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.
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.
Daryl Hobbs played college ball for Pacific in 1990 and 1991. Amazingly he posted almost identical numbers in both years catching 62 passes for 848 yards and 14 TDs in 1990, and 62 for 842 and 12 TDs in 1991.
He signed with the Raiders in 1993, but saw only spotty action until 1995 when he started 3 games as a key reserve. Hobbs put up 38 receptions for 612 yards and 3 TDs- then in 1996 had 44 receptions for 423 yards and another 3 TDs. Daryl then split a season in 1997 with the New Orleans Saints and the Seattle Seahawks. After a brief stay with the Chiefs, Daryl spent 1999 and 2000 with the Montreal Alouettes and Saskatchewan Roughriders in the CFL. He caught 23 passes for 277 yards and 2 TDs in 2000. In 2001, Daryl Hobbs played in the XFL for the Memphis Maniax. He finished second on the team with 30 receptions for 419 yards and 5 TDs.
Daryl is currently enjoys coaching in the high school ranks.
NFL
REC
YDS
AVG
TD
LG
59/4
94
1172
12.5
7
54
CFL
REC
YDS
AVG
TD
LG
23
277
12.0
2
32
XFL
REC
YDS
AVG
TD
LG
30
419
14.0
5
49T
Celebrating the game, the players, the cards, and the autographs for over 25 years.
