Tag Archives: Washington Redskins

NFL

Turk, Matt

Card: Pacific 1997
Acquired: TTM 2009,  Texans Blitz

Wow. Here’s another player that’s been playing since the twilight years of the Houston Oilers. Matt Turk like nearly all punters went undrafted coming out of college at Wisconsin-Whitewater in 1993.  He’d sign with his homestate Packers, but would not make the squad that season, or the Rams the following season in 1994.  In 1995, Matt found a home with the Washington Redskins where he’d punt from 1995-1999, earning Pro Bowl berths for his 96, 97, and 98 campaigns. For his 1996 season, Matt would earn AP honors with an outstanding 45.1 yard average and duplicate the feat again in 1997. He’d sign with the Dolphins in 2000, and punt 92 times that season, kicking a season long 70 yard punt. In 2002 Turk would play one season for the Jets, and then in 2003 returned to Miami to play two additional seasons for the Dolphins. He’d punt a career high 98 times in 2004. Out of work for 2005,  the Rams would play host to Matt in 2005 before he signed with the Houston Texans in 2007.

Unseating Chad Stanley (the Texans punter since the team’s inception,) Turk has punted for over 10,000 yards on a 42.2 yard average during his tenure and ranks second among active punters in yards. A big guy at 6’5″, 248, Matt is one of the larger punters in the league.

G 235      P  1100          Yds 46659          Avg    42.4       lg 77         Blk  3

12/3/2011- Turk would sign with the Jaguars but not win the punting job. He currently is a free agent contemplating retirement.

 

NFL, WLAF

Brantley, John “Rambo”


Cards: ProSet WLAF 1991, ProSet 1991 DMVP
Acquired: In Person 1992, San Antonio Riders v. Birmingham Fire
See Also: John Brantley (2)

John Brantley was a 12th round choice (#325)  out of Georgia by the Houston Oilers in 1988.  He’d be on the roster of the team through 1989 suiting up for 8 games playing on special teams. In 1991 Brantley was drafted by the Birmingham Fire of the WLAF in the 2nd round of the positional draft.  A well rounded team leader, he’d finish statistically amongst the top players in the league with 47 tackles and 4 sacks. At the conclusion of the 1991 season John was be named first team All World Team, and would win defensive MVP in a three way tie with Danny Lockett and Anthony Parker.

Brantley returned to the WLAF for 1992 and again lead the staunch Fire defense, chipping in 2 more sacks and be named back to the All World team. The league unfortunately was reorganized after the 1992 season, but John would sign with the Washington Redskins of the NFL  and start 2 games for the team that year. It is unknown if Brantley played any additional seasons of football whether it was in
the Arena leagues or the CFL USA venture. He currently lives in Georgia.

G/Gs 20/20    Tac    124       Sac   6.0      Fum 3
Int 0    Yds  0    Avg  -.-   Td  0   Lg   -.-

 

NFL

Settle, John


Cards: ProSet 1990, ProSet 1989, Fleer 1990
Acquired: TTM 2011, C/o The Carolina Panthers
Sent: 5/10   Receieved: 5/20   (10 days)

Nobody cared when John Settle graduated from Appalachian State in 1987. The knock on him was primarily based on the fact he went to a small school so he didn’t face ‘big time’ competition and that he just wasn’t big enough to play at 5’9″, 207. (I mean the only thing John did was set the school’s rushing record mark and finish ranked 3rd all time in 1-AA history.)  John would contact a few suitors and the Falcons would sign him to a free agent contract.

Behind starters Gerald Riggs and Rick Badanjek,  John didn’t get much playing time under head coach Marion Campbell his rookie year. He’d carry the ball 19 times for 72 yards and also grab 11 receptions out of the backfield for 153 yards in 1987.  1988 however was a totally different deal for Settle, as he’d start at runningback for the Falcons (after the team traded Gerald Riggs to Washington). John started all 16 games for the team and ran for 1066 yards. In addition Settle also had 68 receptions for 570 yards. His rushing totals were the highest for a free agent RB since the AFL-NFL merger and John was named to the Pro Bowl squad. In 1989, as the Falcons virtually abandoned the run, Settle rushed for 689 yards. He’d have his second season with 1000+ yards from scrimmage when you included his 316 yards receiving.

1990 saw a coaching change for the Falcons though as former Oilers head coach Jerry Glanville came to town. Glanville installed the Red Gun offense, signed Mike Rozier, drafted Steve Broussard, and decided to give 1989 prospect Keith Jones more playing time.  Settle suited up for only 6 games that season. He’d sign with the Redskins in 1991 winning a Super Bowl title there but didn’t suit up during the season. Settle retired after the 1992 season and went into coaching in 1994 working with his alma mater at Appalachian State.

He’d join Bill Belichick in Cleveland on his offensive staff working with runningbacks in 1995 serving the team through 1998, and in its transition to Baltimore. Settle then joined the Fresno State Bulldogs as their runningbacks coach- a position he’d hold for 8 seasons. Afterwards John’s next stop was in Wisconsin with the Badgers where Settle helped coordinate the first ever trio of 1,000 yard runningbacks in the same season. Finally, in early 2011, John was be hired by new head coach Ron Rivera to coordinate runningbacks for the Carolina Panthers.  He responded to my TTM request in a quick 10 days.

Of note about John is that while Appalachian State he played for little known then head coach Mack Brown his freshman year. He is considered a member of the Bill Belichick coaching tree and while playing for the Falcons did not appear in Tecmo Bowl or Tecmo Super Bowl.

John had some nice cards here and these 3 were his most solid and complete looking cards. The ProSet 1989 card is a really nice full body shot of him dodging a would be Ram tackler while the 1990 card is a shot featuring his running style gunning to place a stiff arm. I also liked his Fleer 1990 card and how he bursts out of the top of the card borders.  Also on a side note, I’d love to see the Falcons return to the ‘red look’ from the 80s, but they seem quite content with their current black look.

G/Gs    46/29    Att 439      Yds  1801     Avg 4.1     Td  10   Lg 62  |
Rec  118     Yds  1039       Avg   8.8     Td  3      Lg  36