Welcome to part 6 of our study looking at the NFL All-Decade Teams. Today, we look at the 1970s.
Offense:
Position Player Team(s) played for College In Hall of Fame? Quarterback Terry Bradshaw Pittsburgh Steelers Louisiana Tech Yes Ken Stabler Oakland Raiders Alabama No Roger Staubach Dallas Cowboys Navy Yes Running back Earl Campbell Houston Oilers Texas Yes Franco Harris Pittsburgh Steelers Penn State Yes Walter Payton Chicago Bears Jackson State Yes O.J. Simpson Buffalo Bills USC Yes Wide receiver Harold Carmichael Philadelphia Eagles Southern No Drew Pearson Dallas Cowboys Tulsa No Lynn Swann Pittsburgh Steelers USC Yes Paul Warfield Miami Dolphins Ohio State Yes Tight end Dave Casper Oakland Raiders Notre Dame Yes Charlie Sanders Detroit Lions Minnesota Yes Tackle Dan Dierdorf St. Louis Cardinals Michigan Yes Art Shell Oakland Raiders University of Maryland Eastern Shore Yes Rayfield Wright Dallas Cowboys Fort Valley State Yes Ron Yary Minnesota Vikings USC Yes Guard Joe DeLamielleure Buffalo Bills Michigan State Yes John Hannah New England Patriots Alabama Yes Larry Little Miami Dolphins Bethune-Cookman Yes Gene Upshaw Oakland Raiders Texas A&M-Kingsville Yes Center Jim Langer Miami Dolphins South Dakota State Yes Mike Webster Pittsburgh Steelers Wisconsin Yes Defense:
Position Player Team(s) played for College In Hall of Fame? Defensive end Carl Eller Minnesota VikingsSeattle Seahawks Minnesota Yes L.C. Greenwood Pittsburgh Steelers Alabama A&M No Harvey Martin Dallas Cowboys East Texas State No Jack Youngblood Los Angeles Rams Florida Yes Defensive tackle Joe Greene Pittsburgh Steelers North Texas State Yes Bob Lilly Dallas Cowboys Texas Christian Yes Merlin Olsen Los Angeles Rams Utah State Yes Alan Page Minnesota Vikings Notre Dame Yes Linebacker Bobby Bell Kansas City Chiefs Minnesota Yes Robert Brazile Houston Oilers Jackson State No Dick Butkus Chicago Bears Illinois Yes Jack Ham Pittsburgh Steelers Penn State Yes Ted Hendricks Baltimore ColtsGreen Bay PackersOakland Raiders Miami Yes Jack Lambert Pittsburgh Steelers Kent State Yes Cornerback Willie Brown Oakland Raiders Grambling State Yes Jimmy Johnson San Francisco 49ers UCLA Yes Roger Wehrli St. Louis Cardinals Missouri Yes Louis Wright Denver Broncos Bakersfield JCSan Jose StateArizona State No Safety Dick Anderson Miami Dolphins Colorado No Cliff Harris Dallas Cowboys Ouachita Baptist No Ken Houston Houston OilersWashington Redskins Prairie View A&M Yes Larry Wilson St. Louis Cardinals Utah Yes Special Teams:
Position Player Team(s) played for College Hall of Famer Kicker Jim Bakken St. Louis Cardinals Wisconsin No Kicker Garo Yepremian Miami Dolphins None No Punter Ray Guy Oakland Raiders Southern Mississippi No
As far as make-up of the 1970s NFL All-Decade Team, the two teams that have the most players represented are the Pittsburgh Steelers and Oakland Raiders with seven each. After that the next highest contributions are made by the Miami Dolphins and Dallas Cowboys with five players each. Eleven teams each contributed one player to the 1970s NFL All-Decade Team and a total of twenty teams are represented.
Besides the normal colleges represented, there are also some lesser known schools. The University of Tulsa, Fort Valley State, Bethune-Cookman, Bakersfield Junior College, Ouachita Baptist College and Prairie View State University all sent alumni to the 1970s NFL All-Decade Team. Another small college, Jackson State University, actually has two representatives on the team. Five other colleges had two players each make the team: Alabama, Penn State, USC, Notre Dame, and Wisconsin. The college with the most alumni on the 1970s NFL All-Decade Team is the University of Minnesota with three.
As we stated before, what prompted this look at the NFL’s All-Decade Team was the question as to how many players have made the All-Decade Team, meaning they’ve been a great player for roughly a decade if not more, but failed to make it into the Hall-of-Fame.
