Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

Could Mike Ditka be an underrated member of the Hall of Fame? Brock Bowers just broke his rookie record that stood for over sixty years. He was a top assistant to Landry, and not many head coaches have left the Bears with winning records.

Irv Eatman out of Dayton, Ohio played on the offensive and defensive lines for the UCLA Bruins in the early 1980s before going onto a ten plus year career in pro football. He may have played on both sides of the line for Jim Mora’s Philadelphia Stars. I will look into this.

I want to say there was a time in the 1960s where Tom Landry considered using Mel Renfro on offense and defense in training camp but the idea was shelved early on. Maybe Hunter is somewhat similar to Renfro when he came out of Oregon?

Paul Vellano, who played on the defensive line with Randy White under Jerry Claiborne at Maryland in the early 1970s and played in the World Football League at 72.

https://www.bondfuneralhome.com/obituary/paul-vellano

I was reading a profile of Packers' fullback Howie Ferguson and it mentioned he (and other runners) were not down until they were really down. What did a defender need to do to ensure an offensive player was in fact down and the play was finished?

Thank you.
Nick

Do I have this all wrong? I thought the NFL only (rarely) played on Christmas Day and were loathe to encroach upon the day? It was the Blue-Grey college all star game in Alabama and the Hula Bowl in Honolulu. Now the NFL is playing on Christmas Day on a Wednesday no less. They just said the heck wit...

Bill B was part of a great set of Eagles linebackers - John Bunting, Bill B, Frank LeMaster, and Jerry Robinson. I think they each played for a decade. Quite a quartet.

i am taking this information from the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame. John "Kayo" Dottley was the NFL Rookie of the Year in 1951, then was a Pro Bowl selection in 1952 and 1953 before calling it quits.

Anyone know anything about him?

Thank you.

The Cowboys losses to the Browns in the 1968 and 1969 were always perplexing to me. But Blanton Collier was a terrific coach.

The passing of John Robinson last Monday made me think of all the talent he had on his USC teams. I think they may have had greater talent than any college team, except for possibly Notre Dame just after World War II and USC under John McKay in the early 1970's (the Wild Bunch). One player who likel...