CARD: Pro Set 1989
ACQUIRED: TTM 2022, C/o Home
SENT: 5/18 RECEIVED: 7/20 (63 days)
CAREER SNAPSHOT:
- Gerald Willhite played RB for the San Jose St Spartans from 1980-81.
- He rushed for 1,000 yards in both years, and had 542 carries for 2403 yards and 20 TDs over his time there.
- At the time he was only the second player in NCAA history who ran for 1,000+ yards and caught 50 or more passes.
- Selected at the bottom of round one by the Denver Broncos in the 1982 NFL Draft.
- A scatback ahead of his time, Willhite contributed nearly 1,000 yards al-purpose yards in his first 3 seasons, before topping out at 1,397 yards in 1985.
- In 1986, became the first Bronco to have two 3-TD games in one season.
- That same year, he set the team mark with 64 receptions for a runningback.
- Early in the ’87 campaign against the Vikes, suffered a gruesome injury, breaking his leg in two places, a bone chip, and an injured ankle.
- He returned the following year and played for the Broncos for two more seasons before officially hanging up the cleats.
- At the time of his retirement, his 4.4 yards per carry was also a career franchise mark.
NOTES:
Gerald played just long enough to get some great card love from Pro Set and Score. I wanted to get both of them signed- but he kept the Score card. Still I’m grateful he took the time to pen this one. What a beauty.
Gerald was a plaintiff member of the concussion lawsuit against the NFL. The smallish, (5-10, 200) Willhite was a fearless runnner who loved to hit, but his little body took a pounding. Outside of his major injury, he took concussions, hamstring injuries, and other unreported knicks and tears every season he played.
| RUSH | YDS | AVG | TD | LG |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 380 | 1688 | 4.4 | 17 | 52 |
| REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LG |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 207 | 1767 | 8.5 | 5 | 63 |
| KR | YDS | AVG | TD | LG |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 | 521 | 20.0 | 0 | 40 |
| PR | YDS | AVG | TD | LG |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 101 | 1012 | 10.0 | 1 | 70 |