1965 Topps football card of former AFL and NFL defensive back Willie Brown, who is one of only 16 undrafted players who went on to have Hall of Fame careers. Brown originally signed with the Houston Oilers, moved on to Denver, and had his most success in his 12 years spent with the Oakland Raiders, helping them win 3 Super Bowl titles. He was voted to the NFL’s All Decade team for the 1970s and was inducted into Canton in 1984.
1968 Topps football card of former pro football running back Floyd Little, who was a star player for the Denver Broncos during some of their lean years in the old American Football League. He played 9 seasons for the Broncos and was a two-time AFL All Star, then carried that success into the NFL after the leagues merged, being named to the Pro Bowl 3 times. Little was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010.
1989 Topps football card of former NFL running back Ickey Woods, who had a short but memorable four year career with the Cincinnati Bengals. He burst onto the scene in his rookie year of 1988, when he rushed for over 1,000 yards and was a major factor in the Bengals winning the AFC Championship. Woods made a name for himself with his whimsical “Ickey Shuffle” touchdown dance, which he reprised in recent a Geico commercial while ordering cold cuts at a deli. Woods has served as owner/coach of a women’s full-contact football team, the Cincinnati Sizzle, whose roster included Woods’ ex-wife.
1955 Bowman football card of former Detroit Lion lineman Dick Stanfel, who was a standout guard for the Lions in their last dominant period in the NFL, which was way back in the 1950s. He was a five-time Pro Bowler and helped the Lions win NFL championships in 1952 and ’53. He was also named to the league’s All Decade team for the 1950s. After his playing career ended, Stanfel spent over 35 years as an assistant coach, mostly an offensive line coach, and won a Super Bowl ring as O-line coach for the Chicago Bears in 1985. After being overlooked for decades, he was finally elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, posthumously, by the Veteran’s Committee in 2016.
1968 Topps football card of former NFL defensive end Lamar Lundy, who played 13 seasons in the league, all for the Los Angeles Rams. He was the least-known member of the Rams’ famed “Fearsome Foursome” defensive line, which also included Deacon Jones, who invented the term “sack” and is widely regarded as the top pass rusher of all time, and Merlin Olsen and Rosey Grier, who both went on to careers in television and movies. Lundy didn’t need to take a back seat to any of them, however, as he was a force in his own right. He was a two-time Pro Bowler, and one amazing statistic of his career is that he garnered 3 interceptions, and returned all 3 for touchdowns. Lundy was hired as an assistant coach with the San Diego Chargers when he retired, but illness kept him from pursuing that avenue. Lundy passed away in 2007 at the age of 71.
1969 Topps football card of former pro football quarterback Norm Snead, who played 16 seasons in the NFL for 5 different teams. His most successful stint was a seven year run with the Philadelphia Eagles in the 1960s. Snead was a four-time Pro Bowler, including his first 2 seasons, in 1961 and ’62, with the Washington Redskins. After retiring as a player, he coached at The Apprentice School, a small college football program at a school that trains students for careers in shipbuilding.
1974 Topps football card of former NFL defensive tackle Jethro Pugh, a force for the Dallas Cowboys’ “Doomsday Defense” of the 1960s and ’70s. He played for 14 seasons, all with the Cowboys, and helped coach Tom Landry’s team win a pair of Super Bowls. After retiring as a player, he owned a number of western-themed gift shops at the Dallas airport, and also hosted a charity golf tournament. Pugh passed away in 2015 at the age of 70.
1987 Topps football card of former NFL wide receiver Wesley Walker, who had an outstanding 12 year career in the league with the New York Jets. Although legally blind in his left eye, he became a top target of Jet quarterbacks in the 1980s and one of the top Jet pass-catchers of all time. He was named to the Pro Bowl twice. Walker is currently retired after a post-NFL career as a high school physical education teacher.
It was such a huge event that it had to be given it’s own special football card. This 1978 Topps “Highlight” card signifies the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ first ever win as a franchise. It took almost 2 full seasons, and after 26 consecutive losses to begin their existence, quarterback Gary Huff led the Bucs to a win over the equally hapless New Orleans Saints. Huff played 7 years in the NFL, and was a classic journeyman. After retiring, he served in various coaching capacities and is currently the senior associate athletic director at his alma mater, Florida State.
1974 Topps football card of former wide receiver Ahmad Rashad, who played 10 seasons in the NFL. Born Bobby Moore, he changed his name in 1972 after converting to a small sect that practices unorthodox Islam. Rashad began his pro career with the St. Louis Cardinals, was traded to Buffalo for quarterback Dennis Shaw in 1974 and after playing only one season there, signed with the Minnesota Vikings, where he had his most success, making the Pro Bowl 4 times. After retiring, he became a successful sports broadcaster with NBC and ABC, covering basketball, football and baseball.