CARDS: Pro Set 1990, Score 1990, Score 1990 Supplemental, Gameday 1992 ACQUIRED: TTM 2023, C/o Home SENT: 1/3 RECEIVED: 1/17 (14 days)
CAREER SNAPSHOT:
Keith Sims was a well decorated OL that played for the Iowa State Cyclones from 85-89.
His size and speed on his feet made him a versatile lineman who could play any position on the line.
During the 1990 NFL Draft, the Miami Dolphins were looking to rebuild their OL to keep the pocket clean for Dan Marino.
With their first two picks of the draft, the Dolphins selected Richmond Webb (1st) and Keith Sims (2nd).
Webb was immediately slotted in at T while Sims took over at G.
They’d form a dominant duo, that’d anchor the Dolphins from 1990-’97.
During the ’97 season, Sims played for the Redskins.
After an offseason with the Eagles in ’98, Sims finished out his career back in Washington from 1998-’00.
Over his career, Sims played in 142 games, starting 133.
Since retiring, Keith has gone into coaching.
ACCOLADES:
All Rookie Team 1990
Pro Bowl 1993-’95
2nd Team AP 1994
Iowa State Hall of Fame
Dolphins Walk of Fame 2013
NOTES:
Keith Sims, was a top notch and versatile lineman that has received due from both Iowa State and Miami- but buried under a backlog of elite players, will never see his due in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. A reliable TTMer he signed these 4 cards for me.
Matt Bahr was a kicker who played collegiately at Penn State from 1976-’79.
In 1977 he led the nation in XPM (39) and overall points (81).
He was an All-American in ’78 when he cleared 22 of 27 field goals (81.5%) for 97 points to lead the nation.
Played in the North American Soccer League with the Colorado Caribous and Tulsa Roughnecks that year.
In ’79 he briefly signed with the Pennsylvania Stoners as well.
Matt was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers with their 6th round pick of the 1979 NFL Draft.
He’d lead the NFL making 50 of 52 extra points as the Steelers won the Super Bowl.
Signed with the 49ers in 1981- but was traded away to the Browns, where he’d become a fixture at kicker for 9 seasons.
Matt played in 115 games with Cleveland making 143 of 193 field goals and 248 of 252 extra points.
Cut unceremoniously during the 1990 preseason- he joined the New York Giants, replacing Raul Allegre.
By this point he was a highly reliable kicker, and fit in quite well with the Giants ball control offense that ground out the clock.
Set an NFC Championship Game record with 5 field goals in 1990.
Kicked what proved to be the game winning score as the Giants beat the Bills in Super Bowl XXV.
Joined the Eagles in 1993, seeing action in 11 contests, before hopping over to the Patriots for 3 more.
He’d play his final two years in New England- being beaten out in camp during the 1996 preseason by Adam Vinatieri.
NOTES:
I figured based on previous returns that Matt would take his time signing these. I didn’t expect it to take… 8 years or so, placing him squarely in second place on the longest waits list behind Matt Hasselbeck.
I always reflect on these autographs and where I’ve been since I sent them out. It has been a long and windy journey.
Matt appears in both Tecmo Bowl as a member of the Browns and in Tecmo Super Bowl with the Giants.
So way, way back in 1992 or so when I got his autograph through the Packers, Darrell signed my cards with a D—— T——-. That’s it! It was pretty uninspiring.
When I unpacked the cards and started looking at the autographs online, I noticed that Darrell was a voracious signer, and that he was signing his full autograph- which is a lot better than his original. So over the years, I kicked the tires on mailing out a few more cards to him to get autographed. That was probably 15-ish years ago?
I always wanted to get the Action Packed 1990 Rookies card replaced, so I tossed that in along with a few others. He not only signed the cards, he also wrote a really nice note- saying that he’d try harder <in regards to the autograph this time around>.
Celebrating the game, the players, the cards, and the autographs for over 25 years.
