Floyd Douglas Little was an American professional football player who was a halfback for the Denver Broncos, initially in the American Football League (AFL) and later the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Syracuse Orangemen, twice earning All-American honors. Little was the sixth overall selection of the 1967 NFL/AFL draft, the first common draft. He was the first first-round draft pick to sign with the AFL's Broncos, where he was known as "the Franchise". Little was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1983 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010.
Anthony Cris Collinsworth is an American former football player and sports broadcaster. Collinsworth was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons (1981–1988), all with the Cincinnati Bengals. He played college football at the University of Florida, where he was recognized as an All-American. He is a television sportscaster for NBC, Showtime, and the NFL Network, and winner of 17 Sports Emmy Awards. He is also the majority owner of Pro Football Focus.
Douglas Leon Atkins was an American football defensive end who played for the Cleveland Browns, the Chicago Bears, and the New Orleans Saints in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers under head coach Robert Neyland. He is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Atkins was also drafted to the NBA in the 17th round by the Minneapolis Lakers in the 1953 NBA draft.
Andre Trevor Ware is an American sports analyst and commentator, and a former football quarterback. He played in the National Football League (NFL), the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the NFL Europe. Ware played college football for the Houston Cougars, winning the Heisman Trophy and Davey O'Brien Award in 1989. He was the first black quarterback to receive the Heisman. In the 1990 NFL Draft, Ware was selected in the first round by the Detroit Lions with the seventh overall pick. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2004.
Stanley Douglas Morgan is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts. A "deep threat" receiver, he holds the NFL record with 19.2 yards per catch, and also holds the Patriots team record for total receiving yards in a career.
Samuel Ray Graves was an American professional football player and college football coach. He was a native of Tennessee and a graduate of the University of Tennessee, where he was the starting center and team captain for the Volunteers under head coach Robert Neyland. After playing in the National Football League (NFL) for three seasons, he returned to Tennessee to serve as an assistant football coach, then left for a longer stint as an assistant at Georgia Tech under head coach Bobby Dodd. He was the head football coach at the University of Florida from 1960 until 1969, where he led the Gators to their most successful decade in program history up to that point. While at Florida, he recruited and coached Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Steve Spurrier, who often praised Graves as a role model and mentor during his own successful coaching career. Graves also served as Florida's athletic director from 1960 until his retirement in 1979.
Robert Theodore Trumpy Jr. is an American former football tight end who played for the Cincinnati Bengals in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL), from 1968 through 1977. He was a two-time NFL Pro Bowler and a two-time AFL All-Star. Following his playing career, Trumpy spent many years as a broadcast color analyst, calling four Super Bowls. He was given the Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award by the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2014.
The 1968 NFL/AFL draft was part of the common draft, in the second year in which the NFL and AFL held a joint draft of college players. It took place at the Belmont Plaza Hotel in New York City on January 30–31, 1968.
The 1969 NFL/AFL draft was part of the common draft, the third and final year in which the NFL and AFL held a joint draft of college players. The draft took place January 28–29, 1969.
Trev Kendall Alberts is an American sports administrator and former football linebacker who is the athletic director at Texas A&M University. He played college football for the Nebraska Cornhuskers, winning the Dick Butkus Award and Jack Lambert Trophy as a senior. Alberts was inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2015.
Steven Cyril DeLong was an American football defensive lineman who played professionally in the American Football League (AFL) and the National Football League (NFL). He was a first round draft selection in both the AFL and NFL Drafts in 1965. He played collegiately for the University of Tennessee, and professionally for the San Diego Chargers and Chicago Bears. In 1969 with San Diego, he set a team record with 17 sacks, a mark which stood until Gary Johnson had 17+1⁄2 in 1980. He was traded from the Chargers to the Bears on July 26, 1972, for a fourth-round selection in the 1973 NFL Draft.
The Tennessee Volunteers football program represents the University of Tennessee (UT).
Curtis Cliff "Chip" Kell was an American professional football player who was a center in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football and participated in track and field for the Tennessee Volunteers. Kell was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2006.
Huey L. Richardson, Jr. is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL) for two seasons during the 1990s. Richardson played college football for the Florida Gators and earned All-American honors. He was a first-round pick in the 1991 NFL Draft and played for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Washington Redskins and the New York Jets.
The 1968 Cincinnati Bengals season was the franchise's inaugural season. Their head coach was Paul Brown, who left the Cleveland Browns following the 1962 season with National Football League (NFL) record of 115–49–6, seven conference titles, and three NFL championships. His son Mike Brown did a study on pro football expansion and recommended Cincinnati as a potential site. In 1965, Brown met with Governor of Ohio James Rhodes and the two agreed the state could accommodate a second pro football team. The team recorded its first win in franchise history in week 2 with a 24–10 victory over the Denver Broncos.
