defense full-time. Schrader had been a college star at Notre Dame and started 64 straight games at center for the Redskins, garnering three Pro Bowl selections, including one following the ’61 season.

As for Bobby Freeman and Ben Scotti, it was an exchange of defensive backs that were expected to start for their respective teams. Freeman had been a third round draft pick of the Browns in 1955 who moved on to Green Bay in ’59 and was acquired by the Eagles during the 1960 preseason. He was a starting safety as the team went on to win the NFL title that year, and his key interception in a crucial contest against the Giants was a notable highlight along the way. Scotti was undrafted out of Maryland in 1959 and spent three years with Washington. Freeman ended up playing just one more season while Scotti intercepted four passes in ’62, although his performance was uneven and he split time with Mike McClellan. He was released during the 1963 season following a vicious off-field fight with a teammate, DT John Mellekas, and moved on to the 49ers.

Barnes moved into the lineup at halfback while Bobby Mitchell was converted to flanker (with outstanding results). He led the club in rushing with 492 yards on 159 carries (3.1 avg.) while catching 14 passes for 220 yards (15.7 avg.) despite being limited to ten games by injury. It was an adequate performance while Mitchell led the league with 72 pass receptions for 1384 yards and 11 touchdowns. Washington got off to a 4-0-2 start before collapsing during the second half of the season and finishing at 5-7-2 (putting them ahead of the injury-riddled Eagles, who replaced Washington in the cellar of the Eastern Conference with a 3-10-1 record).

While unhappy with his contract, Barnes played another year for the Redskins, with lesser returns, and after suffering an injury during the preseason, was released and missed all of 1964. He was with Minnesota in 1965 and ’66, where Van Brocklin was now the head coach, for his last two seasons. Overall in Washington, Barnes ran for 866 yards, averaging 3.4 yards per carry, and caught 29 passes for 476 yards, scoring a total of nine touchdowns. 

Schrader spent the last three years of his career with the Eagles, starting at center in 1962 and ’63 and then backing up Jim Ringo after the future Hall of Famer was obtained from the Packers in ’64. Knee problems caused his performance to drop off during his time in Philadelphia and he failed to play at the anticipated level.

Highlighted Year: Mark Brunell, 1996

Quarterback, Jacksonville Jaguars

Age: 26 (Sept. 17)

4^th season in pro football (3^rd active), 2^nd with Jaguars

College: Washington

Height: 6’0”   Weight: 217

Prelude:

Brunell led the Univ. of Washington to a Rose Bowl triumph following the 1990 season but suffered a knee injury the next year that made teams wary of him during the ’93 NFL draft. He was picked by Green Bay in the fifth round and backed up durable QB Brett Favre for two seasons, seeing no action at all as a rookie. Nearly traded to the Eagles, he instead was dealt to the expansion Jaguars in 1995. The mobile lefthanded passer took over the starting job seven games into the season and passed for 2168 yards with 15 TDs against 7 interceptions while rushing for 480 yards with a per-carry average of 7.2.

1996 Season Summary

Appeared and started in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Passing

Attempts – 557 [2]

Most attempts, game – 52 at St. Louis 10/20

Completions – 353 [2]

Most completions, game – 37 at St. Louis 10/20

Yards – 4367 [1]

Most yards, game – 432 at New England 9/22

Completion percentage – 63.4 [3]

Yards per attempt – 7.8 [1]

TD passes – 19 [8]

Most TD passes, game – 3 at New England 9/22

Interceptions – 20 [2, tied with Dave Brown]

Most interceptions, game – 5 at St. Louis 10/20

Passer rating – 84.0 [8]

400-yard passing games – 2

300-yard passing games – 6

200-yard passing games – 15

Rushing

Attempts – 80

Most attempts, game - 10 (for 41 yds.) vs. Pittsburgh 9/1, (for 25 yds.) at Baltimore 11/24, (for 47 yds.) at Houston 12/8

Yards – 396

Most yards, game – 58 yards (on 7 carries) vs. Baltimore 11/10

Average gain – 5.0 [4]

TDs – 3

Scoring

TDs – 3

2-point PATs – 2 [2, tied with Michael Jackson, Edgar Bennett & Keenan McCardell]

Points – 22

Postseason: 3 G

Pass attempts – 100

Most pass attempts, game – 38 at New England, AFC Championship

Pass completions – 56

Most pass completions, game – 20 at New England, AFC Championship

Passing yardage – 674

Most passing yards, game – 245 at Denver, AFC Divisional playoff

TD passes – 3

Most TD passes, game – 2 at Denver, AFC Divisional playoff

Interceptions – 4

Most interceptions, game – 2 at Buffalo, AFC Wild Card playoff; at New England, AFC Championship

Rushing attempts – 16

Most rushing attempts, game – 7 at Denver, AFC Divisional playoff

Rushing yards – 87

Most rushing yards, game – 44 at Denver, AFC Divisional playoff

Average gain rushing – 5.4

Rushing TDs – 0

Awards & Honors:

Pro Bowl

Jaguars went 9-7 to finish second in the AFC Central and qualify for the postseason as a Wild Card entry while leading the NFL in passing yards (4110). Won AFC Wild Card playoff over Buffalo Bills (30-27) and AFC Divisional playoff over Denver Broncos (30-27). Lost AFC Championship to New England Patriots (20-6).

