Nicknamed “Super Duper”, he played 11 seasons for the Dolphins where his best years came while teamed with Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino and fellow wide receiver Mark Clayton, the other half of the “Marks Brothers” wide receiver tandem. Duper, who wore #85, was a 3-time Pro Bowl selection in 1983, 1984 and 1986. His best season was 1984, when he had 71 catches, 1306 yards and 8 touchdowns, and in 1986, when he tallied 67 catches, 1313 yards and 11 touchdowns. Duper had four 1,000-yard seasons, with the final one coming in 1991 at age 32, when he posted 1085 yards. In 1990, Duper became only the second Dolphins player to surpass 7,000 career receiving yards. On July 17, 1993, the Dolphins released Duper, after re-hauling their receiving corps bringing in O.J. McDuffie, Irving Fryar, and Mark Ingram Sr., and letting go of the Marks Brothers.^[1]

Duper was also a track star, he won in the finals of the 400-meter relay at the 1981 NCAA track and field championships at Northwestern State University, and from the 1980 Olympic trials finished seventh in the 200-meter dash and reached the semifinals of the 100. he competed in the 100 meters and 200 meters, posting personal bests of 10.21 seconds and 20.77 seconds, respectively.

In 11 NFL seasons, he caught 511 passes for 8,869 yards and 59 touchdowns. In 1994, he also appeared in two games with the Miami Hooters of the Arena Football League.

On November 8, 2013, Duper revealed he had been diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).^[2]

Duper was inducted (with Mark Clayton) into the Miami Dolphins Honor Roll on December 15, 2003.

Maurice Jones-Drew

Maurice Christopher Jones-Drew^[1] (born March 23, 1985), often called “MJD“, is an American former football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons. He played college football for the UCLA Bruins and earned unanimous All-American honors.

Jones-Drew was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft, 60th overall, was named to the Pro Bowl three times, and led the NFL in rushing yards in 2011. He played his first eight seasons with the Jaguars, through 2013. In his final season in 2014, he played for the Oakland Raiders.

Following his retirement, Jones-Drew entered broadcasting, serving as a football color analyst for NFL Now and other shows on NFL Network, in addition to hosting for CBS Sports their Monday Night studio show for their UK networks.^[2] He is currently the color analyst for the Los Angeles Rams.^[3]

Early years[edit]

Born in Oakland, California, Jones-Drew was raised in Antioch and graduated from De La Salle High School in Concord.^[4]

De La Salle owns the longest winning streak in high school football history at 151 games.^[5] The Spartan football teams that Jones-Drew played on never lost a single game during his three-year varsity career. He was an elusive, high-scoring running back and return specialist on offense and a punishing linebacker on defense. He also played four official college games as a cornerback. Jones-Drew somersaulted into the national consciousness as a high school junior in 2001 when he scored all four of De La Salle’s touchdowns in a 29-15 nationally televised victory over Long Beach Poly on October 6.^[6] It was the first game that ever matched up the nation’s No. 1 and No. 2 ranked high school football teams.^[7] On the Spartans’ opening drive, Jones-Drew received a short pass in the right flat on third-and-eight from the Poly 25-yard line. He broke a tackle and then sprinted down the right sideline before launching a spectacular forward somersault into the end zone.^[7] Drew next scored on a 29-yard reception on fourth down in which he ran a circle route out of the backfield down the left sideline and hauled in an over-the-shoulder touch pass at the goal line from quarterback Matt Gutierrez. Drew’s third touchdown came in the second quarter when he burst through the line, shook off two tacklers, before hitting paydirt 17 yards later. Drew’s final score salted away the historic De La Salle victory. It was a similar effort to his third touchdown and came on a 22-yard run with just under seven minutes remaining. Drew finished with nine carries for 86 yards and three catches for another 79 yards.^{[citation needed]}

During his junior season, Jones-Drew rushed for nearly 2,000 yards, averaged nearly 12 yards per carry, and scored 26 touchdowns. He was rated as a four-star recruit and ranked as the No. 1 all-purpose back in the nation in 2003 by Rivals.com.^[8] He is pictured outrunning a slew of defenders on the cover of the book When the Game Stands Tall, which chronicles the De La Salle Spartans’ all-time-record 151-game winning streak.^[9]

Jones-Drew also ran track for the De La Salle track team and was a member of the Spartans’ 4 x 100 metres relay state championship meet team of 2002, which posted a non-finals-qualifying time of 42.20 seconds during the meet’s preliminaries.^[10] At the age of 16, he posted a personal best time of 10.80 seconds in the 100 meters. He also ran for the Bruins’ track team at UCLA.

Warrick Dunne

Warrick De’Mon Dunn (born January 5, 1975) is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for twelve seasons. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 12th overall in the 1997 NFL Draft, after playing college football for the Florida State Seminoles. Dunn was named AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 1997 and earned three Pro Bowl selections in his career. After his playing career, Dunn took a minority stake in the Falcons’ ownership group led by Arthur Blank.

