TUESDAY TIDBITS: "40 Men Together Can't Lose"

By TJ Troup 

George Allen and his Bears defense

Today is George Allen's birthday, and while there are so many excellent quotes could use, chose one of his most famous for the title of this narrative. Allen figures prominently in what could be a War and Peace saga, yet will attempt to focus as much as possible. Has been a while since have written here at the Journal, yet have been digging deep on an area of research that should have been discussed years ago. Ready? 

Here goes—How many times during a broadcast or an interview with a coach do we hear the phrase "we must win the battle of the turnovers". While this is an accurate statement, the statement is murky since a win% is not applied to the statement. 

Years ago became known across the country for my in-depth research on interception returns, yet there is also another way to take the ball away from the opposition. Recover an opponent's fumble. The NFL began keeping individual opponent fumble recoveries in 1945, thus now have virtually complete individual opponent fumble recoveries for each team for the past 80 years. 

Would you be surprised to know that the league, and many so-called accurate research databases do not have accurate data in this category? Possibly since it was the last category on the scoresheets, or maybe even an afterthought—is time for this fascinating category to be accurate, in-depth, and tell the tale. Having so many valuable resources has allowed me to make corrections. Especially Steve Sabol and the film he sent me. 

Hopefully there will be teams, or websites that would interested in having this data, and would relish hearing from them. Are there questions that all of us might find intriguing? Which team has recovered the most opponent fumbles in league history? Which team has the highest win percentage of all the teams when they recover an opponent fumble? How many players have achieved the double take-away historically ( recovering an opponent fumble and intercepting a pass in the same game), and, finally how many players have recorded a sack, and an opponent fumble recovery in the same game? What player holds the league record for most consecutive games recovering an opponent fumble? 

Since this is a territorial game, which team holds the record for most yards advancing an opponent fumble in a game? For the sake of discussion, what is the win percentage of a team that returns opponent fumbles over 100 yards in a game? There have been many coaches that "preached" the takeaway, yet George Allen remains in that small fraternity that had success in doing so. 

When he became the defensive coordinator of the Bears during the '62 season, he was attempting to put a quality defense on the field. The Bears championship season of '63 remains one the best ever for a team in taking the ball away, but in '64 (his only losing year) the Bears did not take the ball away. 

A rebounding and contending season in '65 led him to Los Angeles, and then Washington; all winning seasons and years in which his defense took the ball away. As always, sure look forward to comments you have regarding this article.

What Am I Missing on Riley Matheson?

 By John Turney 

Riley Matheson, #11

In the second week of March, Hall-of-Fame voter Clark Judge organized a meeting with historians and researchers to evaluate the top Pro Football Hall of Fame candidates from the two-way era (roughly 1920–1949, with some flexibility). 

The group discussed contributions and players, but only four earned unanimous support: Al Wistert, Ox Emerson, Verne Lewellen, and Lavvie Dilweg (WELD). Other greats came up, but none achieved universal backing like the four chosen.

One name, Rams guard/linebacker Riley "Rattlesnake" Matheson, appeared on at least three participants’ lists but I spoke up for him because over the years his name had not come up as often in causal online discussions I have read or participated in.

Though he had many similar qualities Matheson never ranked alongside the “big four” (Wistert, Lewellen, Dilweg, and Emerson). My question was simple: "Why not? What am I missing?"

Im my view much of this kind of discussion (who has been passed over by Hall of Fame voters) partly traces back to Bob Carroll’s chapter in "The Hidden Game of Football" (co-authored by Pete Palmer and John Thorn), “Rumblings in the Pantheon.” Carroll argued that applying Bill James’ baseball logic—reassessing overlooked Hall of Fame candidates—could reveal glaring omissions in football. 

He spotlighted Al Wistert, detailing his credentials: multiple All-Pro selections, championships, and blocking for the era’s record-setting runner. Carroll’s charts of “alls” (All-Pros, Pro Bowls, All-Conference honors) highlighted players who stood out. Over the past 30 years, many from that chapter have been inducted, yet the "big four" (among others) remain on the outside.

However, if the James/Carroll premise holds (if player A is in the Hall of Fame and player B has very similar credentials then Player B should be in), why does Riley Matheson lag behind so much? and by that I mean why is his case not as universally accepted as the four selected by the historians this week?

Let’s compare:

• Like WELD, Matheson was a perennial All-Pro—six times, five of them consensus.

• Like the others, he won a championship, though Lewellen and Dilweg have multiple.

• Like Lewellen, he was not voted All-Decade honors.

• Like many, he appeared on All-Time teams, praised by players and media alike.

• Like Dilweg and Emerson, he left a statistical mark. From 1944 (after returning to the Rams from a loan to the Lions) through 1948, no linebacker in pro football intercepted more passes than Matheson—though defensive backs topped him, as should be expected

• From the 1944 through 1947 seasons the Rams led the NFL in yards per rush and twice led the NFL in rushing yards. They also led there league three times in yards per rush in that span.

To make sure, I confirmed with historian/author T.J. Troup, an expert on the era, who’s studied the film and knows players' roles inside out. If you ask him about some player from the mid-1940s not only will you find out he was exclusively a defensive back you'll learn of he was predominantly a safety or defensive halfback and if he was on the left or the right more when he was a halfback. 

Going back to when interceptions were official -- from 1940-48 there were linebackers with more interceptions. But only four -- Charley Brock, Ben Kish, Hall-of-Famer Bulldog Turner and Hall of Famer Alex Wojciechowicz.

Brock's coverage as a linebacker was special -- he's a vastly underrated player. Kish played a little bit of defensive back per Troup. However, none of them spent as much (if any) time with their hands in the dirt as a middle guard/defensive tackle. They just didn't. Matheson was a defensive linemen at least a third of the time ... if not more. And even with that he still picked off as many passes as he did. 

Actually, Matheson seemed like he could freelance whether he'd rush or cover and oftentimes put a hand on the ground when rushing or when it was a likely passing down. So say what you will, Matheson left a top-notch record.

Then there is the issue of longevity. Matheson also played longer than the big four: 10 NFL seasons plus two in the Western Inter-provincial Football Union (CFL’s Western Conference) so 12 season in pro football. 

All that and yet he’s not seen as their equal—or even on par with other notables. Why?

Does it boil down to film? Maybe. Does the fact that the Cleveland Rams were a bad team for the first half of Snake's career? Again, maybe. 

If it is the latter, then it's true. The Rams of the late-1930s and early 1940s were mostly second-division. Facts are facts. But if the issue is the former, them maybe folks can see the things he did.

No, he's not a superior athlete. He kind of has a hunched back, and it not fast or particularly big but for whatever reason as a defender he was always around the ball. He was in on a lot of tackles and when his film is compared to others, at least in the eyes of some, he compares well.

Here are some examples of his play for your review—note that usually Matheson is wearing #11, but he also wore #33 as well when with the Rams and #37 when he was with the 49ers. 