1970s All Decade Team Players Who Didn’t Make It Into The Hall Of FameKen Stabler – Quarterback – Oakland Raiders
Harold Carmichael – Wide Receiver – Philadelphia Eagles
Drew Pearson – Wide Receiver – Dallas Cowboys
L.C. Greenwood – Defensive End – Pittsburgh Steelers
Harvey Martin – Defensive End – Dallas Cowboys
Robert Brazile – Linebacker – Houston Oilers
Louis Wright – Cornerback – Denver Broncos
Dick Anderson – Safety – Miami Dolphins
Cliff Harris – Safety – Dallas Cowboys
Jim Bakken – Kicker – St. Louis Cardinals
Garo Yepremian – Kicker – Miami Dolphins
Ray Guy – Punter – Oakland RaidersPlayers selected: 48
Players not in Hall of Fame: 12
25% of 1970s All Decade team are not in the Hall of Fame
Other chapters in this study:
IQFB.com Examines The NFL All-Decade Teams: The 1920s
IQFB.com Examines The NFL All-Decade Teams: The 1930s
IQFB.com Examines The NFL All-Decade Teams: The 1940s
IQFB.com Examines The NFL All-Decade Teams: The 1950s
IQFB.com Examines The NFL All-Decade Teams: The 1960s
IQFB.com Examines The NFL All-Decade Teams: The 1970s
Welcome to part 5 of our study looking at the NFL All-Decade Teams. Today, we examine the 1960s.
Offense:
Position Player Name: Team(s): College Attended: In Hall of Fame? Quarterback Sonny Jurgensen Philadelphia EaglesWashington Redskins Duke Yes Bart Starr Green Bay Packers Alabama Yes Johnny Unitas Baltimore Colts Louisville Yes Half back John David Crow St. Louis CardinalsSan Francisco 49ers Texas A&M No Paul Hornung Green Bay Packers Notre Dame Yes Leroy Kelly Cleveland Browns Morgan State Yes Gale Sayers Chicago Bears Kansas Yes Full back Jim Brown Cleveland Browns Syracuse Yes Jim Taylor Green Bay PackersNew Orleans Saints Louisiana State Yes Split End Del Shofner Los Angeles RamsNew York Giants Baylor No Charley Taylor Washington Redskins Arizona State Yes Flanker Gary Collins Cleveland Browns Maryland No Boyd Dowler Green Bay Packers Colorado No Tight end John Mackey Baltimore Colts Syracuse Yes Tackle Bob Brown Philadelphia EaglesLos Angeles Rams Nebraska Yes Forrest Gregg Green Bay Packers Southern Methodist Yes Ralph Neely Dallas Cowboys Oklahoma No Guard Gene Hickerson Cleveland Browns Mississippi Yes Jerry Kramer Green Bay Packers Idaho No Howard Mudd San Francisco 49ersChicago Bears Michigan StateHillsdale No Center Jim Ringo Green Bay PackersPhiladelphia Eagles Syracuse Yes Defense:
Position Player Name: Team(s): College Attended: In Hall of Fame? Defensive end Doug Atkins Chicago BearsNew Orleans Saints Tennessee Yes Willie Davis Green Bay Packers Grambling State Yes David “Deacon” Jones Los Angeles Rams South Carolina State Yes Defensive tackle Alex Karras Detroit Lions Iowa No Bob Lilly Dallas Cowboys Texas Christian Yes Merlin Olsen Los Angeles Rams Utah State Yes Linebacker Dick Butkus Chicago Bears Illinois Yes Larry Morris Chicago Bears Georgia Tech No Ray Nitschke Green Bay Packers Illinois Yes Tommy Nobis Atlanta Falcons Texas No Dave Robinson Green Bay Packers Penn State No Cornerback Herb Adderley Green Bay Packers Michigan State Yes Lem Barney Detroit Lions Jackson State Yes Bobby Boyd Baltimore Colts Oklahoma No Safety Eddie Meador Los Angeles Rams Arkansas Tech No Larry Wilson St. Louis Cardinals Utah Yes Willie Wood Green Bay Packers USC Yes
If you’re wondering which NFL team has the most players represented on the 1960s NFL All-Decade Team, it doesn’t take much more than a quick glance to figure it out. While the Browns had four players making the team, and the Bears and Rams both have five players on the team, neither holds a candle to the Packers. Forty-one players were selected to the 1960s NFL All-Decade Team and thirteen of them come from the Green Bay Packers. Thirty-two percent of a team consisting of the best players in the NFL over the course of a decade all come from one team… the Green Bay Packers, and that is pretty amazing.
As far as college make-up of the 1960s NFL All-Decade Team, this decade shows even wider parity than some of the previous rosters. All the big name schools are represented: Alabama, Notre Dame, LSU, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, USC and more. Only three schools had multiple players named to the team: Illinois and Michigan State each had two players on the team and Syracuse University sits atop the heap with a whopping three players selected to the 1960s NFL All-Decade Team.
