Tyreek Hill faced an up and down college career starting as a track man at Gardena Jr College in 2012.
He’d become a hot prospect and eventually end up at Oklahoma State in 2014.
Dismissed from the Cowboys late in the year, he enrolled at West Alabama in 2015.
A versatile athlete, as a return man, receiver, and runningback, Hill displays a unique combination of skills, hands, and speed that made him an intriguing prospect.
He was selected in the 5th round of the 2016 NFL Draft as a WR by the Kansas City Chiefs, due to his dismissal from the OKC football team.
In Tyreek’s rookie year, he saw extensive time on special teams, where he led the league in punt return yards (592), average (15.2) and TDs (2).
He also had 14 kick returns for 384 yards and an 86 yard TD.
With the emergence of QB Pat Mahomes in KC, Hill became his go to bomb catcher in 2017.
Tyreek spent the next 5 years in KC raking in roughly 6,100 yards receiving and 49 TDs.
In 2022, Hill was traded in the middle of the night to the Miami Dolphins.
Despite detractors and naysayers, saying Hill was dependent on Mahomes for his numbers, Tyreek went on to have the best season of his career with 1710 yards receiving on 119 catches for Miami.
In 6 seasons, Hill has over 10k All-purpose yards, with 3 of those years over 1750 yards.
Tyreek Hill suffers from the ‘too good to be true syndrome’. Knowing these could be ghost signed I went ahead and sent these three out to get autographed. Just couldn’t miss out on getting him since he’s such a good player- with great cards to boot. After I got these back I got a ton of mail asking me if I thought these were legit or to enjoy my ‘fake’ autographs.
This is not the first time this has happened to me. On a previous occasion I got spammed by people who were upset because I got Joe Montana back TTM. They too thought it was too good to be true and that it was fake. It turns out that it’s now his standard autograph. No one calls them autopens or ghost signed anymore.
The same goes for Tyreek. While the cards I have are a departure from his original autograph, if you look at his more recent *certified* autographs, these are now the standard.
Panini Luminance has become a ‘late’ favorite of mine, even though it is from 2018. A bit disappointed that the insert card didn’t pick up his autograph better, and also that the cut out action pose is from the base card I also have autographed, but still glad to add them to the collection. Tyreek was a class act enough to toss in a Panini Chronicles as well, and all for the sweet, sweet donation of 20 bucks.
James Bostic played RB for three years at Auburn from 1991-’93.
Had a really solid ’93 campaign rushing 199 times for 1206 yards and 12 TDs.
Parlayed his performance into a 3rd round selection of the Los Angeles Rams in 1994.
Didn’t see any playing time, buried on the depth chart until being cut during training camp in ’95.
Spent ’96 on IR with the Packers and ’97 out of football.
In 1998, spent training camp with the Chiefs, then went to the practice squad of the Dolphins, before joining the Eagles roster.
Spent ’99 with the Eagles, working primarily on special teams, but still managed to gain 19 yards on 5 carries.
Out of football in 2000, reemerged in 2001 with the XFL with the Birmingham Bolts.
Ran hard for the team carrying the rock a league leading 153 times.
Had both a 50+ yard run and reception- the only player in the XFL to achieve such a feat.
Lives in Florida and works as a police officer.
Topps 2001 Gridiron Gear, #NNO
NOTES:
James had 14 cards over his career. It’s interesting to note because the vast majority of them appeared in 1994 (11). Then after 6 years, he pops back up in 2001 with 3 more XFL cards. I was super eager to get James on these cards. I was pretty disappointed to send him his XFL promo card and never see that again back in 2019, little less to the same address that I saw a success from later. In the interim I had reloaded and had gotten really lucky, picking up this patch card of him that I later sent to him as well.
Defensive lineman Greg Kragen played for Utah State from 1980-83.
He finished his collegiate career with 223 tackles.
Signed with the Broncos as a free agent, and then was a mainstay, particularly at NT for the next 8 seasons.
Truly emerged as a leader on the defense in ’88, nabbing a club leading 140 total tackles, 4 pass deflections, 2.5 sacks and a fumble recovery.
Followed that up with 72 total tackles, 4 fumble recoveries, and 2 sacks in ’89.
Best game arguably came against Chiefs that year, when Greg notched 6 tackles, a sack, and a fumble recovery for a TD.
In 1992 had a career high 5.5 sacks, to go along with 101 tackles.
Joined the Chiefs for the 1994 season.
Expansion selection of the Carolina Panthers in 1995.
Scored franchise’s first defensive TD returning fumble against Chicago that season.
Still had enough gas in the tank for 2 more additional seasons after that- retiring after the 1997 campaign.
ACCOLADES:
AFC Defensive Player of the Week 1989 (Week 10)
Pro Bowl 1989
1st Team All-Pro 1989, ’91
2nd Team All-Pro 1992
Utah Aggies Hall of Fame
NOTES:
Greg had some sexy cards for a defensive lineman. The Action Packed cards of him were really nice, and I didn’t even send the Pro Set ones! I love that Action Packed 1991 with his hands up there being blocked out by Mike Webster. Great card.
I always felt like these were going to make their way back to me. Greg usually clocks in at about a year on average for his returns.
TAC
SAC
FUM
INT
YDS
AVG
TD
LG
841
28.5
10
1
29
29.0
0
29
Celebrating the game, the players, the cards, and the autographs for over 25 years.
