Tag Archives: chicago bears

NFL

McKinnon, Dennis “Silky D”

Card: Pro Set 1989
Acquired: In Person 1990, Dallas Cowboys Training Camp

Well we went to an event at Westlake High School in Austin that year when the Cowboys were hosting a scrimmage there. After the game they let the fans swarm the field to find players and get autographs of. I think I got Dennis and roughly 10 other players that evening on cards.

A free agent signee by the Chicago Bears in 1983 from Florida State, Dennis McKinnon would serve as a backup wide receiver and starting punt returner, where Mike Ditka would state: “He’s the best blocking receiver I’ve ever seen.” Starting 3 games his rookie season, Dennis made 20 receptions for 326 yards and 4 touchdowns and return 34 punts for 316 yards and a touchdown. McKinnon would win the Superbowl with the 85 bears, averaging a career high 17.9 yards a reception, but lost his entire 1986 to injury. Returning to the team fold in 1987, McKinnon returned punts again and had 40 of them for 405 yards and 2 touchdowns, including a long of 94 yards.  1988 would see career highs in yards receiving with 704 and a 76 yard bomb.

In 1990, Dennis signed via Plan B with the Dallas Cowboys where he started 7 games making 14 receptions for 172 yards and a touchdown, before injuries ended his 1990 season. He’d attempt a comeback with the Miami Dolphins in 1991 but did not make the roster and retired. Currently he’s CEO and president of Bearly Active Productions which provides motivational speakers, catering and celebrity appearances to corporate events.

G/Gs  94/60      Rec  194     Yds   3012     Avg 15.5    Td  22     Lg  76   |
Pr  129    Yds  1191    Avg  9.2     Td  2      Lg  94t

NFL

Cook, Marv

Cards: SkyBox 1992, Proset 1991
Acquired: TTM 1992, 1993, Patriots Blitz

Marv Cook was another underrated player out of the University of Iowa, finishing second on the school’s all-time list with 126 catches. Drafted by the New England Patriots during their darkest times in 1989, Marv Cook would lead AFC tight ends in receptions  in 1991 when the team bottomed out. Surprisingly in 1991 he’d also be named first-team AP as his 82 receptions ranked 4th in the league that season. At the time Tecmo Super Bowl rewarded him by- making him one of the slowest receivers EVER. It didn’t help that Cook offered up a woeful 8.8 yards a reception over his career with the Patriots, but he could be counted on to make the catch in those 4 seasons with the team. Among his other accomplishments with the Patsies was that he was the first tight end in the history of the franchise to finish 3 consecutive seasons with 50 or more receptions. In 1994 Cook would head over to the Bears, starting 8 games and then finish out his career in 1995 with the St. Louis Rams in two lackluster seasons. While with the Patriots Marv wore two different jersey numbers: 46 and 85. At the time of this post Marv currently is coaching football and associated with a financial advisor network.

G/Gs 112/77   Rec  257     Yds   2190    Avg  8.5      Td  13   Lg 49

NFL

Simmons, Clyde

Card: ProSet 1990
Acquired: In Person, Philadelphia Eagles Training Camp 1994

Simply overshadowed by the presence of Reggie White on the other end, Clyde Simmons was a dominant end from Buddy Ryan’s criminally overpowered defensive line. After going to tiny Western Carolina, Clyde Simmons was drafted in the 9th round of the 1986 draft by the Philadelphia Eagles. The 86 draft is notable because it provided a lot of depth across the board- both defensively and offensively to many teams. It wasn’t an overpowering draft in terms of ProBowl and HoF talent, but it certainly yielded many recognizable names.

At 6’5″, 292, Simmons had some great measurables coming out of college and was definitely a sleeper pick, going behind such names as Tim Harris, Charles Haley, and fellow teammate Seth Joyner. After a quiet rookie season, Simmons began to ramp up his statistics and by 1989, making 15.5 sacks from the other end. He’d follow this up with 13 sacks in 1991 and a career high 19 in 1992.  In both 1991 and 1992 Simmons was named to the All-Pro team and the Pro Bowl for his contributions. Cut after training camp in 1994, Simmons signed with the Arizona Cardinals. After adjusting for a season, Simmons would again reemerge as a threat notching 11 sacks in 1995. He’d sign with the Jaguars in 1996 playing with them for two seasons making 16 sacks, before one season with the Bengals in 1998, and 2 more seasons with the Bears, retiring after the 2000 season.

Well balanced- Simmons during his time was an imposing force against the run finishing with over 100 tackles 3 times in his career. Simmons is not well remembered by fans typically outside of Philadelphia. Overshadowed by Reggie White and more boisterous members of the Eagles defense, Clyde quietly amassed 121.5 sacks over his career and in 13 straight seasons never failed to make at least 5 sacks. He’d make over 10 4 times in his career and finished 3 off from the single season NFL record in 1992.

Simmons has been doing a lot of different things since retirement in 2000.  Moving to Georgia, he worked for a mortgage company, and was a probation officer but after watching his son play football, was disgusted by the bad fundamentals players were utilizing.  Clyde decided to join the NFL’s minority coaching fellowship and was a defensive line coach for the New York Jets in 2010.

G/Gs 236/185    Tac  914       Sac  121.5    Fum 14     Int 3    Yds  85     Avg  28.3     Td  2    Lg 60t