Tag Archives: rufus porter

NFL

Porter, Rufus ‘Roof’

Gameday 1992, #469
Action Packed 1990, #256
Skybox 1992, #56
Action Packed 1991, #256
Pro Set 1989, #400

CARDS: Fleer 1990, ProSet 1989, Skybox 1992, Action Packed 1990, Action Packed 1991, Gameday 1992
ACQUIRED: TTM 2021 & 2023, C/o Home
SENT: 1/19/21 RECEIVED: 1/25/21 (6 days)
SENT: 9/25/23 RECEIVED: 10/13/23 (18 days)

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Rufus Porter was a big, rangy LB that played college ball at Southern.
  • Going undrafted in 1988, he signed with the Seattle Seahawks and was a surprising diamond in the rough found by the franchise.
  • Recorded 16 special teams tackles, and saw time as a defensive end and nickle situations later in the season.
  • Recorded 10.5 sacks, and led Seattle with 4 forced fumbles in ’89.
  • Had another 10 sack appearance in ’91, and a 9.5 effort in ’92.
  • After two consecutive down seasons with the Seahawks, Rufus took his game to New Orleans in ’96.
  • Earned a gameball for his play against the Colts that season.
  • Played one final season in Tampa in 1997.

ACCOLADES:

  • 1988, ’89 Pro Bowl
  • Steve Largent Award 1991
Fleer 1990, #272

NOTES:

Rufus was blessed to come onto the NFL scene and get in on nearly all the big sets from the Big Bang of cards during the late 80s and early 90s. As he was on all my set needs, I got him on two cards back in 2021 and then realized he was in every other set. I didn’t want to put him on blast so soon after he started signing so I waited 2 years to ask for his autograph on these remaining set needs.

Oddly Rufus appears in the Action Packed series 3 times, almost scoring a trifecta at #256 in every set- only to appear as #257 in 1992.

It can not be emphasized how awesome many of these cards are. The neck roll was obligatory for many of the linebackers during this period and the Action Packed 1990 and the Skybox Impact ’92 really show it off. If you wanted to be an intimidator, a neck roll was a first good step.

Porter appears in all Tecmo Super Bowl games. He was affectionately referred to as ‘ROOF!’, By the Kingdome faithful who would yell his name after he made a big play.