Category Archives: NFL

NFL

McKinnon, Dennis “Silky D”

Card: Pro Set 1989
Acquired: In Person 1990, Dallas Cowboys Training Camp

Well we went to an event at Westlake High School in Austin that year when the Cowboys were hosting a scrimmage there. After the game they let the fans swarm the field to find players and get autographs of. I think I got Dennis and roughly 10 other players that evening on cards.

A free agent signee by the Chicago Bears in 1983 from Florida State, Dennis McKinnon would serve as a backup wide receiver and starting punt returner, where Mike Ditka would state: “He’s the best blocking receiver I’ve ever seen.” Starting 3 games his rookie season, Dennis made 20 receptions for 326 yards and 4 touchdowns and return 34 punts for 316 yards and a touchdown. McKinnon would win the Superbowl with the 85 bears, averaging a career high 17.9 yards a reception, but lost his entire 1986 to injury. Returning to the team fold in 1987, McKinnon returned punts again and had 40 of them for 405 yards and 2 touchdowns, including a long of 94 yards.  1988 would see career highs in yards receiving with 704 and a 76 yard bomb.

In 1990, Dennis signed via Plan B with the Dallas Cowboys where he started 7 games making 14 receptions for 172 yards and a touchdown, before injuries ended his 1990 season. He’d attempt a comeback with the Miami Dolphins in 1991 but did not make the roster and retired. Currently he’s CEO and president of Bearly Active Productions which provides motivational speakers, catering and celebrity appearances to corporate events.

G/Gs  94/60      Rec  194     Yds   3012     Avg 15.5    Td  22     Lg  76   |
Pr  129    Yds  1191    Avg  9.2     Td  2      Lg  94t

NFL

Anderson, Eddie

Card: Score 1990
Acquired: In Person 1990, Dallas Cowboys Training Camp

Eddie Anderson was originally 6th round choice of the Seattle Seahawks out of Fort Valley State in 1986. He’d sign with the Los Angeles Raiders as a replacement player in 1987 and start 3 games making a pick and 52 tackles. His impact season would be 1989 playing at free safety. Eddie would make 5 picks for 233 yards and 2 touchdowns in 10 games. Along with Lionel Washington and Terry McDaniel, the secondary in general for the Raiders during the 80s and early 90s was quite formidable. A hitting machine, Anderson is probably msot remembered for returning an interception 102 yards for a touchdown against the Miami Dolphins in 1993.

Along with a slew of other Raiders, I got Eddie’s autograph at Dallas Cowboys training camp in 1990. He was also treated well on Tecmo Super Bowl and could be relied on in a pinch while in coverage with a nice blend of speed and interceptions. Eddie was one of these players who you could overrun the tackler with because you were afraid to stop and start again as he would lose most of his head of steam when you did and fall behind.

Eddie would stay with the Raiders through their transition back to Oakland in 1995, playing for them through 1997 where he retired. Currently Anderson serves as an assistant with the Oakland Raiders club.

G/Gs 159/116     Tac  761     Sac  4.0   Fum 7
Int   19    Yds   531     Avg     Td  3     Lg  102t

NFL

Jones, Jacoby ‘Jakespeare’ (1984-2024)

Card: Playoff 2008
Acquired: TTM 2009, Texans Blitz

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Jacoby Jones was drafted by the Houston Texans out of tiny Lane College (Jackson, Tn) in the 3rd round of the 2007 NFL draft.
  • A track and field beast in college, Jones was a dangerous threat every time he touched the ball.
  • He was immediately penciled in (replacing Jerome Mathis) as the punt and kick returner and wide receiver project.  
  • In 2008 he took two punts to the house for a TD- including a 73 yarder.
  • He’d score a career high 6 TD catches in 2009 on just 27 receptions.
  • In 2010, he had a career high 562 yards and 51 catches.
  • He’d be cut in mid 2012, after muffing a punt in the playoffs the previous season.
  • Jones signed with the Ravens in 2012, where he’d find new life as a popular member of the flock, and seemingly being a playmaker at the right place and at the right time.
  • That season he’d post his best year as a return man with 38 KR for 1167 yards and 2 TDs.
  • He is most fondly remembered for his Super Bowl heroics, where he caught a 56 yard TD and returned a kickoff 108 yards for a TD in Super Bowl XLVII.
  • Following the season, he made an appearance on Dancing With the Stars.
  • After 3 years with the Ravens, he was cut in 2015 and spent time split between the Chargers and Steelers that year.
  • Then in 2017 he played Arena Football with the Monterrey Steel of the NAL.
  • Later that year he retired as a Raven.
  • Jacoby went into coaching from there with his alma mater Lane College from 2018-’19 as a WR coach.
  • Then it was off to Calvert Hall (’20), Morgan State (’21), and Alabama State (2022-’23) as a positional coach in each of those stops.
  • He recently was very excited to return to the H-Town area to coach the Beaumont Renegades- an Arena Football team in Texas.

ACCOLADES:

  • Pro Bowl 2012
  • All-Pro 2012
  • Longest play in NFL history- 108 yards
  • Longest play in Super Bowl/ postseason history- 108 yards
  • First player to return two kick-offs over 105 yards in a single season

NOTES:

Many fun stories surround the young Jones, and fellow wide receiver David Anderson, who called himself Jones’ interpreter while they played together. Jones was fond of bringing in his mom’s cooking into the locker room- where he’d eat chicken legs whole, down to the marrow.

It’s really sad the way he was let go by the Texans. The team perhaps getting their closest to the Super Bowl at that time were playing a hotly contested game against Baltimore in the 2011 Divisional Round. He’d muff a punt that’d lead to the Ravens win.

I’m not sure if the team cut him for a fresh start. I know a lot of people were hard on him. I just wish things had ended better in H-Town.

RECYDSAVGTDLG
203273313.51480t
KRYDSAVGTDLG
183494017.05108t
PRYDSAVGTDLG
27626889.7479t

EPITAPH:

7/13/24- Jacoby Jones passed away peacefully in his sleep while at his home in New Orleans, La. It was unexpected and no cause of death was given. He was 40 years old.