Some tackles—

A couple of pass defections—

Some blocks, both pass protection and run blocks, sweeps, etc.—

Here are some with pressure on passers—

Of course, there are more clips and yes, highlights do not a career make. But the point, for me, is to show that whatever the criticisms of Matheson might me, his film cannot be one of them. He makes a ton of plays, especially on defense. So, if folks say his All-Pro resume is light, or he played during World War II, or whatever, fine. Just apply it evenly to others who played in that era, who did not serve in the military. Just do the same with his film.

In fact, to me, his film enhances his case. He's a better player than I thought he was before taking a close look. 

But, you can decide for yourself. 

Asante Samuel Says He Deserves HOF Attention. Is He Right?

 By John Turney 

It seems that every few months Deion Sanders is involved with a story involving the Pro Football Hall of Fame, with his suggestion for "an upper room" in Canton to house its upper-echelon inductees the most noteworthy.

That idea was a non-starter.

But now it's not Deion starting a ruckus. It's former All-Pro cornerback Asante Samuel, who took to the social network X to make a Hall-of-Fame case for a defensive back he believes should be enshrined.

Himself.

"Here is your yearly reminder," he wrote. "Now let’s hear the excuses."

Instead, we heard the testimony. In 31 fewer regular-season games, Samuel intercepted just two fewer passes than Deion (53-51). He also picked off seven passes in the playoffs where Sanders had five - meaning each had 58 career picks, counting the postseason. Finally, we were reminded that both players own two Super Bowl rings.

But Samuel didn't stop there. He posted more stats comparable to the first-ballot Hall of Famer some consider the G.O.A.T of cornerbacks, provoking responses from others who suggested Samuel might want to reconsider his argument.

"Asante Samuel," said former All-Pro Ryan Clark on X, "was a very good football player, but there is no Hall of 'Very Good.' He can have all the technique conversations he wants with Deion Sanders, but do not throw rocks at Tanks.

"You can pull up all the stats you want, but who’s the better of these two should not be a conversation. Both men are far better than me, but Deion Sanders is in a different stratosphere from everyone. He’s the reason people wore 21, he manifested the term 'lockdown corner' & shifted the power in the NFL simply by changing jerseys."

Naturally, Samuel (whose X profile description is "Professional Sh*t Talker") fired back at Clark ... then Clark at Samuel ... and so it goes. I guess it could go on ad infinitum, but it won't. Almost all agree that Sanders was better than Asante Samuel. I know I do. But is that the question? I don't think so.

My question is: Why is Samuel "Sh*t Talking" at all? Simple. He must think he's worthy of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. So, THAT is the question. Does he  belong? Let's take a look.

A two-time AP All-Pro, four-time Pro Bowler and two-time interceptions leader, Sanders was New England's fourth-round pick (the 120th overall) of the 2003 NFL draft. As a rookie, he was an effective third corner, and by his second season a starter on a Patriots' team that won its second consecutive Super Bowl. But Samuel was more a contributor ... a "do-your-job" kind of guy ... than the star he would later become.

New England didn't win another Super Bowl while Samuel was there, but no fault could be laid at his feet. Over the next four years -- which totaled 11 playoff games (three with the Philadelphia Eagles) -- he excelled, snagging seven enemy passes and returning four for touchdowns. That's right: Four pick-sixes in the playoffs in four years.

Without question, Asante was someone who played big in the biggest games.

But he also played big in the regular season. In 2006, for instance, he led the NFL with 10 interceptions, though he somehow wasn't named All-Pro and didn't earn an invite to the Pro Bowl. The following year the All-Pro voting panel corrected its mistake, not only naming him to its team but making him a first-team All-Pro. So did the Pro Football Writers of America and Sporting News. Players, coaches and fans soon followed, asking him to join them in Hawaii for the first of four consecutive Pro Bowls.

After signing a big-money deal with the Eagles in 2009, he was voted second-team All-Pro and, one year later, was a first-team All-Pro according to the PFWA and Sporting News. And why not? Over that five-year span, Samuel totaled 36 interceptions, leading the NFL twice in that department as well as passes defensed.

Without question, he was a baller.

Few ever had a five-year run of productivity like Samuel. Plus, he did it for yet another team -- the Atlanta Falcons. After his four years with the Eagles, he was traded to the Falcons for a paltry seventh-round pick. But his play was hardly paltry. In his first year there, he intercepted five passes, returning them for 110 yards and a score in another Pro Bowl-level season for the 31-year-old corner.

All told, his 51 interceptions trail only Rod Woodson, Charles Woodson, Ed Reed, Aeneas Williams, Eric Allen, Ty Law and, yes, Deion among players whose careers began in 1987 or later. The common thread? All own Gold Jackets. 

But three of them spent parts of their careers as safeties. Asante Samuel did not. He's also not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Nor has he been close. He's never been a finalist or semifinalist, and that should change. No, he's not "Prime Time," but who is? That's like comparing defensive ends to Reggie White. Some individuals are just talented freaks, and Deion Sanders is one of them.

But when you see Samuel in the same conversation with names like Williams, Allen and Law, you begin to think what you might not have before -- that maybe Asante Samuel has a point and should at least be included in a Hall-of-Fame conversation.

So let's start talking.

Ever Hear of 'Swede' Youngstrom? Here's Why You Should

 By John Turney 

Adolf Frederick ("Swede") Youngstrom was a formidable presence in the nascent years of professional football, a lineman whose skill and determination etched a lasting legacy in the game. However, the passage of time has obscured his name, and that's more than an unjust oversight. It's one that should change.

During the NFL's rough-and-tumble early era, "Swede" stood out as one of the league's premier guards. In fact, his prowess was so notable that Jeffrey Miller, author of "Buffalo’s Forgotten Champions: The Story of Buffalo’s First Professional Football Team;" considers him Hall-of-Fame worthy.

"It could be argued," Miller wrote, "that had the team he’s most closely tied to—the Buffalo All-Americans—secured a league championship, Youngstrom might have been Buffalo’s inaugural inductee into Canton’s revered Hall."

That's a striking claim, yet it carries a ring of truth. Youngstrom was remarkable, durable, decorated and a league champion. What he isn't is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Hopefully, after reading this, you may understand why I, too, believe his case should be revisited. 

So let's start at the beginning, where Youngstrom’s introduction to football was anything but conventional. 

Born on May 24, 1897, in Waltham, Mass., he attended Waltham High School, where the football team practiced after classes. But because he weighed just 140 pounds, his parents were afraid he might get hurt. So they forbid him from playing. But by his senior year, Youngstrom defied their wishes and joined the team. Not only did he play, he played so well that a local newspaper highlighted his exploits ... which, in turn, provoked his father to covertly watch a practice. Rather than reprimand his son, he was so impressed by his performance that he gave him his blessing -- effectively helping to launch a storied career.

After high school, Youngstrom enrolled at Dartmouth College where he honed his skills in a robust football program and developed into a formidable guard. So skilled was he that, by his senior year in 1919, he earned consensus All-American honors by blocking an astonishing nine punts -- a testament to his athleticism and instincts. 

After graduating, he briefly ran a candy store in Hanover, N,H., with teammate and future Hall-of-Fame lineman Ed Healey, before joining the Buffalo All-Americans in 1920. The team was part of the newly formed American Professional Football Association (APFA), which became the NFL in 1922 and where Youngstrom made an immediate impact. He blocked nine punts in his rookie season, three of which were returned for touchdowns.

