Tag Archives: reggie mckenzie

College Football HoF, NFL

McKenzie, Reggie (OG)

CARD: Upper Deck Legends 1997 Certified
ACQUIRED: 2020, Ebay

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Reggie McKenzie played G at Michigan from 1968-’71.
  • He earned multiple accolades over his college career including earning All-Big 10 Honors and Consensus (1970,’71), All American Honors (1971).
  • Selected in the second round of the 1972 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills.
  • A nasty pulling guard with outstanding run blocking skills, McKenzie cleared the way for OJ Simpson’s historical 2,000 yard rushing season.
  • Known as the leader of the offensive line- that was called ‘The Electric Company.’
  • Started every game from 1972 to 1980 at LG,
  • A knee injury during week 6 of 1981 sidelined him for the remainder of the season.
  • Played a final season in Buffalo in 1982 before hopping over to Seattle in 1983.
  • Started every game for Seattle in 1983 before a nagging shoulder injury caught up with him during the ’84 season.
  • After retiring Reggie became a philanthropist and businessman.

ACCOLADES:

  • Michigan Sports Hall of Fame 1994
  • Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame 2016
  • College Football Hall of Fame 2002
  • University of Michigan Hall of Honor 2004

NOTES:

I guess the Pro Football Hall of Fame which routinely stiffs offensive linemen felt that Joe DeLamielleure was enough to induct into the hall from the Bills line. Reggie to me not being in the hall is a great injustice.

NFL, WLAF

McKenzie, Reggie

Card: Wild Card WLAF 1992
Acquired: TTM C/o The Green Bay Packers
Sent: 7/26  Received: 8/6   (11 days)

Reggie McKenzie played collegiality for the Tennessee Volunteers and was taken in the 10th round of the 1985 draft by the then Los Angeles Raiders. A long shot to make the team, he’d make the roster and in fact start at right inside linebacker for the Super Bowl squad, making a sack and a fumble recovery in a respectable rookie season.  Reggie would again start all 16 games in 1986, and 5 in the strike shortened 1987 season. After only starting 3 games in 1988, McKenzie would sign with the Phoenix Cardinals in 1989. He would remain with the franchise through the 1990 season.

After sitting out a season where he coached high school football in the interim, Reggie signed with the Montreal Machine of the WLAF in 1992 and started alongside Ray Savage at linebacker. He would have a strong season, making a sack and an interception, which he returned 29 yards for a touchdown, but despite the team’s strong defensive efforts, the Machine finished a distant 2-8 at the end of the season. The WLAF reorganized after the season, but Reggie was not without a home for long, signing with the San Fransisco 49ers.  He retired after that season.

It didn’t take long for McKenzie to find himself working again in football serving as an assistant at Tennessee in 1993. In 1994, Ron Wolf, (architect of the Packers’ rebirth during the 90’s), hired Reggie to work in the front office, where he has climbed to the rank of Director of Football Operations in 2008. His Raiders Superbowl ring was unfortunately stolen a few years ago, but the Packers replaced that with their 2010 championship.

One of the strategies I use is poaching the coaching and staff lists of professional franchises for players that are on my lists, as typically they receive less autograph requests than their current player counterparts. Reggie definitely fell under this category and was also a member of the WLAF to boot which always makes it extra special to me as I received his autograph in a short 11 days care of the Packers organization. Below are his WLAF statistics:

G 10    Tac  N/a     Sac  1.0    Fum 0    Int 1     Yds  29       Avg  29.o       Td   1    lg 29t

UPDATE- 1/6/12  The Oakland Raiders, (under a recommendation from Packers Architect Ron Wolf,) hired Reggie McKenzie to become general manager of the franchise. Reggie becomes only the second General Manager in the history of the Raiders franchise, replacing deceased owner/GM Al Davis.