Tag Archives: cleveland browns

NFL

Birden, JJ

flr95 birden poff92 birden

gday92 birdenCards: ProSet 1992, Gameday 1992, Gameday 1993. Fleer 1995, Playoff 1993, business card.
Acquired: TTM 2015, C/o Home
Sent: 10/13     Received: 10/31     (18 days)

A walkon on the Oregon Ducks football team in 1984, JJ was used sparingly until his Junior season, when he caught 20 balls for 257 yards. He’d record 19 more receptions for 399 yards and his first touchdown in his senior season.  Over his 4 years at Oregon, JJ had 45 receptions for 739 yards and a TD.

gday93 birdenBirden was drafted in the 8th round of the 1988 draft by the Cleveland Browns. JJ was shocked to be drafted because he was known primarily as a track man at Oregon.  He’d be injured in camp and spend his entire rookie season on IR. In 1989, he spent time on the Browns, and later the Cowboys practice squads.

It all began to come together in 1990 for JJ. He’d sign with the Chiefs, reuniting him with former Browns head coach Marty Schottenheimer.  Although Birden started no games during the season, he finally got on the field, contributing 15 receptions for 352 yards and 3 TDs.  In fact it wasn’t until 1992 that he finally was able to crack the starting lineup.  1993 would be his best season as a pro, starting all 16 games at receiver. He’d catch 51 balls for 721 yards and 2 TDs. Birden played one more season for the Chiefs in 1994, before signing with the Falcons. JJ played 2 more season for
Atlanta, retiring after the 1996 season.

mem15 birdenpset92 birdenJJ is a fighter through and through. Displaying toughness, grit, and heart, Birden fought uphill to make it on NFL rosters throughout much of his early career. He was also frequently tasked with taking on players that were sometimes 100 lbs or more to block. Since football he has continued to demonstrate this through his commitment to his family and in business. He specializes in Network Marketing

A solid and reliable TTM signer, JJ signed 5 cards for me and threw in a signed business card as well.  Some great cards her of JJ, it’s hard to single out one that I like the best, but the Gameday cards are among my favorite. If you want to read more, you can visit him at his website at www.jjbirden.com .

G/Gs 93/62     Rec 244      Yds 3441    Avg 14.1     Td  17      LG 90t
PR 15    Yds 115     Avg 7.7     Td 0    Lg 22
KR   1     Yds 14        Avg 14.0   Td 0    Lg 14

 

NFL

Dixon, Hanford “Top Dawg”

pset89 hdixonCard: ProSet 1989
Acquired: 2014, Trade

Hanford Dixon was a dominating defensive back who played his entire 9 season career with the Cleveland Browns from 1981-1989.  A 3 time Pro Bowl pick, Hanford slid in at right cornerback and was later paired with Frank Minnefield after the USFL folded. One of the greatest physical man to man players of his generation, Dixon and Minnefield gave the Oilers wide receivers fits -barking all the way. Hanford was the originator of the ‘Dawg Pound’ name given to the Browns rowdy end zone fans. He thought that the Browns defenders were like dogs and the opposing offenses were cats they were chasing all day.

Teams were aware of the ballhawking Dixon and threw the other direction. He intercepted 26 passes over his career with the Browns. In 1990, the Browns left Dixon unprotected via Plan B and signed respectable Patriot Raymond Clayborn to replace him. With the writing on the wall Hanford signed with the San Fransisco 49ers in 1990, but tore a quadriceps muscle during the preseason. He opted to retire.

Dixon is immortalized as a member of the Browns in Nintendo’s Tecmo Bowl, where they shoved the star corner in at safety.  They did get Hanford right however and made him one of the most dominant players in the game. Hanford continues to live in the Cleveland area where he’s a fan favorite.  He did some coaching for the LFL Cleveland Crush,  and also color and analyst work for gridiron and Arena football games in Ohio.

Last year I took a few extra autographs I had sitting around and sent them out as gifts to friends who had helped me along the way TTM. Among them was Deadhorse, who located a few players I had been looking for. He quit sportscollectors.net cold and from what I could tell was out of the business. He went to an IP signing earlier this year in Ohio and got this extra card signed for me, sending it out of the blue.

G/Gs 131/128         Tac   n/a       Sac  2.0      Fum 2
Int 26       Yds  225         Avg 8.6         Td  0         Lg  37

NFL

Brennan, Brian

pset89 brennanCards: Topps 1990,
Acquired: TTM 2015, C/o Home
Sent: 2/9      Received: 2/22  (11 days)
Failure: TTM 2011, C/o Home

Brian Brennan was a consistently unheralded receiver in the Browns receiving corps from back in the 80s. Reliable, with good hands and route running, Brennan was a player who made it despite the naysayers by sheer grit and determination- almost like a prehistoric Kevin Walter.

to90 brennanBrian was an All-American wide receiver and established Boston College records for career receptions (115) and single season receptions (66). A teammate of Heisman Trophy Winner Doug Flutie, Brennan’s 2,180 career yards and 1,149 single-season yardage totals also set BC records. A 4th round pick of the Browns in 1984, Brian had to contribute any way he could and spent his first two years as the primary punt returner, even nabbing a TD in 1985. Never a starter in the wide receiver corps, somehow Brian managed to make big plays when they counted. His best season came in 1986 with 55 receptions for 838 yards and 5 touchdowns.  Surrounded by guys like Bernie Kosar, Ice Cube McNeil, Kevin Mack, Webster Slaughter, Ozzie Newsome, Earnest Byner, and Reggie Langhorne, Brennan always had to fight for scraps.

ap91 brennanBrian played through the 1991 season and then joined the cross state rival Bengals for a few weeks, before closing it out with the San Diego Chargers.

Since retiring Brian has worked as a broadcaster for the Browns and was inducted into the Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame in 2009. I had tried previously in the past to get Brian, since he has some surprisingly nice cards but was unsuccessful. I decided to give it another shot and got these 3 back in the mail in a short amount of time.

Rec 334     Yds 4336       Avg  13.0       Td  20      Lg   57
Pr 56     Yds 438      Avg 7.8       Td  1       Lg   37t