Early years[edit]

At Catholic High in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Dunn played quarterback, cornerback, and running back. During his sophomore year, he helped lead Catholic High to the state 4A championship game for the first time in its history. He was an All-America honorable mention selection by USA Today as a senior.

On January 7, 1993, two days after Dunn’s eighteenth birthday, his mother, Betty Smothers, a Baton Rouge Police Officer, was murdered while working an off-duty security job. Dunn became the head of his family and raised his siblings. He later met with one of his mother’s killers, Kevan Brumfield, and offered his forgiveness.^[1]

College career[edit]

Dunn played college football at Florida State University, where he rushed for over 1,000 yards in 3 straight seasons. He graduated in 1997 with a bachelor’s degree in information studies. He was a three-time All-ACC selection.

Dunn’s jersey, along with those of other Seminoles players such as Fred Biletnikoff, Ron Sellers, Ron Simmons, Charlie Ward, Deion Sanders, and Chris Weinke, has been retired by the university. His number (28) may still be worn by Seminole players, but his jersey will be displayed in the Moore Athletic Center at FSU. He also won a national championship in 1993 with Florida State.

Track and field[edit]

Warrick Dunn was also an accomplished track and field star, named as an Associated Press All-American as a member of Florida State’s men’s 4x100m relay team. Dunn competed on the Seminoles’ track & field team as a sprinter during all four years he was enrolled at Florida State. His personal best in the 100 meters is 10.3 seconds.

College statistics[edit]

Professional career[edit]

Tampa Bay Buccaneers[edit]

Dunn was selected in the first round of the 1997 NFL Draft with the 12th overall pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.^[3] Dunn had a highly successful rookie season, was selected to the NFC Pro Bowl team, and named the Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year. Dunn spent the next four years of his career in Tampa Bay, and was again named to the Pro Bowl in 2000. In game 13 of that season, he had a career-best 210 yards rushing against the Dallas Cowboys (then, 2nd most in franchise history).

Atlanta Falcons[edit]

A free agent in the 2002 offseason, Dunn signed with the Atlanta Falcons. Once again, he made a positive impact on his team with 9 total TDs and in that year, he led the league with a 5.4 yards per carry average. Dunn scored the most rushing touchdowns in his career, 9, in the 2004 season despite splitting carries with T.J. Duckett and also led the team in rushing with 1,106 yards. Having led his team in rushing yards again in 2005, Dunn was named the NFC’s Pro Bowl team, marking his third selection to the team. For his career, Dunn has only missed 10 games and has a total of 2,256 carries for 9,461 yards 43 touchdowns and a 4.2 average. Dunn finished his first 10 seasons with over 1,000 combined rushing and receiving yards. During the 2007 season, with Falcons starting quarterback Byron Leftwich out with a high ankle sprain, Dunn served as the third string emergency quarterback behind Joey Harrington and Chris Redman, a position he played in high school.

On March 3, 2008, the Falcons released Dunn per his request. This came a day after the Falcons signed former San Diego Chargers backup running back Michael Turner.^[4] On December 17, 2009, he became a minority owner of the Atlanta Falcons.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (second stint)[edit]

On March 10, 2008, Dunn returned to the Buccaneers after signing a two-year, $6 million contract. In week 6 against the Carolina Panthers, Dunn had his first 100-yard game since re-joining the Buccaneers. Dunn was released by the Buccaneers on February 25, 2009.^[5] He retired from the NFL 14th all-time in all-purpose yards with 15,306 (20th As of 2020)[1] and 19th in rushing yards with 10,967 (23rd As of 2020).[2]

NFL career statistics[edit]

Dave Duerson

David Russell Duerson (November 28, 1960 – February 17, 2011) was an American professional football player who was a safety in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons, primarily with the Chicago Bears. As a member of the Bears, he was selected to four consecutive Pro Bowls from 1985 to 1988 and was part of the 1985 defense that won the franchise’s first Super Bowl in Super Bowl XX. He also played for the New York Giants and Arizona Cardinals, winning Super Bowl XXV with the former.

At age 50, Duerson died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest. Following his request, his brain was sent to the Boston University School of Medicine for research on chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Neurologists at Boston University confirmed that Duerson had CTE as a result of the concussions he had during his playing career.

