Category Archives: NFL

NFL, Pro Football HoF

Robustelli, Andy (1925-2011)

CARD: Upper Deck Legends Certified 1997
ACQUIRED: eBay, 2022

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Milton College’s most impressive player (because the college is now defunct), Andy Robustelli played both ways at DE and T.
  • He’d be selected in the 19th round of the 1951 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Rams.
  • Robustelli made the team and played for the Rams through 1955.
  • Traded to the New York, he’d play for the Giants from ’56-’64.
  • During that time with the Giants, Robustelli developed quite a reputation as a fearsome pass rusher and fantastic read/ react lineman.
  • Andy only missed one game over his entire playing career.
  • Worked one year with NBC as a color man in 1965.
  • Diversified his holdings into leisure travel lifestyles and founded a sports marketing company.
  • In 1973, Robustelli was approached by Giants’ owner Wellington Mara to take over the front office of the team.
  • He headed day to day operations for the franchise through the 1978 season.

ACCOLADES:

  • Pro Football Hall of Fame
  • Italian Sports Hall of Fame
  • Walter Camp Man of the Year
  • New York Giants Ring of Honor
  • Bert Bell Award
  • Pro Bowl 1953, ’55-57, ’59-’61
  • All Pro 1953, ’55-’56, 1958-’60
  • Second Team AP 1952, ’54, ’57, ’62
  • NFL Player of the Year 1962

NOTES:

Robustelli has an impressive lineage of family who have played football including grandsons who played in the Arena Football League and CFL as well as former World League defensive lineman and great nephew Dan Sileo.

EPITAPH:

5/31/2011- Andy passed away due to complications from surgery for a kidney stone.

AAF, NFL

Escobar, Gavin (1991-2022)

CARD: Score 2013 Future Franchise Fabrics Autograph
ACQUIRED: eBay, 2026

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Gavin Escobar played TE at San Diego State from 2010-’12.
  • In 2011 he had a whopping 51 receptions for 780 yards and 7 TDs.
  • Declared after his Junior campaign, recording 122 catches for 1646 yards and 17 TDs over his college career.
  • Selected in the 2nd round, 47th overall, by the Dallas Cowboys in the 2013 NFL Draft.
  • For most of his time in Dallas, Gavin was stuck playing behind seemingly ageless wonder Jason Witten.
  • In 4 seasons with Dallas he started 7 games, catching 30 passes for 333 yards and 8 TDs.
  • Split 2017 with KC and Baltimore but saw no action with either of them, or Miami the following year.
  • Hopped onto the AAF in 2019 playing for the San Diego Fleet.
  • Starting 5 contests he’d catch 16 passes for 176 yards.
  • After the league folded, he retired and became a fireman in California.

NOTES:

I was pretty terrified of Gavin with the Fleet as I remembered him from his time with the Cowboys. Pretty sure he gashed the Commanders for a few good catches during the AAF opener in San Antonio.

EPITAPH:

 9/28/22- Gavin Escobar was tragically killed in a mountaineering accident as an old, degraded fixed sling, around a tree broke during unpredictably inclement weather, causing he and Chelsea Walsh to fall several hundred feet to their deaths at the base of Tahquitz Rock. He was only 31.

NFL

Olsavsky, Jerry

CARDS: Score 1990, Topps 1990
ACQUIRED: TTM 2023, C/o Home
SENT: 1/17 RECEIVED: 1/30 (13 days)

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Jerry Olsavsky played LB at Pitt from 1985-’88.
  • There he had over 100 tackles in 3 straight years, including 129 as a senior.
  • A sneaky 10th round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1989.
  • Saw playing time both on special teams and at ILB.
  • Totaled 41 total tackles, a sack, a pass deflection, and a forced fumble in his rookie campaign.
  • A key backup, he played sparingly over the next few seasons.
  • Lost a good portion of his 1993 and all of his 1994 seasons to a knee injury.
  • Returned again to a key role as a special teamer and backup linebacker.
  • Signed with the Bengals in 1998 and finished the regular season as a member of the Baltimore Ravens.
  • Entered the college coaching ranks in 2003 working with Youngstown State.
  • In 2010, Jerry became a defensive assistant with the Steelers.
  • Then was moved to the inside linebackers coaching position with the team in 2015.
  • In 2023, joined Duquense as a defensive assistant.

ACCOLADES:

  • All Rookie Team 1989

NOTES:

Jerry only had 4 cards or so, but made out pretty good with these two. Topps always had a deep cut or two and Jerry qualifies as such in one of these rare action shots.