Yes, you read that right -- NINE blocked punts in a single season - and that was no aberration. 

Drawing from newspaper accounts, historian Nick Webster credits Youngstrom with 16 punts blocked punts during his pro career. However, he confirmed only four in Youngstrom’s debut season ... which means if the five additional blocks reported elsewhere hold true, Youngstrom's career total would climb to at least 21. And that’s a conservative estimate. Some feats went unrecorded, lost to the gaps in early football documentation.

So, what's the real total? Twenty-five? Thirty? Either is possible, even likely. Youngstrom was that good at rejecting punts, and it was no small accomplishment in his era. Teams then often punted on early downs, not just fourth, making someone with Youngstrom's talent a prized asset.

But he was more than that. He was one of the game's difference makers, a reputation that bolsters Miller’s assertation that Youngstrom deserves a bust in Canton.

His tenure with Buffalo—first with the All-Americans, later the Bisons— highlighted his reliability and talent. He anchored a squad that twice came close to an NFL title. In 1920, the All-Americans posted a 9-1-1 record, only to be overshadowed by the undefeated Akron Pros. With a 9-1-2 record the following year, they fell just short again -- this time edged out by George Halas’ Chicago Staleys at 9-1-1.

However, Youngstrom was first noted as an All-Pro that year.

After those near-misses, Buffalo's team was not quite as good ... but Youngstrom was. Starting in 1923, he earned All-NFL honors three years running. Moreover, as the only guard to make first-team All-NFL in 1923-25, he cemented his status as an elite interior lineman.

In 1926, he left Buffalo for the Frankford Yellow Jackets where, under Hall-of-Famer Guy Chamberlin, he finally claimed a league championship. Then he stepped into a player/coach role the next year, steering the team through a solid season, before retiring at the age of 30 after an eight-year career.

Youngstrom’s durability was remarkable. He played 96 games without missing a snap, and his career spanned the Buffalo All-Americans, Canton Bulldogs, Buffalo Bisons, Cleveland Bulldogs, and Frankford Yellow Jackets. Beyond the NFL, he also moonlighted with independent teams like the Millville Big Blue and Haven-Villa of Winter Haven, often suiting up on Saturdays before NFL Sundays.

In 2012, the Professional Football Researchers Association inducted the 6-foot-1, 187-pound lineman into its Hall of Very Good, but the Pro Football Hall of Fame hasn't acted on him. Youngstrom has never been a finalist for Canton.

"Youngstrom was actually the best guard of the era," said Miller, "since the only two guards in the Hall of Fame who played in the ‘20s—Michalske and Kiesling—actually played the majority of their careers in the 1930s. And Swede had as many All-Pro berths as any other guard during the ‘20s."

So that raises the question: Should Youngstrom have claimed one of those all-decade spots? Bob Carroll, who founded the Professional Football Researchers Association, thought so. He tapped him for his 1920s' all-decade team, a view echoed more recently by Ken Crippen of The Football Learning Academy.

Had that happened ... or had he been a multiple NFL champion ... maybe his name would have resonated with the Hall in the 1960s when it had more recognition. It’s impossible to know. What is clear is that he's been unfairly ignored. A perennial All-Pro, punt-blocking dynamo and linchpin on title-contending teams, Youngstrom has a resume that demands consideration.

He died on Aug. 5, 1968, at 71, leaving behind a legacy as a football trailblazer. From swatting punts at Dartmouth to Buffalo ... to dominating the pros ... to lifting a championship trophy with Frankford ... Youngstom epitomized the rugged brilliance of football’s formative years, an era all but forgotten by football fans and Hall-of-Fame voters.

And that's a shame. Adolf Frederick "Swede" Youngstrom deserves more, much more, than that.

Why There's 'Not Been Another Quite Like' Steve Smith Sr.

By John Turney 

Simply put, Steve Smith Sr. was more than one of the most dynamic and productive wide receivers of his era; he was one of the two greatest players in Carolina Panthers' history, leaving behind a legacy that, after 16 NFL seasons, demands Pro Football Hall-of-Fame consideration.

Thankfully, he's finally getting it. But now the question: Will he also get a Hall-of-Fame bust?

He should.

From 2005-2008, Smith was perhaps the NFL's premier wide receiver, leading the league in receptions, yards and touchdowns to claim the 2005 single-season Triple Crown -- a feat matched only by Jerry Rice, Cooper Kupp and Sterling Sharpe in the modern era. Two of those three are in Canton, while the third (Kupp) is still active.

Furthermore, Smith ranks eighth in career receiving yards and is one of just 12 players with 18,000 combined yards despite losing a year to injury and playing with ... how do I put this? ... undistinguished quarterbacks for much of his career. 

Look who quarterbacked the Panthers during Smith's first few years in Carolina, and tell me if you disagree: Chris Weinke, Rodney Peete, Jake Delhomme, a 44-year-old Vinny Testaverde, Matt Moore and Jimmy Clausen. Granted, Delhomme was pretty good, but compare him to, say, the quarterbacks who threw to Hall-of-Fame finalists Torry Holt and Reggie Wayne.

I'd say Kurt Warner, Mac Bulger and Peyton Manning were slightly better.

OK, so there was Cam Newton, but Smith was 32 when the future league MVP arrived in Carolina. The two spent three seasons together before Smith signed with Baltimore to team with quarterback Joe Flacco in a run-heavy offense. Nevertheless, he remained a dangerous weapon -- finishing among the league leaders in receiving and, in 2014, recording one of the most prolific age-35 seasons ever with 75 receptions for 1,065 yards.

Where Holt and Wayne had better quarterbacks and played in sophisticated passing offenses, Smith embraced the disadvantages of his size (he was 5-9), schemes and quarterbacks and fought to excel -- quickly gaining a reputation as a fearless route runner who wouldn't give in to anyone or anything. You simply didn't mess with Steve Smith. Because he would mess with you, too.

"How many 5-foot-9 receivers," asked NFL Films' Greg Cosell, "have there been in the history of the NFL with Smith's combination of vertical speed, lateral explosion, physical strength, mental toughness and unrelenting competitiveness? You could argue there has not been another quite like him."

And you might be right.

But Smith wasn't just a marvelous receiver. He was a marvelous return man, too. In fact, he was so effective returning punts and kickoffs that he was an All-Pro there before he was an All-Pro receiver. And why not? In his first three seasons, he returned three punts and two kickoffs for touchdowns and scored on a punt return in the 2005 playoffs.

And speaking of playoffs ... Smith was a matchup nightmare there, too. In 11 postseason games, he totaled 59 receptions for 1,001 yards and 9 TDs. Over a 17-game schedule, that works out to 91 catches for 1,547 yards and 14 scores ... and think about that: In what translates to a 17-game NFL season, he produced a first-team All-Pro year. Moreover, those numbers are close to those he produced in 2005 when he won the receiving version of a Triple Crown (1,563 yards, 103 catches and 12 touchdowns) and WAS a first-team All-Pro.

