Large and mobile QB in the mold of Duante Culpepper.
Completed 680 passes for 8,078 yards, 44 touchdowns and 34 interceptions in 35 career games- and a school record 8427 yards.
Was the 17th overall pick of the 2009 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
By midseason, was established as Bucs starter at QB.
In 2010, led Bucs to 10-6 record, passing for 3451 yards and 25 TDs to just 6 interceptions.
Tied for NFL lead with 5 4th quarter comebacks that year.
Passed for career high 4065 yards and 27 TDs in 2012.
Threw 95 yard pass to Vincent Jackson to lead NFL that season.
In 2013, Tampa decided to go in a different direction at QB- and after 5 games was cut.
Spent the remainder of the 2013 season on the roster of the Minnesota Vikings.
Signed and cut by the Giants in 2014 before camp.
Spent 2015 on the preseason roster of the Miami Dolphins.
After failing to latch on with Dolphins, played for the FXFL Brooklyn Bolts.
Joined Indianapolis Colts late in season, and was released the following year.
Caught the attention of the Calgary Stampeders and signed with team in 2018- but retired soon thereafter.
Score 2009, #358Panini Rookies & Stars 2010, #139
NOTES:
I always thought Josh got a bad wrap. His 2010 was a really solid campaign, and while he did survive the Raheem Morris epoch, he was able to rally the team to a decent 7-9 record while posting some pretty decent numbers.
I had worked with my friend Chris in tracking down Josh’s address. He wasn’t at the top of my list, so I let Chris at him first. After he got a success, I went ahead and put my cards together and sent them out.
Earl Okine is a giant of a physical specimen clocking in at 6’8″, 290. He played defensive end and tackle for the Florida Gators from 2009-2012. Over that period he managed 27 tackles and a sack. He’d go undrafted in 2013- later signing with the Houston Texans, and then briefly joining the Calgary Stampeders of the CFL. In 2014, Earl played for the Orlando Predators of the Arena leagues, where I saw him play against the San Antonio Talons that year. He notched 28 total tackles, 5.5 sacks, 3 pass blocks, and a forced fumble. Later he hopped over to the FXFL to join the Brooklyn Bolts.
Earl finally found a home in the NFL with the Colts in 2015, spending nearly the entire season on and off the Colts regular season roster and practice squad. He then spent the next year on the Kansas City Chiefs on the bubble of the roster as well at OLB. After a short stay on the Lions, he’d spend the entire 2017 season on the practice squad of the Cardinals.
He’d join the Alliance of American Football in 2018- signing with the Orlando Apollos. The Apollos decided to put Earl’s strengths to best use at outside linebacker. Earl started 7 games for the 7-1 Apollos. He finished with 26 tackles, 5 sacks, and a critical tipped ball interception that he made to seal the win against the Memphis Express in Week 8.
Joe Don Duncan went to school at tiny Dixie State finishing second in school history with 1,994 yards. He was an intriguing prospect to scouts, but bad timing (broke his foot before the Senior Bowl) did not allow them to validate his standing against his larger school peers. An intelligent receiver who has a natural knack to find the soft spot in a defense to sit in and make the catch, Duncan was quite an athlete and could be counted on to be a kicker and a long snapper if needed in a pinch.
Joe Don was not selected in the 2014 NFL draft. In fact it wasn’t until 2015 that he was signed as a free agent by the Denver Broncos where they kicked the tires on converting him to fullback/ H-back. Duncan surprisingly lost out in training camp to James Casey and was cut. He later had a tryout with the Patriots, but eventually ended up playing for the Brooklyn Bolts of the FXFL where he scored a TD on a run and also on an onside playing fullback. After the league folded Joe Don decided to hang up his cleats for good, but hopes to go into coaching in the near future.
Celebrating the game, the players, the cards, and the autographs for over 25 years.
