Tag Archives: action packed rookies 1991

NFL

Mills, Ernie

Pacific 1991, #538

CARDS: Star Pics 1991, Action Packed Rookies 1991, Score Supplemental 1991, Pacific 1991, Pro Set 1991
ACQUIRED: TTM 2021, C/o Home. TTM 2016, C/o Home.
SENT: 4/22/21 RECEIVED: 1/19/22 (272 days)
SENT: 10/7/17 RECEIVED: 9/17/22 (1806 days)

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Ernie Mills played WR for the Florida Gators from 1987-90.
  • Posted 81 receptions for 1585 yards, a whopping 19.6 yards per reception, and 15 TDs over 4 years in Gainesville.
  • Best year for the Gators came in his Senior year, when he had 41 receptions for 770 yards and 10 TDs.
  • Originally started as a DB but quickly transitioned to WR, hauling in his first career reception of 49 yards from Florida QB legend Kerwin Bell.
  • Selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 3rd round of the 1991 NFL Draft.
  • Mills spent his time on special teams and started two games at WR his rookie year.
  • He’d finish first in special teams tackles, and scored his first TD on a punt that hit the opposing team’s blocking back. (See Eugene Lockhart)
  • But things never really materialized for Ernie in Pittsburgh, who had a nascent passing attack, and he was battling for a roster spot with other fresh WRs, Chris Calloway and Jeff Graham.
  • He had his best season in Pittsburgh in 1995, catching 39 passes for 679 yards and 8 TDs.
  • It was a titanic year actually for Ernie as he quietly put up 2,024 all-purpose yards, including 1,304 on kick returns.
  • He’d be injured during Super Bowl XXX, tearing his ACL and being lost for most of the following 1996 campaign.
  • In 1997, Ernie signed with the Carolina Panthers and played one season for them.
  • The final two years of his career were spent in Dallas, as a key roleplayer for the Dallas Cowboys under head coach Chan Gailey, whom he’d played for previously in Pittsbugh.
  • Mills was oft injured, but still managed to post solid numbers as a reliable #3 option behind Michael Irvin and Rocket Ismail.
  • After a brief hiatus from the sport, Mills was spotted at Jacksonville University coaching WRs with his former college QB Kerwin Bell, holding the position from 2007-2012.
  • Then he coached WRs at Florida A&M from 2013-2015.
Star Pics 1991, #66
Action Packed Rookies 1991, #58

NOTES:

Well, there’s Ernie Mills, with an incredibly long orbital trajectory. I had given up on Ernie basically on two separate occasions, but after noticing a few successes, I figured the one for 2021 was in the works to return to me. After some patient waiting, it indeed finally came through, and I added the Action Packed Rookies 1991 card finally to my collection.

Ernie frustrated me as he tended to sign in spurts, sometimes responding to people immediately, while on other occasions-such as mine, languished in wait. I was pretty happy to get the entry sent out in 2021 back early in 2022, but lo and behold, some 8 months after that, the original entry I sent from 2017, also arrived, rocketing up the longest wait charts officially to #5, at a cool 1806 days.

I don’t talk about Pacific 1991 enough right? To me the set was a bold design choice, but quite laughable. For some reason, it just stood out as being… simplistic, with the gradient and the 1970s style typeface. The back was again bold, but a bit wild, as the entire canvas of information was set at a 45 degree angle! I thought that the photo on this Pacific card really nailed it, so I thought it’d make a nice card to get autographed.

With these cards, I can firmly close the door on Ernie. I love his autograph. Well worth the wait and very original. A strong ‘E’, ‘M’, and ‘S’ punctuate his unique signature with great stroke, pen pressure, and placement.

Score Supplemental 1991, #56T
Pro Set 1991, #802
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196293415.02062
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80181822.7057
NFL

Morgan, Anthony

Action Packed Rookies 1991, #30
Skybox Premium 1993, #148

CARDS: Action Packed Rookies 1991, Skybox Premium 1993
ACQUIRED: TTM 2022, C/o Home
SENT: 8/26 RECEIVED: 9/22 (27 days)

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Anthony Morgan played college ball at Tennessee from 1988-90.
  • Dangerous WR and return man, had 35 receptions for 546 yards and 3 TDs, and 37 kick returns for 862 yards over college career.
  • Selected in the 5th round of the 1991 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears.
  • Bears used Morgan primarily as a receiver over his time with the franchise.
  • In both ’91 and ’92, he caught two 80+ yard TD receptions.
  • Anointed a starter for the ’93 season, Morgan oddly found himself the odd man out by August.
  • He’d be a mid season replacement by the Packers, and spend the next few years, on and off the franchise roster.
  • Still Anthony managed to hang on for a Super Bowl victory with the Packers.
  • In both ’94 and ’95 while in Green Bay, he caught 4 TDs in each season, and posted at least 40 receptions.
  • Cut by the Packers in ’96,he’d retire soon thereafter.

NOTES:

A special shout out to Chris for tracking this one down who had flown under the radar for some time. He signed these two nice cards for me, as another member of the Action Packed 1991 Rookies set is down. I like his autograph. It’s very linear, but the loops give it a great accent.

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87128314.71284
College Football HoF, NFL

Zorich, Chris

Gameday 1992, #425

CARDS: Pro Set 1991 Lombardi Award Winner, Action Packed Rookies 1991, Gameday 1992
ACQUIRED: TTM 2021, C/o The Zorich Group*
SENT: 9/22 RECEIVED: 10/4 (12 days)
FAILURE: TTM C/o Home, 2012, 2020, 2021
* Fee enclosed

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Played for Notre Dame from 1988-90 at NT/DT.
  • Posted 219 total tackles, 9.5 sacks, and 6 fumble recoveries over college career.
  • Looking to reload an aging defensive line the Chicago Bears drafted Zorich during the second round of the 1991 NFL Draft.
  • Playing in a rotation, Chris didn’t see significant starting time until the following year, posting 53 tackles, 2 sacks, and a fumble recovery.
  • Best year came in 1993, posting 121 combined tackles, 7 sacks, and 2 fumble recoveries in first full 16 game slate.
  • Had 5.5 sacks and 72 total tackles in 1994.
  • In final full season in Chicago had 58 total tackles, and a sack.
  • Split final half year in 1997 between Chicago and Washington, retiring after season.
Action Packed Rookies 1991, #25
Pro Set 1991, #33

ACCOLADES:

  • Lombardi Award 1991
  • Pro Bowl 1993

NOTES:

Well as you can see here, I tried Chris quite a few times. The first time I tried him back in 2012, I was unaware he’d just been sentenced for tax evasion to prison. I tried again when he resurfaced as an athletic director at Chicago State but again got burnt. Finally I closed in during 2021- where he sent a buckslip requesting a fee. I jumped at the shot to finally get Chris after 3 previously unsuccessful attempts and added him on pretty much all my set needs to close the book on this one. He got back all the cards to me at a quick clip, sent me a personal certification of his autograph, and typed form letter thanking me for being a fan.

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