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]

Lester Hayes

Lester Craig Hayes (born January 22, 1955) is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback for the Oakland / Los Angeles Raiders of the National Football League (NFL).

Hayes was commonly referred to as “the Judge” and also as “Lester the Molester” because of his bump-and-run coverage.^[1] He had a distinct stance, crouching very low when facing the opposing wide receiver. He was also known for using Stickum before it was banned in 1981 by a rule bearing his name. He had been introduced to it by Fred Biletnikoff, who unlike Hayes, has made it to the Pro Football Hall of Fame; Hayes shares the all-time club record in interceptions with 39 with Willie Brown.^[2] Hayes’ season with 13 interceptions in 1980 is tied for second-most in a season all-time and the most in the last 40 seasons.^[3]

College career[edit]

In college starting in 1973, he played for the Texas A&M Aggies. He first played defensive end as a freshman and then linebacker and safety as a sophomore. During his junior and senior years, he settled in as a safety and became an All-American for his play at safety.^[4]

Professional career[edit]

Hayes was converted to cornerback after being chosen by the Raiders in the fifth round of the 1977 draft. Hayes helped contribute to the Raiders’ two Super Bowl wins in 1980 and 1983. Hayes was a one-time All-Pro (1980) and a five-time Pro Bowler (1980–1984). He was known as one of the greatest shutdown cornerbacks in NFL history. In 1980, Hayes led the NFL with 13 interceptions, tied for second-most with Dan Sandifer, who had set it in 1948, and behind Dick “Night Train” Lane with 14 in 1952, and was named AP Defensive Player of the Year^[5] and the NEA Defensive Player of the Year. He added five more interceptions in Oakland’s three playoff games, as they advanced to a victory in Super Bowl XV

A big Star Wars fan, during pregame interviews for Super Bowl XVIII, he declared himself the “only true Jedi” in the NFL.^[6] His best performance was probably in Super Bowl XVIII. He had only one tackle, but that was because he so effectively covered Charlie Brown and Art Monk that Joe Theismann hardly threw to the left side of the field.^[7] During his last four seasons, he formed a partnership with Mike Haynes that has been considered one of the best in league history. Hayes and Haynes gave the Raiders the luxury of having two shutdown corners. They are widely reckoned as being the prototypes for a generation of speedy and physical cornerbacks.^[8]

He retired after the 1986 season with a total of 39 interceptions (including four defensive touchdowns), a Raider record shared with Hall of Famer Willie Brown.

In 2012, the Professional Football Researchers Association named Hayes to the PFRA Hall of Very Good Class of 2012.^[9]

Stickum usage[edit]

Hayes was introduced to Stickum, an adhesive substance used by players to improve their grip, in his 1977 rookie season by Hall of Fame wide receiver and fellow teammate Fred Biletnikoff. Instead of just applying a small amount to his hands, though, he began to slather it all over his arms and even his uniform, drawing more and more attention to it.^[10] Hayes later described the influence the adhesive had on his career, saying that before being introduced to it in his rookie year, he “couldn’t catch a cold in Antarctica”.^[11]

The use of Stickum was banned by the NFL after the 1980 season. In the six seasons that Hayes played following the banning of Stickum, he had 14 total interceptions, compared to the 25 that he had in his first four seasons. However, he was named to the Pro Bowl and selected as a second-team All-Pro four times after 1980.^[12] Hayes later stated that alongside lingering thumb injuries, the Stickum ban contributed to a decline in his later career.^[11] Fred Biletnikoff and Jerry Rice, both of whom have admitted their usage of Stickum, have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, while Hayes has not been.^[13] He was a finalist four times (2001–2004) and a semifinalist six times (2005–2010).

Darryl Johnston

Daryl Peter “Moose” Johnston (born February 10, 1966) is an American former professional football player who is currently the President of the USFL. He played college football at Syracuse University. He was the General Manager of the San Antonio Commanders of the Alliance of American Football (AAF) in 2019, the Director of Player Personnel for the Dallas Renegades in 2020, and served as the Executive Vice President of Football Operations for the revived incarnation of the USFL for its inaugural season.

