Category Archives: NFL

AAFL, College Football HoF, NFL, Pro Football HoF

Graham, Otto ‘Automatic Otto’ (1921-2003)

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.

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FCFL, NFL

Jennings, Rashad

CARD: Donruss Rookies & Stars 2009
ACQUIRED: Ebay, 2024

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • After initially playing RB at Pitt in 2005, Jennings transferred to Liberty to be closer to his family.
  • In 2008 he ran for 1,507 yards on 264 carries scoring 17 TDs.
  • Selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 7th round of the 2009 NFL Draft.
  • The Jags decided to take a flyer on him after coaching him up at the Senior Bowl and feeling like they needed a change of pace to help out aging Maurice Jones-Drew.
  • Over three seasons with Jacksonville he ran for 944 yards and 7 TDs on 224 carries.
  • Signed by the Raiders in 2013, Jennings saw consistent action in Oakland’s backfield- running for 733 yards and 6 TDs in his lone year with the franchise.
  • He then hopped over to the Giants in 2014, spending the next 3 seasons there.
  • Ran for a career high 863 yards in 2015.
  • Released in 2017, he’d announce his retirement at the end of the year.
  • He then competed in Dancing With the Stars- and ended up winning the show that year.
  • Since then he’s made occasional appearances on the show as both a judge and participant, and has still never been eliminated from competition.
  • In 2022, Jennings returned to the gridiron with the Fan Controlled Football league first as a coach and then later as a RB.

ACCOLADES:

  • Dancing With the Stars Winner 2017
  • Jersey #23 retired- Liberty Flames

NOTES:

I had a few bucks to throw around and why not on rookies from one of my favorite sets? Can’t beat a certified autograph for just a few dollars.

NFL

Carter III, Tom

CARDS: Pacific 1993, Pro Set 1993, Gameday 1993, Skybox Premium 1993
ACQUIRED: TTM 2023, C/o Home
SENT: 6/12 RECEIVED: 7/20 (38 days)

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Tom Carter followed in the footsteps of Pat Terrell and Todd Lyght at Notre Dame at DB.
  • Played 3 years for the Golden Domers from 1990 to ’92 spending time at both CB and FS.
  • He had 89 total tackles, 10 interceptions for 79 yards and a TD in 33 games.
  • The Redskins were looking for the heir apparent to aging DB Darrell Green and needed to replace recently departed Martin Mayhew.
  • Washington nabbed Tom with the 17th overall pick of the 1993 NFL Draft.
  • He had an impressive rookie season, posting 6 interceptions and 38 total tackles- finishing second in defensive rookie of the year voting.
  • In 1995 had 4 interceptions for 116 yards and a TD to go along with 1 forced fumble and 78 total tackles.
  • Signed with the Chicago Bears in 1997.
  • By 1998 was not a fit for the team scheme as Tom was more of a coverage corner and the Bears were looking for an all-purpose DB.
  • Still managed to pick off 6 passes in 32 contests.
  • Cut during the 1999 season- joined the Cincinnati Bengals.
  • Played an additional 24 games in Cincinnati intercepting 3 passes.
  • There he became quite popular and was seen as a spiritual leader in the locker room.
  • Concluded his career with the Bengals in 2001.

ACCOLADES:

  • All Rookie Team 1993

NOTES:

Tom had no shortage of impressive cards that came out during his rookie season in ’93. Problem is by then I had firmly discovered girls and Nintendo. These things consumed my meager finances and football cards, and autographs at the time slowly began to be left out in the cold for ‘bigger priorities’.