Category Archives: usfl

College Football HoF, Heisman Trophy Winner, NFL, usfl

Rozier, Mike

Cards: ProSet HH 1991, Score 1989, ProSet 1989
Acquired: TTM 2010, C/o Home
Sent: 4/3  Received: 4/19  (16 days)

There were some incredible Nebraska teams over the years, and Mike Rozier was one of those immense talents coming out of college that was a surefire pick. The 1983 Heisman Trophy winner, he’d go pro in 1984- but throw the NFL for a loop jumping to the USFL and be signed by the Pittsburgh Maulers. He’d amass 792 yards and 3 touchdowns on 223 carries his rookie season. Tempted to jump back to the NFL, Rozier would resign and play for the Jacksonville Bulls in 1985 crushing opponents for 1361 yards on  320 carries. He’d also chock in 12 touchdowns. With the USFL crumbling and his rights relinquished to the Baltimore Stars, Rozier would be drafted in the supplemental draft by the Houston Oilers of the NFL with the second overall pick in 1984. The Oilers would finish buying out his contract and he’d make the jump to the NFL.

After his rookie season where he played fullback, Rozier would play runningback for the rest of his career from 1986 on out.  A great mixture of power and speed, injuries quickly limited Mike’s production in the NFL in an age where arthroscopic knee surgeries were not necessarily a given to rehabilitate players. Rozier would go to the ProBowl in 1987 (957 yards), and 1988 (1002 yards). By 1989 the team was utilizing a runningback by committee approach with Lorenzo White, Alonzo Highsmith, and Allen Pinkett alongside Rozier, but with the departure of head coach Jerry Glanville, Mike would be cut by the Oilers in 1990 after 3 games.  He reunited immediately with Glanville who was now in Atlanta and put up 675 yards in 13 games. Seeking a new contract after the season for roughly $1 million, Rozier briefly toyed with the idea of signing with the WLAF’s Birmingham Fire, but with comparatively low salaries- it probably never really entered into a serious negotiation. Mike would get his wish however and resign with the Falcons playing in 11 games and finishing out with 361 yards, but after arthoscopic knee surgery in January of that year he’d soon after announce his retirement.

After football, Mike moved back to New Jersey where he was born. Unfortunately in 1995, he was shot in his hometown of Camden where he suffered internal injuries to his liver. In 2003, he was brought back to Nebraska for a team reunion, and in 2005 Mike was inducted into the Camden sports Hall of Fame and the New Jersey Hall of Fame. Finally, in 2006 Mike Rozier was inducted into the College Football HoF.

G/Gs 92/59        Rush 1159      Yds  4462      Avg 3.8      Td 30    lg 67    |
Rec 90    Yds 715    Avg  7.9  Td 1   lg  52

CFL, NFL, usfl

Verdin, Clarence

Card: ProSet LL 1991
Acquired: TTM 1992, Colts Blitz

Clarence Verdin was a refugee from the Houston Gamblers of the USFL. With deceptive speed and great cutting ability, Verdin would light up the scoreboard in 1984 and 1985 under the Run N Shoot offense, before heading over in 1986 to play for the… -Washington Redskins where he would win a Superbowl playing for the team. Clarence would spend two seasons there, before the Colts picked Verdin up where he’d really be known as the team’s primary return man and as a spot wide receiver. He would see the endzone on occasion and treat fans to his touchdown celebration in something he called ‘the Verdance’. Clarence would go to the ProBowl in 1990 and 1992 for his return skills, leading the team in touchdowns in 1992 with 2, and returns (50) and yards (1050) in 1993. After the 1993 season, he would sign with Falcons, before an abbrieviated 6 game stint in the CFL in 1996, for the British Columbia Lions.

At last glance in 2003 Clarence was living in the New Orleans area, owned a series of barber shops and worked for an oil corporation. Below is a video of one of his returns from his days playing days in the USFL.

G/Gs 118/25  Kr 237   Yds 8076  Avg 20.8   Td 1  Lg 88T |
Pr 178   Yds 1650  Avg 9.3   Td 4   Lg 84t

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ds15aLbmMgI

NFL, usfl

Carthon, Maurice

Card: Score Supplemental 1989
Acquired: TTM 1992, Colts Blitz

The season had ended and I got a letter two weeks later stuffed with cards from the Indianapolis Colts! For a team that finished- 1-15, it still made me super happy to get these cards from the players.  Maurice Carthon was in that lot.  Initially unheralded Maurice Carthon- blocking fullback to the stars- would be signed by the upstart USFL, where he’d block for the New Jersey Generals and… football rushing record holder Herschel Walker. After the 1985 season, Carthon didn’t miss a beat jumping straight to the New York Giants.  A strong inside runner with excellent run blocking skills and impressive pass protection ability, Maurice would play for the Giants primarily during the Bill Parcells era winning a championship ring in both SuperBowls XXI and XXV. Carthon would play one season for the Colts in 1992 where I’d get his autograph, and then retire. Since then Maurice has spent his entire post playing career as an assistant in the NFL with the Patriots, Jets, Lions, Cowboys, Browns, Cardinals, and as of this post in 2010 with the Chiefs. He is considered an apostle of the Parcells’ coaching tree working for Bill at three different teams.

G/Gs  123/77    Rush 300       Yds 950       Avg  3.2    Td 2    lg 18 |
Rec 90    Yds 745   Avg 8.3    Td 1   lg 63