Early life[edit]

Born and raised in Muncie, Indiana, Duerson played football, basketball, and baseball at Northside High School. Duerson’s honors during his high school years included the 1979 Indiana Mr. Football.^[1]

College career[edit]

Duerson played college football at the University of Notre Dame from 1979 to 1982,^[2] and graduated with honors, with a BA in economics. He started all four years for the Fighting Irish, and earned recognition as an All-American in 1981 and 1982. Duerson was a captain and the team’s MVP as a senior in 1982, intercepting seven passes and returning them for 104 yards. He finished his college career with 12 interceptions, which he returned for 256 yards and a touchdown. He also returned 103 punts for 869 yards and 3 kickoffs for 75.^[3]

He was the winner of the Edward “Moose” Krause Distinguished Service Award in 1990 by the Notre Dame Monogram Club, of which he was a past president. He was also a member of the University of Notre Dame Board of Trustees from 2001 to 2005.^[2]

Professional career[edit]

Taken in the third round of the 1983 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears, Duerson was selected to four consecutive Pro Bowls (1986–1989). He won two Super Bowl championship rings, with the 1985 Bears (XX), and 1990 Giants (XXV). During the 1986 season, Duerson set an NFL record that stood for 19 years (Adrian Wilson, 2005) for most sacks in a season by a defensive back, with seven. He also intercepted six passes for 139 yards with a longest return of 38 yards. At season’s end, Duerson was named first-team All-Pro by Pro Football Weekly, the Pro Football Writers Association and The Sporting News and second-team All-Pro by the Associated Press. In 1987, Duerson was the recipient of the NFL Man of the Year Award. In his 11 seasons, Duerson recorded 20 interceptions, which he returned for 226 yards, and 16 quarterback sacks. He also recovered five fumbles, returning them for 47 yards and a touchdown.

After football[edit]

Duerson owned three McDonald’s restaurants in Louisville, Kentucky for six months, from late 1994 to April 1995. He purchased the majority interest in Fair Oaks Farms (formerly Brooks Sausage Company) in 1995.^[4] He sold his stake in the company in 2002 and started Duerson Foods, but that company was forced into receivership in 2006 and most of its assets were auctioned off.^[5]

Death[edit]

Duerson was found dead at his Sunny Isles Beach, Florida^[6] home on February 17, 2011. The Miami-Dade County medical examiner reported that Duerson died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest.^[7] He sent a text message to his family saying he wanted his brain to be used for research at the Boston University School of Medicine, which is conducting research into chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a neurodegenerative disease, which can be caused by playing football.^[8] He left behind three sons and a daughter from his marriage to ex-wife Alicia.^[7] He was buried in the Cedar Grove Cemetery in Notre Dame, Indiana.

On May 2, 2011, neurologists at Boston University confirmed that Duerson had had CTE, which is caused by repeated hits to the head.^[9] He was one of at least 345 NFL players to be diagnosed after death with this disease.^[10][11]

Ahmad Rashad

Ahmad Rashad (born Robert Earl Moore; November 19, 1949) is an American sportscaster and former professional football wide receiver. He was the fourth overall selection of the 1972 NFL Draft, taken by the St. Louis Cardinals. He was known as Bobby Moore before changing his name in 1973.

Recruited after high school as a wide receiver by the University of Oregon, he played for the Oregon Webfoots. He moved to the running back position and was named to the 1971 College Football All-America Team at that position.

He became professional after being drafted by the Cardinals. Rashad returned to playing as wide receiver, and played for the Cardinals for two seasons. After being traded to the Buffalo Bills in 1974, and sitting out the 1975 season with a knee injury, he signed with the Seattle Seahawks before the 1976 season. They traded him shortly thereafter to the Minnesota Vikings (1976–1982), where he earned four Pro Bowl selections from 1978 to 1981.

Following his retirement from football, Rashad transitioned to television. He worked as a studio analyst, game reporter, and anchor for several sports. Rashad was a panellist on the NFL Live pregame show for NBC, and also notably hosted the National Basketball Association weekly digest shows NBA Inside Stuff (1990–2004) and NBA Access with Ahmad Rashad (2005–2011). He has appeared as a fictionalized version of himself as a television sports personality in several films and television shows. In addition, he has hosted several non-sports related game shows and reality television shows. As of 2021 he is currently a member of the digital content team for the New York Knicks, filming videos for their YouTube channel as well as emceeing events for the team in Madison Square Garden.

Early life[edit]

Born Robert Earl Moore in 1949 in Portland, Oregon, he moved with his family to Tacoma, Washington. There he played high school football. Rashad graduated from Mount Tahoma High School^[1] and accepted an athletic scholarship to the University of Oregon in Eugene. He played football for the Ducks under head coach Jerry Frei, became a member of Omega Psi Phi fraternity, and majored in elementary education at Oregon.^[2]

During his junior year in college, Rashad had legal issues in Portland. He was charged with felony theft in November 1970.^[3][4][5] He pleaded guilty to a reduced charge, a misdemeanor, in early 1971.^[6]

In 1972, Moore converted from Pentecostalism to Islam. He had started to study Islam in college.^[7] A year later, Bobby Moore legally changed his name to Ahmad Rashād, which means “admirable one led to truth” in Arabic.^[8][9] He adopted his last name from his Egyptian-American mentor, biochemist Rashad Khalifa,^[10] with whom he studied Arabic.^[11] Khalifa was assassinated in 1990.^[10]

Football career[edit]

At Oregon, Moore played wide receiver and wingback as a sophomore in 1969 and made the all-conference team.^[12] He moved to running back, where he was an All-American in 1971 — in the same backfield with quarterback Dan Fouts.^[1] In his final season with the Ducks (1971), he rushed for 1,211 yards, caught 32 passes for 324 yards, and scored 10 touchdowns. He finished his three seasons of college football with 2,036 rushing yards, 131 receptions for 1,565 yards, and 36 touchdowns.^[13] At the time Moore left Oregon, his rushing yards, receptions, and 226 points were all school records.^[14]

Moore was the fourth player selected in the 1972 NFL Draft,^[2] taken by the St. Louis Cardinals.^[15] He made the UPI all-rookie team in 1972,^[16] but second-year head coach Bob Hollway was fired after a 4-9-1 season. Don Coryell was the new head coach in 1973.