Hall-of-Fame cornerback Ronde Barber called Smith the toughest receiver he ever faced. So did former Steelers' cornerback Ike Taylor. Future Hall-of-Famer Larry Fitzgerald dubbed him the NFL's best man-to-man route runner. With a resume that includes a dominant peak, remarkable longevity and a litany of admirers, Steve Smith Sr. has a rock-solid case for Canton.

So let's see what happens. A first-time finalist this year, he didn't survive the first cut from 15 to 10. But he will. Maybe next year. Maybe 2027. And he should. His giant-sized production and personality left an indelible mark on the game, and it should ... no, it will ... be rewarded.

Reassessing the 1920s' All-Decade Team

 By John Turney 

To commemorate the NFL's 50th anniversary, the Pro Football Hall of Fame's board of selectors embarked on an ambitious project in the late 1960s, designating all-star teams for every decade in league history. Its efforts were largely successful, though evaluating players from 40-50 years earlier posed challenges similar to what we face today when assessing events from nearly a century ago.

In short, while many of the selections were sound, a handful seemed ... well, dubious.

So that prompted a re-evaluation of all-decade teams, with the benefit of insights from historians who thoroughly studied the period. Among the experts were Dan Daly, Bob O’Donnell (author of retro all-decade teams in "The Pro Football Chronicle"), as well as Ken Crippen, PFRA founder Bob Carroll and author Richard Whittingham. Crippen’s version was featured on the Talk of Fame site three years ago, while contributions from Chris Willis, John Maxymuk, Jeffrey Miller and other scholars enriched the discussion. 

Drawing on their research and contemporary papers from the era, I decided to compile my own 1920s all-decade team. The difference between official team selections and mine stem from the time players spent in the decade, as well as the periods when they were dominant, as determined by All-NFL teams. Additionally, my selections are influenced by valuable statistics uncovered by dedicated researchers.

Some of the official all-decade players participated in a handful of seasons during the 1920s and are better suited for the 1930s' team. However, my list operates under the assumption that there should be a hypothetical 1925-35 all-mid-decade team, designed for players whose careers don’t align with the 1920-29 or 1930-39 time frames. Players who excelled in the late 1920s and early 1930s are better grouped in this mid-decade category.

Got it? Good. Let's first take a look at the Official Pro Football Hall-of-Fame Team of the 1920s:

ENDS: Guy Chamberlin, Lavvie Dilweg and George Halas.

TACKLES: Ed Healey, Wilbur “Pete” Henry, Cal Hubbard and Steve Owen.

GUARDS: Hunk Anderson, Walt Kiesling and Mike Michalske.

CENTER: George Trafton.

QUARTERBACKS: Jimmy Conzelman and “Paddy” Driscoll.

Paddy Driscoll

HALFBACK: “Red” Grange, Joe Guyon, “Curly” Lambeau and Jim Thorpe.

FULLBACK: Ernie Nevers.

Now, here is my take on who should have been picked:

ENDS: Guy Chamberlin, Lavvie Dilweg and Tillie Voss.

Halas is out. Put him in as a founder, executive and coach if you want. But, as a player, he didn't leave a trail of All-NFL selections. Tillie Voss did. So he gets the nod.

Chamberlain and Dilweg are two that were no-brainers as first-unit players. 

TACKLES: Ed Healey, Wilbur “Pete” Henry, Duke Slater and “Link” Lyman.

Link Lyman

Gus Sonnenberg earns an honorable mention but doesn’t crack the top four. Cal Hubbard fits better on a 1925-35 all-decade team, while Steve Owen's elite status as a player is questioned by many historians. I’ve opted for Slater and Lyman instead. Both were standout performers squarely in the 1920s.

GUARDS: Swede Youngstrom, Jim McMillen and Al Nesser.

Al Nesser

I scrapped all three of the guards and replaced them with three I thought more deserving. Youngstrom and McMillen were perennial All-NFL, while Nesser - who wasn't recognized as often as those two- was solid for nearly the entire decade.

Duke Osborn and Rudy Comstock deserve honorable mentions and could claim the third spot. But I chose Nesser for his consistent excellence across most of the decade. 

Like Hubbard, Mike Michalske and Walt Kiesling belong in a 1925-35 framework. Michalske, in particular, shines as a 1930s' candidate with seven years and four All-NFL nods in that decade. His three years in the '20s don’t qualify him here.

CENTER: George Trafton and Doc Alexander.

The official team only chose one center, but Alexander had a career deserving of a second-unit. So I added him. Trafton is the only choice as a first-unit center.

QUARTERBACK/TAILBACKS: “Paddy” Driscoll and Jimmy Conzelman.

Driscoll was a no-brainer. He would be on the shortlist for Player of the Decade. Some might ask why Benny Friedman isn't on my team, and here's my answer: His career began in 1927 and included five years in the 1930s. He's a 1925-35 guy.

So, who then? I almost went with little Joey Sternaman who was a star despite his size (he was 5-feet-6 inches tall). He was All-NFL three times and twice consensus. But then I realized I was shorting Jimmy Conzelman.

He was the Hall's official pick, and he should be. According to researchers and historians, Conzelman was a cut above. He had his best years in the early 1920s but played through 1929. And, looking at stats, he was among the league leaders in many categories, with an unofficial total of 26 interceptions. As a player, he was a step up from other legendary player/coaches like Halas and Curly Lambeau.

HALFBACK: “Red” Grange, Verne Lewellen and Tony Latone.

Verne Lewellen

Grange was a superstar, even if a knee injury dulled his early brilliance. He remained great and could double-dip—fitting both the 1920s and 1925-35 teams, thanks to his standout defensive play in the '30s.

Like Halas, whom I snubbed at end, Lambeau was a leader as well as a player/coach. But Verne Lewellen outdid him as a runner and punter, so he earned the spot. Jim Thorpe, a legendary Hall of Famer, suits a 1915-25 All-Pro/Decade team with pre-NFL years included. But his 1920s' play didn’t match his earlier heights. So he’s out.

The "Human Howitzer" -- Tony Latone -- was listed as both a halfback and fullback on the All-NFL teams he made. But encyclopedias also have him as a tailback and wingback, so it's impossible to know which position he played most. Based on available statistics, he was a top runner and terrific defender, credited with 22 career interceptions --  with 20 in the 1920s. All I know is that he had a better decade than some of the backs on official teams. 

The Akron Pros were the first champions of the new pro league, called the APFA (it wasn't the NFL yet), and Pollard probably its best player. He only made All-League that year but played so well in subsequent years that he deserves an honorable mention.

FULLBACK: “Rip” King and “Doc” Elliott.

The official team chose one fullback, but I picked two. Ernie Nevers was the official pick, but he could slide to a 1925-35 "mid-decade" team. Giants' fullback Jack McBride fits the 1920s, too, but he's another overlap guy. He had elite years in the early 1930s, so I am pushing him back, too.

For my picks, I took two overlooked stars: Rip King and Doc Elliott. 

King earned All-NFL honors in 1920-22. played fully in '23, and appeared in parts of two more seasons. Though listed as a fullback, he was the Akron Pros’ primary passer ... which illustrates how positions could be misleading. Elliott mirrors him, grabbing three All-NFL nods in the early 1920s with the champion Canton/Cleveland Bulldogs. Both deserve recognition, so I picked them and left Nevers and McBride for the next era.

