CARDS: Upper Deck Legends 1997, Upper Deck College Legends 2011, Panini HoF 2010, Action Packed Whizzer White Award 1991 ACQUIRED: TTM 2020, C/o Home SENT: 6/6/20 RECEIVED: 6/18/20 (12 days)
CAREER SNAPSHOT:
Floyd Little played at Syracuse where from 1964 to 1966, he ran for 2,704 yards and 46 TDs.
He’d be the 6th overall pick in the 1967 NFL/AFL Draft of the Denver Broncos.
In his first two years in the AFL, Floyd led the league in All-Purpose Yards, with 1626 in 1967 and 1,825 in 1968.
He led the league in yards per game in both 1969 (81.0) and 1971 (80.9).
His best season arguably came in 1971 when Floyd had a career high and league leading 284 carries, 310 touches, 1,133 yards, and 1,388 yards from scrimmage.
Little’s 1,113 rushing yards were the first time a member of the team had broken the 1k rushing barrier.
Floyd led the NFL in TDs in 1973 with 12 TDs.
After starting 105 games, Floyd hung up his cleats in 1976.
A Syracuse great, he returned to the school in 2011 as a special assistant to the athletic director- a position he held until 2016 when he retired to Las Vegas.
Upper Deck Legends 1997, #44Upper Deck College Legends 2011, #34
ACCOLADES:
Pro Football Hall of Fame 2010
College Football Hall of Fame
Broncos Ring of Fame 1984
Hall of Very Good 2005
All Pro 1969
Pro Bowl 1968-’71, ’73
Denver Broncos #44 retired
Syracuse Orange #44 retired
Panini Hall of Fame 2010, #5
NOTES:
Here’s a great example of how trading cards educate us about football history. I wouldn’t have really stumbled onto Floyd if I hadn’t collected the Action Packed Whizzer White set. So I chased a rabbit down the hole learning all I could about him, and then decided to go ahead donate some money to his cancer treatments and ask for his autograph on a few cards. He signed the three I included lightning fast, and included the HoF Panini card as a thank-you.
Floyd is nicknamed ‘The Franchise’ because he was instrumental in the Broncos staying in Denver. The team struggled badly in its initial years and Little helped put the team on the map by signing with them. He also helped champion the building of Mile High Stadium through his Herculaneum efforts every week for the team.
RUSH
YDS
AVG
TD
LG
1641
6323
3.9
43
80t
REC
YDS
AVG
TD
LG
215
2418
11.2
9
74
KR
YDS
AVG
TD
LG
81
893
11.0
2
81t
REC
YDS
AVG
TD
LG
104
2523
24.3
0
89
EPITAPH:
1/2/2021- Floyd Little’s family announced that he had passed away from cancer after a years’ long battle with the disease, at his home in Las Vegas with them by his side. He was 78.
CARDS: Skybox 1992, Fleer 1990, Gameday 1992, Pro Set 1989 ACQUIRED: TTM 2021, C/o Home SENT: 1/2/21 RECEIVED: 1/23/21 (21 days)
CAREER SNAPSHOT:
At 6’7, 270, Joe Jacoby played OT at Louisville from 1978-’80.
Unselected in the 1981 NFL Draft ironically because of his size, Joe signed a free agent contract with the Washington Redskins.
Comically he was almost released by the team when they mistook him for a defensive lineman in his rookie preseason.
One of 18 lineman brought into camp his rookie year.
Jacoby almost quit in camp when his fellow future ‘Hogs’ talked him out of it.
From there he’d go down as one of the greatest free agent finds in Redskins history.
Started 13 games as a rookie and then a streak of 55 from 1983-’85 before he was sidelined with a knee injury.
In 1984, became the first Redskins offensive lineman to score a TD- which became affectionately known as the ‘Jake Quake’.
A notorious gym rat, he built on over 30 pounds of bulk by the 1986 season, while still maintaining his agility.
Feared run blocker, notable for being the lead lineman in the Redskins’ ‘Counter trey’ play.
In 1988, saw action at both right and left tackle during the season, taking over LT fulltime in ’89.
Held down the spot through 1992, when Joe saw duty at LG.
Limited to 5 games in 1993 as injuries finally took their toll.
Retired due to a back injury after 140 starts, 170 games, and three Super Bowl wins.
Currently is enjoying coaching at the college level.
Skybox 1990, #80Fleer 1990, #157Pro Set 1989, #427
ACCOLADES:
Louisville Cardinals Ring of Honor
All-Pro 1983-’84, ’87
Pro Bowl 1983-’86
Washington Redskins Ring of Fame
NFL 1980’s All-Decade Team
Washington Redskins 90 Greatest Players
NOTES:
Joe had emerged to be on a short list for me recently as he appeared in 4 set needs for me. He’s got a wonderful autograph. Strong blue with nice curves.
Joe definitely belongs into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. As he’s considered a ‘senior’ now, he faces a logger jam to get into the hall, but in 2023 he did receive his first nomination.
CARDS: Pro Set 1990, Pro Set 1989, Fleer 1990 ACQUIRED: SENT: 7/10/20 RECEIVED: 8/7/20 (28 days)
CAREER SNAPSHOT:
Mike Wilcher followed in Lawrence Taylor’s footsteps at North Carolina playing there in
He posted 68 tackles in his senior season and racked up 20 TFL between his Junior and Senior seasons at defensive end.
In 1983, the Rams converted to a 3-4 defense and were looking for an outside linebacker.
Mike fit that bill and the team selected him near the top of round 2 and decided to convert him over.
It wasn’t until 1984 when Mike was able to cement over a spot in the starting lineup at ROLB- and the starting LB in nickel and dime formations.
In 1985, he posted a career high 12.5 sacks along with 95 tackles.
Mike scored his only professional TD of his career in 1987, a 35 yard fumble recovery against the Redskins, in a 30-26 win.
He held down the starting job through the 1990 season- finishing with 400 career tackles with the Rams,
In 1991, Mike played a final season for the San Diego Chargers, dressing for 2 contests.
NOTES:
Mike had outstanding speed for the era, and was a solid coverage man. Severely underrated, the Rams saw a drop off after his departure. Mike had a pretty decent selection of cards. I really liked the Fleer and Pro Set entries of the era.
TAC
SAC
FUM
INT
YDS
AVG
TD
LG
400
38.5
6
4
15
3.7
0
11
Celebrating the game, the players, the cards, and the autographs for over 25 years.