He traded Rashad, as he was then known, after that season to the Buffalo Bills for backup quarterback Dennis Shaw.^[17] In Buffalo, Rashad roomed on the road with O. J. Simpson in 1974. He missed the 1975 season after a knee injury in the final pre-season game.^[18]

Rashad was in the training camp of the expansion Seattle Seahawks, after signing as a free agent. He was traded days before the start of the 1976 regular season, sent to the Minnesota Vikings for a future draft pick.^[19] He failed the Vikings’ physical, but was kept on the team due to the actions of quarterback Fran Tarkenton.^[8] The Vikings made it back to the Super Bowl that season, their last appearance to date.

During his professional football career, Rashad caught 495 passes for 6,831 yards and 44 touchdowns, while also rushing for 52 yards. The standout catch of his career came in a December 1980 game against the Cleveland Browns. Vikings quarterback Tommy Kramer threw a Hail Mary pass to Rashad that resulted in a come-from-behind 28–23 victory and a Central Division title for the Vikings. This became known as “The Miracle at the Met“, or, alternatively, “The Miracle Catch”. Rashad also has the distinction of the longest play from scrimmage that didn’t score a touchdown: 98 yards in a 1972 game against the Rams.

Rashad replaced John Gilliam as receiver with both the St. Louis and Minnesota teams. In 1992 Rashad was named to Oregon’s Hall of Fame and to the College Football Hall of Fame on May 9, 2007.^[20]

Broadcasting and television career[edit]

After his football career, Rashad covered NFL, NBA, and MLB^[21] televised contests as a studio anchor and game reporter for NBC and ABC, and hosted NBA Inside Stuff for 16 seasons. He also has hosted the video-clip show Real TV in 2000, the reality show Celebrity Mole, the game show Caesars Challenge along with co-host Dan Doherty, NBA Access with Ahmad Rashad on the ABC network, and the first season of Game Show Network‘s Tug of Words. Samantha Harris replaced him for the second season of Tug of Words.

He starred in an episode of Monsters. Rashad has also guest starred on several TV shows, mainly ones that starred his then-wife Phylicia Allen Rashad. In 1988, he filled in for Robb Weller on the weekend edition of Entertainment Tonight (then known as Entertainment This Week). He used to interview long-time friend Michael Jordan frequently while he was at NBC. In early 2013, he became a panelist on the daily talk show Morning Drive on the Golf Channel, but left that summer. Rashad has narrated the yearly highlight films for NBA championship teams since 2012.

As of May 2021, Rashad now works for the New York Knicks as a member of their digital content team, making videos for the team’s YouTube channel (including sit-down interviews with members of the roster as well as historical retrospectives) as well as emceeing events for the team at Madison Square Garden.^[22]

Basketball career[edit]

Right before the launch of NBA Inside Stuff in 1990, Rashad, who was 40 years old at the time, signed a two-day contract with the Philadelphia 76ers.^[23] As the show wanted to use Rashad playing in the NBA as a promotion, he was allowed to practice with the team and play in an NBA preseason game against the Minnesota Timberwolves the next day. Rashad was known for his athleticism, as evidenced by him playing multiple offensive positions in his football career. He became a multi-sport athlete, albeit 8 years after his retirement from pro sports. It was the first preseason game ever to be played at the newly built Target Center and was in front of a crowd of 18,296. Many fans came to the game to support Rashad because of his career as a Viking.^[23]

He was subbed on for Hersey Hawkins and, in the first play of his NBA career, he gave up an and-one shooting foul to Tony Campbell. During a ensuing timeout, head coach Jim Lynam drew up a play for Rashad to run across the baseline for an open look. Rashad knocked down the 20-foot shot and scored the first and only points of his NBA career. Remembering the moment in a voiceover, Rashad was ecstatic, “I definitely replayed this one in my head for quite some time. My teammates set me up on the left side, and when everything was on the line, I nailed it.”^[24] Rashad was not as good defensively, as he allowed Campbell and the Timberwolves to bring an 11-point deficit down to 5. But the 76ers pulled off a 102-96 win, giving Rashad a perfect record in the NBA.^[25]

After the game, Rashad’s performance was applauded by multiple teammates and coaches, including Hall of Fame teammate Charles Barkley. He had previously expressed doubts about Rashad, but said that “he made it, and that’s all that matters.” Rick Mahorn, another teammate, said “What the hell, his two points really made a difference.”^[24]

In a post-game interview, Rashad announced his retirement from the game of basketball, and he was waived from the team.

