The First Football Cards ever 1894 Mayo

      The first set ever to feature only football players was in 1894 by the brand P. H. Mayo tobacco company. The set of 35 cards had only the "Big 3" schools of Yale, Harvard, and Princeton. The cards were 1 5/8 x 2 7/8. On the card it shows an image of the player. At the bottom of the card it has the player's last name, the name of the college the player goes to, the Mayo logo, and a"for chewing and smoking" slogan with a black frame around the card. The card was also half the size of cards today.The cards were not numbered a certain number on it. One of the cards didn't identify the player who was on the card. Later people found out that the player was John Dunlap of Harvard.
     
         More than 100 years later in 2002 a newer card brand Donruss Grindon Kings brought back Mayo cards except they had many differences. First off the players were different, the original Mayo logo was changed the NFL team logo, and the name of the NFL player had both first and last name instead of just their last name. Another difference was the slogan, instead of the original slogan "for chewing and smoking" it was changed to "for trading and collecting and trading". Also instead of the college name they had the position of the player on the card plays.
       
                Six years later in 2008 Topps did the same thing except there weren't as many changes this time. The Mayo logo was the same. The name of the player was the same because they only have there last name. The slogan was different from "for chewing and smoking" it was changed to "for collecting and trading". Instead of having the college name at the bottom of the card they had the NFL team name at the bottom of the card. The cards also came in the regular size of the card or the 1894 card size.

        So the very first  football cards ever made was by the company Mayo. I can't believe that football came as early as 1894. Basically football cards has been here from 1894 - 2013 and probably will go longer. Football cards have been here for 119 years.

John Dunlap 1894 Mayo card without the name.

Dick Butkus 2002 Donruss Gridon Kings card. 

Lendale White 2008 Topps football cards.

Source First and Goal

Dave Casper

Dave Casper was a double Hall of Famer.  He made it to the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the College Hall of Fame. He was a Tight End for the Oakland Raiders (1974 - 1980), the Houston Oilers from
(1980 - 1983), the Minnesota Vikings in 1983, and the L. A. Raiders in 1984. Casper's nickname was "The Ghost" and "The Ghost" wore number 87. "The Ghost" made it to 5 straight pro bowls from 1976 - 1980. Casper went to St. Edward Central Catholic High School for his first 3 years and for his last year he went Chilton High School where he played football at. "The Ghost's" college he went to Notre Dame. "The Ghost" was drafted round 2 pick 45. Casper was in one of the greatest plays of all time "The Holy Roller". The date was September 10, 1978. The Raiders were losing to the Chargers with 10 seconds left in the game. The Raiders were in the red zone. When Quarter Back Ken Stabler took the snap the defense was coming toward him. He was about to get sacked when he flicked the ball toward the end zone when Running Back Pete Banaszak luckily recovered the ball at the 12 yard line but then dropped it again and the ball rolled into the end zone. Casper was there to recover it, tying the game 20 - 20. The extra point won the game 21 - 20.  At the end of his career he had 378 receptions, 5,216 yards, and 52 touchdowns. Casper is now known as one of the best Tight Ends of all time.    

Emlen Tennell

          Emlen Tennell was a defensive back and a Punt Returner. Tennell wore number 45 playing for the New York Giants from (1948 - 1958) and for the Green Bay Packers from (1959 - 1961). He was also an Assistant Coach. Tennell was drafted to the army for two years in the United States Coast Guard during World War II. After he was done fighting in the war went to University of Iowa. That is where he played football for the Hawkeyes. Tennell was a Quarterback and a Halfback. In the season of 1946 he led the Hawkeyes in passing and in the season of 1947 he led the Hawkeyes in receiving. Tennell stopped playing college football so he could play in the NFL. Most teams of the NFL thought that Emlen Tennell would stay in college for a third year so he was not drafted in to the NFL in 1948.  Tennell was a free agent instead and the New York Giants offered him a contract. Tennell played 11 years with the New York Giants and 3 with the Green Bay Packers. Emlen became an Assistant Coach for the New York Giants. One day when Tennell was coaching during a practice session in 1975 he died because of a heart attack. He was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame He was the first African American to play for the New York Giants and to make it to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Tennell made 9 pro-bowls out of 14 seasons. At the end of his career he had 7 interceptions, 1282 yards, and 4 touchdowns on defense. When he was punt returning he had 2217 yards, 262 punt returns, and 5 touchdowns.            

#45 Elmen Tennell 

   

Elmen Tennell football card

                                                                   Source: Wikipedia

Warren Sapp

     Warren Sapp was inducted to the pro-football Hall of Fame in 2013. Sapp made it to 7 straight pro-bowls in the years 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003 . He was a defensive tackle wearing number 99. Sapp played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1995 - 2003 and for the Oakland Raiders from 2004 - 2007. Sapp weighs 300 pounds and is 6-2. 
       
       Warren Sapp went to Apopka high school. During the late 80's Sapp was a spectacular football player at his high school as linebacker, tight end, place kicker and punter. Sapp still holds records at that school such as most sacks and longest field goal. Warren Sapp also played baseball. His position was third base. He broke a school record of 24 home runs in his junior year. Sapp delivered a hit on an MLB player John Damon. 

       Warren's college was Miami where he had terrific years of football, but his best year was in 1994. Sapp won many awards that year. He won the  Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Rotary Lombardi Award, Bill Willis, Outland Trophy finalist, and the Big East Defensive Player of the year.  
   

