Thomas Sanders was one of those rare Central Texas/ hill country kids who made it big to the NFL during the 80s. Although he toiled behind mamoths such as Walter Peyton and Neal Anderson during his time with the Bears, surviving numerous challenges to his spot on the roster, he managed to put in 5 seasons with Chicago, and then tacked on 2 more with the Eagles for good measure, at the end of his career.
Thomas played for the Texas Aggies from 1980- 1984. He had his best season in his Senior year of ’84, posting 167 carries for 738 yards and a TD, to go along with 16 caches for 89 yards. Sanders parlayed his performance into a 9th round pick of the Chicago Bears in 1985. The Bears, who were never short on RB help, decided to use Thomas as a kick returner, while he occasionally moonlighted at RB. He’d win the Super Bowl in his rookie season and be a part of the Super Bowl Shuffle squad. He started his only game of his career with the Bears in 1986, and finish the season with 27 carries for 224 yards and 5 TDs. Although he’d not see such gaudy yards per carry for the remainder of his career (8.3), Thomas had a career high 95 carries for 332 yards and 9 receptions in 1988. In 1989, Thomas scored his only TD on a kick return from 96 yards out.
Sanders joined the Eagles in 1990 after a short stint with the Chargers. He’d be an injury replacement for Robert Drummond. Thomas continued to churn up dependable yards for the Eagles, actually starting 3 games in 1991. Thomas retired after the season and now lives in Texas.
Sanders got really lucky and had some nice cards produced despite his limited playtime. The ProSet is a spectacular card, but when I pulled the Action Packed 1989 card of him, I knew I had to write him.
Card: Upper Deck Legends 1997 Acquired: TTM 2020, C/o Home Sent: 5/4 Received: 5/19 (15 days)* Failure: 2010, 2017, 2018, C/o Home * Donation included
Well 4th time is the charm right? I had tried 3 times previously going back as long as- heck 11 years ago near when I first started again back in 2010. I was beginning to get quite frustrated so I spent a lot of time studying Mike’s signing habits. It always seemed that I missed him by just a few weeks on my 2017 and 2018 TTM attempts, but I think what cinched it for me is Mike and his wife are snowbirds- so I hit him up at his southern address instead of his northern address during the month of May.
Every time previously I had sent to him, I never heard anything back. I had tried all sorts of strategies, and probably flushed 8-10 cards already. The last time I sent to him, I ran out of cards that I really wanted to get signed, so I made sure to have this Legends card ready at the get go, because it was the one I really wanted to get.
This Upper Deck Legends 1997 card is an absolute treasure. I love these old press photos of players and this one of Mike is exceptional. Great action shot and expression of intensity on Mike’s face. I’m not sure if it is colorized, but regardless the colors are spot on. If you look closely enough you can see the photographers signature in the righthand corner.
Mike is brass tacks through and through. He’s the take no prisoners, make no apologies, Man’s man of football. Ditka played ball for Pitt from 1958 to 1960. He caught 45 passes for 730 yards and 7 TDs while playing wide receiver for the Panthers. A fine athlete who excelled at basketball and baseball as well- Ditka was added to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1986.
He was drafted during the NFL-AFL war in 1961, and opted to sign with the Bears (over the Oilers). The Bears wisely transitioned Mike to tight end in the pros, and thanks to his unique size, speed, hands, toughness, and athletic talent, Mike redefined the position for future generations. He caught 56 passes for 1,076 yards and 12 TDs- numbers unheard of at the time, earning him rookie of the year honors. He earned Pro Bowl honors from 1961 to 1965, and All-Pro nominations in 1963 and 1964.
In 1966 the Eagles traded QB Jack Concannon and an unspecified 1968 draft pick to the Bears for Mike. During his time with the Eagles however, Mike never started a full 14 season for the team, however he still managed to catch 39 passes for 385 yards. The Cowboys then stepped forward and traded defensive end David McDaniels for Mike in 1969. Mike spent the next 4 years there, as a key backup, although he started the entire final game of his career in 1972, and caught a TD during Super Bowl VI in 1971.
