1994 Bowman football card of a former pro football running back, Dorsey Levens, who played 11 years in the NFL, most notably with the Green Bay Packers. Used mostly as a backup during his career, he had a Pro Bowl season in 1997, and was also the Packers’ leading rusher in their Super Bowl XXXI victory. Since retiring, Levens has dabbled in acting and in 2009 was elected to the Packers’ Hall of Fame.
2001 Score football card of former pro football tight end Frank Wycheck, who enjoyed an 11 year career in the NFL with the Washington Redskins, and most notably, with the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans franchise. He was a three-time Pro Bowler and one of only seven tight ends in NFL history to record 500 receptions. After his playing days were over, Wycheck dabbled in pro wrestling and broadcasting. He is currently color analyst on the Titans’ radio broadcasts and hosts his own sports talk radio show in Nashville.
1979 Topps football card of former pro football quarterback Brian Sipe, who played 10 seasons in the NFL with the Cleveland Browns before ending his career in the USFL. He was the leader of the Browns’ teams in those years that earned the nickname “The Kardiac Kids” for their penchant for winning close games with fourth quarter or overtime drives. His best season was 1980, when he was named to the Pro Bowl and also won the NFL’s Most Valuable Player Award. After retiring, Sipe coached a very successful high school team in his native San Diego and also was the quarterback coach at his alma mater, San Diego State, for 6 seasons.
1958 Topps football card of Hall of Fame halfback Lenny Moore, who played his entire 12 year career with the Baltimore Colts. Sometimes an overlooked player when the discussion of the greatest backs of all time takes place, he certainly belongs in the mix. He was NFL Rookie of The Year in 1956, and helped the Colts win back-to-back championships in 1958 and ’59. Moore was a seven time Pro Bowler, the 1964 NFL Most Valuable Player, and was named to the NFL All Decade team for the 1950s. He is the only player in NFL history to record at least 40 rushing touchdowns and 40 receiving touchdowns. After his playing days ended, he worked for the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services for 26 years, mentoring at-risk children.
1964 Philadelphia football card of former pro football receiver Sonny Randle, who played 10 seasons in the NFL with his most productive years spent with the Cardinals franchise in Chicago and St. Louis. He was a four-time Pro Bowler and was named All Pro in 1960 (when he led the NFL in touchdown receptions) and 1962. After retiring as a player, Randle enjoyed a 13 year career in college coaching at 4 different schools, including head coaching stops at Virginia and Marshall. He also dabbled in sports broadcasting, and even started his own talk radio network in his native Virginia. Randle died in 2017 at the age of 81.
1963 Topps football card of former NFL defensive end Jim Marshall, who enjoyed a long, storied career spanning 20 years in the league, most notably with the Minnesota Vikings. Unfortunately he is mostly remembered for a play in which he recovered an opponent’s fumble and returned it 66 yards, in the wrong direction, resulting in a safety. That play aside, Marshall was a stalwart on the Vikings’ Purple People Eaters defense for 19 seasons, and was an All Pro and Pro Bowler three times. He appeared in 4 Super Bowls for the Vikings in the 1970s. Marshall was an NFL iron man also, and held the league record for longevity with 282 consecutive starts until it was later surpassed by Brett Favre.
1976 Topps football card of former pro football defensive end Walt Patulski, who was the top overall draft pick of the 1972 NFL draft. Drafted out of Syracuse by the Buffalo Bills, he would become one of many of the team’s draft busts over the years. Patulski played 4 uneventful seasons for the Bills until he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1977. He played only a single season for the Cards before a knee injury ended his career. He has been active with the Syracuse Board of Education and the Boys And Girls Clubs of America since his playing days ended, and was inducted into the Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame in 2014.
1951 Bowman football card of former pro football halfback “Bullet” Bill Dudley, who played 9 years in the National Football League in the 1940s and ’50s for 3 different teams. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1966, becoming the first player who was drafted first overall to become enshrined in Canton. He was a six-time All Pro and MVP of the league in 1946, and was chosen as a member of the NFL’s All decade team for the 1940s. His career was interrupted by military service in World war II, as he served in the Army Air Corps for 3 years. After retiring, Dudley served as a scout for the Steelers and Lions, and also served 4 terms in the Virginia House of Delegates. He passed away in 2010.
1951 Bowman football card of former pro football player and broadcaster Al DeRogatis, who played four seasons at defensive tackle for the New York Giants. He was named an All Pro in 2 of those seasons, 1950 and ’51, but a knee injury cut his career short. He moved into the broadcast booth after that, calling Giants’ games with Marty Glickman on radio. From 1966 until 1975, DeRogatis served as color analyst alongside Curt Gowdy on NBC’s national television broadcasts of AFL (and after the merger AFC) games. He died of cancer in 1995.
In honor of the recently celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, here is a 1952 Parkhurst football card of the very first African American to play quarterback in pro football, Bernie Custis. Although Willie Thrower (Chicago Bears, 1953) is the first black to play QB in the NFL, Custis played the position in the Canadian League beginning in 1951 with the Hamilton Tiger Cats. His career totaled 6 seasons, split between Hamilton and Ottawa. After his playing days ended, he had a long, distinguished career as a coach at various Canadian colleges. While playing college ball at Syracuse, his roommate was future Oakland Raiders’ owner Al Davis.