State Your Case: Why Can't Isiah Robertson Register with Hall Voters?

By John Turney 

Sometimes history forgets deserving players, so it's left to us to remember them -- which is how I'd describe Isiah Robertson, whom former NFL defensive lineman Phil Olsen once called "the finest athlete I ever played with."

Robertson was a transformative figure in the NFL, widely regarded as one of the most formidable linebackers of the 1970s. He was on the leading edge of outside linebackers who were approximately 20 pounds lighter than linebackers of the 1960s and, as a result, faster.

A lot faster.

Clocked at 4.5 seconds in the 40, Robertson was among the fastest linebackers in the league when he entered the NFL in 1971 as a first-round draft pick of the Los Angeles Rams. He went on to play 12 seasons where he became one of the game's most decorated linebackers, known as much for game-changing plays as he was for his exceptional speed.

But we'll get to that.

His athletic prowess was evident at Southern University, where he made 112 tackles and 45 assists in his 1970 senior year, earning All-American honors from The Sporting News and TIME magazine. He also returned an interception 103 yards for a game-winning touchdown against Grambling with seconds remaining. Playing in the middle, Robertson called himself the "Black Dick Butkus".

The Rams' 10th overall pick in the 1971 draft, Robertson quickly adapted to the pros, earning a starting spot as a weakside linebacker as a rookie. But he just didn't start; he exploded onto the NFL scene, voted the NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Year, second-team All-NFL, and first-team All-NFC. He was also named to his first Pro Bowl.

He had four interceptions and (unofficially) four sacks, which may not sound like much. But it's a rarity for a linebacker -- especially one in his first pro season -- to have four or more of each in the same season. Robertson -- known as "Butch" -- was the first, and only one has done it since.

As a result, he was one of the cornerstones of a Rams' defense that from 1973-1978 allowed fewer points than all but the Pittsburgh Steelers ... intercepted more passes than all but the Steelers and Raiders .... and had more sacks and allowed fewer rushing touchdowns than all but Dallas. No defense, however, allowed fewer yards,

The point? Those Rams' defenses were great, and Robertson was, too.

After his stellar rookie year, he was second-team All-NFC in 1972 (UPI), first-team All-Pro in 1973 (AP, PFWA), second-team All-Pro in 1974 (AP, PFWA, NEA) and first-team again in 1975 (NEA) and 1976 (AP). He earned his last All-Pro notice as a second-team All-Pro in 1977 (AP, NEA), the same year he went to his sixth Pro Bowl. For good measure, he was first-team All-NFC in 1973, 1975, 1976, 1977 and second-team in 1974.

But it wasn't the accolades that separated him from others. It was the big plays. In 1973, he returned an interception 49 yards for a touchdown against the Giants on Monday Night Football. The next season, his 59-yard interception return for a TD not only showcased his electrifying open-field abilities but sealed a playoff defeat of Washington and former Rams' coach George Allen.

"One of my trades finally got the best of me," Allen said, referring to a 1971 trade with Washington that landed Robertson in Los Angeles.

One season later, Robertson was at it again -- this time returning an interception 76 yards for yet another score on  Monday night.

By 1978, however, things with the Rams soured. Robertson wanted to be one of the highest-paid linebackers in the NFL, and the Rams wouldn't meet his demands. So he pouted, lost his starting and was traded to Buffalo where Chuck Knox, a former coach with the Rams, signed him to a four-year, $1-million contract, making him one of the game's best-paid linebackers.

The move worked out for both parties. Robertson was happy and productive, producing 96 tackles in his first season with the Bills, with two interceptions and a 23-yard touchdown return. In 1980, he contributed 85 tackles as the Bills improved from 5-11 to 11-5 and won the Eastern Division. In 1981, he added more tackles, helping Buffalo reach the playoffs as a wild card.

Wherever Robertson was, it seemed, success followed. He played 168 games, starting 150 and missing only three, while earning six first-or second-team All-NFL selections (1971, 1973–1977) and six Pro Bowl nods. But Robertson had the numbers, too. According to official NFL gamebooks, he totaled 879 tackles -- with nearly 70 behind the line of scrimmage -- and produced 24-1/2 sacks and 25 interceptions. He also forced 24 fumbles, recovering 14, and had four defensive scores in the regular season and another in the playoffs.

That makes him one of only 14 linebackers with 24 or more sacks and 24 interceptions. Eight of them are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. 

Yet, despite his contributions and productivity, Isiah Robertson remains underrecognized and overlooked for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He's never been a finalist nor a semifinalist. Worse, he was on the preliminary ballot only once, the year he was first eligible. As a seniors' candidate, he's been nominated multiple times, but that's where his candidacy starts and ends ... and that's not right.

Maybe he's been ignored because he wasn't chosen to the 1970s' all-decade team, but voters seems to forget that his peers three times voted him the NFC's Linebacker of the Year. Or maybe it's because he never was on a Super Bowl-winning team. Except that argument doesn't hold, either. Plenty of players without Super Bowl rings have Gold Jackets. 

I don't know what's happened ... or hasn't. All I know is that nothing should keep Isiah "Butch" Robertson's candidacy from serious consideration by the Hall's seniors committee. He did too much to merit anything less.

Career stats—

Honors—

State Your Case: If AAFC Can Be Recognized, Why Can't Bruno Banducci?

By John Turney 

As someone who has ancestors with names like "Vincenzo" and "Rocco," I love the name "Bruno" -- as in Bruno Banducci, an NFL and AAFC guard who played for the Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers from 1944 through 1954. But it's more than his name that I like.

Bruno Banducci was an elite player, too.

How do I know? Well, for openers, he was voted to the NFL's 1940s' all-decade team, and that matters. As Hall-of-Fame voter Rick Gosselin once wrote, "There are no more powerful words an NFL player can have on his Hall of Fame resume than 'first-team all-decade.' "

And Banducci had them.

In the mid-2010s, the Hall's official website listed its 1920s-2000s' all-decade squads with first-teams separated from the others. So, we know that Banducci and Hall-of-Famer Bill Willis were listed first, or before the other three guards on the 1940s' all-decade team.

Powerful indeed.

Even so, as a modern-era player and, later, senior candidate, he has never risen above the preliminary round, which is as puzzling as it is mistaken -- not only because it flies in the face of what Gosselin espouses but because he deserves more, much more, than that.

Born in Italy, Banducci's family moved to the San Francisco Bay Area where he became a high-school football star and All-Conference choice at Stanford University under legendary coach and Hall-of-Fame candidate Clark Shaughnessy. 

Chosen in the sixth round of the 1943 NFL draft by the Philadelphia Eagles, Banducci didn't report right away, working instead for an oil company on the West Coast. Thus, the 5-foot-11, 216-pounder began his professional career in 1944, playing guard and linebacker in the era of two-way football. With the Eagles, he helped block for Hall-of-Famer Steve Van Buren on a team that was 14-4-2 over two seasons and ran the ball better than anyone.

