James played LB at Baylor (1986-’89) where over his career he posted 434 total career tackles.
In 1989, he set an NCAA single-season record with eight blocked kicks.
Earned SWC Player of the Year honors in 1989, when he totaled 129 total tackles, 4 interceptions for 99 yards, 8 sacks, and 3 fumble recoveries.
He also moonlighted on the Baylor basketball team as well in the off season.
A first round pick of the Cincinnatti Bengals in 1990, he had 78 combined tackles, 8 sacks, and an interception that he returned 17 yards for a TD at ROLB.
He’d convert to LOLB in 1992, and add 6 more sacks to his resume and another 3 picks for 108 yards including a 66 yard TD.
In 1994, Francis had a career high 101 total tackles when he moved to LLB.
Added another 3 pick season in 1996, returning another one 42 yards for a TD.
Joined the Redskins in 1999, playing there for one season.
Retired before he turned 32, citing that it wasn’t fun anymore and that losing just drags on you after a while.
Lives in Central Texas, and has kicked the tires on going into coaching.
Action Packed 1992, #33
ACCOLADES:
All Rookie Team 1990
Baylor Hall of Fame 2001
NOTES:
James doesn’t sign TTM so I had to get as many of his cards signed as I could through a very affordable paid signing.
It’s said that Jimmy Johnson of the Cowboys during the 1990 draft really wanted to draft James Francis in the first round to man his defense over eventual Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith. He didn’t get the chance to debate it as Francis went off the board at #12 overall and Smith went off at #17. One has to wonder how the trajectory of the Cowboys might have been altered if Francis was still sitting on the board at #17.
Francis makes an appearance in Tecmo Superbowl where he’s a pretty solid option to play at LB.
Pat saw limited playing time in the Fighting Irish secondary until 1988, when he had 38 total tackles, 2 picks for 84 yards, 2 fumble recoveries and a TD.
He became the leader at Safety in 1989, posting 44 tackles, 9 pass deflections, 5 interceptions for 96 yards, a fumble recovery and a TD.
With a solid sub 4.4 40, Pat was a lock first round pick, selected by the DB needy Los Angeles Rams in 1990.
The Rams deployed Pat eventually at free safety, and he’d play for the franchise through the 1993 season.
After a season with the Jets in 1994, Pat saw a renaissance when he signed with the expansion Carolina Panthers in 95.
In 1995 and 96 he arguably had his best pair of seasons back to back posting 3 interceptions and 60+ tackles in each while playing free safety.
Needing a replacement for departed safety Eugene Robinson, the Packers signed Pat in 1998.
He’d see action in 3 contests, recording a pick, retiring after the season.
NOTES:
Pat is a very successful businessman and owns Terrell Materials Corp, which specializes in large concrete batches. I had failed on him way, way back in 2011, so I was tickled to make him my first success of 2023, especially considering he has such a low rate.
Action Packed was one of my favorite sets when I was younger. I’m now closing in on the last 15 or so of the set that need to be autographed, a mere 33 years later.
CARDS: Pro Set 1989, Action Packed 1990, Action Packed Rookies & Stars 1990 ACQUIRED: 2022, Private Signing
CAREER SNAPSHOT:
Andre Rison was a dominant receiver who played at Michigan State.
He established career record marks for receptions (146), and yards (2992).
Also was a great basketball and track man for the Spartans.
Selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the first round of the 1989 NFL draft.
Was second among all rookie receivers in 1989 with 820 yards, and was the first Colts receiver in almost 10 years to catch over 50 passes in their rookie season (52).
He and Bill Brooks were an effective 1-2 punch, pairing for the most 100 yard games since ’68.
Well in 1990, the Colts were desperate for a QB, so they packaged up Andre, T Chris Hinton, and draft picks to get the #1 pick from the Falcons to select Jeff George.
While the Colts were imploding over the next few years, Rison was reaching new heights in the Falcons Red Gun offense.
He also adopted a bad boy persona and became known as ‘Bad Moon’ Rison.
He had a career high 93 receptions in ’92, 1,242 yards , and a league leading 15 TDs in 1994.
Andre started 73 games over his time in Atlanta, catching 423 passes for 5633 yards and 56 TDs over 5 seasons.
In 1995, Andre signed with the Browns playing one seasons with the team.
After a disappointing season in Cleveland, where he feuded with fans, Rison played in 1996 for the Jags, and then was picked up by the Pack who needed help at receiver.
He’d earn a Super Bowl ring that season catching passes from Brett Favre.
Rison cashed in after the season, proving that perhaps he just needed a change of scenery from his hiccup two previous seasons ago in Cleveland.
Andre had a minor resurgence after he signed with the Chiefs in 1997.
He’d catch 72 passes for 1092 yards and 7 TDs, earning the nickname Spider-man.
Rison at this point of his career was attempting to rehabilitate his image as a diva, and Spider-man seemed like a positive role model.
After a total of 3 seasons in KC, Rison played one final year in the NFL with the Raiders in Oakland.
Despite not starting that year, he put up 41 catches for 606 yards and 6 TDs.
Rison took some time away from the sport, but returned in 2004 to play for the Toronto Argonauts.
He played just long enough to help the team win the Grey Cup, and retired after the 2005 campaign.
After his playing days ended, Andre has gone into coaching.
Pro Set 1989, #497Action Packed 1990, #107
ACCOLADES:
Michigan Sports Hall of Fame
All-Rookie Team 1989
AP 1990
2nd Team AP 1991-’93
Pro Bowl 1990-’93, 1997
NOTES:
Boasting an extremely low signing percentage and an ancient last return date there was no way I was going to get Andre through the mail. I knew the best chance I’d have is to probably go through a private signing. I follow a couple of private signers and Facebook pages that promote them, and finally after missing out on one already- I was able to get him affordably on these three cards. The problem is with Andre, as he was an early darling of every set that came onto the scene in those early days of the big card boom, so I literally have probably five or six more set needs. Andre was an excellent receiver on the Atlanta Falcons in Tecmo Super Bowl and Super Tecmo Bowl.
Andre has a pretty solid resume, but maybe due to his bad image early in his career that caused him to be perceived as a diva, and then just as a bad guy in general, he’s gotten little traction from voters for the HoF, even though he’s gone to great lengths to dispel his reputation. Despite possessing a 10k resume, and impressive TD numbers, Rison is now caught in the logger jam at WR building from more modern candidates that have inflated numbers due to a game geared more towards the passing game. Andre is also one of a unique club of players who has won both a Grey Cup and a Super Bowl.
NFL
REC
YDS
AVG
TD
LG
743
10205
13.7
84
80t
CFL
REC
YDS
AVG
TD
LG
15
178
11.9
1
35
Celebrating the game, the players, the cards, and the autographs for over 25 years.
