"Who Am I?" trivia

[Gary Najman]

I am a kick returner. My only touchdown in my NFL career came in the same game when a player on the opposing team (with the same surname as I) scored his first NFL touchdown. Both of us were in our second season in the NFL (and both were drafted). My team moved to a new city in my second year, where I scored my only touchdown. The opposing team also moved to a new city a few years later. Who Am I?

The answer to this one is Phil Smith. (no, I hadn't heard of him until this moment!) Who scored his only NFL TD for the Colts in their first year in Indianapolis in a game in which Leonard Smith of the Cardinals scored his first NFL TD on an interception return. Leonard Smith only spent a portion of the 1988 season on the Cardinals in Phoenix before moving on to the Bills for the early part of their Super Bowl years.

Correct! By the way that game Cardinals-Colts at the Hoosier Dome in the 3rd week of the 1984 NFL season is one of the best NFL Films Game of The Week they produced in the 80s IMHO. Ans both Smiths greet themselves prior of the game (I don't know if they were related, Leonard played at McNeese State, while Phil played at San Diego State). It was one of the things I loved about the NFL Game of the Week: you could see scenes prior of the game of little-Known players at the time who would eventually make big plays in the game. The NFL Films camerman seemed to capture everything on film.

[Bryan]

"I played 5 years in the NFL, with my last season being with a HOF QB. I had back-to-back 140+-yard rushing games, against teams that finished the year 12-4, but those were the only 100-yard rushing games of my career (the closest I came was a 75-yard game against the Saints). My longest pass reception took place in my only postseason game, where I also scored a rushing TD. No one remembers my name now, possibly because they can't pronounce it. Who am I?"

[ChrisBabcock]

"I played 5 years in the NFL, with my last season being with a HOF QB. I had back-to-back 140+-yard rushing games, against teams that finished the year 12-4, but those were the only 100-yard rushing games of my career (the closest I came was a 75-yard game against the Saints). My longest pass reception took place in my only postseason game, where I also scored a rushing TD. No one remembers my name now, possibly because they can't pronounce it. Who am I?"

Jewerl Thomas. I wonder why the uptick in carries and yardage for him those last 2 games of 1980? It looks like most of the year Elvis Peacock and Cullen Bryant were splitting running back duties but Elvis didn't play after week 13. I suppose Thomas took his spot in the backfield and continued the somewhat even carry split with Bryant. But his YPC was through the roof, hence the back to back 140+ games!

[Bryan]

Jewerl Thomas. I wonder why the uptick in carries and yardage for him those last 2 games of 1980? It looks like most of the year Elvis Peacock and Cullen Bryant were splitting running back duties but Elvis didn't play after week 13. I suppose Thomas took his spot in the backfield and continued the somewhat even carry split with Bryant. But his YPC was through the roof, hence the back to back 140+ games!

Correct! 'Jerrall" Thomas was the last man standing in the Rams backfield after guys like Peacock and Tyler got hurt. The game against the Cowboys was huge for both teams, but the final game against Atlanta was essentially meaningless. Still, its kind of strange that Thomas never got the ball that much for the remainder of his career. Dallas stopped him in the 1980 wildcard game, and then Tyler was healthy in 1981 and had a 1000-yard season.

The 1980 Rams led the NFL in rushing offense even though Cullen Bryant was their top ground-gainer, which speaks to how good their OL was. 1980 and 1981 were transition years in the NFC with no dominant team...I wonder if Wendell Tyler had been healthy all of 1980, or if the Rams had brought back Vince Ferragamo in 1981, perhaps they actually win the Super Bowl one of those years.

[JuggernautJ]

Interestingly (well, to me) Jewerl Thomas had the most unusual Strat-o-matic Football running card I have ever seen (and I've seen a lot).

For the 1980 season, on his own cards, on the roll of a two or a twelve he would run for a "Long Gain" (35-99 yards) and on a seven he would go for a "Short Gain" (11-20 yards). On every other number rolled he would lose yards (guessed right or wrong).

So, I am guessing handing the ball to Jewerl was very much a "hit or miss" proposition?

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/ ... omJe01.htm

[ChrisBabcock]

I was a defensive end for most of my career. (p-f-r has a few seasons listed at DT.)

I had my only career interception during the season of my only Super Bowl appearance.

Later in my career I became a regular starter on another team, in which I led this team in sacks twice.

After my playing career, I became a defensive line coach for the head coach of the second team I played for, although this would be for yet another team.

[Bryan]

I was a defensive end for most of my career. (p-f-r has a few seasons listed at DT.)

I had my only career interception during the season of my only Super Bowl appearance.

Later in my career I became a regular starter on another team, in which I led this team in sacks twice.

After my playing career, I became a defensive line coach for the head coach of the second team I played for, although this would be for yet another team.

[Bryan]

Be forewarned, this is a very "deep cut"...

I was a 6th round draft choice, although I never played for the team that drafted me. I was a 1000-yard WR in college, and I was later reunited with my old college QB. In the NFL, I mainly played on special teams as a punt returner, kick coverage, and holder (where I had 1 rushing attempt for 6 yards). My career stats have about 100 punt return yards, 30 receiving yards, and 3 fumbles recovered. I played for 3 teams in my 3 NFL seasons before retiring. After I retired, the team I had played for went to the Super Bowl the following season (and lost). Over the span of my career, I played with 3 HOFers (an OG, a DE and an OT). Who am I?

[ChrisBabcock]

I was a 6th round draft choice, although I never played for the team that drafted me. I was a 1000-yard WR in college, and I was later reunited with my old college QB. In the NFL, I mainly played on special teams as a punt returner, kick coverage, and holder (where I had 1 rushing attempt for 6 yards). My career stats have about 100 punt return yards, 30 receiving yards, and 3 fumbles recovered. I played for 3 teams in my 3 NFL seasons before retiring. After I retired, the team I had played for went to the Super Bowl the following season (and lost). Over the span of my career, I played with 3 HOFers (an OG, a DE and an OT). Who am I?

These are starting to get easier now that I’m a little more savvy using the search feature on p-f-r. Rather than post the answer I’ll post what I did. Used the player combined seasons finder, selected career fumble recoveries = 3, drafted in the 6th round, and sorted by career punt return yards. Which them helped me zero in on the guy with “about” 100 punt return yards. I will post his HOF teammates though: Joe DeLamielleure, Lee Roy Selmon & Anthony Munoz.

[Gary Najman]

I was a 6th round draft choice, although I never played for the team that drafted me. I was a 1000-yard WR in college, and I was later reunited with my old college QB. In the NFL, I mainly played on special teams as a punt returner, kick coverage, and holder (where I had 1 rushing attempt for 6 yards). My career stats have about 100 punt return yards, 30 receiving yards, and 3 fumbles recovered. I played for 3 teams in my 3 NFL seasons before retiring. After I retired, the team I had played for went to the Super Bowl the following season (and lost). Over the span of my career, I played with 3 HOFers (an OG, a DE and an OT). Who am I?

These are starting to get easier now that I’m a little more savvy using the search feature on p-f-r. Rather than post the answer I’ll post what I did. Used the player combined seasons finder, selected career fumble recoveries = 3, drafted in the 6th round, and sorted by career punt return yards. Which them helped me zero in on the guy with “about” 100 punt return yards. I will post his HOF teammates though: Joe DeLamielleure, Lee Roy Selmon & Anthony Munoz.

For the record, this player later went on to play 3 more seasons in the CFL for Alberta-based teams.