Tag Archives: upper deck 1992

NFL

Johnson, Johnny (RB-San Jose St)

Action Packed 1990, #22
Upper Deck 1993, #298

CARDS: Upper Deck 1993, Action Packed Rookies 1990
ACQUIRED: 2014, Canton Acquisition. 2021, EBay

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Played 3 years at San Jose State from 1987-89.
  • Converted to RB in 1988, and had best year for the Spartans, racking up 1219 yards and 15 TDs on 233 carries.
  • Also had 61 receptions for 668 yards and 4 TDs, to total out 1887 yards from scrimmage.
  • Was a 7th round selection of the Phoenix Cardinals.
  • Went on to post 926 yards and 5 TDs (234 carries), and 25 receptions for 241 yards in 1990.
  • Posted 666 yards in 1991 and 734 in 1992.
  • Traded to the New York Jets in 1993, so the Cardinals could move up one spot and select Garrison Hearst.
  • Continued to post solid numbers, rushing for 821 yards in 1993, and a career high 67 receptions for 641 yards.
  • In 1994 had a career high 931 yards rushing and 240 carries and a 90 yard long.
  • After being cut in ’95, joined the 49ers in 1996, but aggravated a back injury on the first day of camp and never saw the field again.

ACCOLADES:

  • 1990 Pro Bowl
  • 1990 All Rookie Team

NOTES:

The 1990 draft rookies besides Emmitt Smith held some intriguing competition that all seemed to be felled by injury. Blair Thomas and Johnny Johnson each provided early competition for Smith- with Johnson actually garnering All Rookie Honors from the Pro Football Writers Association. Johnny actually only finished a few yards behind Smith in rushing, and 2 yards ahead of Emmitt in total yards in 1990. After that Emmitt quickly ran away with things, but Johnson just kept chugging, even if it was for some poor teams. in 1993 despite not rushing or receiving for over 1,000 yards, Johnson finished second in the AFC in total yards from scrimmage and was named Jets MVP for the year.

I’ve never been able to track down Johnny. I’ve sorta patchworked my way into some autographs of his but still need him on at least one more set need to close him out.

Johnny also makes his debut appearance on the game Tecmo Super Bowl as a pretty solid back for the Cards.

RUSHYDSAVGTDLG
104640783.92190t
RECYDSAVGTDLG
17715138.5551t
College Football HoF, NFL

Hennings, Chad

Cards: GameDay 1992, Upper Deck 1992
Acquired: TTM 2018, C/o Home
Sent: 9/25   Received: 10/1       (6 days)

The Outland Trophy Winner in 1987, Chad Hennings was an excellent defensive lineman who had to defer playing in the NFL to serve his time in the military and fought in the Gulf War.  Thanks in part to his service, his stock dipped severely in the 1988 NFL Draft. He’d be selected in the 11th round by the Dallas Cowboys. It wasn’t until 1992 that Chad would become available to the Cowboys to play, thanks in part to military staff reductions.

He’d play with a burgeoning Cowboys defense initially seeing time on special teams. Rotating into the lineup Chad saw a career high 7 sacks in 1994. He started his first game in 1995, and played with the Cowboys through 2000 when injuries began to catch up with him. 

All in all Chad was a pretty sneaky draft pick by the Cowboys. They signed him to a contract and paid him a minimal amount to keep his rights until they could pry him from his commitments and it really paid off. They got 6 solid years out of him and 72 starts. 

I know why Chad looks a bit exasperated in this 1992 Upper Deck card here. It’s because it was probably taken at Cowboys Training Camp at St. Edwards. As a frequent denizen early on in those years- if the heat didn’t get you, the humidity was surely close behind. I do not like the card one bit. His hands are completely off the canvas and there’s no action to this shot whatsoever. I didn’t mind the stone look to the production, but it felt like it cheapened the look and value of their initial foray with their 1991 effort as they look so similar.

His GameDay 1992 card is solid outside of his foot looking mangled since they didn’t want to include the grass or fake it. It’s an exciting action shot of him taking off and overall it is framed quite well. I had wanted to get Chad on these cards way back at training camp over the years, but by the time I got these cards, things were already going big and neon at Cowboys Training Camp at St. Edwards. It was a madhouse to get autographs, and autograph alley had become somewhat of a chest pressing spectacle for both observers and players alike. – So understandably the best route was TTM some 20 years later.

Chad actually haunts me. He was in a Sports Illustrated article where he talked about the dream of coming back to football… How he could smell the grass, his coaches still barking at him to get in the game, making a play. I still have those dreams, and wish I could go back and change things.

G/GSTACSACFUMINTYDSAVGTD LG
119/7221626.5500-.-0-.-
CFL, NFL, WLAF, XFL

Moore, Shawn (2)

Card: Wild Card WLAF 1992, Upper Deck 1992
Acquired: TTM 2018, C/o Work
Sent:  8/28     Received: 9/12    (16 days)
Failure: TTM 2010, C/o Virginia
See Also: Shawn Moore

Shawn Moore eluded me a few years ago and it was really a pants down situation. I mean, I sent him a nice group of cards but never heard back. Luckily, I always have made it a habit to reload on WLAF cards I only had singles on; However, I didn’t have an extra copy of Shawn’s Star Pics 1991 that I really wanted to get signed so I ended up sending this terrible Upper Deck 1992 card of his with it. Still I should be happy to finally knock of this retry reply from my list. 

My friend Deadhorse got a trial subscription to Star Tiger, which is a competitor to sportscollectors. He loaned me the login since I was curious so that I could take a look. I found the hierarchy to be terrible, and most of the sports addresses were consistent with what I had already found, but I did find Shawn’s most recent address on there and decided to give it a shot. A few weeks later, a water soaked return envelope arrived at the house with Shawn’s autographs inside. (Thankfully the cards were not damaged.)

Shawn moved on from coaching at his alma mater after 2012. He’s had a few football related positions since then including working as the Director of Community Relations for the College Football Playoff system. Currently he works in administration system of a private school in Virginia.