As we stated before, what prompted this look at the NFL’s All-Decade Team was the question as to how many players have made the All-Decade Team, meaning they’ve been a great player for roughly a decade if not more, but failed to make it into the Hall-of-Fame.
1960s All Decade Team Players Who Didn’t Make It Into The Hall Of Fame
John David Crow – Halfback – St. Louis Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers
Del Shofner – Split End – Los Angeles Rams, New York Giants
Gary Collins – Flanker – Cleveland Browns
Boyd Dowler – Flanker – Green Bay Packers
Ralph Neely – Tackle – Dallas Cowboys
Jerry Kramer – Guard – Green Bay Packers
Howard Mudd – Guard – San Francisco 49ers, Chicago Bears
Alex Karras – Defensive Tackle – Detroit Lions
Larry Morris – Linebacker – Chicago Bears
Tommy Nobis – Linebacker – Atlanta Falcons
Dave Robinson – Linebacker – Green Bay Packers
Bobby Boyd – Cornerback – Baltimore Colts
Eddie Meador – Safety – Los Angeles Rams
Don Chandler – Punter – New York Giants, Green Bay Packers
Jim Bakken – Kicker – St. Louis CardinalsPlayers selected: 38
Players not in Hall of Fame: 15
39% of 1960’s All Decade Team Players are not in the Hall of Fame
The next chapter in this study will cover the 1970s.
Other chapters in this study:
IQFB.com Examines The NFL All-Decade Teams: The 1920s
IQFB.com Examines The NFL All-Decade Teams: The 1930s
IQFB.com Examines The NFL All-Decade Teams: The 1940s
IQFB.com Examines The NFL All-Decade Teams: The 1950s
IQFB.com Examines The NFL All-Decade Teams: The 1960s
IQFB.com Examines The NFL All-Decade Teams: The 1970s
An Unusual Award For Garrison Hearst To Win Twice
Garrison Hearst graduated from the University of Georgia and being the third overall pick of the 1993 NFL Draft, much was expected of him. He had a productive career, primarily with the Arizona/Phoenix Cardinals and the San Francisco 49ers, but hold the unusual distinction of winning one award twice in his career.
In 1995 Hearst shared the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award with Indianapolis Colts quarterback Jim Harbaugh, then six years later in 2001 he won the Comeback Award again – this time with the San Francisco 49ers.
Welcome to part four of our study looking at the NFL All-Decade Teams. Today, we look at the 1950s.
Offense:
Position Player Name: Team(s): College Attended: In Hall of Fame? Quarterback Otto Graham Cleveland Browns Northwestern Yes Norm Van Brocklin Los Angeles Rams
Philadelphia EaglesOregon Yes Bobby Layne Detroit Lions
Pittsburgh SteelersTexas Yes Running back Frank Gifford New York Giants Southern California Yes Ollie Matson Chicago Cardinals
Los Angeles RamsSan Francisco Yes Hugh McElhenny San Francisco 49ers Washington Yes Lenny Moore Baltimore Colts Penn State Yes Fullback Alan Ameche Baltimore Colts Wisconsin No Joe Perry San Francisco 49ers
Baltimore ColtsCompton Community Yes End Raymond Berry Baltimore Colts South Methodist Yes Tom Fears Los Angeles Rams UCLA Yes Bobby Walston Philadelphia Eagles Georgia No Elroy Hirsch Los Angeles Rams Michigan Yes Tackle Roosevelt Brown New York Giants Morgan State Yes Bob St. Clair San Francisco 49ers Tulsa Yes Guard Dick Barwegan Chicago Bears
Baltimore ColtsPurdue No Jim Parker Baltimore Colts Ohio State Yes Dick Stanfel Detroit Lions
Washington RedskinsSan Francisco JC
San FranciscoNo Center Chuck Bednarik Philadelphia Eagles Pennsylvania Yes Defense:
Position Player Name: Team(s): College Attended: In Hall of Fame? Defensive end Len Ford Cleveland Browns
Green Bay PackersMichigan Yes Gino Marchetti Dallas Texans
Baltimore ColtsSan Francisco Yes Defensive tackle Art Donovan New York Yanks
Dallas Texans
Baltimore ColtsBoston Yes Leo Nomellini San Francisco 49ers Minnesota Yes Ernie Stautner Pittsburgh Steelers Boston Yes Linebacker Joe Fortunato Chicago Bears Virginia Military Institute
Mississippi StateNo Bill George Chicago Bears Wake Forest Yes Sam Huff New York Giants West Virginia Yes Joe Schmidt Detroit Lions Pittsburgh Yes Cornerback Dick “Night Train” Lane Los Angeles Rams
Chicago CardinalsScottsbluff Yes Jack Butler Pittsburgh Steelers St. Bonaventure No Safety Jack Christiansen Detroit Lions Colorado State Yes Yale Lary Detroit Lions Texas A&M Yes Emlen Tunnell New York Giants
Green Bay PackersIowa Yes Special Teams:
Position Player Team(s) played for College Hall of Famer Placekicker Lou Groza Cleveland Browns Ohio State Yes
Looking at the distribution of talent, the Baltimore Colts had eight former players represented on the 1950s All-Decade Team. The next closest in terms of players represented are the Rams and the Lions who have five each, who are then followed by the Giants and 49ers with four each. The 1950s NFL All-Decade Team marked the first time a special teams player (Lou Groza of the Browns) was named as a member.
