Professional Football Researchers Association Forum
PFRA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the history of professional football. Formed in 1979, PFRA members include many of the game's foremost historians and writers.
Steviek wrote:Tony Adams was a mostly backup QB for the chiefs from 1975-78. Played for the Toronto Argonauts from 1979-80 before returning to the NFL as a replacement player QB for the Vikings in 1987.
It would be interesting to see how many QBs/K's/P's had long layoffs from the NFL only to resurface as 1987 replacement players.
One of my favorite QBs in NFL history was John Reaves. Was a great college QB at Florida, setting the NCAA career passing yardage record when the Florida defense intentionally "fainted", allowing the opposing team to score a TD, thus getting the ball back one more time for Reaves to break the record. Reaves was a 1st round pick by the QB-starved Eagles in 1972, was named the opening starter and proceeded to lose all 11 of the games he appeared in (7 were starts) while Reaves accumulated some pretty unremarkable statistics. The 1972 Eagles did have some good WRs in Carmichael, Harold Jackson (who led the NFC with 1048 receiving yards while catching passes from Reaves/Liske/Arrington...a remarkable achievement), and Ben Hawkins.
This would be the only year where Reaves could be considered a starting QB in the NFL, although he did kick around the league as a backup through the 1981 season. He didn't appear to have the arm strength to play at the NFL level. But his pro career was resurrected by fellow UF alum Steve Spurrier with the USFL Tampa Bay Bandits. Reaves had great success in the USFL, throwing for 4000+ yards in 1984 and 1985. After the USFL died, Reaves started 2 replacement games in 1987 for the Tampa Bay Bucs. I've always wondered if Reaves used his usual single-bar facemask in those 1987 replacement games, which would have made him the last NFL QB to wear the single-bar.
No, he didn't wore the single-bar facemask in 1987:
Something interesting is that he is the father-in-law of former Raiders HC Lane Kiffin. Would you believe that Reaves and longtime defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin have the same grandkids?
Steviek wrote:Tony Adams was a mostly backup QB for the chiefs from 1975-78. Played for the Toronto Argonauts from 1979-80 before returning to the NFL as a replacement player QB for the Vikings in 1987.
It would be interesting to see how many QBs/K's/P's had long layoffs from the NFL only to resurface as 1987 replacement players.
One of my favorite QBs in NFL history was John Reaves. Was a great college QB at Florida, setting the NCAA career passing yardage record when the Florida defense intentionally "fainted", allowing the opposing team to score a TD, thus getting the ball back one more time for Reaves to break the record. Reaves was a 1st round pick by the QB-starved Eagles in 1972, was named the opening starter and proceeded to lose all 11 of the games he appeared in (7 were starts) while Reaves accumulated some pretty unremarkable statistics. The 1972 Eagles did have some good WRs in Carmichael, Harold Jackson (who led the NFC with 1048 receiving yards while catching passes from Reaves/Liske/Arrington...a remarkable achievement), and Ben Hawkins.
This would be the only year where Reaves could be considered a starting QB in the NFL, although he did kick around the league as a backup through the 1981 season. He didn't appear to have the arm strength to play at the NFL level. But his pro career was resurrected by fellow UF alum Steve Spurrier with the USFL Tampa Bay Bandits. Reaves had great success in the USFL, throwing for 4000+ yards in 1984 and 1985. After the USFL died, Reaves started 2 replacement games in 1987 for the Tampa Bay Bucs. I've always wondered if Reaves used his usual single-bar facemask in those 1987 replacement games, which would have made him the last NFL QB to wear the single-bar.
Unless I've missed it, I'm surprised there hasn't been a 30 for 30 special or some other documentary about the replacement players. That entire sequence of games still seems surreal to me to this day. Living in DC at that time and having the extremely rare opportunity to get tickets to a Redskins game, I attended the first replacement game they played against the Cardinals at RFK. Ex-USFL and Falcons castoff Anthony Allen had a ridiculous game with 255 yards receiving and 3 TDs, catching passes from one Ed Rubbert. But perhaps the oddest sight was Cards replacement LB Peter Noga returning a fumble 60 yards for a TD while wearing his striking brother Niko's jersey number and, of course, same jersey nameplate.
Bryan wrote:After the USFL died, Reaves started 2 replacement games in 1987 for the Tampa Bay Bucs. I've always wondered if Reaves used his usual single-bar facemask in those 1987 replacement games, which would have made him the last NFL QB to wear the single-bar.
Great trivia question - who started the other 1987 replacement game for the Bucs? Jim Zorn, who starred for the other 1976 expansion entry Seattle Seahawks, made his final NFL start as a Tampa Bay Buc replacement QB. He beat the Vikings 20-10.
