CARDS: Upper Deck Legends 1997
ACQUIRED: Ebay, 2020

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

• Otto Graham played left halfback at Northwestern from 1941-’43.
• An all-star athlete for the Wildcats, he could be counted on to kick, pass, punt, and run.
• In 1942, he set the school single season offensive yardage record with 1,327- a record that stood 20 years.
• Then in 1943, he posted 61 total points- a record that stood for 43 years.
• After serving time in the Navy during World War II, he found himself drafted by both the Lions and Browns (All-American Football Conference).
• Otto joined the Browns in 1946 where they moved him to Quarterback.
• A fantastic player and leader, Otto led the Browns to a championship game ALL 10 seasons that he played football- winning 7 times.
• In 1947 he led the AAFC in Completion Percentage (60.7), yards (2,753), TDs (25), Long play (99 yards), Yards per attempt (10.2), yards per completion (16.9), and rating (109.2).
• Then in 1949 he led the league in its final year in completions (161), Yards (2,785), Yards per attempt (9.8), Yards per game (232.1), Yards per completion (17.3), and rating (97.5).
• As the franchise transitioned to the NFL after the season, Graham saw no signs of slowing down.
• In ’52 he led the league in attempts (364), completions (181), yards (2,817), TDs (20), and yards per game (234.7).
• Then in 1953, he led the league in completion percentage (64.7%), yards (2,722), Yards per attempt (10.6), Yards per game (226.8), and rating (99.7).
• Even in his final season of 1955, he led the league with a 94 passer rating a yards per attempt of 9.3, and a gaudy 17.6 per completion.
• He is also credited with Paul Brown for helping innovate the quarterback position through the formation development of the modern pro offense.
• Graham won an NFL record 81% of his games and held many records- some that have remained unbroken to this day.
• He retired from football after the 1955 season, and then began working as an assistant coach- helping with the All-Star Game.
• Then he started coaching at the tiny Coast Guard Academy while still managing the College All-Star Game contests.
• Briefly Otto dabbled in radio and TV media for the Jets during the 1964 and ’65 seasons.
• Afterwards he finally accepted a pro football coaching offer with the Redskins in ’66.
• He saw middling success before being removed in favor of Vince Lombardi in 1969.
• From there he worked with the Coast Guard Academy as coach and athletic director until his retirement in ’84.
• An avid golfer and tennis player, Otto was diagnosed with the early stages of Alzheimer’s late in his life (2001).

ACCOLADES:

• Pro Bowl 1950-’54
• All Pro 1951, ’53-’55
• NFL MVP 1951, ’53, ’55
• AAFC MVP 1947, ’48
• All-AAFC 1947-’49
• Jersey #14 Retired- Cleveland Browns
• Cleveland Browns Ring of Honor
• NFL 1950s All Decade Team
• NFL 100th Anniversary Team
• NFL 75th Anniversary Team
• Northwestern Wildcats Athletic Hall of Fame
• Pro Football Hall of Fame 1965
• College Football Hall of Fame

NOTES:

When COVID first struck the States, prices immediately went up on trading cards as with more disposable income and an influx of returning hobbiests and speculators abound. With availability slim I turned an eye to the secondary market and realized something: For the price of a blaster box of cards, I could get a certified autograph of an NFL legend. It seemed like a no brainer there, and for a while there I was sniping and snapping them up left and right.

Case in point here, HOFer Otto Graham. I was shocked to get him for a mere $20.00. So much so that when I discussed it with a Spring football coordinator and coach/collector, he was shocked that I was able to nab it at such a bargain.

With a long list of accolades and history, Otto is one of the iconic figures of the league. I felt there was no way I could do his post justice so I definitely drug my feet on this one!

Notably he also had a Pro Set 1991 special insert that was considered an urban legend at the time. I hadn’t known anyone who’d pulled the card as you could go boxes without finding one. Years later I finally added the card to the set. With the company flooding the market and many of these cards and boxes coming to liquidation after the company went bankrupt- the Pro Set card now can be had for as little as $4.00.

EPITAPH:

12/17/2003- Otto Graham passed away after being admitted to Sarasota Memorial Hospital Wednesday evening. He passed away of aortic dissection, the same rare heart condition that took the life of actor John Ritter.

ATT	CPD	YDS	PCT	TD	INT	RAT	LG
2626	1464	23584	55.8	174	135	86.6	99