In his two years there, the Eagles led the NFL in rushing yards, rushing touchdowns and highest yards per rush. But that's not all. They also led it in stopping the run, with Banducci a quality linebacker on the Eagles' defense.

Nevertheless, the pull of home was strong. So, in 1946, Banducci jumped to the newly formed All-America Football Conference (AAFC) to join the San Francisco 49ers and reunite with former Stanford teammates like quarterback Frankie Albert and Norm Standlee. 

Result? The narrative remained the same. Once again, a line that featured Banducci was extremely successful running the ball. From 1946-54, the 49ers ran the ball 4,577 times for 22,357 yards and a 4.9 yards per rush. They also ran for 207 touchdowns.  All those marks are better than any pro football team during that time. Moreover, their rushing total is over 4,500 yards more than the next-best team, the Cleveland Browns.

So, it wasn't really close.

Banducci gained his fair share of accolades, earning consensus All-AAFC honors in 1946 and 1947. Then, after the 49ers joined the NFL in 1950, his name often appeared on All-Pro teams. He was named second-team All-Pro in 1951 and 1952 (first-team by N.Y. Daily News) and first-team All-Pro in 1953 and 1954, with the latter a consensus choice in what was his last NFL season. He was also a team captain his last five years with San Francisco.

Oddly, he and the 49ers couldn't agree on a contract in 1955, even though Banducci had perhaps his best pro season the year before. A dispute centered on who was responsible for letting the popular guard go -- 49ers' owner Tony Morabito or coach Red Strader, who led the 49ers to a losing record in Banducci's absence and was fired after one season. In any event, Bruno -- who wanted to stay with the 49ers -- was released and moved to the CFL to start his 12th pro football season as a 34-year-old guard. 

One year later, he returned to San Francisco but, by his own admission, was physically unable to play. So he walked away from the game after 131 games, including 44 in the AAFC and nine in the CFL.

In his career, Banducci was a multi-year all-league standout, a starting lineman on multiple teams that were dominant running the ball. He was also an all-decade pick who played on winning teams in all but one of his pro football seasons and whom Hall-of-Fame end Dante Lavelli named as one of the top two guards he saw in his career.

In 1962, Banducci was chosen to the All-Time 49ers' team, and deservedly so. He blocked for three NFL rushing champions -- Van Buren in 1945 and Joe “The Jet” Perry in 1953 and 1954 -- and that's significant. Now that AAFC numbers are grouped with the NFL, it can be said that when each back retired he was the NFL's all-time leading rusher.

"The Rams thought so much of Banducci's blocking techniques," former San Francisco Examiner sports reporter Don Selby once wrote, "that they made ... film clips of (him) in action, using the movies to show their own guards how the job should be done. 'He's the best in the business, that's all,' said one Rams' ex-coach." 

Maybe Bruno Banducci deserves a Gold Jacket; maybe he doesn't. All I know is that should be decided by voters after his case has been made, not before ... and that hasn't happened. But make no mistake: He belongs in the conversation, and not because I said so. 

Because he earned it.

Should Julio Jones a First-Ballot Cinch for Pro Football Hall?

By John Turney 

With seven-time Pro Bowl receiver Julio Jones officially announcing his retirement earlier this month after an impressive 13-season career, he becomes eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2029. We know he'll be enshrined. That's not a question. But will it happen in his first year of eligibility? 

It’s not guaranteed. 

Here’s why: While his first nine seasons were exceptional—among the best ever -- his final years were not. There was a decline, and take a look: From 2011-19, the sixth overall pick of the 2011 draft averaged 108 receptions, 1,636 receiving yards and eight touchdowns per 17 games. Through 2019, no receiver in the history of the NFL outpaced his 96.2 receiving yards per game. In fact, relatively speaking, no one was close. 

Among players with 400 or more receptions, Michael Thomas trailed at 87.5 yards per game, followed by Odell Beckham Jr. at 86.8, Hall-of-Famer Calvin Johnson at 86.1 and Antonio Brown at 86.0. No one else topped 81 yards per game. In a golden era of receivers --  one opened by a myriad of rule changes -- Jones led by nearly nine yards per game, seemingly crafting a first-ballot case. 

But that was then. Now, it’s different. 

From 2020-23, injuries sidelined him for 27 games over four years, and his 17-game averages dropped to a pedestrian 50 catches, 671 yards, and four touchdowns.

 Ouch.

I understand that declines are nearly universal for receivers as their careers wind down. It happened to Jerry Rice, Randy Moss, Lance Alworth and virtually everyone but former Packers' great Don Hutson. He was an exception, retiring before World War II ended.

The key difference is timing. For most, the productivity drop-off hits in their mid-30s, though Rice stretched it to around 40. But Julio Jones? His slide started earlier, which sets him apart from that typical arc. The drop was also steep and sudden-- beginning when he was 31 and forcing him from the game at 34. That suggests his body deteriorated earlier than anticipated, impacting his career totals in key receiving stats. 

Among all-time receivers, he ranks 16th in yards, 27th in receptions and is tied for 56th in touchdown catches. Those are stellar numbers, but none crack the top 10 ... and some don’t even reach the top 15 or 20. That kind of resume, while impressive, likely means he won’t stroll into the Hall of Fame with the effortless swagger of a Rice or Moss. Even his yards receiving-per-game mark, once the best ever, fell to 82.5 -- which is still fifth but not substantially above others as it was before.

Don't get me wrong, Julio Jones’ case for Hall of Fame induction remains rock-solid. He’ll ace the eye test, with voters who watched him not forgetting a freakish athleticism that often left defensive backs helpless and was evident as far back as his workouts at the annual NFL scouting combine.

There, the 6-3, 220-pound University of Alabama star clocked a 4.34 40, scored a 38.5-inch vertical jump and ranked above the 90th percentile among wide receivers in weight, arm length, 10-and-20-yard splits, 40-yard dash and broad jump. No surprise, then, that he immediately drew comparisons to Calvin Johnson, arguably the greatest athlete ever at the position. Jones might not have reached Johnson’s stratosphere, but he was close. That raw dominance is not easy to forget.

It was enough that former Falcons' coach Dan Quinn, now with Washington, told Sports Illustrated that Jones' midair body control reminded him of "a cat thrown from high" ... that his competitiveness was like "that of a boxer who gets punched and then goes harder" ... and his speed was "that of an Olympic sprinter."

"Julio could be a world champ at anything," former Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan told SI. "Boxing. Sprinting. Baseball. Whatever he wanted."

Coaches, players and fans agreed. They voted him to seven Pro Bowls in his first nine seasons. He was also first-team All-Pro in 2014 (The Sporting News), 2015 (AP, PFWA, TSN), 2016 (AP, PFWA, TSN), 2017 (TSN), 2018 (PFWA) and 2019 (PFWA) and on AP's second-team in 2017-19. Moreover, he was named to the 2010s' all-decade team. No receiver in that decade had more receiving yards and only one had more catches.

Jones’ dominance is underscored by eight appearances on the NFL’s Top 100 list, a player-voted ranking of the league’s best. In all eight, he landed in the top 30. However, what stands out is that four times he landed the top 10, including twice in the top four. That’s a testament to how his peers viewed him at the height of his career -- consistently elite, and at times, among the absolute best in the game.

