Card: Hartford Colonials 2010 Team Issued Card Acquired: TTM 2021, C/o Home Sent: 2/22 Received: 3/11 (17 days)
CAREER SNAPSHOT:
Chris Palmer was a QB for Southern Connecticut State from 1969 to 1971.
He quickly went into coaching in 1972 seeing stops with Connecticut, Lehigh, and Colgate as a positional coach.
After working with the Montreal Concordes of the CFL in 1983, he worked in the USFL with the New Jersey Generals in 84 and 85.
Palmer’s first HC gig came in 1986, where he’d work with New Haven, and later Boston University.
His first taste of the NFL came with the Houston Oilers in 1990 as a WR coach, before working with the Patriots from 1993-1996.
After helping Jacksonville’s offense reach new heights in 97/98, Chris was named head coach of the Cleveland Browns in 1999.
He’d work as the OC for the expansion Houston Texans in 2002. A position he’d hold through the 2005 season.
Palmer worked with the Cowboys (06) and Giants (07-09) as a QB coach.
In 2010 Chris would serve as both the GM and the HC of the Hartford Colonials of the UFL- posting a 3-5 record.
Chris spent the next few years working with the Titans, 49ers, and Bills, and in 2019 worked as an AD with New Haven.
ACCOLADES:
New Haven Chargers Athletics Hall of Fame 1997
NFL
Coach Chris Palmer, 62 Cafe
NOTES:
Tony Sparano, Romeo Crennel and Ken Whisenhunt are considered children of the Chris Palmer tree. Chris himself is considered an acolyte of the Bill Parcells tree, although an argument could be made he was from the Jack Pardee tree, since he gave him his first professional break at the NFL level with the Oilers. Chris is also considered to be one of the major architects behind the maturation of Eli Manning as a passer. While coaching with the Browns, Palmer appeared as himself on an episode of The Drew Carey Show.
Hi Lee,
Good to hear from you. The Oilers were great! Beating Dallas opening nite was outstanding. The UFL was a fun time.
Love Football,
Chris Palmer
Palmer has always had a fond place in my heart, since he was a coach with the Houston Oilers, and was the OC with the Texans when they beat the Cowboys in their Franchise debut (02). I had been looking for some sort of card of his for years but I gave up sometime ago, when a friend of mine CFLFanInPhilly sent me this card (along with a stack of others) to try to get autographed. I jumped at the chance to add Chris. He added this very nice note and wrote up a play for me as well (52 Cafe).
Recorded 379 tackles and 5 sacks playing for the Buckeyes from 1982-1985.
New York Giants 2nd Round pick out of Ohio State in 1986 who was penciled in to play inside linebacker replacing Harry Carson.
Equally adept dropping into pass coverage or laying down the wood on opposing ball carriers.
Giants leading tackler in 1988, 1990-1992.
Pepper joined the Cleveland Browns in 1993, reuniting him with former Giants defensive coordinator Bill Belichick, who used him at both inside and outside linebacker.
Johnson led the Browns in tackles with 207 in 1994, and 195 in 1995.
Went on to play for the Lions (96), and Jets (97/98).
Joined coaching staff of the Patriots in 2000 as a positional coach, and coached there through 2013.
Later Pepper coached for the Bills (14), Jets (15/16), in the AAF with the Memphis Express (2019), and briefly with the Los Angeles Wildcats of the XFL (2020).
In 2021 Pepper coached for IMG Academy in Florida.
Topps AAF 2019 #78
ACCOLADES:
Pepper is a two time Pro Bowler (90/94).
First team All-Pro (90).
Two time Super Bowl champion as player (XXI, XXV).
Three time Super Bowl champion as coach (XXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX)
NOTES:
Pepper’s given name is Thomas. His nickname came from his habit of sprinkling pepper on his cereal as a child.
Pepper’s time in the XFL as a defensive coach lasted just one game as defensive coordinator of the Wildcats in 2020. He was fired after the team allowed 4 TD passes against the Houston Roughnecks in their season opener.