Early years[edit]

Johnston was named Western New York Player of the Year in 1983, while playing for Lewiston-Porter High School (locally known as Lew-Port) in Lewiston, New York. The Lancers won the division during his senior year in 1984.

His Lew-Port jersey (number 34) was retired on September 1, 2006. In 2008, he was inducted into the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame.^[1]

College career[edit]

Johnston attended Syracuse University. As a redshirted freshman, he started playing on special teams and would earn the starting fullback position by his sophomore season in 1986.

While playing for Syracuse, Johnston was an All-Big East selection in 1987 and an All-American in 1988. He rushed for 1,830 yards and caught 46 passes during his collegiate career. He once gained 138 yards rushing, the most by a Syracuse running back since Larry Csonka rushed for 154 yards in 1967.

He graduated with a degree in economics.

Professional career[edit]

Johnston was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the second round (39th overall) of the 1989 NFL Draft.^[4] As a rookie, he received his nickname “Moose” from backup quarterback Babe Laufenberg because of his large stature compared to the rest of the running backs.^[5] The name caught on among Dallas fans who would chant “Moooooose” whenever he made a play.

As a Cowboy, Johnston played in 149 consecutive games from 1989–1997. He also became one of the greatest special teams players in franchise history.

He scored 22 career touchdowns and had more receptions than carries. His 294 receptions is the third-highest number among Cowboys running backs, totaling 2,227 yards for a 7.6 yards average, compared to 232 carries for 753 yards for a 3.2 yards average. In 1993 Johnston had 50 receptions and averaged 7.4 yards per catch.

Due mainly to Johnston’s contributions, the NFL created the fullback position in the Pro Bowl.^[6] Prior to this change, blocking fullbacks had little chance of beating out traditional running backs, who had better statistics. Johnston was selected to the Pro Bowl in 1993 and 1994.

Johnston retired at the end of the 1999 season, after suffering a neck injury in 1997. He was a member of three Super Bowl winning teams.^[7]

NFL career statistics[edit]

Rushing Stats^[8]

Randy Cross

Randall Laureat Cross (born April 25, 1954) is an American football analyst and former player. He was a right guard and center in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the UCLA Bruins and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2011.^[1]

High school years[edit]

Cross was born in Brooklyn, New York, and attended Crespi Carmelite High School in Encino, California. He was renowned as a high school shot put champion in the Southern California CIF from 1970–72, when he was named CIF California State Meet champion in the event, defeating future world record holder Terry Albritton and future WWF wrestling star Jim Neidhart, both from Newport Harbor High School, in the process.^[2]

He heaved the 12-pound high school shot 67′ 6.5″, which remains the Crespi school and stadium record.^[3][4]

College career[edit]

At University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Cross was an All-America selection with the Bruins. As a senior, he helped lead his team to the 1976 Rose Bowl championship over top-ranked Ohio State. Cross began his career as a Center, but was moved to Right Guard for his junior year before playing both Guard and Center as senior on a rare rotating nine man offensive line.^[5]

On this rotating line Cross started at RG on the 1st unit and then moved to Center when the next group hit the field. He was named First-team All-America in 1975. He was also a First-team All-Conference selection in 1975 In his career, he was a starter in 28 of 34 career games including his final 23. Randy Cross (and many other UCLA linemen) also played collegiate rugby for the school. Randy was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2010.^[6]

In 1976, Cross was selected in the second round of the NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers. His 13-year career, entirely with the 49ers, included three Pro Bowl selections and three Super Bowl championships (SB XVI, XIX, and XXIII). Cross’s last game as a player was Super Bowl XXIII in early 1989.

