Cards: Stadium Club 1991, Topps 1989, Upper Deck 1991, Score 1990
Acquired: Canton Acquisition, 2012.
Sean Landeta is considered a legend when it comes to Tecmo Super Bowl lore. He is the last person to retire from not only the original game but also the sequels that followed that he also appeared in. The iconic mustache and sometimes mullet he sported alongside his single bar punter helmet lasted until 2006 amazingly for the Rams, after he started his career eons ago in 1983 in the USFL for the Philadelphia Stars.
Punters for the most part, go undrafted, and Landeta was like all the others after graduating from Townson State. A division II star at punter, Landeta was a first team All-American in 1980. He played with the Philadelphia Stars from 83-84, and then the Baltimore Stars the following year. He’d earn USFL All-Star Honors both years and earn recognition on their All time team.
It’d be after his stint in the USFL that Sean would make his iconic appearance playing for the New York Giants in 1985, where it seemed like he’d stay forever. Landeta remained with the Giants from through 1993, making appearances on Tecmo Bowl and Tecmo Super Bowl with the Giants. It’d be there that he’d establish a penchant for long, booming punts, finishing his career at New York with 526 punts and 22806 yards (43.4 average). He earned All-Pro nominations for his 1986 and 1990 seasons, and Pro Bowl honors for those years as well as in 1989. In 1993 he’d split the season with the Giants and ultimately end up on the Los Angeles Rams. He’d transition with the team to St. Louis in 1995 and remain with the franchise through 1996. After a one year stint with the Bucs in 1997 and Green Bay in 1998, Sean played the next 4 seasons in Philadelphia from 1999-2002 and have a career high 107 punts in 1999. It’d be confusing following Landeta the next few seasons, with him playing in St. Louis again in 2003 and 2004, and then a final season in 2005 with the Eagles.
In 2006 he retired from football on the 25th Anniversary of the USFL, after signing a one day contract with the New York Giants. He became the last member of a USFL team to retire from the league, and also was the longest tenured member of the original Tecmo Bowl to retire as well.
G 284 P 1401 Yds 60707 Avg 43.3 Lg 74 Blk 6