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The American Football League (AFL) was a major professional American football league that operated for ten seasons from 1960 until 1970, when it merged with the older National Football League (NFL), and became the American Football Conference. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence. It was more successful than earlier rivals to the NFL with the same name, the 1926, 1936 and 1940 leagues, and the later All-America Football Conference.
Earl Christian Campbell, nicknamed "the Tyler Rose", is an American former football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for the Houston Oilers and the New Orleans Saints. Known for his aggressive, punishing running style and ability to break tackles, Campbell gained recognition as one of the best power running backs in NFL history.
Jeffrey Michael Fisher is an American football coach and former cornerback and return specialist. He served as a head coach in the National Football League (NFL) for 22 seasons, primarily with the Houston / Tennessee Oilers / Titans franchise. Fisher coached the Oilers / Titans from 1994 to 2010 and the St. Louis / Los Angeles Rams from 2012 to 2016. He is currently serving as the chief advisor for the Nashville Kats of the Arena Football League (AFL).
The 1983 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 26–27, 1983, at the New York Sheraton Hotel in New York City, New York. No teams elected to claim any players in the supplemental draft that year.
The 1978 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held May 2–3, 1978, at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City, New York. The league also held a supplemental draft after the regular draft and before the regular season.
Micheal Colvin Barrow is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker for 12 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Miami Hurricanes, earning consensus All-American honors. He was selected by the Houston Oilers in the second round of the 1993 NFL Draft, and also played professionally for the Carolina Panthers, New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys of the NFL.
Peter Falconer Beathard is a former American football quarterback who played professionally in the American Football League (AFL), the National Football League (NFL), and the World Football League (WFL). He is the younger brother of former NFL executive Bobby Beathard and is current Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback C. J. Beathard’s great-uncle.
Oliver Francis Luck is an American business executive and former professional football player. He is currently the executive director of the United Athletic Conference, a new NCAA Division I FCS conference starting play in 2023 as a football-only merger of the ASUN Conference and Western Athletic Conference. He was the CEO and Commissioner of the XFL until it suspended operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to that, he was Director of Intercollegiate Athletes at West Virginia University (WVU), his alma mater, and an executive with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in charge of the organization's regulatory functions. Luck played football professionally as a quarterback for five seasons in the National Football League (NFL) for the Houston Oilers (1982–1986). He was also the first president and general manager of the Houston Dynamo of Major League Soccer (MLS). Under his watch, the Dynamo won the MLS Cup in 2006 and 2007.
Bruce Rankin Matthews is an American former professional football player who played as a guard, center, offensive tackle, and long snapper in the National Football League (NFL) for 19 seasons, from 1983 to 2001. He spent his entire career playing for the Houston / Tennessee Oilers / Titans franchise. Highly versatile, Matthews played every position on the offensive line throughout his NFL career, starting in 99 games as a left guard, 87 as a center, 67 as a right guard, 22 as a right tackle, 17 as a left tackle, and was the long snapper on field goals, PATs, and punts. Having never missed a game due to injury, Matthews' 293 NFL games started is the third most of all time, behind quarterbacks Brett Favre and Tom Brady.
Lamar Lavante Lathon is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Houston Cougars and was selected by the Houston Oilers in the first round of the 1990 NFL Draft. Lathon played eight seasons in the league. He last played in 1998 with the Carolina Panthers.
Kenneth Jerome Holmes is a former American football defensive end in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tennessee Oilers 18th overall in the 1997 NFL Draft. He played college football at Miami.
Ernest Pastell Givins Jr., is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for 10 seasons in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the Houston Oilers.
Ronald Earl Gassert was an American football defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL) for the Green Bay Packers.
William Gaius Lapham was an American football center who played two seasons in the National Football League (NFL) with the Philadelphia Eagles and Minnesota Vikings. He was drafted by the Eagles in the fourteenth round of the 1958 NFL Draft. He was also drafted by the Houston Oilers in the 1960 American Football League draft as well as by the Vikings in the 1961 NFL expansion draft. Lapham first enrolled at Drake University before transferring to the University of Iowa. He attended Abraham Lincoln High School in Des Moines, Iowa. He died in Des Moines in 2016 at the age of 82.
Charles Warren Bradley II is a former American football offensive tackle who played one season with the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Houston Oilers in the sixth round of the 1993 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Kentucky and attended Fern Creek High School in Fern Creek, Louisville. Bradley was also a member of the Barcelona Dragons, Memphis Mad Dogs, Toronto Argonauts and BC Lions.
Ron Reeves is a former American football quarterback who played two seasons in the United States Football League (USFL) with the Denver Gold, Chicago Blitz and New Jersey Generals. He was drafted by the Houston Oilers in the tenth round of the 1982 NFL Draft. He played college football at Texas Tech University and attended Monterey High School in Lubbock, Texas. Reeves was also a member of the Calgary Stampeders and Montreal Concordes of the Canadian Football League (CFL).
Matt Bradley was an American football linebacker who played one season in the United States Football League (USFL) with the Philadelphia Stars and Boston Breakers. He was drafted by the Houston Oilers in the ninth round of the 1982 NFL Draft. He played college football at Penn State University.
Bobby Lee Gordon was an American football defensive back who played one season with the Houston Oilers of the American Football League (AFL). He was drafted by the Chicago Cardinals in the sixth round of the 1958 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Tennessee and attended Giles County High School in Pulaski, Tennessee.
Thomas Albert Witcher is a former American football linebacker who played one season with the Houston Oilers of the American Football League (AFL). He was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the thirteenth round of the 1959 NFL Draft. He was also drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the 1960 AFL Draft. Witcher played college football at Baylor University and attended Lampasas High School in Lampasas, Texas.
John Cooke Simerson, Jr. was an American football center who played two seasons in the National Football League (NFL) with the Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 22nd round of the 1957 NFL Draft. He played college football at Purdue University and attended President Theodore Roosevelt High School in Honolulu, Hawaii. Simerson was also a member of the Houston Oilers and Boston Patriots of the American Football League (AFL).
References
- ↑ "DONNIE CRAFT". profootballarchives.com. Archived from the original on September 9, 2015. Retrieved May 9, 2015.