He played center from 1976–78 then guard from 1979–86 before finishing his career at center in the 1987 and 1988 seasons. Upon his retirement after Super Bowl XXIII, Randy joined the Miller Lite All Star’s cast making a series of popular commercials for the brewing giant.

Broadcasting career[edit]

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From 1989 to 1993, Cross was a member of the CBS Sports team that covered the NFC playoffs and Super Bowl XXVI. In addition, he served as an analyst for CBS Radio Sports‘ coverage of Super Bowl XXIV, filling in for Hank Stram when the latter was stricken with laryngitis and had to leave the broadcast in the third quarter of the game.^[7]

Cross left CBS (following their loss of the NFC package to Fox) to join NBC Sports as a football analyst for NFL telecasts and a part-time analyst for Notre Dame football games. In 1998, he returned to CBS Sports as a game analyst before serving as a studio analyst on The NFL Today from 1999 to 2001. He eventually returned to his game analyst duties in 2002.

He also co-hosts shows on the Sirius NFL Radio. In 2009, he became the color analyst for US Naval Academy home games on CBS College Sports TV. He is the former lead color commentator for New England Patriots pre-season games, from 1995 to 2012, alongside Don Criqui. Randy was a co-host of the midday show “Rick and Randy” with Rick Kamla on WZGC, a CBS radio station in Atlanta, Georgia, before being released from the station

Gary Clark

Gary C. Clark (born May 1, 1962) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for the Washington Redskins (1985–92), Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals (1993–94), and Miami Dolphins (1995).

Early life[edit]

Clark attended and played high school football for the Cougars football team at Pulaski County High School in Dublin, Virginia.

College career[edit]

Clark played college football at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia, where he caught 155 passes for 2,863 yards and 16 touchdowns. He also had three punt returns for touchdowns, including 89- and 87-yard returns in a game during the 1983 season against the University of Virginia. Clark was at James Madison during the Dukes’ first four Division I-AA seasons. He caught 46 passes for James Madison’s 8-3 team in 1982 and had 57 receptions in 1983. He was the Virginia offensive player of the year in 1982 and an honorable mention All-American in 1982 and 1983.

Clark became the first person in James Madison history to have his jersey retired.

Professional career[edit]

USFL[edit]

Clark was selected by the Jacksonville Bulls sixth overall in the 1984 USFL Draft. He led Jacksonville in receiving in his rookie season, in both receptions (56) and receiving yardage (760 yards).^[1] He played for the Bulls in 1984 and 1985.

NFL[edit]

Clark was selected by the Washington Redskins in the second round of the 1984 NFL Supplemental Draft of USFL and CFL Players.

In 1985, he signed with the Redskins and had a superb rookie season, recording 72 receptions for 926 yards and five touchdowns. Clark quickly established himself as one of the top receivers in the NFL. He followed up his superb rookie season in 1986 with a Pro Bowl year catching 74 passes for 1,265 yards and seven touchdowns. Clark set a Redskin record for receiving yards in a game during a Monday Night Football contest with the New York Giants. He caught 11 passes for 241 yards and a touchdown. The record still stands today as the “most receiving yards in a non-strike game” (Anthony Allen surpassed Clark’s tally during the 1987 strike season). The Redskins went on to finish with a 12-4 record and defeated the reigning Super Bowl champion Chicago Bears, 27-13, in a divisional playoff game but lost to the Giants in the NFC Championship game, 17-0.

In 1987, Clark again had a Pro Bowl year, catching 56 passes for 1,066 and seven touchdowns. He achieved these numbers in only 12 games, as a player strike shortened the season by one game and replacements played three games. No Redskin player crossed the picket line and the replacements went 3-0. Clark was only one of four NFL receivers to surpass 1,000 yards. By this time, he had caught the eye of CBS commentator John Madden. Clark’s toughness, big-play ability and willingness to block made him a regular on the All Madden Team during his playing career. The Redskins went on to finish 11-4, winning the NFC East crown. In the playoffs, the Redskins defeated the Chicago Bears in the Divisional Playoff game for the second year in a row, 21-17. Clark caught three passes for 57 yards and a touchdown in the NFC Championship game against the Minnesota Vikings. The Redskins won, 17-10, to earn the right to play in Super Bowl XXII. Clark caught three passes for 55 yards and a touchdown, while also rushing for 25 yards in Washington’s 42-10 rout of John Elway and the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXII.

