2009 Upper Deck football card of former pro running back Ronnie Brown, who played 10 years in the NFL for 4 different teams. His most success came in his 6 years in Miami, and he made the Pro Bowl in 2008 after being the central figure in the team’s novel “Wildcat” offense. Brown, who retired from the game in 2014, works as a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in the Atlanta area, focusing on wealth management for athletes.
1985 Topps football card of former pro football quarterback Steve Fuller, who played 7 seasons in the NFL for 3 different teams. He was a member of the 1985 Chicago Bears’ Super Bowl team, and appeared with teammates in the “Super Bowl Shuffle” video that won a Grammy. His college jersey number (4) is retired by his alma mater, Clemson. In his retirement, Fuller has served as a head coach and offensive coordinator at the high school level.
1962 Post Cereal football card of former pro halfback Dan Lewis, who played 9 seasons in the NFL for 3 different teams, with 7 of those coming with the Detroit Lions. He led the Lions in rushing yards in 2 of those seasons, and at the end of his career was ranked 4th in rushing yards for the franchise. After retiring as a player Lewis served as deputy director of city planning in Detroit. He died in 2015 at the age of 79 from complications of diabetes.
1961 Fleer football card of former pro quarterback George Shaw, who played 8 seasons of professional football, 7 in the NFL with 3 different teams in the mid-1950s to early ’60s and a final season with Denver in the AFL in 1962. He was mostly a backup in his pro days, and in that role was a member of the Baltimore Colts’ 1958 championship club. After retiring he worked for a stock brokerage, and eventually rose to the position of vice president. Shaw passed away in 1998 at the age of 64 after a long struggle with bone marrow cancer.
1982 Topps football card of former pro quarterback Ron Jaworski, who played 17 seasons in the NFL for 4 different teams. Nicknamed “Jaws” and “The Polish Rifle”, the Lackawanna, NY native had his most success in Philadelphia, where he spent 10 of his years and led the Eagles to their first Super Bowl appearance in 1980. He was also a Pro Bowler that year and won the Bert Bell Award as the NFL’s top player. After his playing days ended, Jaworski went into broadcasting in both radio and television for ESPN, and also is the CEO of Ron Jaworski Golf, owning 8 courses around the east coast. He was also part of an ownership group, along with musicians Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora, for the Arena League’s Philadelphia Soul.
1961 Fleer football card of the greatest pro football player of all time, Cleveland Browns’ fullback Jim Brown. He played 9 seasons in the NFL with the Browns before abruptly retiring prior to the 1966 season to pursue an acting career. Brown’s earned honors are far too many to list them all, but he was 1957 NFL Rookie of The Year, a three-time league MVP, 9 time Pro Bowler, led the NFL in rushing in all but 1 of his 9 years, helped the Browns win the NFL title in 1964 and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1971. His acting career included roles in The Dirty Dozen, Rio Conchos, 100 Rifles, Ice Station Zebra, Mars Attacks and Any Given Sunday. Brown’s work in promoting Civil Rights in the 1960s is well documented, while he also initiated a progrm to teach life skills to gang members and prisoners. Brown passed away in 2023.
1965 Philadelphia football card of former pro linebacker/kicker Wayne Walker, who enjoyed a long 15 year career in the NFL, all with the Detroit Lions. He was a three-time Pro Bowler and named All Pro in 1965. As a linebacker Walker was stellar, but his placekicking left a lot to be desired. His 40.5% success rate is the lowest in NFL history. After his playing days ended he spent 20 years in broadcasting, working as a radio commentator for both San Francisco 49er games and Oakland Athletics’ contests. Walker died from complications of Parkinson’s disease in 2017.
1965 Topps football card of former pro end/kicker Tommy Brooker, who played in the old American Football League for 5 seasons with the Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs franchise. He was used sparingly as an end on offense, with his best numbers there coming in his rookie season in 1962. He caught 4 passes that year, with 3 going for touchdowns. His moment of glory came in the ’62 AFL title game, when he kicked the winning field goal in double overtime to dethrone the defending champion Houston Oilers. Brooker passed away in 2019 at the age of 79.
1968 Topps football card of former pro halfback and head coach Dan Reeves, who was a fixture in the NFL from 1965 until 2003, first as a player and then as a successful head coach. He spent 8 seasons as a versatile running back for the Dallas Cowboys, then embarked on a long coaching career that saw him lead 3 different franchises as their head coach. Reeves guided 2 of them, Denver and Atlanta to Super Bowl appearances, although he never was able to win one. He did, however, win one each as a player and assistant coach in Dallas. Reeves stayed active in the game even after he was through coaching, serving as an analyst on Westwood One radio broadcasts. He passed away in 2022 from complications of dementia.
2007 Score football card of former pro tight end Vernon Davis, who played 14 seasons in the NFL, mostly with the San Francisco 49ers. He was a two-time Pro Bowler and an All Pro in 2013. After 9+ tears with the Niners he was traded to Denver and helped the Broncos win Super Bowl 50. An avid curling fan, Davis was named an honorary captain of the US Olympic Curling team for the 2010 winter Olympics. He has been involved in various business ventures since retiring as a player, including ownership in a women’s soccer team and a pro basketball team in Australia.