Tag Archives: first korean american to be drafted in the first round of NFL draft

NFL

Chung, Eugene (2)

Card: Action Packed Rookies 1992
Acquired: 2017, Trade
See Also: Eugene Chung

Eugene since his playing days has slowly edged into coaching throughout the pro tree working with current Eagles head coach Doug Pederson, and also respectable offensive line coaches Juan Castillo and Howard Mudd .  From 2010-2012 his title with the Eagles was Assistant Offensive Line Coach. He served in the same capacity with the Chiefs from 2013-2015.  Afterwards Chung rejoined the Eagles under Pederson and now serves as the Assistant Offensive Line Coach/ Tight Ends/ Run Game Coach.

I had considered sending out this card to Eugene for sometime as I needed it for the set, but something else always came up. D-Rock, a respectable collector from Sportscollectors.net remembered that I was an Action Packed fan from years ago, and out of the blue offered to send me one for free. He said that the person who originally got the autograph was going to throw it out because there was a slight smear. (That’s just terrible.) We both agreed that it’d be something that we’d add to our collections regardless. It just so happened that he also wanted one of the Hart Lee Dykes autographs I got. The cards that were returned to me were not mine and I wasn’t particularly attached to the Upper Deck 1991 (it’s a terrible photo) so I offered to send it in exchange for Eugene’s autograph. It meant a lot to me that he remembered me and I was glad to trade him this card he needed for his set as well.

NFL

Chung, Eugene

Card: Classic 1992
Acquired: TTM 1993, Patriots Blitz

Eugene Chung is considered one of the by products of the Herschel Walker trade that Dallas consummated with the Minnesota Vikings. The Cowboys would turn around and trade the pick to the Patriots to help Dallas acquire Russell Maryland. The Patriots selected Chung 13th overall out of Virginia Tech, making him the first Korean American to be drafted in the first round of an NFL draft. He’d quietly play for the Patsies through 1994 on a line that included 1991 first round draft choice Pat Harlow and perennial All-Pro Bruce Armstrong.

Chung then was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars during their expansion draft going 26th overall. He’d play one season for the expansion Jags and then sit out a season, before playing one final season with the Indianapolis Colts in 1997.  He attempted to play for both the Chiefs in 1998 and 1999, and then later the Eagles in 2000 and soon thereafter retired.

Chung over his brief NFL career would play in 55 games, starting 30.