Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

Freeman White played for the New York Giants for 4 years (1966-69). Freeman was cut by the Giants toward the end of preseason in 1970. A sportswriter wrote a very unflattering column about him calling White an albatross and saying that the Giants finally got rid of him. Also, a pro football website rated players approximate value to their team on a 0 to 20 basis. They rated Freeman as a 0 in all of his first 3 years with the Giants and a 4 in 1969 when he was listed as the starting tight end and caught 29 passes.

In White's first 3 years with the Giants (1966-68), he played on the special teams and often played defensive back or linebacker, but was never considered a starter on the Giants defensive unit. In 1967 especially, White seemed to play often on defense, mostly as a defensive back as well as on special teams. He intercepted a couple of passes that year. That earned him an AV of zero in 1967. That same year, a rookie named Bobby Post, a defensive back, played only on special teams and in only 5 games, but earned an AV of 1. Post was gone the next year and did not play in the NFL (or AFL) again.

The Giants got a very good rookie in 1970 in tight end Bob Tucker and still had Aaron Thomas as a backup. So, I guess that the Giants felt that Freeman White was expendable. Also, they needed to get down to the 40 man limit. White then went north and played in Canada.

So, was Freeman White really that bad? Just playing 4 years in the NFL should make him at least average, I think.

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/ ... itFr00.htm

I don't remember him at all and his stats don't say much more than your description.
If he was that awful (0 rating three years running) you would have thought they'd be able to find someone better.
Anyone, actually.

Oddly enough, another Freeman White played for Oakland in 1996-7.
The (erroneous) heading of his bio shows him with the same info (birth date, etc) as the 66-69 version and both are listed as Freeman White III.
So I'm guessing the Giants version is the Grandfather of the Raiders... ?

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/ ... hitFr0.htm

Curiouser and curiouser.

JuggernautJ wrote:https://www.pro-football-reference.com/ ... itFr00.htm

I don't remember him at all and his stats don't say much more than your description.
If he was that awful (0 rating three years running) you would have thought they'd be able to find someone better.
Anyone, actually.

Oddly enough, another Freeman White played for Oakland in 1996-7.
The (erroneous) heading of his bio shows him with the same info (birth date, etc) as the 66-69 version and both are listed as Freeman White III.
So I'm guessing the Giants version is the Grandfather of the Raiders... ?

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/ ... hitFr0.htm

Curiouser and curiouser.

I think that they might be the same guy. The Freeman White III for Oakland apparently was a defensive coach. I knew that White was a college coach after his playing days, but wasn't aware if he ever coached the Raiders or any other pro team.

The 1970 Giants media guide had raved about his versatility and his special teams play (which admittedly tend to ramp up the hype), yet the team released him in one of the final cuts.

In December 1970, White testified before the Federal grand jury that was investigating the NFL's hiring practices and stated that he felt he was being blackballed by the league, though he had no actual proof.

He had been a WR at Nebraska, but was shifted to LB as a rookie in 1966. The following year, he became a DB for two years before moving to WR in '69. During that '69 season, White had ankle and knee problems and had surgery on his knee during the offseason. In July 1971, he flunked a Jets physical.

Saban wrote:

JuggernautJ wrote:https://www.pro-football-reference.com/ ... itFr00.htm

I don't remember him at all and his stats don't say much more than your description.
If he was that awful (0 rating three years running) you would have thought they'd be able to find someone better.
Anyone, actually.

Oddly enough, another Freeman White played for Oakland in 1996-7.
The (erroneous) heading of his bio shows him with the same info (birth date, etc) as the 66-69 version and both are listed as Freeman White III.
So I'm guessing the Giants version is the Grandfather of the Raiders... ?

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/ ... hitFr0.htm

Curiouser and curiouser.

I think that they might be the same guy. The Freeman White III for Oakland apparently was a defensive coach. I knew that White was a college coach after his playing days, but wasn't aware if he ever coached the Raiders or any other pro team.

Oh.
And "Duh!"

Thank you. It was late when I was looking that up and that hadn't occurred to me.
Obvious, though, now that you mention it.

Clarence Childs was another player that seems similar. In 1967, Childs played a lot on defense for the Giants as a defensive back, but was not listed as a starter (He was in 1966), He also played on the special teams.

Childs had very good speed and was a good tackler. One problem is that he seemed to get called for pass interference a lot. He was also a very good kickoff returner.

His approximate value to the Giants in 1967 was listed as 0, as was Freeman White's. He was traded to St. Louis in 1968, but ended up with the Chicago Bears. He made some good kickoff returns with the Bears in 1968. He returned a couple of kickoffs for TD's during his years with the Giants.