Rashad has been married five times and divorced four. He has fathered a total of six children, including a son, Geoffery Simmons, born to his high school girlfriend Melody Neal. The boy was put up for adoption in 1967. After he turned 18, he contacted his father through Amara (formerly the Medina Adoption Agency) in 2005, and the pair met for the first time. Simmons also had learned that his biological mother, Melody Neal, died from cancer in 1991.^{[citation needed]}

In 1969, Rashad married for the first time, to Deidre Waters. They had a daughter, Keva, born in 1970. That year Rashad also fathered a son, Sean, born to another woman.

After divorcing his first wife, in 1976, Rashad married his second wife, Matilda Johnson. They had two children together, daughter Maiyisha (born in 1976) and son Ahmad Jr. (born in 1978). They divorced in 1979.

In 1985, Rashad married actress Phylicia Ayers-Allen, known for her work on The Cosby Show. He proposed to her earlier that year on national television during the pregame show of NBC‘s broadcast of the Thanksgiving Day football game, between the Detroit Lions and the New York Jets.^[26] It was the third marriage for each of them.

Unlike many actresses, Phylicia took her husband’s surname at marriage. She has kept the name “Phylicia Rashād” as her professional one since their divorce in 2001. Rashad gained a stepson Billy Bowles (born 1973 during her first marriage). After a year of marriage, they had a daughter together, Condola Phylea Rashād, named after his mother. In 2001, after nearly sixteen years of marriage, they divorced.

In 2007, Rashad married his fourth wife, Sale Johnson. (She had divorced from Woody Johnson, Johnson & Johnson billionaire heir and New York Jets owner). She brought three daughters to the marriage Casey Johnson (1977–2010), Jamie Johnson (b. 1982),^[27] and Daisy Johnson (b. 1987). After Casey died, the couple adopted her daughter (Sale Johnson’s granddaughter), Ava-Monroe Johnson (born August 14, 2006). Rashad and Johnson divorced in 2013.^[28]

In 2016, Rashad married Ana Luz Rodriguez-Paz, a psychologist in South Florida.^[29]

Charlie Conerly

Charles Albert Conerly Jr. (September 19, 1921 – February 13, 1996) was an American professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for the New York Giants from 1948 through 1961. Conerly played college football for the Ole Miss Rebels and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1966. He was married to Perian Conerly, a sports columnist for The New York Times.

College career[edit]

Conerly attended and played college football at the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss). He started at Ole Miss in 1942, but left to serve as a Marine in the South Pacific during World War II where he fought in the Battle of Guam.^[1][2]

He returned to Mississippi in 1946 and led the team to their first Southeastern Conference (SEC) championship in 1947. During that season, he led the nation in pass completions with 133, rushed for nine touchdowns and passed for 18 more, was a consensus All-American selection, and was named Player of the Year by the Helms Athletic Foundation.^[2] He played the halfback position for the Rebels. He earned consensus All-America in 1947 when he led the Rebels to a record of 9–2 including a 13–9 win over TCU in the Delta Bowl at Crump Stadium in Memphis, Tennessee.^{[citation needed]}

Conerly’s 1947 squad had upset wins over Kentucky (14–7 in Oxford), Florida (14–6 in Jacksonville, Florida), LSU (20–18 in Baton Rouge), and Tennessee (43–13 in Memphis). He placed fourth in the Heisman Trophy balloting and was a two-time All SEC performer. He was named Player of the Year and Back of the Year of the SEC in 1947. He set numerous school records and still ranked 12th in 2008 in career total offense with 3,076 yards. He was ranked 12th in career passing with 2,313 yards and 26 TDs.^{[citation needed]}

Conerly also played baseball at Ole Miss, where he hit .467 in 1948 and was offered a professional contract.^[2]

Professional career[edit]

Conerly was drafted in the 13th round of the 1945 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins. He played his entire career with the New York Giants as a quarterback, where he was a two-time Pro Bowl selection in 1950 and 1956 and was NFL’s Most Valuable Player in 1959 by the Newspaper Enterprise Association.^[2] Conerly was named NFL “Rookie of the Year” in 1948, a season when he set many Giants rookie franchise records that still stand. He led the Giants to three NFL Championship games in four seasons (1956, 1958–1959), including a 47–7 victory over the Chicago Bears in the 1956 NFL Championship Game. During his professional career, he earned the alliterative nickname “Chucking Charlie Conerly“.

