No. 43 | |||||||||||||||||
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Position: | Safety Punter | ||||||||||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
Born: | Glendale, California, U.S. | October 20, 1938||||||||||||||||
Died: | June 12, 2007 68) Garland, Texas, U.S. | (aged||||||||||||||||
Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||||||||||
Weight: | 190 lb (86 kg) | ||||||||||||||||
Career information | |||||||||||||||||
High school: | Fullerton Union (Fullerton, California) | ||||||||||||||||
College: | Idaho | ||||||||||||||||
NFL draft: | 1960 / Round: 7 / Pick: 75 | ||||||||||||||||
AFL draft: | 1960 / Round: First selections | ||||||||||||||||
Career history | |||||||||||||||||
Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||||
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Career AFL statistics | |||||||||||||||||
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Player stats at PFR |
James Charles Norton (October 20, 1938 – June 12, 2007) was an American professional football safety and punter who played for the Houston Oilers of the American Football League (AFL). An original member of the Oilers franchise, he played in their first nine seasons from 1960 to 1968. Norton was an AFL All-Star for three seasons and holds the league's record for career interceptions. His jersey No. 43 was the first of eight retired by the Oilers/Titans franchise. [1]
Born and raised in Southern California, Norton graduated from Fullerton Union High School in 1956 and played college football for head coach Skip Stahley at Idaho, alongside future pros Jerry Kramer, Wayne Walker, and Jim Prestel in the Pacific Coast Conference. Nicknamed "Flamingo," Norton played defensive back and tight end, and also punted and returned kicks for the Vandals. [2] Selected in the seventh round of in the 1960 NFL draft (75th overall) by the Detroit Lions [3] and the Dallas Texans in the AFL's inaugural draft in 1960, he signed as an original Houston Oiler. [4]
Although Norton intercepted only one pass in his rookie season in 1960, he went on to become the AFL's all-time interception leader. [5] In 1961, his first starting season, he snared nine passes and punted with a 40.7-yard average. In a tight defensive duel in the AFL Championship Game, his four booming punts helped Houston defeat the San Diego Chargers, 10–3, claiming their second AFL championship in as many seasons.
While nursing a slim half-game lead in the Eastern Division in Week 12 of the 1962 AFL season, Norton personally tormented Denver Broncos quarterback Frank Tripucka. He stopped three Bronco drives with interceptions as the Oilers stole a 34–17 victory and a berth in their third straight AFL Championship Game. That thriller for the 1962 AFL crown was the league's longest game, a double-overtime contest won by the Dallas Texans, 20–17.
As a defensive back, Norton was a steady tackler with a nose for the football. [6] His play earned him All-AFL honors for 1961, '62, '63, and '67, when he scored the only touchdown of his career, returning an interception 56 yards. His number 43 was the first retired by the Oilers, acknowledging his club-record 45 career interceptions, [6] which he returned for 592 yards and a touchdown, and 519 punts. The Oilers/Titans later retired the numbers of Elvin Bethea, Earl Campbell, Mike Munchak, Bruce Matthews, Warren Moon, Steve McNair, and Eddie George. [4]
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division. The Tennessee Titans play their home games at Nissan Stadium and are building a new stadium in 2024. It will be completed in 2027.
John Willard Hadl(Pronounced: HAY-dull) was an American football quarterback who played in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL) for 16 years. He won an AFL championship with the San Diego Chargers in 1963. Hadl was named an AFL All-Star four times and was selected to two Pro Bowls. He was inducted into the Chargers Hall of Fame.
George Frederick Blanda was an American football quarterback and placekicker who played in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL). Blanda played 26 seasons of professional football, the most in the sport's history, and had scored more points than anyone in history at the time of his retirement.
Houston J. "Twine" Antwine was an American football defensive tackle who played in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons.
William Abb Cannon Sr. was an American football halfback and tight end who played in the American Football League (AFL) and the National Football League (NFL). He attended Louisiana State University (LSU), where he played college football as a halfback, return specialist, and safety for the LSU Tigers. At LSU, Cannon was twice named a unanimous All-American, helped the 1958 LSU team win a national championship, and received the Heisman Trophy as the nation's most outstanding college player in 1959. His punt return against Ole Miss on Halloween night in 1959 is considered by fans and sportswriters to be one of the most famous plays in LSU sports history.
The Comeback or The Choke was a National Football League (NFL) game held on January 3, 1993, as part of the 1992–93 NFL playoffs. The Buffalo Bills overcame a 35–3 deficit to defeat the visiting Houston Oilers 41–38 in overtime and set the then-record for largest comeback in NFL history. Though surpassed by the Minnesota Vikings in 2022, the Bills' 32-point comeback remains the largest comeback in postseason history and the second largest overall. It was also the first time an NFL team with a lead of at least 30 points lost the game.