By looking at the make-up of the 1950s All-Decade Team we can see that the college football landscape started to experience parity in the 1940s when most of these players were still in school. Many more of the schools we’ve come to think of as classic football universities are represented on this 1950s All-Decade Team, although there are still a number of non-football schools represented. Morgan State, Tulsa, Pennsylvania, Virginia Military Institute, Scottsbluff, St. Bonaventure, and Colorado State are all represented with former players making this list. Also two community colleges, Compton Community and San Francisco Junior College, are represented for the first time. But the most surprising thing, collegiately speaking, about the make-up of the 1950s NFL All-Decade Team is that the college most represented is the University of San Francisco.
As we stated before, what prompted this look at the NFL’s All-Decade Team was the question as to how many players have made the All-Decade Team, meaning they’ve been a great player for roughly a decade if not more, but failed to make it into the Hall-of-Fame.
1950s All Decade Team Players Who Didn’t Make It Into The Hall Of Fame:
Alan Ameche – Fullback – Baltimore Colts
Bobby Watson – End – Philadelphia Eagles
Dick Barwegan – Guard – Chicago Bears, Baltimore Colts
Dick Stanfel – Guard – Detroit Lions, Washington Redskins
Joe Fortunato – Linebacker – Chicago Bears
Jack Butler – Cornerback – Pittsburgh SteelersPlayers selected: 34
Players not in Hall of Fame: 6
18% of 1950s All Decade Team Players are not in the Hall of Fame
The next chapter will cover the 1960s NFL All-Decade Team.
Other chapters in this study:
IQFB.com Examines The NFL All-Decade Teams: The 1920s
IQFB.com Examines The NFL All-Decade Teams: The 1930s
IQFB.com Examines The NFL All-Decade Teams: The 1940s
IQFB.com Examines The NFL All-Decade Teams: The 1950s
IQFB.com Examines The NFL All-Decade Teams: The 1960s
IQFB.com Examines The NFL All-Decade Teams: The 1970s
1985 Bears Dominate The Patriots
Here is a stat showing how badly the 1985 Chicago Bears dominated the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl. In the entire first half, the Patriots ran 21 offensive plays. They only gained positive yardage on four of those 21 plays. 17 plays were run in the first half by New England that either went for no gain or for loss of yards. That is a pretty outstanding defensive performance.
Welcome to part three of our six part series examining the NFL All-Decade teams. Today, we look at the 1940s NFL All-Decade Team.
Position Player Name: Team(s): College Attended: In Hall of Fame? Quarterback Sammy Baugh Washington Redskins Texas Christian Yes Sid Luckman Chicago Bears Columbia Yes Bob Waterfield Cleveland Rams
Los Angeles RamsUCLA Yes Running back Tony Canadeo Green Bay Packers Gonzaga Yes Bill Dudley Pittsburgh Steelers
Detroit LionsVirginia Yes George McAfee Chicago Bears Duke Yes Steve Van Buren Philadelphia Eagles Louisiana State Yes Charley Trippi Chicago Cardinals Georgia Yes Byron White Detroit Lions Colorado No Fullback Marion Motley Cleveland Browns
Pittsburgh SteelersNevada Yes Pat Harder Chicago Cardinals
Detroit LionsWisconsin No Bill Osmanski Chicago Bears Holy Cross No End Mac Speedie Cleveland Browns Utah No Pete Pihos Philadelphia Eagles Indiana Yes Ed Sprinkle Chicago Bears Hardin-Simmons University
NavyNo Dante Lavelli Cleveland Browns Ohio State Yes Ken Kavanaugh Chicago Bears Louisiana State No Jim Benton Cleveland Rams
Chicago Bears
Los Angeles RamsUniversity of Arkansas No Jack Ferrante Philadelphia Eagles none No Tackle Al Blozis New York Giants Georgetown No George Connor Chicago Bears Notre Dame Yes Frank “Bucko” Kilroy Philadelphia Eagles Temple No Buford “Baby” Ray Green Bay Packers Vanderbilt No Vic Sears Philadelphia Eagles Oregon State No Al Wistert Philadelphia Eagles Michigan No Guard Bruno Banducci Philadelphia Eagles
San Francisco 49ersStanford No Bill Edwards New York Giants Baylor No Garrard “Buster” Ramsey Chicago Cardinals William and Mary No Bill Willis Cleveland Browns Ohio State Yes Len Younce New York Giants Oregon State No Center Charley Brock Green Bay Packers Nebraska No Clyde “Bulldog” Turner Chicago Bears Hardin-Simmons Yes Alex Wojciechowicz Detroit Lions
Philadelphia EaglesFordham Yes
The 1940s NFL All-Decade team was highly affected by World War II. Some teams stopped playing while others merged so that they could still field a team of experienced players. Many teams contributed players to the All-Decade team, but two produced twice as many as the best of the rest of the NFL. The 1950s Chicago Bears and Philadelphia Eagles each contributed eight players to the All-Decade team. The Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns were next in line, each contributing four players.
