Don McCall - HB

Don McCall was the Saints' 5th-round pick in 1967. He rode the bench for much of his rookie year, as veterans Jim Taylor and Ernie Wheelwright (at the end of their careers, but still bigger names than Don McCall) got the most playing time in the backfield. 

 

McCall started 13 games in 1968 and led the Saints with 637 yards, a big improvement over Taylor's team-leading 390 yards in 1967. 

 

In 1969, running back Andy Livingston was acquired from the Bears before training camp started, making McCall expendable. Don was traded to the Steelers just before the start of the season. He played in 13 games for Pittsburgh, starting none. 

 

Waived in the summer of 1970, he was picked up by the Saints in mid-December, and played 2 games at the end of the season. 

 

He was later employed by the Chargers (1971) and Bills (1972) but saw no action with either of them. 

 

He also played for the WFL's Southern California Sun (1974) and San Antonio Wings (1975). 

 

 

Teams: Saints (1967-68, 1970), Steelers (1969), Chargers (1971), Bills (1972), WFL (1974-75).

Fred Hill - TE

Fred Hill played for the Eagles for 7 seasons (1965-71). He was mostly a backup tight end, but in 2 of his seasons he started 8 of the 14 games, making him the primary starter.

Fred was the Eagles' 4th-round pick in 1965. After a year on special teams, he started 8 games at split end in 1966, in place of the injured Ray Poage. Hill returned to the starting lineup in 1968, filling in for the injured and/or suspended Mike Ditka at tight end.

He played in at least 12 games every season except 1969 (8 games) and 1971 (7). Hill retired during training camp in 1972.

 

Teams: Eagles (1965-71)

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Fred Hill was one of the driving forces (along with Eagles' owner Leonard Tose) of the Ronald McDonald House charity. In 1971, Hill's 5-year-old daughter was diagnosed with leukemia. After her successful treatment, Hill and the Eagles started the "Eagles Fly For Leukemia" program, and founded the first Ronald McDonald's House, in Philadelphia.

"Where is he now" story on the Eagles' website

Bob Matheson - LB

Bob Matheson may be best remembered as a key player in the 1970s Miami Dolphins' "53 defense", so named because Matheson wore #53 with the Dolphins. 

 

Matheson was the Browns' 1st-round pick in 1967. A bench player as a rookie, he was the Browns' starting middle linebacker in 1968 and part of 1969. In 1970 he returned to a backup role. 

 

He played for the Dolphins from 1971 to 1979. Although a backup for his first 3 seasons in Miami, he was the extra linebacker brought in for the "53 defense", essentially a temporary 3-4 alignment. 

 

Bob was a starting outside linebacker for part of 1974 and all of '75 and '76. In 1977 the Dolphins switched to a 3-4 defense, with Matheson starting 9 games as an inside linebacker. 

 

He returned to a backup role for his final two seasons, and was released during training camp in 1980. 

 

Teams: Browns (1967-70), Dolphins (1971-79) 

 

Dave Edwards - LB

Dave Edwards played for 13 seasons, all for the Cowboys. 

 

He was a backup linebacker in 1963 and 1964, then started all but 1 game from 1965-1975. 

 

After 4 years on the right side, he moved to the left side in 1969. 

 

 

Teams: Cowboys (1963-75)

Lonnie Warwick - MLB

Lonnie Warwick signed with the Vikings in 1965 as an undrafted free agent. 

 

After starting 7 games at left linebacker as a rookie, he was the Vikes' middle linebacker from 1966-1970, starting all but 2 games during that span. 

 

Warwick missed all but 4 games in 1971, and all but 6 games in 1972. 

 

From 1973-74 he played every game for the Falcons, but started none. 

 

 

Teams: Vikings (1965-72), Falcons (1973-74) 

 

Bob Cappadona - RB

Bob Cappadona was the Patriots' 3rd-round pick in 1965.  He didn't play that year, and although he played in 27 games for Boston from 1966-67, he only made 4 starts, all in '67.

 

He played his 3rd and final AFL season for the Bills, starting 7 games but rushing for only 272 yards while sharing the 2 backfield spots with such luminaries as Max Anderson and Ben Gregory.  A year later, all three would be out of a job as O.J. Simpson and Wayne Patrick would take over.

Teams: Patriots (1966-67), Bills (1968)

 

Jim Colclough - WR

The list of great AFL receivers usually starts with Lionel Taylor, Don Maynard, Art Powell, and later on Lance Alworth, Fred Biletnikoff and Otis Taylor. But Jim Colclough was right up there with them for the first few seasons in the league's history. 

 

I had never heard of him until a few months ago, but Colclough was one of the leagues top receivers from 1960-62. 

 

Colclough was drafted by the Redskins in 1959 but never played for them. He spent his entire career (1960-68) with the Patriots. 

 

He was the their starting flanker from 1960-63, and parts of the next 2 seasons. Although never in the top 5 for receptions, he finished in the top 5 for receiving TDs from 1960-62. 

 

After 1963 he lost playing time to Art Graham, although he did start 9 games in 1965, and 7 games at tight end in 1967. 

 

Colclough retired after the 1968 season. 

 

 

Teams: Patriots (1960-68)