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1989 Score football card of former pro football wide receiver Mark Jackson, who enjoyed a nine year career in the NFL, mostly with the Denver Broncos. Along with teammates Vance Johnson and Ricky Nattiel, Jackson was part of a Bronco receiving corps nicknamed “The Three Amigos”. He was a favorite target of Denver Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway in his career, and caught the touchdown pass in the 1986 AFC Championship game that completed “The Drive”, one of the league’s most memorable moments.

1954 Bowman football card of former pro football lineman Francis “Bucko” Kilroy, who had a long 13 year career with the Philadelphia Eagles. Kilroy was a three-time Pro Bowler and was named to the NFL’s All Decade team for the 1940s. When his playing days ended, he stayed in the game, first becoming an assistant coach with the Eagles but eventually moving into the front office as an executive for three different teams – the Redskins, Cowboys and Patriots. While in Dallas, he was responsible for making the risky pick of Roger Staubach, who was serving in the military at the time but in the long run turned out to be a forward-thinking choice that helped the Cowboys win championships. He also served as New England’s general manager from 1971 until 2007 and is credited with building the current Patriot dynasty.

1963 Fleer football card of former pro football receiver Chris Burford, who played his entire eight year career in the American Football League for the Dallas Texans, who later moved to Kansas City and became the Chiefs. Burford was an astute route runner and a favorite target of the Chiefs’ star quarterback of that era – Len Dawson. Burford was a clutch receiver who was very underrated, although he was a two-time AFL All Star, and also played on a pair of AFL title teams, in 1962 with the Texans, and again in ’66 with the Chiefs club that advanced to the very first Super Bowl against Green Bay.

1964 Topps football card, a feature of the set known as the “team picture” cards, of the Buffalo Bills. The Bills won the American Football League championship in ’64, however, this team photo is actually of the 1963 Bills, who also had a winning season but wound up tied for first place in the Eastern Division with the Boston Patriots. The teams played a playoff game to decide who would play the San Diego Chargers for the AFL title, and the Pats won 26-8. That game is still the only time the two old AFL rivals have ever met in the post-season.

1982 Topps football card of former NFL running back Ottis Anderson, who split a 14 year career between the St. Louis Cardinals and New York Giants. He was named Rookie of The Year with the Cardinals in 1979 and was named to the Pro Bowl twice. Anderson had his greatest success with the Giants, helping them to a pair of Super Bowl titles, including Super Bowl XXV when he was named the game’s MVP. “O.J.” has kept busy in his post-playing days, as a successful entrepreneur and with involvement in many community organizations, including United Way, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, National Multiple Sclerosis Society and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

1954 Bowman football card of former  NFL running back Wilford “Whizzer” White, who played 2 seasons in the league for the Chicago Bears until a knee injury ended his career. He is not to be confused with Byron “Whizzer” White, who also had a short stint in the NFL as a running back, and went on to become a Supreme Court Justice. Wilford White’s claim to fame may be that he was the father of former Dallas Cowboys’ quarterback Danny White.

1983 Topps football card of former NFL quarterback Vince Ferragamo, who played nine years in the league, seven of them for the Los Angeles Rams. His shining moment came in 1979, when he led the Rams to a surprise Super Bowl appearance. The Rams lost a 31-19 decision to the Steelers, who were a dynasty at the time. Ferragamo’s best statistical season came the following year, when he tossed 30 touchdown passes. Today, he is a successful businessman in California, involved in real estate and also owning a vineyard.

1962 Topps football card of former NFL halfback/flanker Frank Gifford, who passed away recently. He played 12 seasons for the New York Giants, and helped them win an NFL title in 1956, a year he also won the league’s Most Valuable Player Award. His playing career was good enough to get him elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1977, but his career as a sports broadcaster after he retired was even better. He started with CBS, then landed the job as play-by-play announcer on Monday Night Football, where he spent 27 years. He was more than just an ex-jock football announcer, he was an Emmy Award-winning sportscaster, also working on ABC’s Wide World of Sports and the Olympics.

2014 Bowman “Orange” football card of NFL wide receiver Golden Tate, an active five year veteran in the league who plays for the Detroit Lions. He began his career with Seattle, where he spent four seasons and helped the Seahawks win a Super Bowl. Tate moved on to the Lions last season and had an outstanding year, being named to his first Pro Bowl. Tate, who attended Notre Dame, also was drafted by baseball’s San Francisco Giants, but chose football instead.

2015 Topps Inception football card of recently retired NFL quarterback Kyle Orton, who played 10 seasons in the league for 5 different franchises. He had stints as the starting signal caller for the Chicago Bears and Denver Broncos, then finished up his career as somewhat of a “mercenary” backup with short stays in Kansas City, Dallas and Buffalo. Orton actually stepped in as the starter with the Bills and had a decent 2014 season, then abruptly retired following the end of the year.