1978 Topps football card of former running back Clarence Davis, an underrated player who spent 8 seasons with the Oakland Raiders. He was a clutch player who saved his biggest performances for the biggest games, including rushing for 137 yards on 16 attempts in Super Bowl XI, helping the Raiders defeat the Minnesota Vikings for the franchise’s first NFL title.
1959 Topps football card of former pro quarterback Bobby Layne, who was one of the last players to play without a face mask. Layne’s career spanned 15 years with 4 different teams. Most of his success came in the 1950s with Detroit as he led the Lions to 3 NFL championships, prior to being traded to Pittsburgh where he finished his playing days. He was a six-time Pro Bowler, was voted to the NFL’s All Decade team for the 1950s and was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1967.
1967 Philadelphia football card of former pro football running back Timmy Brown, who played 9 seasons in the NFL, mostly with the Philadelphia Eagles. He was a three time Pro Bowler and helped the Eagles win a championship in 1960. Brown became an actor after retiring as a player, using the name Timothy Brown. He appeared in many movies and television shows, and was one of only 4 actors to appear in both the MASH movie and TV series. He is also an accomplished singer and tap dancer.
1966 Topps football card of former AFL and NFL star Billy Cannon, who played 11 seasons of pro ball. Cannon was a prize acquisition of the fledgling AFL after he signed with the new league’s Houston Oilers out of college in 1959. He had won the 1959 Heisman Trophy as college football’s top player. Cannon helped the Oilers win the first 2 AFL championships but injuries kept him from ever really attaining star status as a running back. He reinvented his career with the Oakland Raiders after they switched his position to tight end, and played for the Raiders in the second ever Super Bowl game. After retiring, Cannon became a dentist, but became involved in a counterfeiting scheme and served a prison term of just over 2 years. To this day, he is a dentist at the Louisiana State Penitentiary.
1981 Topps football card of former pro football quarterback Lynn Dickey, who played 15 seasons in the NFL for the Houston Oilers and Green Bay Packers. He had limited success in Houston, although he guided the Oilers to their only win in a 1-13 season in 1973. After being traded to Green Bay, he broke a leg in 1977 and missed almost 2 complete seasons. He did attain All Pro honors in 1983, and is a member of the Packers’ Hall of Fame.
1970 Topps football card of former wide receiver Haven Moses, who enjoyed a long 14 year career in pro football with the Buffalo Bills and Denver Broncos. He is a member of Denver’s Ring of Honor and was a two-time Pro Bowler. Moses was a key player on the Broncos’ 1977 AFC championship team. He still holds a couple of franchise receiving records despite playing in an era that empathized the running game.
1968 Topps football card of former NFL quarterback Frank Ryan, who played 13 seasons in the league, most notably for the Cleveland Browns. His seven years with the Browns included 3 Pro Bowl appearances, with his best year coming in 1964 when he led the club to the NFL championship. After retiring he embarked on a successful academic career. His wife Joan is a retired sportscaster, one of the first female sportscasters in the business.
1955 Bowman football card of Hall of Fame halfback Charley Trippi, whose entire nine year career was spent with the Chicago Cardinals. He helped the Cardinals win the NFL championship in his rookie season in 1947. Trippi was a two-time Pro Bowler and was named to the NFL’s All Decade team for the 1940s. He is the oldest living member of the Hall of Fame.
1960 Fleer football card of a pro football and political legend, quarterback Jack Kemp. He was the QB for the Chargers in their inaugural American Football League season, when they played in the city they are now returning to, Los Angeles. Kemp guided the Chargers to the AFL title game, but they lost to George Blanda and the Houston Oilers. He would go on to lead the Buffalo Bills to a pair of AFL titles, then became a Western New York congressman after retiring. The pinnacle of his political career came in 1996, when he was Bob Dole’s vice presidential candidate on the Republican ticket. His son Jeff played in the NFL, mostly as a backup quarterback, for 10 seasons.
1984 Topps football card of former Chicago Bear defensive back Leslie Frazier, who played 5 seasons in the NFL, helping the Bears win the Super Bowl in 1985. Frazier is now a well-regarded coach in the league. He was head coach of the Minnesota Vikings for 4 years, and has been a defensive coordinator for various clubs, currently serving in that role for the Buffalo Bills.