         Sapp was drafted round 1 pick 12 by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Warren Sapp's 40-yard dash was the fastest time ran by a defensive tackle, recording 4.69. Sapp was a great rookie. He finished his rookie season with 27 tackles and one interception. In 1999 Sapp was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year. During the 2002 post season Sapp had five tackles and two sacks. In 2002 Sapp earned his first Superbowl ring against the Oakland Raiders. Later in Sapp's career (2004) Sapp got a contract with the Oakland Raiders for $36.6 million. The team that Sapp had defeated a few years earlier in the Superbowl wants him to play for them. In 2007 Warren Sapp retired. Sapp finished his career with amazing stats. His stats were so good that he made it to the pro-football hall of fame. Sapp was the Buc's sack leader with 96.5sack. Sapp also had 297 tackles, 8 fumble forces, 4 interceptions, and 1 touch down.  Sapp later joined NFL Network for NFL GameDay Morning. 

#99 Warren Sapp

                            

 Warren Sapp in NFL Network
Source: Wikipidia 

Brian Urlacher

     Everybody knows #54 the beast, Brian Urlacher! He has been the best middle line backer of his generation. Brian has been a Bear for 13 straight years. Now he is a free agent. Urlacher was born May 25, 1978 in Pasco, Washington.
 
    When Brian was growing up he was really interested in basketball, football, and table tennis. Brian's high school was Lovington where he played football at. When Brian Urlacher was a teenager he spent most of his time playing sports for Lovington high school and training in weight rooms. In high school he played on offense, defense, and special teams. He played as a Running Back, a Wide Receiver, a defensive back, and a kick/punt returner. He led the Lovington Wildcats to a great undefeated season with the record being 14 - 0.  He finished his high school season with 12 touchdown receptions, 2 rushing touchdowns and 6 touchdown returns.

      He graduated from lovington highschool in 1996 and wanted to attend Texas University, but the school didn't offer him an athletic scholarship. So he went to New Mexico instead. He played for the New Mexico Lobos. The Lobos head coach, Dennis Franchione, converted Brian to linebacker. Besides football Brian got a major in criminology, but Urlacher went on with football. He finished his college career with 442 tackles,11 sacks, 11 fumble forces, 5kick returns for a touchdown, and caught 6 touchdown passes.

        Brian's 40 yard dash took him 4.57. He got drafted by the Chicago Bears in 2000 in the first round pick 9. Brian was the rookie of the year in 2000.  He made it to 8 pro-bowls and was the defensive player of the year in 2005. Brian lost the 2006 Superbowl to the Indianapolis Colts. He is 6 ft 4in and weighs 258 pounds.He has 10 fumble forces 1,294, 41.5 sacks, 21 interceptions, 278 yards, and 1 touchdown. Hopefully Brian Urlacher will get signed this year so his career won't end.

Photo from www.oddjack.com

Source: Wikipedia

Orlando Pace

Orlando Pace was an offensive linemen drafted as the #1 over all draft pick in 1997. Pace got drafted from the St. Louis Rams wearing number 76. Pace's hometown was Ohio also where he played college at Ohio State. Pace played for the St. Louis Rams from 1997 - 2008 then he got traded to the Chicago Bears. Orlando Pace blocked for NFL MVP's in Marshall Faulk and Kurt Warner. He played in Superbowl XXXIV earning his first Superbowl ring. Pace made five straight pro bowls in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004.He played 169 games and started 165 of them. Pace recovered seven fumbles his whole career.  Pace might be a possible hall of famer in 2014.

My All - pro Team NFL

Position  Name                    Team(s)
QB         Joe Montana          San Francisco 49ers, Kansas City Chiefs
QB         Brett Farve            Atlanta Falcons, New York Jets, Minnesota Vikings, Green Bay Packers

RB        Jim Brown             Cleveland Browns
RB        Waltor Payton       Chicago Bears

WR       Jerry Rice             San Francisco 49ers, Oakland Raiders
WR       Don Hutson         Green Bay Packers

TE        Tony Gonzelez     Kansas City Chiefs, Atlanta Falcons
TE        Ozzie Newsome   Cleveland Browns

T         Anthony Munoz     Cincinnati  Bengals
T         John Hannah          New England Patriots

G         Mike Muchak        Houston Oilers
G        Bruce Matthews     Houston Oilers

C        Mike Webster        Pittsburgh Steelers, Kansas City Chiefs

OLB  Lawrence Taylor   New York Giants
OLB  Ray Nitschke         Green Bay Packers

ILB   Ray Lewis            Baltimore Ravens
ILB   Dick Butkus          Chicago Bears

S      Mel  Blount            Pittsburgh Steelers  
S      Ronnie Lott            San Francisco 49ers

DT   Mean Joe Green    Pittsburgh Steelers

NT  Reggie White        Philadelphia Eagles

CB   Deion Sanders, Atlanta Falcons, San Francisco, Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens, Washington Redskins 
CB Rod Woodson      Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers, Baltimore Ravens, Oakland Raiders

DE Bruce Smith         Buffalo Bills

P Ray Guy                  Oakland Raiders

K Sebastian Jankowski Oakland Raiders

PR Jack Christiansen   Detroit Lions

KR Devin Hester        Chicago Bears