Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

As I mentioned, when Joe Kuharich came in Philadelphia in 1964,  he traded to Detroit for Ollie Matson.  Matson had a good year for Philadelphia in 1964 and rarely played in 1965 and 1966.  This man was murder on the Pittsburgh Steelers.

With the Chicago Cardinals

1956 at Pittsburgh. Caught a 45 yard touchdown pass from Lamar McHan in a 14 to 7 loss with the Steelers; this was the only Steeler mistake; Pittsburgh won 14 to 7.

1956 at Chicago. Carried 16 times for 159 times including a 79 yard touchdown run; Chicago won 38 to 27.

1958 Pittsburgh won both games 27 to 20 at Comiskey Park and 38 to 21 at Pitt Stadium.  Don't blame Matson.  Ollie returned the opening kickoff in each game for a touchdown.

1961 Ollie Matson was playing for the Los Angeles Rams.

At LA, Pittsburgh and the Rams were  tied at 14 with four minutes remaining.   The Rams had the ball at their own four.  If the Steelers held, they would get great field position.  LA Rams quarterback  Frank Ryan threw a 96 yard touchdown pass to Matson.   Los Angeles added an insurance field goal for a 24 to 14 victory. 

Matson was all but washed up by the time the Lions got him in a trade for Harley Sewell just prior to the start of the '63 season. He was 34, had bad knees and legs, but nonetheless Lions HC George Wilson liked Matson's versatility. Wilson saw Matson, then the NFL's all-time yardage leader (rushing, receiving, returns) as spelling Nick Pietrosante at FB and filling in at flanker and in the secondary, which was decimated by injuries. But Matson was just passing through. He nursed a sprained foot most of the season, and finished the year with 20 yards on 13 carries. Detroit dealt him and DT Floyd Peters to Eagles for an OL (I think J.D. Smith).

Kuharich was Matson's mentor at San Francisco University. Ollie had a decent first year with Philly, but even his last couple seasons as a back-up weren't all that bad: he scored 5 TDs on 59 touches (rushing and receiving), which is damn productive.