Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

MatthewToy wrote:Steve Tasker has to be on there, right?

Wouldn't make mine. Devin Hester, Lemar Parrish, Albert Lewis, Nolan Cromwell. Zak DeOssie as alternate.

I actually misunderstood, I was leaving out kickers and returners and going by coverage, blockers, kick blockers, etc ...

There are three guys who are awesome wing rushers: Dave Whitsell, Eddie meador and Johnny Fuller of the 49ers. All had good knack for coming off edge and laying out. Albert Lewis like that, too. Middle rushers are usually defensive linemen, though sometimes o-linemen. been working on piece for long time outlining a few, but it is good to see some of these names. Clyde Simmons seemed to block a lot---Ofcourse best-ever may be matt Blair for middle jumper, him or Ted hendricks

Bill Bates belongs in the gunner mix somewhere. Have seen names like Lou Piccone, Ron Wolfley, Fredd Young, and Alex Hawkins mentioned for good special teams play before as well. Also, wasn't Bob St. Clair considered a good kick blocker?

Forgot to mention Matthew Slater. Also, wasn't it his special teams play that got Terrell Davis on the Broncos roster as a long shot -- and the rest, as they say, is history?

Saban wrote:Don't know very much about special teams coaches. Marv Levy I think was a good one for George Allen's teams. Whoever was Vince Lombardi's STC at Green Bay.

As for the players, how about Mickey Walker for the early 1960's Giants. Chick Jagade for the Browns in 1951. Clifton McNeil for the Browns during the 1960's. Leroy Kelly, also for the Browns before Jim Brown retired.

Mickey Walker was known as a very good special teams player for those great Giants teams of 1961-63.

According to one book, Chick Jagade had a following of Cleveland fans when he played on special teams, making many tackles. In 1952, Jagade became the starting fullback for Cleveland and gained over 100 yards in both the 1952 and 1953 NFL championship games. Jagade also played linebacker sometimes for Cleveland.

Clifton McNeil was a very fast special teams player for the Browns from 1964-67, and was often the first one down the field on kickoffs to make the tackle.

Leroy Kelly not only returned punts and kickoffs for Cleveland (1964-65), sometimes for TD's, but also was a good player making tackles on the so called bomb squads. Of course, Kelly became a starter in Cleveland's backfield in 1966 and led the NFL in rushing in 1967 and 1968.

Don't know if those four players deserve to be on any Mt. Rushmore of special teams players, but they are the best that I know of.

[b]Saban[/b] wrote: Mickey Walker for the early 1960's Giants.
Chick Jagade for the Browns in 1951.
Clifton McNeil for the Browns during the 1960's.
Leroy Kelly, also for the Browns before Jim Brown retired.
Don't know if those four players deserve to be on any Mt. Rushmore of special teams players, but they are the best that I know of.

The only emotion shown to the Browns of the '50s and '60s was hate; however Kelly was a feared KR.
The Giants' Walker was a known wedge buster and often made the tackle too.
Any EP or FG Defense without the addition of Jack Stroud and Rosey Brown who came over from the O was useless.

Without including punters or kickers:

PUNT/KICK RETURNERS:

Jack Christiansen, Billy "White Shoes" Johnson, Brian Mitchell, Devin Hester


SPECIAL TEAMS ACES:

Alex Hawkins, Elbert Shelley, Steve Tasker, Justin Bethel


LONG SNAPPERS:

Trey Junkin, David Binn, Ethan Albright, Zak DeOssie