Kenneth Ray Houston is an American former professional football player who was a safety in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL). He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1986.
In each year of its ten-year existence (1960–1969), numerous sports-news services named their choice for the American Football League's best first-year player. UPI selected a rookie for each of the ten seasons, while the Associated Press did selections from 1961 to 1966, which ended up with the same selections that UPI made. In 1967, AP instead selected Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Years for the AFL, with the offensive choices matching the UPI selection.
Francis Joseph Tripucka was an American football quarterback who played professionally for 15 seasons. He spent four seasons in the National Football League (NFL), eight in the Canadian Football League (CFL), and four in American Football League (AFL). Tripucka achieved his greatest success as the inaugural quarterback for the AFL's Denver Broncos, who he was a member of from 1960 to 1963. During Denver's inaugural year, Tripucka became the first NFL / AFL quarterback to throw for 3,000 yards in a season. He received All-Star honors when leading the league in yards in 1962. He was inducted to the Broncos Ring of Fame in 1986. Tripucka has the lowest career Passer Rating in NFL history, minimum 1500 passing attempts, with a career rating of 52.2.
The 1960 NFL draft in which NFL teams take turns selecting amateur college American football players and other first-time eligible players, was held at the Warwick Hotel in Philadelphia on November 30, 1959. Many players, including half of those drafted in the first round, signed with teams in the newly created American Football League, including the first overall pick and Heisman Trophy winner Billy Cannon. At the time of the draft, the Cardinals were still the Chicago Cardinals; they moved to St. Louis in March 1960. The Dallas Cowboys were enfranchised in January 1960 after the draft.
Peter Adrian Liske was an American football quarterback, star quarterback with Calgary Stampeders in the late-60s and later a university athletics administrator.
The 1960 Boston Patriots season was the franchise's first season in the new American Football League. Led by head coach Lou Saban, the Patriots finished with five wins and nine losses, last in the AFL's Eastern Division. The team played their home games at Boston University Field, later named "Nickerson Field."
The 1966 Season was the 7th season for the San Diego Chargers as a professional American Football League (AFL) franchise; the team failed to improve on their 9–2–3 record from 1965. In the team's final season at Balboa Stadium, the Chargers went 7–6–1 and finished in third place in the AFL West Division. They would move to San Diego Stadium for the following season. It was the first season to feature an AFL-NFL World Championship Game, now known as the Super Bowl. San Diego began the season among the favorites to represent the AFL in the historic game, but faded after a 4–0 start, winning only three more times in the remaining ten games.
The 1964 San Diego Chargers season was their fifth as a professional AFL franchise; the team failed to repeat as AFL champions after winning the championship in 1963 with a record of 11–3, and finished at 8–5–1. San Diego struggled at the start and finish of the season, but a six-game winning streak in the middle proved to be enough to win the AFL West, in a league where the two strongest teams were in the Eastern division.
The 1962 San Diego Chargers season was the club's third in the American Football League. San Diego had won the AFL West with a 12–2 record in 1961, but slipped to 4–10, losing eight of their final nine games after a 3–2 start. It was their worst record to date; this would be the only time the Chargers would endure a losing season during their 10 years in the AFL.
The 1961 San Diego Chargers season was the team's second in the American Football League. Following a move from Los Angeles, it was the Chargers' first season in San Diego, where the team remained until returning to Los Angeles in 2017.
The 1960 Los Angeles Chargers season was the team's inaugural season and also the inaugural season of the American Football League (AFL). Head coach Sid Gillman led the Chargers to the AFL Western Division title with a 10–4 record, winning eight games out of nine after a 2–3 start, and qualifying to play the Houston Oilers in the AFL championship game.
The Houston Oilers were a professional American football team that played in Houston, Texas from its founding in 1960 to 1996. The Houston Oilers began play as a charter member of the American Football League (AFL) and won two AFL championships before joining the NFL in the AFL–NFL merger of the late 1960s.
The 1957 Idaho Vandals football team represented the University of Idaho in the 1957 college football season. The Vandals were led by fourth-year head coach Skip Stahley and were members of the Pacific Coast Conference. Home games were played on campus at Neale Stadium in Moscow, with one home game in Boise at old Bronco Stadium at Boise Junior College. Led on the field by quarterbacks Howard Willis and Gary Kenworthy, Idaho compiled a 4–4–1 overall record and were 0–3 in the PCC.
The 1958 Idaho Vandals football team represented the University of Idaho in the 1958 college football season. The Vandals were led by fifth-year head coach Skip Stahley and were members of the Pacific Coast Conference, which disbanded the following spring. Home games were played on campus at Neale Stadium in Moscow, with one home game in Boise at old Bronco Stadium at Boise Junior College.