Willie Don Wright walked onto the Wyoming football team where he played outside linebacker and defensive end for the Cowboys. He was signed in 1990 as a free agent by the Phoenix Cardinals, who then allocated Wright to the Frankfurt Galaxy of the World League in 1992. During the season Willie recorded 5 sacks for the Galaxy before returning stateside to the Cards.
Willie was placed on the practice squad and then was converted successfully from linebacker to tight end. -He was active for 9 games but didn’t see any playing time. The following year in ’93, Wright was cut after the team decided to go with less tight ends on the roster, and then found himself again on the short end of the stick in 94 and 96. He’d briefly play in the CFL with the Las Vegas Posse in 1995, before he finished his degree at Wyoming in music education.
He wrote me a nice note thanking me for my letter. Wright currently lives in Wyoming where he teaches music at the Junior High level.
Cards: Topps 1969, Action Packed Whizzer White Award 1991 Acquired: TTM 2019, C/o Home Sent: 1/17 Received: 1/28 (11 days)
Ed Meador is not a household name outside of the banner guard of the pre-St. Louis Los Angeles Rams, however he has an impressive resume, that has somehow slipped past Pro Football HoF induction.
Ed played for Arkansas Tech from 1955-1958. Back then players went both ways, and Meador distinguished himself as both a dangerous defensive back, but also as a top flight runner and return man. An all-conference selection 3 times, and Little American his Senior year, Ed was co-captain of the squad know as ‘The Wonder Boys’, and scored 272 career points over his time at Tech. He’d be selected in the 7th round of the 1969 NFL Draft.
The rest is history. He’d spend time returning kicks, holding kicks, and playing defensive back. After seeing time early in his career at corner, the Rams switched him to Free Safety where he excelled. Nicknamed ‘The Rams Little Assassin’, Ed owns multiple Rams career records to this day including interceptions (46), fumble recoveries (18), and blocked kicks (10). A 6 time Pro Bowler (1960, 1964-1968), 6 time First or Second Team All-Pro, and a member of the NFL 1960s All-Decade team, it is surprising that Meador’s name has not received a Canton induction.
In addition to his numerous on the field accomplishments, Ed won the NFLPA Byron Whizzer White Award in 1969. Retiring after 1970, Meador was inducted into the Arkansas Sports HoF in 1978, and worked in real estate for a few years before edging his way into jewelry.
Ed signed these two cards of his pretty quickly. Oddly enough both of these cards represent sets that I only had one other card from those sets signed, and they were both acquired many, many years ago. I wasn’t really a fan of Topps 1969. It strictly is more about the player than the design, and with limited technology to do so back then, this card just comes off very plain. The Action Packed 1991 Whizzer White card is really nice though. The only tweaks they did from the base 91 set is changing the marquee to a silver color and adding the helmeted year of the winner on it. It’s a great card of Ed and I am glad that he could sign it for me- even if it was in a ball point pen.
G/Gs
TAC
SAC
FUM
163/159
N/A
N/A
18
INT
YDS
AVG
TD
LG
46
547
11.9
5
38T
EPITAPH:
09/06/23- Ed Meador passed away today at the grand old age of 86. No cause of death was given. He recently made it into the semifinalists of the 2024 NFL HoF Seniors class, but was not inducted.
The drive to get him into the HoF hasn’t stopped with his passing though. You can visit his website at http://www.edmeador21.com/ for more information.
Joe Ferguson was the QB for the Bills who owned nearly all the franchise record books before Jim Kelly shattered them over the next 10 years.
A Southwest Conference Alum with the Arkansas Razorbacks from 1970 to 1972, Joe competed 327 of 611 passes for 4431 yards to 24 TDs and 32 interceptions- shattering many of the passing records at the school, and earned the Liberty Bowl MVP award in 1971. He was drafted in the 3rd round of the 1973 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills. The team pressed him into service immediately, where he posted 3 winning seasons in a row. Ferguson played ball during the dead ball era. Regardless he led the league in a variety of categories including TDs (25, 1975), attempts (1977, 457), yards (1977, 2803), and interceptions (1977, 24. 1982, 16). In 1976 he started 7 games and threw 9 touchdowns to just 1 interception for a 90 QB rating.
With the arrival of Jim Kelly in 1985, Joe began the journeyman phase of his career. He’d play 2 seasons for the Lions as a backup, starting 5 games and posting a 2-3 record. Afterwards he’d play 3 more non-descript seasons for the Bucs (1988-1989) and the Indianapolis Colts (1990).
Joe went into coaching after his playing career wrapped up and saw stints at Louisiana Tech and Arkansas.
Perhaps most intriguing was when he joined the CFL and was the QB coach for the San Antonio Goldminers in 1995. After an injury befell starting QB David Archer, head coach Kay Stephenson needed somebody who was familiar with his offensive system. Enter backup Joe Ferguson for one final season. An ironman of football, Joe started at one point 103 consecutive games, and played 16 seasons.
Joe has also been inducted into numerous Arkansas Sports Hall of Fames, All-Century Teams, and All-Decade Teams. He also has a spot in the Bills Ring of Honor.
I loved these Legends cards made by Pro Set in 1991. I had never gotten this one when I pulled packs as a kid so I was doubly surprised when I originally saw this Corning masterpiece. Joe is a great signer, so I had been kicking the can down the road the past few years before I decided to pull the trigger on this one, and he responded in no time flat.
G/Gs
ATT
CPD
YDS
PCT
TD
INT
RAT
186/171
4519
2369
29817
52.4
196
209
68.4
Celebrating the game, the players, the cards, and the autographs for over 25 years.
