In 1978 campaign tied NFL record for most receiving touchdowns for a rookie with 13- to lead the NFL.
Led the NFL in receptions (82) , yards (1,340) and TDs (13) in 1980.
Held out in a salary dispute in 1981 and was promptly traded to the Packers.
Caught 149 passes for 2253 yards and 11 TDs over 4 years in Green Bay.
Held out in 1985- and was traded to the Cleveland Browns, where he played his final season, catching 3 passes for 30 yards in 2 starts.
Signed with the Houston Oilers for the 1986 season- but did not make the squad, retiring at the age of 29.
Went into coaching briefly and then was the Director of Player Development for the Washington Redskins from 2008-’09.
ACCOLADES:
College Football Hall of Fame 2002
Arizona State Hall of Fame 1979
All Pro 1979, ’80
Pro Bowl 1978-’80, ’82
All Rookie Team 1978
San Diego Chargers 50th Anniversary Team
NOTES:
Well before Eric Dickerson and long before Rodrigo Blankenship, John Jefferson really popularized the goggle glasses. He’s got a great autograph, that matched his playing style and willingness to dive out for those acrobatic catches.
So way, way back in 1992 or so when I got his autograph through the Packers, Darrell signed my cards with a D—— T——-. That’s it! It was pretty uninspiring.
When I unpacked the cards and started looking at the autographs online, I noticed that Darrell was a voracious signer, and that he was signing his full autograph- which is a lot better than his original. So over the years, I kicked the tires on mailing out a few more cards to him to get autographed. That was probably 15-ish years ago?
I always wanted to get the Action Packed 1990 Rookies card replaced, so I tossed that in along with a few others. He not only signed the cards, he also wrote a really nice note- saying that he’d try harder <in regards to the autograph this time around>.
I had thoroughly given up on getting Curtis back on the cards I sent and the photo I included- so much so that I had went ahead and done a private signing with him included back in 2024. At that time I had gotten nearly everything I wanted signed by him and since then its become more of a what-photo-looks-best kind of thing.
Lo and behold I got a manila envelope with no return address a few days ago at an old address and inside were 4 autographed cards from Curtis, my original letter, the signed dual photo of him and Haywood, and my original SASE. There wasn’t an explanation provided, though I sorta figured he was digging to the bottom of his mailbag from COVID and clearing things out.
Since I had gotten nearly everything else already signed, the Score 1993, (which I derogatorily call ‘The Domino’s Pizza set’ due to its design,) was a great photo card to add to the collection.
This return- clocking in at a little over 5 years vaults this return into the top 10 longest waits.
Celebrating the game, the players, the cards, and the autographs for over 25 years.
