After I got Bruce a few years ago, I remember opening up a box searching for another player and saying, “uggggghhhh…”, After I realized that I had a beautiful Skybox card of him that I wanted to have him sign. I set it aside and waited patiently hoping he’d still be a good signer when the time would come around again.
As the pandemic set in, I started really developing and formalizing a lot of set needs. I used to like to just pick and choose action shots and pretty cards to send to players, but now I’ve become more directed, as all four of these sets became set needs after COVID came and supposedly went.
Cards: Action Packed Whizzer White Award 1991, Topps Stadium Club 1992, Fleer 1990 Acquired: TTM 2019, C/o Home Sent: 3/8 Received: 4/2 (25 days)
CAREER SNAPSHOT:
Mike Kenn was a highly regarded lineman who played at Michigan from 1975-1977.
He was the Atlanta Falcons #1 pick in 1978, and was almost immediately slotted in at tackle.
He improved his overall strength and technique over the next few seasons.
By 1979, he went without penalty for the entire season, and earned numerous accolades.
Amazingly, Kenn went 26 in a row eventually without penalty.
Started 94 games in a row (including playoffs) before tearing up his knee in 1985.
Kenn retired after the 1994 season.
Over his career Mike was a part of an offensive line that set and broke team records for rushing yards and least sacks allowed in a season multiple times.
He played his entire career with the Atlanta Falcons: 17 seasons, 251 games started.
ACCOLADES:
All Rookie team 1978
First team AP 1980, ’83, ’91
Second team AP 1981, ’82
Pro Bowl 1980-’84
Polish Sports Hall of Fame
Byron Whizzer White Man of the Year 1990
Atlanta Falcons Ring of Honor
Topps Stadium Club 1992, #157Fleer 1990, #380
NOTES:
Despite Mike’s utterly dominating resume, he’s rarely ever come up for consideration into the Pro Football Hall of Fame- An absolute injustice. It’s perhaps a side effect of playing for some absolutely terrible Falcons teams during long stretches of the 80’s that kept him under the radar, but in actual professional football circles, he’s considered one of the finest to play tackle in league history.
Great cards here. I wanted to get him on his Whizzer White Action Packed and Fleer cards, but the Stadium Club entry here is really well constructed. A simple design, but really good photography with just the right color.
CARD: Upper Deck College Legends 2011 ACQUIRED: EBay, 2020
CAREER SNAPSHOT:
Kendall Hunter played college ball for the OSU Cowboys from 2007-10.
In both 2008 and 2010 he rushed for over 1,500 yards, and had over 20 catches.
He was named as a finalist for the Doak Walker Award in his senior season, and finished his career with 4,181 yards and 37 TDs on 708 carries.
Due primarily to his size, 5’7″, 199, Hunter wouldn’t be selected until the 3rd round of the 2011 draft by the San Fransisco 49ers.
During his time in the league from 2011-2015, Hunter saw action in 45 contests, starting 1 in his rookie year.
He had a career high 473 yards on 112 carries and 16 catches for 195 yards.
Used primarily as a 3rd down or as a change of pace back, Kendall ran for 1202 yards on 262 carries for the 9ers.
Was released after the 2014 season, when he spent the entire year on IR due to a knee injury.
Signed with the Saints in 2015, late in the year to spell injured Mark Ingram.
Briefly joined the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL in 2017, but retired soon thereafter.
NOTES:
Who knows how Kendall would’ve performed if he was shoved into a role with a team that used him as a primary back in a run n shoot or spread set up? He definitely had a set of wheels on him, and some great college number to prove it.
RUSH
YDS
AVG
TD
LG
263
1204
4.6
7
45
REC
YDS
AVG
TD
LG
27
268
9.9
0
44
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