1966 Philadelphia football card of former pro football running back Tucker Frederickson, who was the top pick of the college draft in 1965 and spent 7 seasons with the New York Giants. He was a Pro Bowler in his rookie year but his career tailed off some after that and ended prematurely due to a knee injury in 1971. In retirement, Frederickson became involved in the financial industry and handles golf course real estate business, with his partners including Jack Nicklaus.
1966 Topps football card of former pro football quarterback John Hadl, who enjoyed a 16 year career in the AFL and NFL with 4 different teams, most notably the San Diego Chargers. He guided one of the AFL’s most prolific offenses with the Chargers, and was a 4 time AFL All Star. He led the league in passing yards and touchdowns in 1968. After retiring as a player he coached in various positions in both college and pro football, and is currently the associate athletic director at his alma mater, the University of Kansas.
1984 Topps football card of former linebacker Jack Lambert, a ferocious member for 11 seasons of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ “Steel Curtain” defense. He was known for his physical style of play and once said that quarterbacks “should wear dresses”. His resume is long and full of honors – 9-time Pro Bowler, 4-time Super Bowl champion, NFL Defensive Rookie of The Year (1974), NFL Defensive Player of The Year (1976), and member of the NFL’s All Decade Teams for both the 1970s and 1980s. Lambert had a toothless snarl that gave his rugged image a boost, but the missing teeth were actually a result of taking an elbow in a high school basketball game. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990.
1955 Bowman football card of former pro football quarterback Ralph Guglielmi, who played for 7 years in the NFL for 4 different teams. His longest stay was four seasons with the Washington Redskins. Although he was a college All American at Notre Dame and is in the College Football Hall of Fame, he didn’t have much of an NFL career, totaling 24 touchdown passes and 52 interceptions. Guglielmi passed away in 2017 at the age of 83.
1961 Fleer football card of a former pro football defensive tackle, Roosevelt Grier, who played 12 seasons in the National Football League for the New York Giants and as a member of the “Fearsome Foursome” defensive line of the Los Angeles Rams. He was named All Pro 3 times in his career. “Rosey” has led a colorful life outside of football. He was an actor, singer, ordained minister, needlepoint and macramé enthusiast and as bodyguard for Robert Kennedy’s wife during the 1968 presidential campaign, he tackled the assassin and secured his gun. He performed along with Ann-Margret in Bob Hope’s 1968 USO tour across Southeast Asia. At age 87, he is the lone surviving member of the Rams’ Fearsome Foursome group, despite being the oldest.
1963 Topps football card of former pro football halfback/flanker Bobby Mitchell, who played 4 seasons in Cleveland before being traded to the Washington Redskins in 1962. Although this card says he’s a Redskin, he is clearly still wearing his Browns’ uniform in the picture. Mitchell was a four-time Pro Bowler and is a member of the Ring of Honor for both the Browns and Redskins. After retiring as a player he spent 34 years in the Redskins’ front office, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1983. He still lives in the D.C. area and has been involved in numerous charitable organizations over the years.
1989 Score football card of former pro football quarterback Don Majkowski, who played 10 seasons in the NFL, most notably with the Green Bay Packers. A native of Depew, NY, he earned the nickname “The Majik Man” for his exploits in Green Bay, and the best of his 6 seasons with the Packers was in 1989, when he led the NFL in passing yards and was named to the Pro Bowl. Injuries hampered him in his playing days, and when he suffered a torn ligament in his ankle in a 1992 game, he was replaced by a young upstart named Brett Favre and was forced to move on to another team. Majkowski was a fan favorite while playing for the Packers, and is a member of the team’s Hall of Fame.
1963 Topps football card of former pro football safety Larry Wilson, who enjoyed a 13 year career in the NFL with the St. Louis Cardinals. He was an eight time Pro Bowler, was named to the All Decade teams for both the 1960s and ’70s, was named NFL Defensive Player of The Year in 1966 and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 1978. He was the first NFL player to employ the safety blitz as a tactic to rush the opposing quarterback. He stayed loyal to the Cardinal organization after his playing days ended, serving at various times as defensive backs coach, interim head coach, scouting director, vice president and general manager. In all, he worked for the Cardinal organization for 43 years before retiring in 2002.
1961 Topps football card of former Detroit Lions’ linebacker Joe Schmidt, a dedicated Lion who played 13 seasons with the team and also served as their head coach for 6 years. As a player, he was a 10-time Pro Bowler, 2-time NFL Defensive MVP, member of the NFL All Decade team of the 1950s, and a major part of Detroit championship teams in 1953 and 1957. He served 6 months in the U.S. Army after the ’57 season. Some perspective relating to players of the 1960s compared to today: Schmidt was the Lions’ highest paid defensive player in 1963, making $22,000 for the year. As a coach, he compiled a winning record but only got the Lions to the playoffs once. Schmidt had his jersey number 56 retired by the franchise, and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1973.
1986 Topps football card, courtesy of CheckOutMyCards.com , of a player many consider the greatest of all time, former wide receiver Jerry Rice. This is his “rookie” card, from 1986, and he would play 20 years in the NFL, 16 of them with the San Francisco 49ers. He holds most career records for wide receivers in league history. Rice’s resume is long and storied – 13-time Pro Bowler, NFL MVP in 1987, Super Bowl XXIII MVP, All Decade team for both the 1980s and 1990s and three time Super Bowl champion. His 208 career touchdowns are a record that will be hard to break. The second most is Emmitt Smith’s 175. Rice was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010.