Tag Archives: nfl defensive rookie of the year 1987

NFL

Conlan, Shane (2) ‘Jughead’

Action Packed 1991, #12
Action Packed 1990, #12
Fleer 1990, #112

CARDS: Action Packed 1990, Action Packed 1991, Fleer 1990
Upper Deck 1991, Topps 1989, Score 1990
ACQUIRED: TTM 2022, C/o Home. Canton Acquisition 2013
SENT: 1/24 RECEIVED: 3/14 (49 days)

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

NOTES:

It had been a long time since I wrote Shane, and he has so many set needs that I felt it was fine time to get him on a few more. I realized afterwards I missed on the Skybox 1993 card- which happens to have him as a member of the Rams. Conlan like many great pros before him, to me is iconic as a member of his primary team- the Buffalo Bills. Anything else just seems a bit forgetful or bizarre to me.

Upper Deck 1991, #153
Topps 1989, #41

Still a few scattered Canton Acquisitions cards here and there. I was not a huge fan of any of these cards. Those cards being the Topps and Score issued cards. In these cards you can see the gap in his teeth where one of them is missing. It got knocked out in a high school game.

And here’s an Upper Deck card. Wow. How exciting. For priding themselves on being a leader of exciting sports photography on trading card canvases- that must have been an exciting phone call.

NFL

Conlan, Shane

Cards:  Action Packed 1992, ProSet 1989, Upper Deck 1992, Topps 1990
Acquired: TTM 2011, C/o home
Sent: 7/5  Received:  8/3  (26 days)

After an All-American career playing outside linebacker at Penn State, Shane Conlan would be drafted by the Buffalo Bills with the 8th pick of the 1987 draft after trading down from the 3rd pick with the Houston Oilers, (who took Alonzo Highsmith). He’d be the third linebacker off the board after Cornelius Bennett and Mike Junkin.  An impressively stacked defensive draft, Conlan would not disappoint as he was named defensive rookie of the year after the strike shortened season. An impressive specimen of both speed and size Shane had an instinctive nose for the ball. He would be named All-Pro in 1987, 1988 and 1990, and go to the Pro Bowl from 1988-1990. After 6 seasons with the Bills and 3 SuperBowl appearances, Conlan would take his talents to the Los Angeles Rams in 1993 during the first year of free agency. He would play with the franchise through its transition to St. Louis and retire after the 1995 season.

Shane since retirement has been active in trying to improve former player benefits. (One of his teammates and friends from Penn State is former runningback Steve Smith, who suffers from ALS.) He’s also received accolades being named to the Bills’ 50th anniversary team and to the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame. He currently works for Senior Management group in Wayne, PA .

Shane was nice enough to sign these cards in under a month. I offered to allow him to keep a few but he signed all 4 and the extra and returned them in the SASE. A very nice return as I liked all these cards- even the Topps 1990.

G/Gs 120/114   Tac  751    Sac 7.0   Fum 6
Int 5    Yds 36   Avg 7.2    Td 0    lg 28