Cards:  Topps 1990, Pro Set Platinum 1991
Acquired: TTM 2011, C/o Work
Sent:  10/7   Received: 10/27 (20 days)

I was combing through my boxes late one night looking for a player when I stumbled upon Dave’s card and for some reason it stuck in my mind. Recently I’ve been enamored with the football site “School of the Legends” (which reminds me of a slick Facebook for football fans). It has allowed me to connect with many memorable football players I remember from when I was a kid and also follow players who cover the teams. When I logged back in I saw Dave’s card up on the site on his new profile, -so I know when a sign slaps me in the face. After posting on his profile basically what I just explained, we had a good laugh and then he flat out offered me his autograph on a card or two. Another fan, who unabashedly asks mechanically for every player’s autograph admitted that he didn’t have  a card, so I included an extra for Dave to sign for him.

Dave Grayson is a great story. After playing for Cal-Poly Ponoma, Dave transferred to Fresno State where he’d come in and play great defense for the team at linebacker. Drafted by the 49ers in 1987 with the 217th pick, Dave would not make the roster but would capitalize off of the 1987 players’ strike and like fellow alumni Eddie Anderson (Raiders), and Eugene Seale (Oilers) would somehow find a way to stick on the roster of the Browns after the strike ended.

After an abbreviated 1987, Grayson would have a career high 5 sacks in 1988 and score on a 17 yard fumble recovery.  In 1989 during a 51-0 drubbing of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Dave would make an interception that he’d return 14 yards for a touchdown on quarterback Bubby Brister. He’d make 2 picks that season and chip in 2 more fumble recoveries, and another of which he’d return for 6. It’d be a short 1991 for Dave, after he signed with San Diego via Plan B, he’d retire after the season.

Grayson throughout his career at 6-2, 230 was a speedy missile and the fastest linebacker in Cleveland’s corps. He also had a knack for finding the endzone, scoring 3 touchdowns with 2 on fumble recoveries and one on an interception.  Below are his career statistics:

G/Gs 54/37      Sac 8.0       Tac n/a         Fum 4         Int 3      Yds 28        Avg 9.1      Td 1    lg 14