Tag Archives: Arizona Cardinals

NFL

Miller, Chris

Cards: Pinnacle 1992, Upper Deck 1991, Skybox 1992, ProSet 1991,ProSet 1990,ProLine 1992, Proline Profiles 1992, Upper Deck 1992.
Acquired: In Person 1993, CGA Youth Golf Tournament
See Also: Chris Miller 2

Out of the University of Oregon, the Atlanta Falcons drafted Chris Miller with their first round pick of the 1987 draft under head coach Marion Campbell. A solid, traditional drop back passer with great mechanics, Chris was also a talented pitcher who threw for the Bellingham Mariners and Salinas Spurs in 1986.

He’d be slowly brought along by the team, but by his second year, Chris established himself as the starting quarterback of the Falcons. In 1989, despite the team’s bad record, Chris led the NFL with the lowest interception ratio at 1.9%. Oddly Miller is one of those strange quarterbacks who had a good touchdown to interception ratio, but had a losing record.

It wouldn’t be till 1991 when head coach Jerry Glanville took charge and installed the Red Gun offense that Miller would take fire, leading the team to the playoffs, posting his best record and statistics as a professional. He’d also go to the Pro Bowl after the season- one of the major highlights of his career.  He’d leave the Falcons and sign with the Rams, staying there for two seasons in 1994 and 1995, before retiring due to a concussion.

He would heroically return in 1999 to play for the Broncos- but once again he’d suffer another concussion and retire for good.

Since pro ball, Chris has coached at the High School level back in Oregon before he was hired to be the Cardinals quarterbacks coach in 2008. I met him at the CGA youth golf tournament where he signed every card I had on me in exchange for the 17×24″ drawing I did of him. He was really impressed by the likeness that I did of him.

G/Gs 98/92    Att 2892     Comp 1580    Yds 19320   Pct 54.6
Td 123   Int 102   Rat 74.9

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

NFL

Joyner, Seth

Card: Action Packed 1992
Acquired: In Person, Philadelphia Eagles Training Camp 1993, West Chester, PA.

I got Seth’s autograph on my trip to Philadelphia Eagles Training Camp back in 1993 at West Chester, PA.

A dominant linebacker who could enforce the run as well as play the pass, Seth Joyner was drafted in the 8th round of the 1986 draft and played for the Philadelphia Eagles, Arizona Cardinals, Green Bay Packers and Denver Broncos over a 13 year career.  A three time Pro Bowl selection (1991,93, and 94) he was also runner up for the AP NFL defensive player of the year in 1991, and the SI NFL player of the year that same year. After winning Superbowl XXXIII with the Denver Broncos he retired as a member of 20/20 club. A rare breed of linebacker that has at least 20 picks and 20 sacks in their career. (Rickey Jackson, a member of this club was just inducted into the HoF in 2010.) Since retiring to Arizona Seth has become an avid golfer and does NFL analysis work for a variety of networks on the radio and on TV and continues to be beloved by the Eagles’ faithful.