Tag Archives: detroit lions

NFL, Pro Football HoF

Sanders, Charlie (1946-2015)

Upper Deck Legends 1997, #164

Card: Upper Deck Legends 1997
Acquired: EBay 2021

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Charlie played his college ball for Minnesota (66/67) recording 21 receptions for 276 yards and 2 TDs in his Senior Season.
  • 3rd round draft selection of the Detroit Lions who quickly established himself as the premier TE in the NFL.
  • Sanders recorded a career high 42 receptions for 656 yards and 2 TDs in 1969.
  • During dead ball era, he managed to put up between 400 and 600 yards in 9 of 10 seasons played, and 30 or more receptions in 7 of 10 seasons.
  • Sanders led team in receptions in 6 of his 10 seasons with franchise.

ACCOLADES:

  • Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame 2007
  • Lions All-Time Team 2008
  • M Club Hall of Fame 2013
  • Michigan Sports Hall of Fame 1990
  • North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame 1997
  • Guilford County Sports HoF (NC) 2005
  • NFL All-Decade Team 1970’s
  • NFL Pro Bowl 1968-1971, 1974-1976
  • NFL All-Pro 1969-1971
  • NFL All-Time Team 100th Anniversary Finalist
  • ‘Pride of the Lions’ Ring of Honor

NOTES:

After his playing days concluded, Sanders continued to be involved with the Lions organization as a color man for local broadcasts and later as a WR coach and scout. Charlie was heavily involved in charitable activities, providing college scholarships to people in need, and started his own celebrity golf tournament.

While getting his knee replaced, a malignant tumor was discovered. Sanders passed away in 2015 after battling cancer.

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AAF, NFL

Bly, Dré

Card: Score 2010
Acquired: TTM 2020, C/o Home
Sent: Received: 11/30 (days)

Dré Bly was a second round pick of the then St. Louis Rams in 1999 out of North Carolina. A speedy cornerback, Dré finished his Freshman season at the school in 1996 with an unheard of 11 interceptions, and then later set the conference record for career interceptions with 20. He spent the next 4 seasons with the team, appearing in 2 Superbowls. Bly had his best season arguably in 2001 when he recorded 29 total tackles, 1 forced fumble, 9 pass deflections, and 6 interceptions for 150 yards and 2 TDs (including a 93 yarder).

In 2003, Dré signed with the Detroit Lions, anchoring down their secondary for the next 4 seasons. He immediately paid dividends for the Lions, posting 6 more interceptions for 89 yards and a TD, along with 15 pass deflections, 5 forced fumbles, and 55 total tackles. Later in 2005, Bly again picked off 6 passes, forced 3 fumbles, and recorded 15 pass deflections.

Bly was traded to the Denver Broncos in 2007 for a 5th round pick and two players. True to form, Dré again led his newfound team in interceptions, adding another 5 to his career numbers. He’d be released in early 2009, and join the 49ers a few months later. After a season in SF, when Bly posted 3 interceptions and 2 forced fumbles, he returned home to the Lions in 2010 where he retired.

Dré apparently had been wanting to go into coaching. He was offered his first professional gig by the San Diego Fleet of the Alliance of American Football in 2019, but apparently seeing the tea leaves early on or seizing an opportunity to return home, opted to coach defensive backs at his alma mater North Carolina.

It won’t surprise me if eventually Dré gets his due and is inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame for his gaudy numbers. While his skills did translate to the pro level, with some impressive numbers for a corner (20 forced fumbles, 149 pass deflections), people still look at the overrated interception number to determine HOF eligibility IMHO- and with a backlog at the position of players who haven’t even been considered that have 50 interceptions, I doubt Bly will truly get his fair due.

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Arena, NFL, WLAF

Whelihan, Tom

Card: Ultimate 1992 World League
Acquired: TTM 2020, C/o Home
Sent: 9/11 Received: 9/22 (11 days)

Tom Whelihan played kicker and punter in college at Missou. While there he set numerous school records including the longest field goal in school history- at 62 yards. He finished 44/63 on field goals, while punting 159 times for 6570 yards.

He spent the next few seasons in camp with the Packers (1988), the Lions and Chargers (1989) and the Bears (1990). Tom was selected by the Frankfurt Galaxy of the World League in 1991 to play punter. Whelihan had 49 punts for 1846 yards while pinning 18 opponents inside their own 20 yard line.

In 1995 he emerged again stateside playing for the Arena Football League playing for the St Louis Stampede, and then in 1997 for the Albany Firebirds.

A great autograph from Tom, as he also reminded me that the Galaxy did beat the Riders in San Antonio in 1991 in a 10-3 yawner of a contest.

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