From a standpoint of colleges represented, the 1940s NFL All-Decade Team is starting to look a little more modern in terms of having players from what are considered classic football schools included. There are still a few smaller colleges that contributed players, colleges that today are not considered to be classic football schools. One of the more interesting facts is that the 1940s NFL All-Decade Team includes two players that attended Hardin-Simmons University, a small Baptist college in Abilene, Texas.
As we stated before, what prompted this look at the NFL’s All-Decade Team was the question as to how many players have made the All-Decade Team, meaning they’ve been a great player for roughly a decade if not more, but failed to make it into the Hall-of-Fame.
1940s All Decade Team Players Who Didn’t Make It Into The Hall Of Fame:
Byron White – Running Back – Detroit Lions
Pat Harder – Fullback – Chicago Cardinals, Detroit Lions
Bill Osmanski – Fullback – Chicago Bears
Mac Speedie – End – Cleveland Browns
Ed Sprinkle – End – Chicago Bears
Ken Kavanaugh – End – Chicago Bears
Jim Benton – End – Cleveland/Los Angeles Rams, Chicago Bears
Jack Ferrante – End – Philadelphia Eagles
Al Blozis – Tackle – New York Giants
Frank Kilroy – Tackle – Philadelphia Eagles
Buford Ray – Tackle – Green Bay Packers
Vic Sears – Tackle – Philadelphia Eagles
Al Wistert – Tackle Philadelphia Eagles
Bruno Banducci – Guard – Philadelphia Eagles/San Francisco 49ers
Bill Edwards – Guard – New York Giants
Garrard Ramsey – Guard – Chicago Cardinals
Len Younce – Guard – New York Giants
Charley Brock – Center – Green Bay PackersPlayers selected: 33
Players not in Hall of Fame: 18
54% of 1940s All Decade Team Players are not in the Hall of Fame
The next chapter will cover the 1950s NFL All-Decade Team.
Other chapters in this study:
IQFB.com Examines The NFL All-Decade Teams: The 1920s
IQFB.com Examines The NFL All-Decade Teams: The 1930s
IQFB.com Examines The NFL All-Decade Teams: The 1940s
IQFB.com Examines The NFL All-Decade Teams: The 1950s
IQFB.com Examines The NFL All-Decade Teams: The 1960s
IQFB.com Examines The NFL All-Decade Teams: The 1970s
The Interesting Career Of Steve Deberg
Steve Deberg has long been labeled a journeyman quarterback, but after 21 seasons spanning parts of three different decades, he was much more than that.
Steve Deberg was drafted in 1977 in the 10th round by the Dallas Cowboys, but started his career with the San Francisco 49ers. With Bill Walsh as his head coach, Steve Deberg is credited with being the first-ever “west coast offense” quarterback. The writing on the wall became clear when the 49ers drafted a young quarterback named Joe Montana and after four years with the team, Deberg moved on to a new team.
Deberg’s next career stop had him in Denver, the year the Broncos drafted a young quarterback named John Elway. Steve stayed with the Broncos for three seasons before joining the Buccaneers for the 1987 season.
The USFL had been an alternate pro football league in the mid 1980’s and after it disbanded, some of it’s star players joined the NFL teams that owned their rights. In Tampa Bay, this meant the arrival of Steve Young. Steve Deberg thus found himself backing up for a third future hall-of-famer in ten years. After Steve Young was moved to the 49ers, Tampa Bay drafted highly touted Vinny Testaverde. Having spent four seasons in Tampa Bay, Deberg now moved on to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Finally in Kansas City, Deberg saw time as a starting quarterback and in three seasons there he led the team to the playoffs twice. It was with the Chiefs that he saw the best years of her career. After the 1991 season, Steve left the Chiefs and went back to the Buccaneers before spending a final season in 1993 with the Miami Dolphins.