Aftermath:

Brunell followed up with another Pro Bowl season in 1997, although hindered by a knee injury that forced him to wear a knee brace, and the Jaguars again made it to the playoffs for the second of four consecutive years. He made the Pro Bowl for a third (and last) time in 1999 but the team came up short in the postseason and began to deteriorate thereafter. Tough and a good leader as well as effective passer, Brunell became less mobile and more battered over time and finally lost his starting job to rookie Byron Leftwich in 2003. He was traded to Washington in ’04 and had one last significant season in 2005, passing for 3050 yards and a career-high 23 TDs as the team reached the playoffs for the first time in six years. Brunell started nine games in ’06 and again yielded the starting job to a young quarterback, Jason Campbell. He finished his career with two years apiece as a backup with the Saints and Jets. Overall, he passed for 32,072 yards and 184 touchdowns, with 25,698 of those yards and 144 TDs coming with the Jaguars, who went 63-54 in the regular season and 4-4 in the playoffs with Brunell behind center. He also rushed for 2421 yards and 15 touchdowns.  

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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: Albert Bentley, 1987

Running Back, Indianapolis Colts

Age: 27

5^th season in pro football, 3^rd in NFL & with Colts

College: Miami (FL)

Height: 5’11” Weight: 214

Prelude:

Bentley was a walk-on in college who led the team in rushing as a senior and most notably scored the winning touchdown in the Orange Bowl upset of Nebraska that capped the 1983 season. His pro career started in the USFL after he was chosen by the Chicago Blitz in the first round of the 1984 draft (seventh overall) and his rights were traded to the Michigan Panthers. He saw limited action as a rookie, primarily returning kickoffs. The Panthers merged into the Oakland Invaders in ’85 and Bentley played a far more prominent role, rushing for 1020 yards on 191 carries (5.3 avg.) and catching 42 passes for 441 more yards. With the demise of the USFL, Bentley joined the Colts, who had selected him in the second round of the ’84 NFL supplemental draft. He performed well in a backup role in 1985 and ’86, rushing for 639 yards with a 5.0 per-carry average, catching 36 passes for 315 yards, and averaging 23.1 yards on 59 kickoff returns. He started the 1987 season at running back, but the arrival of RB Eric Dickerson in a midseason trade significantly cut down on his playing time.

1987 Season Summary

Appeared in 12 of 15 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing

Attempts – 142

Most attempts, game – 29 (for 145 yds.) at NY Jets 11/1

Yards – 631 [17]

Most yards, game – 145 yards (on 29 carries) at NY Jets 11/1

Average gain – 4.4 [10]

TDs – 7 [6, tied with Earl Ferrell, Herschel Walker & Dalton Hilliard]

100-yard rushing games – 1

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 34

Most receptions, game – 9 (for 69 yds.) vs. Miami 9/20

Yards – 447

Most yards, game – 94 (on 2 catches) vs. Houston 11/29

Average gain – 13.1

TDs – 2

Kickoff Returns

Returns – 22 [20, tied with Gary Anderson & Lee Rouson]

Yards – 500 [16]

Most yards, game – 105 (on 4 ret.) at Miami 11/15

Average per return – 22.7 [5]

TDs – 0

Longest return – 45 yards

All-Purpose yards – 1578 [2, 1^st in AFC]

Scoring

TDs – 9 [7]

Points – 54

Postseason: 1 G (AFC Divisional playoff at Cleveland)

Rushing attempts – 4

Rushing yards – 9

Average gain rushing – 2.3

Rushing TDs – 1

Pass receptions – 4

Receiving yards – 47

Average yards per reception – 11.8

Pass receiving TDs – 0

Kickoff returns – 6

Kickoff return yards – 114

Average yards per return – 19.0

Kickoff return TDs – 0

Colts went 9-6 in the strike-shortened season (three games were played with replacement players) to finish first in the AFC East to reach the postseason for the first time since moving to Indianapolis. Lost AFC Divisional playoff to Cleveland Browns (38-21).

Aftermath:

With Dickerson carrying the bulk of the load at running back, Bentley returned to being a role player with his slashing running style and ability as a receiver out of the backfield. While he ran the ball only 120 times in 1988 and ’89, for 529 yards (4.4 avg.), he caught 78 passes for 777 yards (9.9 avg.) that included 52 receptions for 525 yards in 1989 alone, when he was used more as an H-back. With Dickerson suspended early for the first part of 1990, Bentley saw more action and went on to lead the Colts with 71 pass receptions, for 664 yards, while also running the ball 137 times for 556 yards (4.1 avg.). However, a knee injury suffered in the first game of the ’91 season that required surgery effectively ended his career. He was active for two games with Pittsburgh during 1992 in which he had no carries or catches and returned one kickoff. Overall with the Colts, Bentley rushed for 2355 yards on 526 carries (4.5 avg.) and caught 226 passes for 2245 yards (9.9 avg.), scoring a total of 28 touchdowns. He also averaged 21.5 yards on 148 kickoff returns. His USFL totals were 1080 yards on 209 rushing attempts (5.2 avg.) and 44 pass receptions for 448 yards (10.2 avg.) while averaging 23.2 yards on 26 kickoff returns and scoring seven TDs.

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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

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