The Hit[edit]

On November 20, 1960 at Yankee Stadium in The Bronx, Conerly played a small role in one of the most famed plays in NFL history, known as The Hit. In the fourth quarter of a tied game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Conerly threw a short forward pass to Giants running back Frank Gifford, who was clothes-line tackled by Eagles linebacker Chuck Bednarik. Gifford immediately fell to the ground unconscious, was removed from the field by stretcher, and was transported to a local hospital, where he was diagnosed with a severe concussion. The concussion forced Gifford into an 18-month-long retirement until he had recuperated sufficiently to later return with the Giants.^[3]

Giants franchise records[edit]

As of 2017’s NFL off-season, Charlie Conerly held at least 10 Giants franchise records, including:

• Most Completions (rookie season): 162 (1948)
• Most Pass Attempts (rookie season): 299 (1948)
• Most Passing Yards (rookie season): 2,175 (1948)
• Most Passing TDs (rookie season): 22 (1948)
• Most Intercepted (game): 5 (1951-10-14 CRD and 1953-12-13 DET; tied with Jeff Rutledge and Eli Manning)
• Highest Passer Rating (rookie season): 84.0 (1948)
• Most Yds/Pass Att (season): 8.79 (1959)
• Most Yds/Pass Att (playoff career): 8.53
• Most Yds/Pass Att (playoff season): 10.48 (1958)
• Most Pass Yds/Game (rookie season): 181.3 (1948)
• Most Passing Touchdowns by a Quarterback vs. The Washington Redskins/Football Team/Commanders

Later life and honors[edit]

Conerly portrayed the “Marlboro Man” in commercials after playing for the Giants.^[4][5] Conerly and his wife, Perian (author of the book, Backseat Quarterback) retired to his hometown of Clarksdale, Mississippi, where he spent his final days. Conerly owned shoe stores throughout the Mississippi Delta. On December 13, 1959, Perian appeared on an episode of What’s My Line?. Her line was she wrote a football column for newspapers.

Conerly was inducted into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame in 1966 and the Ole Miss Athletic Hall of Fame in 1987. He is also a member of the Ole Miss Team of the Century (1893–1992). Conerly is the namesake of the football award, the Conerly Trophy, given annually to the top college player in the State of Mississippi. The Professional Football Researchers Association named Conerly to the PRFA Hall of Very Good Class of 2006.^[6] He is a seven-time Pro Football Hall of Fame finalist, but has yet to be elected as a member of the Hall.^[7]

Illness and death[edit]

Conerly underwent triple-bypass heart surgery on September 19, 1995, his birthday. He died on February 13, 1996, of heart failure following a long illness, his wife told The New York Times. He was also survived by his sisters, Ruth Meredith and Ray Steele.^[8]

Tony Siragusa

Anthony Siragusa (May 14, 1967 – June 22, 2022), nicknamed “the Goose“, was an American professional football player who was a defensive tackle for 12 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and the Baltimore Ravens in the National Football League (NFL). After his football career, he worked as a sideline analyst for NFL games broadcast on the Fox Network from 2003 to 2015. He also hosted various shows on television, such as the home renovation program Man Caves on the DIY Network.

Early life[edit]

Siragusa attended David Brearley High School in Kenilworth, New Jersey.^[1] In high school, he played football and was also a member of the wrestling team.^[2] He was the New Jersey state wrestling champion with a 97–1 career record.^[3] In football, he played defensive line, punted, and place kicked. He had a 39-yard punting average and made 15 of 18 extra point attempts.^[4]

College career[edit]

Siragusa attended the University of Pittsburgh and played college football for the Pittsburgh Panthers. He was a starting defensive tackle in his sophomore and junior seasons (1986 and 1987) under head coach Mike Gottfried.^[5][6][7]

During a practice in April 1988, Siragusa tore his left anterior cruciate ligament, and underwent surgery that forced him to sit out the entire 1988 season.^[8] Before his injury, Siragusa was considered a potential first-round draft pick, but afterwards, he was seen as such a risk that he went undrafted in the 1990 NFL draft.^[9]

Indianapolis Colts[edit]

Siragusa was an undrafted free agent in 1990 and was signed by the Indianapolis Colts as a defensive tackle.^[11] He played nose tackle^[12] to draw the double teams when the Indianapolis Colts were in a 3-4 defense or 4-3 defense. As a rookie, he appeared in 13 games and started 6 games and recorded 1 sack, 36 total tackles, and 1 fumble recovery.^[13] In the 1991 season, he started in 6 of his 13 game appearances and recorded 2 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, and 46 combined tackles.^[14] In the 1992 season, he appeared in all 16 games, starting in 12, and recorded 3 sacks and 65 combined tackles.^[15] In the 1993 season, he appeared in and started 14 games and recorded 1.5 sacks and 76 combined tackles.^[16] In the 1994 season, he appeared in and started all 16 games and recorded 5 sacks, 88 combined tackles, 2 forced fumbles, and 1 fumble recovery.^[17] In the 1995 season, he appeared in and started 14 games and recorded 2 sacks, 49 total tackles, and 1 forced fumble.^[18]