But, this wasn’t the last the NFL would see of Steve Deberg. At the age of 44 and having been out of football for over two seasons, Steve came out of retirement to be a backup quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons (coached by Deberg’s former coach in Denver, Dan Reeves). Though he didn’t make it into the game, Steve Deberg is credited with being the oldest player included on the roster of a team in the Super Bowl when the Falcons made it to the big game in 1996.
Steve Deberg… not your everyday journeyman quarterback.
Adrian Peterson Wins Pro Bowl MVP As A Rookie
Minnesota Vikings’ rookie running back followed up his tremendous debut season with an MVP performance in the Pro Bowl. Who is the last rookie to win the Pro Bowl MVP? The answer is Marshall Faulk for the Indianapolis Colts in 1995. You have to think that if Adrian Peterson had a career that came even close to the career that was had by Marshall Faulk that the Vikings would be ecstatic.
Welcome to the second part of our six part series taking a look at the NFL’s All-Decade teams, today… the 1930s NFL All-Decade Team:
Position Player Name: Team(s): College Attended: In Hall of Fame? Quarterback Arnie Herber Green Bay Packers Wisconsin Yes Cecil Isbell Green Bay Packers Purdue No Earl “Dutch” Clark Portsmouth Spartans
Detroit LionsColorado College Yes Running back Cliff Battles Boston Braves
Boston Redskins
Washington RedskinsWest Virginia Wesleyan Yes Beattie Feathers Chicago Bears
Brooklyn Dodgers
Green Bay PackersTennessee No Alphonse “Tuffy” Leemans New York Giants Oregon Yes Ken Strong Staten Island Stapletons
New York GiantsNew York University Yes Johnny “Blood” McNally Green Bay Packers
Pittsburgh SteelersSaint John’s University (MN) Yes Full back Bronko Nagurski Chicago Bears Minnesota Yes Clarke Hinkle Green Bay Packers Bucknell Yes End Bill Hewitt Chicago Bears
Philadelphia EaglesMichigan Yes Don Hutson Green Bay Packers Alabama Yes Wayne Millner Boston Redskins
Washington RedskinsNotre Dame Yes Gaynell Tinsley Chicago Cardinals Louisiana State University No Tackle George Christensen Portsmouth Spartans
Detroit LionsOregon No Frank Cope New York Giants Santa Clara No Albert Glen “Turk” Edwards Boston Braves
Boston Redskins
Washington RedskinsWashington State Yes Bill Lee Brooklyn Dodgers
Green Bay PackersAlabama No Guard Ox Emerson Portsmouth Spartans
Detroit LionsTexas No Dan Fortmann Chicago Bears Colgate Yes Charles Goldenberg Green Bay Packers Wisconsin No Russ Letlow Green Bay Packers San Francisco No Center Mel Hein New York Giants Washington State Yes George Svendsen Green Bay Packers Oregon State
MinnesotaNo
As far as NFL team distribution, the 1930s All-Decade team was vastly different from the 1920s. While the 1920s team showed pretty much even dispersal between three to five teams, the 1930s All-Decade team is heavily dominated by one NFL club. The Chicago Bears and New York Giants are tied for second place with the most representatives making the team with four players apiece. In first place are the Green Bay Packers who, on an All-Decade team that only consists of 24 players, had eleven players make the team. Almost 50% of the 1930s All-Decade roster is made up of players that spent time playing football for the Green Bay Packers.
As far as colleges represented, we are seeing more alumni of traditional football schools this time. Classic athletic schools such as Purdue, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Oregon, Michigan, Alabama, LSU, and Texas all have players making the team. There is still at this time in the history of football a good amount of talent coming from non-traditionally thought of football schools like: San Francisco, Saint John’s (Minnesota), Colorado College, West Virginia Wesleyan, New York University, Bucknell, Santa Clara, and Colgate. An interesting note, as far as college football was concerned, at this time Notre Dame is still the dominant program in the nation. The Univesities of Oregon, Alabama, Washington State, and Minnesota all have multiple alumni on the roster, while in this decade Notre Dame only placed one former player there.
As we stated before, what prompted this look at the NFL’s All-Decade Team was the question as to how many players have made the All-Decade Team, meaning they’ve been a great player for roughly a decade if not more, but failed to make it into the Hall-of-Fame.
