Tag Archives: san fransisco 49ers

NFL

Morrall, Earl (1934-2014)

Upper Deck Legends 1997, #AU-143

CARD: Upper Deck Legends 1997
ACQUIRED: EBay, 2020

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Played QB and P for the Michigan State Spartans putting them on the map in the Big 10 in 1955.
  • On season completed 42 of 68 passes for 948 yards, and led the country with an average of 9.1 yards per play.
  • Had school record at the time-274 yards passing against Marquette, and snapped an 11 game winning streak by Notre Dame.
  • Finished 4th in Heisman ballot voting that year.
  • First round selection of the 49ers in 1956.
  • Started 4 contests for the ‘9ers that year completing 38 of 78 passes for 621 yards.
  • Traded to Pittsburgh in 1957 and passed for 1,900 yards, 11 TDs and (12 INT).
  • Played 2 games in Pittsburgh in ’58 before being traded to the Lions for Bobby Layne.
  • Played the next 6 seasons in Detroit, culminating in his 1963 effort when he threw for 2621 yards and 24 TDs (14 INT) on 174 of 328 passes.
  • Traded again, this time to the New York Giants in ’65.
  • Repeated his ’63 efforts throwing for 2446 yards and 22 TDs that year.
  • Broke wrist in ’66 and sat on the bench behind Fran Tarkenton before being dealt to Baltimore in 1968!
  • Came in for Johnny Unitas and guided team to Super Bowl III.
  • Had best season as pro throwing for 2,909 yards, 26 TDs, and led league with 8.2 yards per completion.
  • This would foreshadow his future with the Miami Dolphins- a team he’d join in 1970 after being claimed off of waivers for just $100.
  • In 1972, came in and replaced an injured Bob Griese, guiding the team to a 9-0 record (as part of the only fully undefeated NFL season).
  • The team would go on to win Super Bowl VII that year.
  • Played the next 4 seasons there, retiring at the age of 42, after the 1976 season.
  • Became a QB whisperer, working at the University of Miami, tutoring future QB titans Bernie Kosar, Vinny Testaverde, and Jim Kelly.

ACCOLADES:

  • NFL MVP 1968
  • NFL Comeback Player of the Year 1972
  • All-Pro 1968, ’72
  • Pro Bowl 1957, ’68
  • Dolphins Walk of Fame 2012
  • Florida Sports Hall of Fame
  • Michigan State Athletics Hall of Fame (1992)
  • Michigan Sports Hall of Fame 1979

NOTES:

Earl Morrall is considered probably the best clutch backup QB of his generation -if not of all time. He played an undeniably long career in the league lasting some.. what 22 years? Although not considered for the HoF conversation, Morrall has been inducted into the ‘Hall of Very Good’. An excellent athlete, Morrall had also caught the eye of MLB playing SS in the College World Series for the Spartans, but opted to play football instead.

I had been eyeballing his autograph during the pandemic but thought it was too pricey. Once it hit about 10 bucks I pounced. It later got lost in the shuffle of incoming autographs and I had forgotten to scan it in.

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268913792080951.316114874.198t

EPITAPH:

April 14th, 2014- Earl Morrall passed away at the age of 79 due to complications from Parkinson’s disease. It was later discovered he suffered from Grade 4 CTE.

NFL, usfl

Plummer, Gary

Gameday 1992, #89

CARDS: Action Packed 1990, Skybox Impact 1992, Gameday 1992
ACQUIRED: TTM 2021, C/o Home
SENT: 1/2/21 RECEIVED: 1/29/21 (27 days)

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Gary Plummer played junior college ball before transferring over to Cal where he played NT.
  • After going undrafted in 1983, played for the Oakland Invaders of the USFL.
  • The Invaders decided Plummer’s best fit would be at LB- a position he’d play for the remainder of his pro career.
  • Gary played in 53 USFL contests over his career, lodging 2 sacks, and 6 picks.
  • Still, Gary was not selected during the 1984 USFL Supplemental Player Draft, so he’d be a free agent after the league folded following the ’85 season.
  • Signed by the San Diego Chargers, Gary quickly became a starter for the team, as he had strong versatility at the position.
  • Over his career in the league, Gary started nearly every LB position in 3-4 or 4-3 alignments.
  • He played the next 8 seasons there in SD, racking up 792 tackles.
  • At the grand old age of 35, he signed with the 49ers in 1995.
  • After winning a Super Bowl against his former team, Plummer went on to play for the ‘9ers through the 1997 season.
Action Packed 1990, #237
Skybox 1992, #113

NOTES:

A member of Tecmo Super Bowl, with some great cards, I thought it was fine time to add Gary to my collection. He has a very nice autograph. I really like the unique curvature of his signature, especially the ‘G’. I appreciate him taking the time to sign my cards, with apparently a pretty fresh sharpie.

USFL

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N/a2.0N/a67712.8046

NFL

TACSACFUMINTYDSAVGTDLG
10294.596508.3038
AAF, Arena, NFL, XFL

Folkerts, Brian

Topps XFL 2020, #41

CARD: Topps XFL 2020
ACQUIRED: IP 2023, San Antonio Brahmas V Arlington Renegades

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Brian Folkerts played college ball for tiny Washburn University from 2008-11.
  • During that time for the Ichabods, Folkerts played both RT and LT for the school.
  • Although possessing the ideal size (6’4″, 306), he’d go unselected in the 2012 NFL Draft.
  • After being cut by the Saints in 2012, Folkerts joined the Arena Football League, playing FB for the San Jose Sabrecats in 2013.
  • He followed that up with a stint playing for the Carolina Panthers from 2013-15.
  • After a short stint with both the ‘9ers and Rams in 2015, Brian rejoined the Panthers briefly again in 2017.
  • Sprained his ankle in the preseason and was cut.
  • In 2019, signed with the San Antonio Commanders of the Alliance of American Football.
  • Played C and blocked up front for one of the league’s better ground games.
  • After the AAF folded, Brian was selected by the St. Louis Battlehawks of the XFL in 2020.
  • With COVID scrambling the XFL before the season concluded, Brian stayed in playing shape.
  • In 2023, was selected by the Arlington Renegades of the XFL 3.0.
  • Has been dabbling in coaching since COVID and in the XFL offseason works as an OL coach for Wingate University in North Carolina.

NOTES:

I was partially miffed and shocked at how many Commanders and former AAFers ended up with the Renegades in 2023. I packed a bunch of Renegade players cards along with my Kenneth Farrow’s, and while Kenneth was signing, both Brian and De’Vante Bausby came over to pay high respects to my Farrow Commanders jersey. I was extremely flattered.

Later my neighbors with me at the game, got field passes for after the game to wander around. They had enough for 5, and invited me, so I said, “Why not?” I rushed the field for a few autographs, and saw Brian standing there with his family taking photos. He was gracious enough to sign his card, take a photo with me, and talk about the Alliance and the Commanders with me. (He also agreed that the league was second to none as far as entertainment was concerned.)

After the game I posted this photo up on Twitter. (I didn’t realize how nice the Renegades icy whites look up close.) He also retweeted it and again had nothing to say but high praises of the Commanders faithful.

With the Commanders gone and the Brahmas reeling, the Renegade players were doing their hardest sell to adopt me.