Siragusa was a key part of the Colts team that narrowly lost the 1995 AFC Championship Game; after the season, he was unhappy that Colts coach Ted Marchibroda was given a no-raise, no-extension contract offer that he rejected before leaving the team.^[19] Siragusa was open about his dislike for new coach Lindy Infante and the team’s Vice President of Football Operations Bill Tobin.^[20][21] In the 1996 season, he appeared in and started 10 games and recorded 2 sacks, 45 combined tackles, and 1 fumble recovery.^[22]

Baltimore Ravens[edit]

In 1997, Siragusa signed with the Baltimore Ravens, who were being coached by his former coach Ted Marchibroda (which continued until he was fired for Brian Billick in 1999).^[23] In the 1997 season, he appeared in 14 games, started 13, and recorded one fumble recovery and 27 total tackles.^[24] In the 1998 season, he appeared in and started 15 games, and recorded one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and 41 total tackles.^[25] In the 1999 season, he appeared in and started 14 games, and recorded two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, 3.5 sacks, and 36 total tackles.^[26] He was a part of the 2000 Baltimore Ravens defense that allowed the fewest total points in NFL history for a 16-game season.^[27] In the 2000 season, he appeared in and started 15 games, and recorded one fumble recovery and 27 total tackles.^[28] Siragusa was fined $10,000 for an illegal hit on Oakland Raiders quarterback Rich Gannon in the 2000 AFC title game, injuring Gannon’s shoulder.^[29] He helped lead the Ravens to their first Super Bowl in franchise history in Super Bowl XXXV where they beat the New York Giants, 34–7.^[30] Siragusa retired following the 2001 season, where he had two sacks and 28 total tackles.^[31][32] He finished his career with 562 tackles (416 solo), 22 sacks, five forced fumbles, nine fumble recoveries for 12 yards, and 28 pass deflections in 170 career games.^[33]

Post-playing career[edit]

Siragusa was a sideline reporter and analyst during NFL games on Fox until his firing following the 2015 NFL season.^[34] Siragusa usually appeared with Kenny Albert (before Albert, Dick Stockton and Curt Menefee) and Daryl Johnston. In 2015, he was paired with Thom Brennaman and Charles Davis. He appeared as Soprano family associate Frankie Cortese in the TV series The Sopranos.^[35] He partnered up with Michael Romanelli and opened a restaurant chain called Tiff’s.^[36] The original name of the franchise was Tiffany’s, but after a lawsuit by Tiffany & Co., the luxury jeweler, the name was shortened.^[37] He hosted Man Caves on the DIY network.^[38] He also hosted a documentary program called Mega Machines on The Learning Channel.^[39]

Siragusa also played a Russian mobster in the 2002 movie 25th Hour.^[40]

Out of a concern for men with prostate cancer, in 2013 Siragusa began appearing in an ad campaign for Depend for Men, saying, “I decided to go and shoot the commercial and bring a little bit of lightness to [the problem] where guys can talk about it and after I did the commercial you wouldn’t believe the response.”^[41]

Siragusa made a few appearances at his alma mater, the University of Pittsburgh. He was one of several honorary captains during the renewal of the Penn State–Pittsburgh football rivalry in 2016, soon after ending his stint with Fox.^[42]

Death[edit]

On June 22, 2022, Siragusa died in his sleep at his home in Ortley Beach, New Jersey, at the age of 55.^[43][44]

Vince Wilfork

Vincent Lamar Wilfork (born November 4, 1981) is an American former professional football player who was a nose tackle in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons, primarily with the New England Patriots. He played college football for the Miami Hurricanes and was drafted by the Patriots in the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft. He also played two seasons for the Houston Texans before retiring following the 2016 season. Along with Tom Brady, Wilfork is the only Patriots player to win the Super Bowl in both decades of the Patriots dynasty (2004 and 2014).

Wilfork is considered to be one of the greatest defensive tackles in NFL history,^[1][2] and was named both to the Pro Bowl and the All-Pro team in 2007, 2010, 2011, and 2012.

Early years[edit]

Wilfork was born in Boynton Beach, Florida, and attended Santaluces Community High School in Palm Beach County, Florida. There, he was a letter winner in football, wrestling, and track and field. In football, he won USA Today‘s second team All-American honors.

In track & field, Wilfork was one of the nation’s top performers in the throwing events. He was the Florida Class 4A state champion in the shot put and the discus in 2000.^[3] He also holds the Florida state high school record in the shot put with a throw of 68 feet (20.73 m). In the discus event, his top throw was 180 feet (54.86 m).^[4]

College career[edit]

Wilfork attended the University of Miami, where he played for the Miami Hurricanes football team. He also competed for the Miami Hurricanes track and field team; he held the Miami indoor school record in the shot put until Isaiah Simmons surpassed it in 2013. In his freshman season, Wilfork did not start but played in every game as a defensive tackle, finishing tenth on the team in tackles with 41 while also recording a sack and forcing three fumbles. Wilfork did not start a game in his 2002 sophomore season either, but still recorded 43 tackles and seven sacks. Before the 2003 season, Wilfork was rated the second best defensive tackle in the country by The Sporting News and went on to start all 13 games for Miami. He finished the year with a career-high 64 tackles and led the team with 20 quarterback hurries. He was named to the All-Big East Conference first-team following the season, which would prove to be his last in Miami as he decided to forgo his senior season and enter the 2004 NFL Draft.