Clark’s numbers dropped in 1988 as he caught 59 passes for 892 yards and seven touchdowns. The Redskins finished a paltry 7-9 and missed the playoffs. He returned to form in 1989, catching 79 passes (a career-high) for 1,229 yards and nine touchdowns. The Redskins finished 10-6 but missed the playoffs again because of a 5-6 start. Clark, along with fellow receivers Art Monk and Ricky Sanders, surpassed the 1,000 yard mark in 1989. This was the second time in NFL History that three receivers from one team all went over the 1,000 yard mark in the same year.

In 1990, Clark had another Pro Bowl year and the Redskins made the playoffs. He caught 75 passes for 1,112 yards and eight touchdowns. The Redskins went on to beat the Philadelphia Eagles, 20-6, in an NFC Wild Card game. Clark caught four passes for 63 yards and a touchdown. The Redskins lost the next week to the San Francisco 49ers, 28-10.

In 1991, Clark and the Redskins tore through the NFL. He caught 70 passes for 1,340 yards and ten touchdowns. His 19.1 yards per catch was second in the NFL. Clark caught four passes for 203 yards and three touchdowns in Washington’s 56-17 rout of the Atlanta Falcons in week 11. The Redskins finished 14-2, won the NFC East, and claimed home field advantage throughout the playoffs. Washington beat Atlanta, 24-7, and crushed Detroit, 41-10, to earn a berth in Super Bowl XXVI against the Buffalo Bills. Clark had a big day with seven catches for 114 yards and a touchdown in Washington’s 37-24 defeat of the Bills. The Redskins led 24-0 early in the third quarter, but Buffalo cut the lead to 24-10. His 30-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter was instrumental in thwarting a comeback attempt by the Bills.

Clark, Monk, and Sanders gave the Redskins one of the best receiving corps in the NFL during the late 1980s and early 1990s. They were known as The Posse. Clark was long known as the most fiery spirit of the bunch, and he was known to run laps around RFK Stadium after touchdowns and during Redskins comebacks. Clark signed with the Phoenix Cardinals as a free agent prior to the 1993 season, and the Redskins have only made the playoffs five times since, as of the end of the 2020 season.

Clark retired from the NFL after the 1995 season. In his 11 NFL seasons, he caught 699 passes for 10,856 yards and 65 touchdowns, while rushing for 54 yards and gaining 62 yards on nine punt returns. He also had twenty-seven 100-yard games wearing the Redskins uniform. Clark was a four-time Pro Bowl selection in 1986, 1987, 1990, and 1991. He was also a three-time All-Pro selection. He led his team in receiving seven times (1986, 1987, 1989–1992, 1994), and won two Super Bowls, Super Bowl XXII and Super Bowl XXVI, during his NFL career.

Clark was the first wide receiver in NFL history to catch at least 50 passes in his first ten NFL seasons. As of 2023, the only other players to do so have been Marvin Harrison, Torry Holt and Larry Fitzgerald. Despite this, Clark was never considered as a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, much less even make it as a semifinalist despite being one of few receivers to record 10,000 receiving yards in the pre-salary cap era of the NFL while recording 65 touchdown receptions as one of the key receivers on the Redskins along with Art Monk.^[2]

Notes[edit]

Clark was the owner of the now closed South Beach Restaurant and Martini Lounge in Bethesda, Maryland.

He was inducted into the Redskins Ring of Honor on October 7, 2007 and concluded his speech with, “We are going to spank Detroit’s butt.” The Redskins won the game, 34-3.

In 2007, he was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame.