Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

Inspired by Bob Gill's book, describe a player who has to be identified.


"I was drafted by a team that had just played in the league title game. Later in my career, I was the leading rusher for the team that won the league title. After that season, my career took a precipitous drop, with my YPC being 2.1, 2.5 and 1.7 in my last years. I am one of the few RBs in NFL history to have spent 5 or more seasons with two different teams. Who am I?"

I thought of Ken Strong because I figured when he came back to kick in the 40s, his rushing numbers wouldn't be very good. But its not him - nothing actually fits - he didn't even play 5 seasons for Staten Island

Which Bob Gill book are we talking about?

TanksAndSpartans wrote:Which Bob Gill book are we talking about?

Thanks Bryan - my first time seeing that book.

Hey! I have that book!! (I actually bought it because I saw Mr. Gill's name on the cover.)
I would certainly recommend it to anyone interested in a challenge or... nine hundred.

Thanks for the good read, Bob!

Bryan wrote:"I was drafted by a team that had just played in the league title game. Later in my career, I was the leading rusher for the team that won the league title. After that season, my career took a precipitous drop, with my YPC being 2.1, 2.5 and 1.7 in my last years. I am one of the few RBs in NFL history to have spent 5 or more seasons with two different teams. Who am I?"

Joe Marconi.

That was a tough one. I found Marconi only by running through the title-winning teams year by year, going backwards from 1969.

Bob Gill wrote:Joe Marconi.

That was a tough one. I found Marconi only by running through the title-winning teams year by year, going backwards from 1969.

"Guys, this is a very special occasion. The Godfather himself has been kind enough to grace us with his presence. The Godfather." (applause)

Marconi is correct!

I am a quarterback.

I spent my college career as a backup. The QB I backed up my last year of college would be a Heisman finalist the following year.

I saw little action with my first NFL team. It was not until my second team that I got my first start. I won that, with a future HOF at quarterback for the other team.

Later that season, I threw my first career TD pass to a future HOF receiver. Again, a future HOF QB (a different one) was QB for the other side.

The next season I was back with my original team.

The next year, I was with still another squad. A former teammate from my second team joined me. He had caught just one pass from me previously, but he became my favorite target. I threw my last career TD pass to him in the last game of my career.

Todd Pence wrote:I am a quarterback.

I spent my college career as a backup. The QB I backed up my last year of college would be a Heisman finalist the following year.

I saw little action with my first NFL team. It was not until my second team that I got my first start. I won that, with a future HOF at quarterback for the other team.

Later that season, I threw my first career TD pass to a future HOF receiver. Again, a future HOF QB (a different one) was QB for the other side.

The next season I was back with my original team.

The next year, I was with still another squad. A former teammate from my second team joined me. He had caught just one pass from me previously, but he became my favorite target. I threw my last career TD pass to him in the last game of my career.

Bruce Mathison.

SixtiesFan wrote:

Todd Pence wrote:I am a quarterback.

I spent my college career as a backup. The QB I backed up my last year of college would be a Heisman finalist the following year.

I saw little action with my first NFL team. It was not until my second team that I got my first start. I won that, with a future HOF at quarterback for the other team.

Later that season, I threw my first career TD pass to a future HOF receiver. Again, a future HOF QB (a different one) was QB for the other side.

The next season I was back with my original team.

The next year, I was with still another squad. A former teammate from my second team joined me. He had caught just one pass from me previously, but he became my favorite target. I threw my last career TD pass to him in the last game of my career.

Bruce Mathison.

Mathison is a close answer but there's a few things that don't quite line up. Eason Ramson was his first TD pass but Andre Reed was in fact his second. His final TD pass on the Seahawks was to Jimmy Teal, a former Bill. But it was not his last game. Todd, is he the guy you were thinking of?

Most of us Bills fans who suffered through the mid 80s have rather unpleasant memories of Bruce Mathison.