Big (6’6″, 357), man-mountain Lincoln Kennedy was an outstanding lineman for the Washington Huskies from 1988-92.
First team All-American in his senior campaign, earning player of the game honors 7 times that year.
Started originally as a defensive lineman, but was quickly moved to OL after redshirt freshman season, deployed effectively at both G and T.
First round pick (9th overall) of the Atlanta Falcons in 1993.
Had a rough transition to the NFL and by ’95 was traded to the Raiders for a 5th Round pick.
Moved to right tackle and solidified himself as an upper echelon player, playing for the Raiders for the next 7 seasons.
Joined the NFL Network in 2004 on NFL Total Access.
Toyed around with a comeback in 2005 with the Dallas Cowboys, but failed his physical.
Played in the Arena Football League for the Tampa Bay Storm from 2007-’08 and 2010.
Currently is in radio, working for Fox Sports.
ACCOLADES:
Pro Bowl 2000-02
All-Pro 2002
College Football HoF 2015
NOTES:
Kennedy was a great player who quietly flew under the radar until his retirement for me. I love his love for the sport, and how after he retired he decided to come back, so much so he opted to play in the Arena League to keep it sated.
CARDS: Pro Set 1990, Score 1990 ACQUIRED: TTM 2022, C/o Home SENT: 9/26 RECEIVED: 10/4 (8 days)
CAREER SNAPSHOT:
Nate Odomes played CB at Wisconsin from 1985 to 1986.
A fast and dangerous speed merchant, Nate was also utilized by the Badgers in the return game, returning 36 punts for 359 yards, and 25 kick returns for 616 yards.
Selected in the second round of the 1987 draft by the Buffalo Bills.
He’d start right out of the gate and be the youngest starting DB in the NFL that year.
On the year his 12 pass deflections led the team.
Nate recorded his first interception of his career against the New England Patriots in 1988.
The following season he developed a true nose for the ball, notching 5 picks.
In 1991, Odomes had another 5 picks for a career high 120 yards and a TD.
And in ’92, he put up 5 interceptions again for a 3rd time.
Still not satisfied, Nate had a ’93 to remember, intercepting a career high 9 passes to lead the NFL, garnering Defensive Player of the Year attention.
After the season, Nate signed a free agent contract with the Seattle Seahawks.
Unfortunately he’d blow out his knee during a pickup game of basketball in 1994.
He’d never suit up for the Seahawks, and after two years of rehabilitation, was released by the team.
Nate played half a season for the Falcons in 1996, but early in October of that year, his sports car slammed into a tree in the suburbs north of Atlanta, and he was charged with DUI, effectively ending his career.
ACCOLADES:
1987 All Rookie Team
Pro Bowl 1992, ’93
All-Pro 1993
NOTES:
I was going through a friend’s collection of Pro Set 1990 cards, and I stopped to look at Nate’s card. It left such a mark in my mind that when I saw that he was signing, I decided to send it right out.
I sent out three cards. The Pro Set, Score, and a Topps 1990 card. He kept the Topps card, which I wasn’t surprised because it was for once a pretty good looking card.
CARDS: Pro Set 1989, Action Packed 1990, Action Packed Rookies & Stars 1990 ACQUIRED: 2022, Private Signing
CAREER SNAPSHOT:
Andre Rison was a dominant receiver who played at Michigan State.
He established career record marks for receptions (146), and yards (2992).
Also was a great basketball and track man for the Spartans.
Selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the first round of the 1989 NFL draft.
Was second among all rookie receivers in 1989 with 820 yards, and was the first Colts receiver in almost 10 years to catch over 50 passes in their rookie season (52).
He and Bill Brooks were an effective 1-2 punch, pairing for the most 100 yard games since ’68.
Well in 1990, the Colts were desperate for a QB, so they packaged up Andre, T Chris Hinton, and draft picks to get the #1 pick from the Falcons to select Jeff George.
While the Colts were imploding over the next few years, Rison was reaching new heights in the Falcons Red Gun offense.
He also adopted a bad boy persona and became known as ‘Bad Moon’ Rison.
He had a career high 93 receptions in ’92, 1,242 yards , and a league leading 15 TDs in 1994.
Andre started 73 games over his time in Atlanta, catching 423 passes for 5633 yards and 56 TDs over 5 seasons.
In 1995, Andre signed with the Browns playing one seasons with the team.
After a disappointing season in Cleveland, where he feuded with fans, Rison played in 1996 for the Jags, and then was picked up by the Pack who needed help at receiver.
He’d earn a Super Bowl ring that season catching passes from Brett Favre.
Rison cashed in after the season, proving that perhaps he just needed a change of scenery from his hiccup two previous seasons ago in Cleveland.
Andre had a minor resurgence after he signed with the Chiefs in 1997.
He’d catch 72 passes for 1092 yards and 7 TDs, earning the nickname Spider-man.
Rison at this point of his career was attempting to rehabilitate his image as a diva, and Spider-man seemed like a positive role model.
After a total of 3 seasons in KC, Rison played one final year in the NFL with the Raiders in Oakland.
Despite not starting that year, he put up 41 catches for 606 yards and 6 TDs.
Rison took some time away from the sport, but returned in 2004 to play for the Toronto Argonauts.
He played just long enough to help the team win the Grey Cup, and retired after the 2005 campaign.
After his playing days ended, Andre has gone into coaching.
Pro Set 1989, #497Action Packed 1990, #107
ACCOLADES:
Michigan Sports Hall of Fame
All-Rookie Team 1989
AP 1990
2nd Team AP 1991-’93
Pro Bowl 1990-’93, 1997
NOTES:
Boasting an extremely low signing percentage and an ancient last return date there was no way I was going to get Andre through the mail. I knew the best chance I’d have is to probably go through a private signing. I follow a couple of private signers and Facebook pages that promote them, and finally after missing out on one already- I was able to get him affordably on these three cards. The problem is with Andre, as he was an early darling of every set that came onto the scene in those early days of the big card boom, so I literally have probably five or six more set needs. Andre was an excellent receiver on the Atlanta Falcons in Tecmo Super Bowl and Super Tecmo Bowl.
Andre has a pretty solid resume, but maybe due to his bad image early in his career that caused him to be perceived as a diva, and then just as a bad guy in general, he’s gotten little traction from voters for the HoF, even though he’s gone to great lengths to dispel his reputation. Despite possessing a 10k resume, and impressive TD numbers, Rison is now caught in the logger jam at WR building from more modern candidates that have inflated numbers due to a game geared more towards the passing game. Andre is also one of a unique club of players who has won both a Grey Cup and a Super Bowl.
NFL
REC
YDS
AVG
TD
LG
743
10205
13.7
84
80t
CFL
REC
YDS
AVG
TD
LG
15
178
11.9
1
35
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