1930s All Decade Team Players Who Didn’t Make It Into The Hall Of Fame:
Cecil Isbell – Quarterback – Green Bay Packers
Beattie Feathers – Running Back – Chicago Bears, Brooklyn Dodgers, Green Bay Packers
Gaynell Tinsley – End – Chicago Cardinals
George Christensen – Tackle – Portsmouth Spartans, Detroit Lions
Frank Cope – Tackle – New York Giants
Bill Lee – Tackle – Brooklyn Dodgers, Green Bay Packers
Ox Emerson – Guard – Portsmouth Spartans, Detroit Lions
Charles Goldenberg – Guard – Green Bay Packers
Russ Letlow – Guard – Green Bay Packers
George Svendsen – Center – Green Bay PackersPlayers selected: 24
Players not in Hall of Fame: 10
42% of 1930s All Decade Team Players are not in the Hall of Fame
The next chapter in this study involves the World War II affected 1940s NFL All-Decade team.
Other chapters in this study:
IQFB.com Examines The NFL All-Decade Teams: The 1920s
IQFB.com Examines The NFL All-Decade Teams: The 1930s
IQFB.com Examines The NFL All-Decade Teams: The 1940s
IQFB.com Examines The NFL All-Decade Teams: The 1950s
IQFB.com Examines The NFL All-Decade Teams: The 1960s
IQFB.com Examines The NFL All-Decade Teams: The 1970s
We begin our series of examining the All-Decade teams with a look at the 1920s NFL All-Decade Team:
Position: Player Name: Team(s): College Attended: In Hall of Fame? Quarterback Jimmy Conzelman Decatur Staleys
Rock Island Independents
Milwaukee Badgers
Detroit Panthers
Providence Steam RollerWashington of St. Louis Yes Paddy Driscoll Chicago Cardinals
Chicago BearsNorthwestern Yes Running back Harold “Red” Grange Chicago Bears
New York YankeesIllinois Yes Jim Thorpe Canton Bulldogs
Cleveland Indians
Oorang Indians
Rock Island Independents
New York Giants
Chicago CardinalsCarlisle Indian Yes Joe Guyon Canton Bulldogs
Cleveland Indians
Oorang Indians
Rock Island Independents
Kansas City Cowboys
New York GiantsGeorgia Tech Yes Earl “Curly” Lambeau Green Bay Packers Notre Dame Yes Fullback Ernie Nevers Duluth Eskimos
Chicago CardinalsStanford Yes End George Halas Decatur Staleys
Chicago Staleys
Chicago BearsIllinois Yes Guy Chamberlin Chicago Staleys
Canton Bulldogs
Cleveland Bulldogs
Frankford Yellow Jackets
Chicago CardinalsNebraska Yes Lavern Dilweg Milwaukee Badgers
Green Bay PackersMarquette No Tackle Ed Healey Rock Island Independents
Chicago BearsDarmouth Yes Wilbur “Pete” Henry Canton Bulldogs
New York Giants
Pottsville MaroonsWashington & Jefferson Yes Cal Hubbard New York Giants
Green Bay PackersCentennary Yes Steve Owen Kansas City Blues
Cleveland Bulldogs
Kansas City Cowboys
New York GiantsPhillips Yes Guard Walt Kiesling Green Bay Packers St. Thomas (Min) Yes Hunk Anderson Chicago Bears
Cleveland IndiansNotre Dame No Mike Michalske New York Yankees
Green Bay PackersPenn State Yes Center George Trafton Chicago Bears Notre Dame Yes
Now, let’s look at some interesting facts regarding this team:
On the professional level, the 1920s All-Decade team was a pretty even distribution of the NFL’s member clubs without one NFL team dominating it’s make-up. The Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, and New York Giants all tied for most players on the All-Decade team with five. The Chicago Cardinals were close behind with four players selected.
The colleges represented is another matter entirely. Other than three of the 18 players having come from Notre Dame, there are a lot of players that are from schools we don’t think of as the types of schools that turn out NFL player nowadays. You of course have your Illinois, Northwestern, Stanford, Georgia Tech, Nebraska, and Penn State representatives; but, it’s been a while since we’ve seen star football players come out of schools the likes of: Washington of St. Louis, Marquette, Dartmouth, William & Jefferson, Centennary, Phillips, St. Thomas, and of course Carlisle Indian.
One of the main reason for this in-depth look at the NFL All-Decade teams was to answer the question “How many players make it to the All-Decade team but don’t make it to the Hall-of-Fame?” This is an interesting question seeing as that to make it onto the All-Decade team you had to have been a great player for about a decade. You would think having been a great player for a decade would get you into the Hall-of-Fame, this is not always the case.
1920s All Decade Team Players Who Didn’t Make It Into The Hall Of Fame:
Lavern Dilweg – End – Milwaukee Badgers, Green Bay Packers
Hunk Anderson – Guard – Chicago Bears, Cleveland IndiansPlayers selected: 18
Players not in Hall of Fame: 2
11% of 1920s All Decade Team Players are not in the Hall of Fame
The next chapter of this study will involve the 1930s NFL All-Decade team.