Mike jumped into coaching with the Cowboys in 1973. He earned loads of experience over the next 9 seasons under head coach Tom Landry. Mike proved you could indeed return home, as he became head coach of the Chicago Bears in 1982. Ditka built a winner out of the Bears, culminating in Da’ Bears 46-10 win in Super Bowl XX, where they are considered the second best team in the history of the league. The Bears continued to be the Monsters of the Midway again, trademarked by a stingy defense, and a strong running game, earning 3 more trips to the NFC Championship.
Mike even suffered a heart attack in 88, but managed to coach the team for the majority of the season. The Bears continued to represent well, but by 1992 the game was up for Mike in Chicago. He was hired by the Saints in 1997, however he did not see the same measure of success that he enjoyed in Chicago. Mike is notable for trading his entire 1999 draft class to Washington to draft Ricky Williams.
Mike was the first tight end enshrined into the the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1988, and in 1989, his number was retired by the Bears in 1989. He’s done color commentating and analyst work on both radio and TV for CBS, NBC, and ESPN, and across the country.
He owns restaurants, plays golf, chomps cigars, and owns classic cars, but is passionate about raising money for former NFL players in need of medical help. Mike also was involved with video games, coming out with his own brand of football games, released during the early 90s, and was an owner of the Chicago Rush of the Arena Football League at one point.
An offensive mastermind, Mike Martz has had a career in coaching that has lasted nearly 50 years, in stops through college and the pros. He’d make his mark after joining the Los Angeles Rams in 1992 as a quarterbacks coach, and after the franchise moved to St. Louis in 1995, he moved to coach the wide receivers. After a brief stay with the Redskins in 97 and 98, Martz returned to the Rams, as the franchise’s offensive coordinator in 1999 as they won Super Bowl XXXIV over the Tennessee Titans- with ‘The Greatest Show on Turf’.
“He was by far the smartest football mind I’ve ever been around. The things he was teaching was so far ahead of what others were teaching.”
– Rams QB Marc Bulger
In 2000, Mike would replace retiring Dick Vermeil as head coach, but the Rams failed to return to the Super Bowl, losing in the wild card to the Saints. Martz’s Rams rebounded in a big way in 2001, posting a 14-2 record and returning to the Super Bowl, but ultimately losing to the New England Patriots on a last second field goal. Mike coached with the Rams through 2005 and finished with a 53-32 record. His teams made the playoffs 4 times and finished in either first or second place every season.
Mike since then has coached with the Lions, 49ers, and Bears, as an offensive coordinator. He semi-retired from the sport in 2012, working as an analyst and occasional NFLPA Collegiate Bowl coach, before deciding to give it another shot in 2018.
“It didn’t make any difference whether I was in high school. That’s what you do. You walk onto the practice field, and that’s who you are, that’s what you are. I can’t stop and go. That’s just where it is. To be any different would cheat these players. I love this game. I wouldn’t disrespect it by not being intense.”
-Mike Martz
Mike led the Fleet to a 3-5 record, dogged by quarterback issues. Still there were shades of the mad genius coming through with the Fleet as they finished second in total yards (2,649 yards), passing yards (1,798), and 4th in rushing (851 yards).
As previously discussed, AAF certified autographs from coaches are severely overpriced. Thankfully with all the XFL hoopla this autographed card snuck under the EBay radar set with a low bid. Typically Martz’s certifieds have floated around anywhere between 30-75 dollars. I think I sniped this one out under 10. It was doubly happy to nab this one, as Mike is not a great signer through the mail.
Mike was within two feet in the visitors’ endzone coaching his quarterbacks before the Fleet’s opener, but feeling his intensity, I chickened out on chatting it up with him or asking for his autograph. Charlie Ebersol came up to Mike and chatted with him about the league before they shuffled off to another drill.
Celebrating the game, the players, the cards, and the autographs for over 25 years.