Vince was inducted into the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame in 2019.

Joe Jacoby

Joseph Erwin Jacoby (born July 6, 1959) is an American former professional football player who was an offensive tackle for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL). He won three Super Bowls during his tenure with the team.

College career[edit]

Jacoby started off as an offensive tackle for the University of Louisville from 1978 to 1980.^[1] He was a three-year letterman, and the team co-captain in his senior season. Jacoby was inducted into Louisville’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2004.^[2] Still, the team achieved limited success with Jacoby, posting a 16-16 overall record in his three seasons, with only one season with a winning record and no Bowl game appearances.^[3]

Professional career[edit]

After college, Jacoby went undrafted. He signed a free agent contract with the Washington Redskins in 1981, where he embarked on an enviable career—four Super Bowl appearances, of which his team won three (XVII in 1983, XXII in 1988, and XXVI in 1992), plus four consecutive Pro Bowl selections from 1983 to 1986.

Along with Jeff Bostic, Mark May, George Starke and Russ Grimm, Jacoby was a founding member of the Redskins’ renowned “Hogs” offensive line of the 1980s and early 1990s (deemed one of the best front fives of NFL history), which was a mainstay of the Redskins’ glory years during the first Joe Gibbs era.^[4][5]

Jacoby was the lead blocker on John Riggins‘ famous touchdown run which ensured the Redskins’ Super Bowl XVII win over the Dolphins in 1983. In that game, the Redskins set a Super Bowl record for most rushing yards with 276. The Hogs helped the Redskins break that record five years later in Super Bowl XXII, in which Washington trampled over the Denver Broncos with 280 rushing yards en route to the second of the Redskins’ three championships.

Personal[edit]

One year after the Redskins’ third Super Bowl victory in 1992, Jacoby retired, after which he became the owner of an auto dealership in Warrenton, Virginia.

Jacoby became an assistant football coach at Shenandoah University in Winchester, Virginia. He began as a part-time volunteer in 2008 and was hired as a full-time employee in 2009.^[6] In 2014, Jacoby was hired as the offensive line coach for Concordia University Chicago.^[7]

Jacoby has a wife, Irene, and two daughters.

Jessie Tuggle

Jessie Floyd Tuggle, III^[1] (born April 4, 1965) is a former professional American football linebacker who played for the Atlanta Falcons his entire career from 1987 to 2000. He graduated from Valdosta State. He appeared in the Pro Bowl five times, and played in Super Bowl XXXIII. His nickname is “the Hammer“, because of the impact of his tackles.

Early years[edit]

Tuggle played at Griffin High School, where he experienced success playing football. He received two Division II scholarship offers.^[2]

Taking a scholarship at Valdosta State University,^[3] Tuggle played four years and finished with a school-record 340 tackles. He was a three-time All-Gulf South Conference selection and his No. 88 was retired less than a decade after Tuggle left.^[4]

In 2007, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.^[2]

Professional career[edit]

After going undrafted out of Valdosta State, Tuggle signed with the Falcons through a chance encounter. During training camp, myriad injuries at linebacker gave Tuggle playing time and a shot at making the roster (which he did).^[5]

After being a role player his rookie season, he recorded 108 tackles by virtue of eight starts. Becoming a bona fide star on the Atlanta defense, marked by the 1989-1993 period in which Tuggle racked up 969 tackles. During that stretch, he made his first Pro Bowl appearance in 1992.^[5] Even while the Falcons languished, Tuggle never thought of leaving in free agency, even when he would meet former teammates like Brett Favre.^[6] This endeared him to many Atlanta fans, who consider him one of the greatest and most beloved Falcons of all time.

After being with the Falcons through some tough years,^[7] the high point in Tuggle’s career was 1998, when he played in Super Bowl XXXIII and was voted to the Pro Bowl.^[8]

Tuggle retired during training camp in 2001 after injuries plagued the end of his career.^[9]

In his 14 seasons, he recorded 1640 tackles (164 assisted), 21 sacks, 6 interceptions, which he returned for 106 yards and a touchdown, 10 forced fumbles and 37 pass deflections. He also recovered 10 fumbles, returning them for 155 yards and an NFL record 5 touchdowns.^[10]

Tuggle also holds the record for most tackles from 1990 to 1999 with 1,293.^[11] At the time of his retirement, he held the NFL record for touchdowns via fumble recoveries with five.^[12]

Personal life[edit]

His son, Justin Tuggle, played at Kansas State University and currently plays defensive end for the Toronto Argonauts in the Canadian Football League. His other son, Grady Jarrett, played college football at Clemson University and was selected in the 5th round of the 2015 NFL Draft by his father’s former team, the Atlanta Falcons.^[13] Tuggle has experienced some concussion-related symptoms like memory loss.^[14]