Other chapters in this study:
IQFB.com Examines The NFL All-Decade Teams: The 1920s
IQFB.com Examines The NFL All-Decade Teams: The 1930s
IQFB.com Examines The NFL All-Decade Teams: The 1940s
IQFB.com Examines The NFL All-Decade Teams: The 1950s
IQFB.com Examines The NFL All-Decade Teams: The 1960s
IQFB.com Examines The NFL All-Decade Teams: The 1970s
We’re sitting here in 2008, so there is not any reason to discuss the upcoming NFL All-Decade team… seeing as it is still two years away from being named. Let’s take a look back at All-Decade teams of the past.
Who is the only player to be named to two different All-Decade teams?
That and many other questions will be answered. To make the All-Decade team, you have to have been a great player (if not dominant player) during the decade. If you truly are a great player over the course of ten years, it seems to reason that would result in a Hall-of-Fame induction too. But, how many players made All-Decade teams and did not make it into the Hall-of-Fame? We’ll answer that one too. That analysis will only involve the 1920s through the 1970s, as there are many players not in the Hall-of-Fame from the 1980s and 1990s that will be one day.
So, it all starts tomorrow… IQFB.com examines the NFL All-Decade teams.
Why Treat LSU Like A Stepping Stone?
It seems almost a yearly occurrence, people speculating where the Louisiana State University football coach will move on to next. Will he jump to the pros? Will he jump to a “big name” school? Maybe he’ll take a job coaching his alma mater.
Nick Saban left LSU shortly after winning a National Championship in 2003 to become head coach of the NFL’s Miami Dolphins. Shortly thereafter, he left the NFL to return to the college ranks as head coach of the University of Alabama.
Fast forward a mere four years later and the LSU Tigers are National Champions again after beating the Ohio State Buckeyes. And, what controversy surrounded the LSU program shortly before the game? Would Tigers’ head coach Les Miles leave Louisiana to take the head coaching job at the University of Michigan that was being vacated by Lloyd Carr.
Two National Championships in four years, in addition to regularly appearing in and finishing the season in the top 20… and people continue to talk of LSU as a stepping stone to better opportunities? Show me a college program, with the exceptions of Southern California that has comparable accomplishments recently.
Larry Centers – The Last Of The Great Pass Receiving Fullbacks?
Larry Centers led a long career playing mostly for teams out of the limelight. He was drafted in 1990 by the Phoenix Cardinals and played his first nine seasons there. He then went on to play two seasons for the Washington Redskins, two seasons for the Buffalo Bills, and a final season winning a Super Bowl with the New England Patriots.
In 1995, while playing for the Cardinals, Centers caught 101 passes for 962 yards setting the record for pass receptions by a running back. Centers’ 862 career receptions are also the record for most career pass receptions by a non-wide-receiver.
But Centers was more than just a great receiver, he was a great blocking back and that skill is most likely what kept him in the league after he left the Cardinals following the 1998 season.
With fullbacks being used primarily as blocking backs these days, numbers the like that Larry Centers put up may never be seen again.
Lets Look At Jan Stenerud
Longtime Kansas City Chiefs’ kicker Jan Stenerud has had an interesting career path filled with tons of accomplishments that ended him up in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Stenerud came to America from Norway on a ski jumping scholarship to Montana State University. While at MSU, Stenerud went out for the football team and with his “soccer style” way of kicking that was not yet popular in football, he promptly broke the record for longest field goal ever kicked when he booted a 59 yarder against the Bobcats big rival the University of Montana Grizzlies.
Stenefud played his first three seasons in pro football in the AFL until the Chiefs team he was on was included in the merger with the NFL. During his three seasons in the AFL he made 70% of his attempted field goals compared with all other listed kickers in both the AFL and NFL who averaged approximately 53%. Stenerud kicked three field goals in the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl IV victory over the Baltimore Colts. Stenerud would kick for the Chiefs through the 1979 season before joining the Green Bay Packers for three seasons, and then spending his last two seasons kicking for the Minnesota Vikings. When Stenerud retired following the 1985 season he was the last former AFL player still playing in the NFL. He would enter the Hall-of-Fame in 1991.
Some Jan Stenerud career highlights:
Six time Pro Bowl selection: 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1975, and 1994
Ten time All Pro selection: 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1981, and 1984
Pro Bowl MVP: 1972
There are two other kickers in the Hall-of-Fame (George Blanda and Lou Groza), but Stenerud is the only full time kicker who didn’t play another position in the Hall-of-Fame.
A young man travels from Norway to the USA on a ski jumping scholarship and ends up in the Pro Football Hall-of-Fame!
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