If not THE best.

But that's not all. Julio Jones was a postseason beast, hauling in 77 catches for 992 yards across 11 playoff games. Stretch that to a 17-game average, and it’s jaw-dropping: 119 receptions, 1,533 yards and 11 touchdown catches. Those are first-team All-Pro-caliber stats and proof that, when the stakes were highest, he delivered at an elite level.

He made it to one Super Bowl but fell victim to Tom Brady's magic ... and no need to recite the details. Suffice it to say that after leading New England, 28-3, in Super Bowl LI, the Falcons never scored again -- losing in overtime, 34-28. So, he never won a ring, but he’s hardly alone. First-ballot receivers like Moss, Calvin Johnson and Steve Largent never won one, either. It's not a first-ballot dealbreaker.  

Besides, his body of work stands tall without it. 

Look at the absurd number of huge games he had. There were five 180-yard games in the regular season, plus two more in the playoffs.  Only Alworth, Rice, Tyreek Hill and Antonio Brown have more such performances. Then there are the three 250-plus yard performances -- more than anyone ever, including a 300-yard masterpiece. Only six players in 125 NFL years have hit that mark. 

Those monster days aren’t just memorable numbers; they’re statements, and they put him in rarefied air.

The bottom line is this: In all likelihood, Julio Jones didn't sustain greatness long enough to be a first-ballot inductee. But few have. Just eight, in fact; Hutson (in the Hall's initial 1963 class), Raymond Berry, Paul Warfield, Rice, Alworth, Largent, Moss and Calvin Johnson. However, in five years the ethos of the Hall's board of selectors may shift. Voters may look more at peak performance than compiled stats ... and, if that happens, Jones' chances improve.

Let's talk again in February, 2029.

The Way They Were: Hall-of-Famer Dante Lavelli's 'All Opponent Team'

By John Turney 

Dante Lavelli, #86

In the golden age of sports journalism, columns often captured the raw respect athletes held for rivals. Reporters and wire services would ask players to name their toughest opponents -- the ones who pushed them to their limits or the best they’d seen at any position -- and their responses sometimes made for gripping reads.

I recently came across one such gem in the Cleveland Press from March, 1957, written by Bob August after Cleveland Browns' legend and Hall-of-Famer Dante “Gluefingers” Lavelli retired. The article detailed Lavelli’s all-opponent team -- a roster of players who gave him fits or earned his admiration over his 11-year career (1946–1956) in the AAFC and NFL.

As it was an all-opponent team, no Browns made the cut. But Lavelli’s selections were a fascinating mix of household names you’d expect and obscure picks he drew from a decade of battles against the best in two leagues. His choices, as August relayed, reflected both personal duels and respect for raw talent.

A clutch end known for his sure hands, Lavelli played a key role in the Browns’ decades-long dominance, winning four AAFC titles (1946–1949) and three NFL championships (1950, 1954-55). Facing him meant covering a receiver who could change games, as he did with 11 catches in the 1950 NFL championship defeat of the L.A. Rams. 

It also could mean making this list. Here, then, is Dante Lavelli's all-opponent team, with my commentary in italics: 

OFFENSE

ENDS:  Elroy Hirsch, Alyn Beals, Bob Shaw, Pete Pihos and Tom Fears.

These are the usual suspects. Three are in the Hall of Fame (Hirsch, Pihos and Fears), while Beals was a 49ers' end who led the AAFC in touchdown catches each of the league's four years -- including 14 in 1948, a franchise record that stood for nearly four decades.  

Shaw was a big end who was solid and had one impressive year when he was second-team All-Pro and a Pro Bowler. He must have impressed Lavelli because his career didn't match up with the others.

TACKLES:  Nate Johnson and Lou Creekmur.

Creekmur ultimately earned a bronze bust in Canton, but Nate Johnson wasn't as fortunate. He played just five pro seasons, four in the AAFC and one in the NFL, and his only accolade came in 1947 when played with the New York Yankees and was named All-AAFC. 

GUARDS: Bruno Banducci and Duane Putnam.

Both guards were All-Pros, and Banducci was all-decade for the 1940s. But Putnam has a case to be included on the 1950s' all-decade team. In fact, Pro Football Reference included him on its list. The fact is: Putnam was a very good player, perhaps the best pulling guard of his era.

CENTERS: Bill Johnson, Vic Lindskog, and Vince Banonis.

Johnson was a long-time 49ers' center whom Lavelli would have seen a lot. The other two names, however, are interesting in that Lindskog was likely the least-known of fine Eagles' offensive linemen like Al Wistert, Buck Kilroy, Vic Sears and Banducci.  Banonis, meanwhile, is someone who gained some "all" notice when he was with the late-1940s' Chicago Cardinals and won back-to-back titles. He then went to the Lions and blocked for Bobby Layne.

Wouldn't it be great if we could go back in time and ask "Gluefingers" what stood out about Lindskog, Banonis, Nate Johnson and other lesser-known players? It had to be something. Unfortunately, Bob August didn't provide details.

QUARTERBACKS: Bob Waterfield, Frankie Albert and Bobby Layne.

Waterfield was part of two Rams' teams that rivaled Lavelli's Browns, barely losing to them in the 1950 NFL championship game before defeating them one year later for the league title. 

Otto Graham was the AAFC's best quarterback, but Albert was right behind as the leader of a 49ers' team that was competitive with the Browns. With Layne, the ultimate competitor, Detroit snatched two titles from the Browns, beating them in consecutive championship games in 1952-53.

Lavelli went with no sleepers in his picks for quarterbacks, choosing the elite passers of his era. Seems as though Lavelli was a "QB Wins" kind of guy, if you know what I mean.

FULLBACKS: Joe Perry, Ollie Matson and Rick Casares.

Perry and Matson have Gold Jackets. Casares does not. But he made an immediate impression on Lavelli, who only saw him in his final two pro seasons. He had an MVP-level year in 1956, Lavelli's last as a pro, when he led the NFL in yards rushing (1,126) and rushing touchdowns (12).

HALFBACKS: Spec Sanders, Steve Van Buren, Glenn Dobbs, Hugh McElhenny and Doak Walker.

Sanders and Dobbs were AAFC stars, tailback types who were their teams' passers, as well as top runners and punters. The other three Lavelli named are Hall of Famers.

DEFENSE

ENDS: Larry Brink, Jack Russell and Andy Robustelli, Hal Shoener and Vince Mazza.

Lavelli only picked one player who ended up in the Hall -- Robustelli. Brink and Russell are names historians would know, mostly because they earned some All-Pro notice, but Shoener and Mazza are relative unknowns. However, it's likely that these were pass-rushing ends who may have pressured Otto Graham enough that Lavelli never forgot them.

TACKLES: Arnie Weinmeister, Martin Ruby, Ernie Stautner, Bob Reinhard, Art Donovan, Leo Nomellini and  Al DeRogatis.

