Tag Archives: St. Louis Rams

NFL

Brown, Steve

Cards: Fleer 1990, ProSet 1989
Acquired: TTM 2010, C/o The Kentucky Wildcats
Sent: 3/26        Received: 4/24  (28 days)

Drafted in the third round of the 1983 draft by the Houston Oilers, Steve Brown was considered an excellent fit for their primarily man to man defense. He’d get off to a good start in 1983 on special teams, averaging 25.6 yards per kick return and return one 93 yards for a touchdown.  He’d also get 1 interception and 2 fumble recoveries starting 10 games.  Steve played during some of the leaner years of the Oilers’ existence as a franchise, up and through the Jerry Glanville era. In both 1985 and 1989 Steve pulled down a career high 5 interceptions.  In 1990 the team went in another direction at cornerback, and while Steve suited up, he would start no games for the team and retired.

In 1995 Brown was hired as an assistant coach for the St. Louis Rams. He’d coach the cornerbacks in 1996-1997 and then the complete secondary from 1998-2000 where the team won the Superbowl. He is considered an apostle of the Dick Vermeil coaching tree.  Brown left the Rams, and in 2003 was hired by Kentucky University.  In 2007 he was promoted to defensive coordinator, where Steve installed an aggressive defense. The defensive unit responded well by improving and flourishing across the board.

G/Gs  119/96   Tac  N/a  Sac 5  Fum 5  Int 18  Yds  264  Td 1   Lg 44

NFL, Super Bowl MVP

Rypien, Mark

Cards: Score 1990, GameDay 1992
Acquired: In Person 1993, CGA Youth Golf Tournament

Mark Rypien gets less credit than he’s deserved. The first Canadian born quarterback to start in the NFL, Rypien was a traditional drop back passer with a cannon arm and a touch for the deep ball. Selected in the 6th round by the Washington Redskins in 1986 by Charlie Casserly, Rypien would sit on injured reserve for roughly two seasons, while Jay Schroeder and Super Bowl MVP Doug Williams slugged it out. When the dust settled Jay was in Los Angeles and Doug was ailing from back injuries.

Making the best of his limited starting assignment, Mark became the fulltime starter and was named to the ProBowl in both 1989 and 1991. In 1991 Mark led the Redskins to a victory in Super Bowl XXVI and was named the MVP after throwing for 292 yards and 2 touchdowns.  Plan B, free agency, and the salary cap, eventually took their toll on the Redskins. With the retirement of Joe Gibbs, the Redskins went through a transitional period and by 1994 the team was already looking in another direction for a quarterback and drafted Heath Shuler, essentially ending Mark’s tenure with the team. He’d then go on to become the true definition of a journeyman quarterback spending no more than 1 season at any location over the next 5 teams playing for the Rams, Browns, and Eagles. Signed by the Falcons in 1998 he retired briefly after the tragic passing of his son.  He’d emerge again 3 years later in 2001 with the Colts, and then be cut after playing briefly in the preaseason for the Seattle Seahawks in 2002.

In 2006 Mark would play briefly as a promotional appearance for the GLIFL for the Rochester Raiders and is an avid golfer and fan of NASCAR. After losing a son in 1998 to cancer, Rypien would establish the Mark Rypien Foundation, to which he devotes a significant amount of his time.

( www.markrypienfoundation.org )

I met Mark Rypien at the CGA Youth Golf Tournament in 1992. At the time I’d give players each a 13×19 drawing I did of them as thanks for their autograph. Mark was the first player who didn’t want his and I was confused by his ‘modesty’ but he was still nice enough to sign 2 cards for me.

Games 104      Att 1466     Comp 2613     Pct  56.1    Yds 18473
Td 115     Int 88

NFL

Zgonina, Jeff

Cards: Fleer Premium 2002
Acquired: TTM, Texans Blitz 2009, C/o Houston Texans

/Scone- ina/ is roughly how you pronounce Jeff’s last name. An ironman journeyman Jeff Zgonina played in the NFL from 1993 to 2009, -or roughly 17 seasons for 7 teams. At 6-2, 285 he played on the interior line as both a NT and a change of pace DT.  Zgonina would play on the St. Louis Rams’ Super Bowl teams, after bouncing around, but would find his final home with the Houston Texans where he finished out his career after a short stint in Miami. (Zgonina was a fringe player who found himself frequently on the cusp of the final cut, or called back a week later when more room was made and despite his age, didn’t have as much wear on his tires as people thought.)  Zgonina will be best remembered by Houston Texans’ fans for when he recovered a Kerry Collins freak fumble against the Titans in 2009  for a victory. An outspoken member in the locker room, players could expect to hear the straight up truth from Jeff, and he provided guidance for the younger members of the defensive line.

G 219     Tac 308        Sac 26            Fum 13
Int  1               Yds  0       Avg 0.0        Td  0