NFL

Porter, Joey

Cards: Upper Deck 2009, Score 2009
Acquired: TTM 2016, C/o The Pittsburgh Steelers
Sent: 8/22    Received: 9/12   (21 days)

Joey Porter pound for pound was one of the most dominant linebackers of the 2000s.  Taken in the 3rd round of the 1999 draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers, Joey was still pretty raw to the linebacker position, something he had switched to from H-Back during his college days at Colorado State.

He’d bide his time on special teams generally over the course of his rookie year. Still he’d record his first professional touchdown on a forced fumble from Neil O’Donnell.  In 2000, he’d start his first full 16 game slate for the Steelers at right outside linebacker, recording 10.5 sacks, and another fumble that he’d return for a TD- that time as he victimized Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb. He’d also notch his first career safety.  In 2002, Joey earned his only All Pro nomination, with a career high 60 tackles, and 4 interceptions for 153 yards, to go along with 9 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles.  Porter also went to Hawaii after the season and also in 2004 and 2005 while with the Steelers.

Joey took his show to Miami in 2007 where he was unleashed upon the AFC East. Adding teeth to the Dolphin defense, Joey played all over the field at linebacker, outside linebacker, and at defensive end. In 2008 he’d make one more Pro Bowl, as he had a career high 17.5 sacks.  After the 2009 season, Joey signed with the Arizona Cardinals. He’d play for them through the 2011 season, and then retire after signing a one day contract with the Steelers in 2012.

Joey entered the coaching ranks, first as a defensive assistant at Colorado State in 2013. Afterwards he joined the Steelers in the same capacity, honing his knowledge under then defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau in 2014.  He’d be promoted to linebackers coach in 2015, a capacity in which Joey’s served through 2017.

Among his honors, Joey was named to the NFL 2000’s All Decade team and the Pittsburgh Steelers All-Time Team. In 2016 he also was nominated to the Pro Football Hall of Fame but did not make the final cut. He kindly signed these two cards for me through the Steelers in under 30 days.

G/GS 188/171   TAC 498   SAC 98.0   FUM 25
INT 12   YDS 233    AVG 19.4     TD 1    LG 84

NFL

Rush, Cooper

Cards: Sage 2017  (#184/250), Sage 2017 Peak Performance
Acquired:  2017, Hobby Box Breaker

Cooper Rush played college football for Central Michigan. There for the Chippewas, Cooper passed for3,848 yards, 25 touchdowns, 11 interceptions, on an impressive 66.3 completion percentage in 2015, earning him second team All-MAC. His numbers slipped in 2016 to 3,540 passing yards, 23 touchdowns and 16 interceptions, and a 59.8 completion percentage. Still it was a good enough effort on Cooper’s part to earn 3rd team All-MAC.  Starting all but 3 games over his time at CMU, Cooper just finished 12 yards shy of Dan LeFevour’s school career passing record.

An intelligent quarterback with a quick read, timing, and accuracy, Cooper was a team captain during his Junior and Senior seasons. The big knock on Cooper is that he is just not a well-defined athlete. He completely failed the meat market eye test, and his arm strength was questionable at best.  Cooper was not selected in the 2017 NFL draft.

With the ‘retirement’ of Tony Romo, the Dallas Cowboys were looking for a quarterback late in the 2017 NFL draft to develop. Unable to find a project they liked, management elected to make Cooper a priority free agent signing. It makes sense as pre-draft, Cooper was compared to Cowboys second string quarterback Kellen Moore. In the meantime, the Cowboys can groom Cooper as a camp arm or practice squad guy until they get him up to the speed of the pro game.

NFL, WLAF

Matusz, Roman ‘Tooz’

Card: Wild Card WLAF 1992
Acquired: TTM 2017, C/o Work
Sent: 4/11  Received: 4/21   (10 days)

Selected in the 11th round of the 1990 NFL draft, man mountain offensive tackle Roman Matusz went collegiality to Pitt.  At 6’4″, 285,  Roman was Team Captain of the Panther offensive line that ranked 13th nationally in total rushing yards. Roman was selected by the Montreal Machine in the 1992 WLAF Player Draft.  He’d start at tackle for the franchise that’d average 104 yards rushing a game, but on the flipside allow 4.4 sacks a game. After the season, the Machine like all WLAF franchises was reorganized.

Roman retired from football and transitioned into the financial industry. Currently he lives in Pittsburgh where he is a Co-General Agent at Mass Mutual.

Celebrating the game, the players, the cards, and the autographs for over 25 years.