The name that stands out here is Martin Ruby, a Brooklyn Dodgers/New York Yankees tackle. The 6-4, 249-pounder may be to defensive interior players what Shoener and Mazzer were to edge players -- a problem for the Browns. The others are either former All-Pros or Hall of Famers.

MIDDLE GUARD: Les Bingaman and Riley Matheson.

These two remind me of the guards. They're players with Hall-of-Fame cases who have been overlooked by Hall-of-Fame voters. 

LINEBACKERS: Tank Younger, George Connor, Vern Torgeson and Jerry Shipkey.

Connor is a Hall of Famer, while Younger and Shipkey were fine players who often were Pro Bowl invitees. No real surprises here.

CORNERBACKS: Russ Craft, Emlen Tunnell, Dick "Night Train" Lane and Eddie Prokop.

Some people forget that Emlen Tunnell began his career as a cornerback, or what was then called a defensive halfback. He later shifted to safety and became one of the best ever. Lavelli, though, picks him at his original position. 

Lane's name makes sense, as does Russ Craft. He was considered one of the best cover men in the league at the time. Prokup is less-known, having played only in the AAFC without postseason honors or first-or-second-team all-leaguer recognition. He must have given Lavelli fits.

SAFETIES: Otto Schnellbacher and Jack Christiansen.

Christiansen is in the Hall, and Schnellbacher probably would be, too, had he played longer. In four pro seasons, he had a whopping 34 interceptions, including two seasons with 11. Lavelli clearly knew Otto was a menace.

***************

Some of the details provided in August's story included Lavelli's pick at quarterback, where he chose Rams' Hall-of-Famer Bob Waterfield over the 49ers' Albert.

"I have to give the edge to Waterfield over Albert," he said, "because he could do everything well. He could pass, run, punt and placekick."

However, when asked to name the best at a single position, Lavelli didn't choose anyone on offense. He went to the other side of the line of scrimmage.

"If I had to name one player for the ability to play his own position," he said, "I'd have to name Arnie Weinmeister."

I love it. Lavelli picking Weinmeister might be akin to someone who played in the NFL the past 11 years naming former Rams' defensive tackle Aaron Donald the game's best player, even though there's more so-called "value" at the quarterback position. 

But that's what made this story as enjoyable as it is intriguing. Lavelli trusted his instincts and didn't always go with obvious choices. 

The 'Wild Man' Willey's Mythical Wild Game

 by Nick Webster 

Every so often, you’d hear whispers of it -- an NFL player erupting for a monster game, piling up four or five sacks on a hapless quarterback. It’s the kind of performance that makes headlines. In 1990, Derrick Thomas turned heads with an astonishing seven sacks against Seattle, setting the official NFL single-game record since sacks became a stat in 1982. Seven! That’s the kind of number that cements a legacy.

But then you’d hear the old-timers chime in, their voices tinged with a mix of reverence and defiance. "Seven’s nice," they’d say, "but it’s not even close to Norm Willey." According to legend, Willey, a defensive lineman for the Philadelphia Eagles, had what might be the greatest day any pass rusher could dream of. On October 26, 1952, at the Polo Grounds, Willey is said to have brought down New York Giants quarterbacks Charlie Conerly and Fred Benners a jaw-dropping 17 times.

Seventeen sacks. In one game. Let that sink in. Trey Hendrickson led the league this year with 17.5, in 17-games.

The story gets murky, though. Some accounts peg Willey’s total at 15, others at 14, or even 12. Back then, they didn’t call it a "sack" -- the term wasn’t coined until the 1960s and didn’t become an official stat until 1982. But make no mistake: Willey was blowing past blockers and planting Conerly and Benners into the turf, play after play, in a way that would make modern highlight reels blush.

Official or not, the numbers defy belief. In today’s game, a single sack can swing momentum. Ten sacks in a season earns you Pro Bowl buzz. Seventeen in a single afternoon? That’s the stuff of myth, a record that feels untouchable -- even if the record books don’t fully acknowledge it.

But is it true? Did the player called "Wildman" really have a double-digit sack game?

Hold that thought. I'll get to that.

Potentially record-setting game or not, Willey was a very good player and people should know about him. He was a 13th-round draft choice by the Philadelphia Eagles in 1950 and played eight years for the Birds. He was first-team All-Pro twice (one of them consensus) and second-team All-Pro once.

He most played right defensive end in either a two-point or three-point stance and would sometimes line up in a cocked position. The scheme (which the Bears' 46 defense was patterned after) allowed him to run free -- and Wildman Willey did.

Norm Willey #63

Norm Willey #86

From my film study, I think he was a superior end to Hall-of-Famer Ed Sprinkle. He was a more consistent pass rusher and made more players, regardless if he had a dozen or more in a single game. That can give you an idea of how good he was. Sprinkle is on the Hall and maybe Willey should be.

Well, did he have a double-digit sack game? Let's end the suspense. No. He did not.

That is according to Paul Zimmerman, the longtime writer for Sports Illustrated. Zimmerman (Dr. Z) was at the game and not only was he at the game, he scored it, making notes on his game program, as he did for every game he attended.

So, what did his notes for that game say, what caused Dr. Z to say the total number of sacks was less than 17, or 15, 14 or 12?

Let's take a look:

Above is the program cover, and on a page with an ad for Chesterfield cigarettes, there are some handwritten notes by Zim.

First and foremost, at the top of the page the blue ink denotes his thoughts on the game:

" ... strictly a defensive battle -- Giants held to 93 yards on ground  Philadelphia played one of the best defensive games I ever saw -- Pihos, E, Sears, T, Willey - G-E, Kilroy, G, - & Mike Jarmoluk -- all great".

On the page that showed the projected starting lineups, Dr. Z made corrections, showing that printed lineups were not always reliable. The listed starters sometimes were not the ones who actually started.

Of interest is that the projected starter at right defensive end was Jack Zilly (also a fine defensive end in his day) and not Norm Willey. In fact, in the previous week's 49-7 drubbing at the hands of the Cleveland Browns Willey hadn't played a single snap on defense (yielding right defensive end to Zilly) and played most of the game at left guard. It is also noteworthy that Paul Zimmerman noted that Willey played some guard in the Giants game noting, "Willey - G-E" but it is impossible to know how much without the film.

Here is a closeup of the Eagles side of the rosters and lineups page. 

On the left side are the tackles a player made. The "B" denotes a good block. The "P" is a tackle on a passer. You can see four "Ps" for Pihos and eight for Willey. Those are the times Willey took a passer down with the ball. Tackle Vic Sears was credited with one takedown and Mike Jarmoluk another for a team total of 14.

Here is a stat page created by Zimmerman himself reviewing offensive stats and also special teams stats (he called misc.).

Note the zoomed-in comment by Z in blue ball-point from that day, "14 times thrown for losses on a pass . . . . a record?"

You may be asking if these are official, no, they are not. But as you can see they are thorough and as likely as accurate, if not more so, than what the official scorer may have done, if the gamebook existed.

So, I think he can be considered this as the best available evidence that Norm "Wildman" Willey tackled quarterbacks attempting to pass eight times. And though it is not 17, 15 or 12 it is still one of the best ever single game totals, in fact, the most ever recorded by a credible source.

And that is something worth noting.