April 3, 2017

Highlighted Year: Mike Garrett, 1967

Halfback, Kansas City Chiefs




Age: 23
2nd season in pro football & with Chiefs
College: Southern California
Height: 5’9”   Weight: 200

Prelude:
A star halfback in college, Garrett rushed for 3221 yards including 1440 as a senior in 1965 when he was awarded the Heisman Trophy. He was chosen by the Chiefs in the 20th round of the 1966 AFL draft (the Los Angeles Rams selected him in the second round of the corresponding NFL draft).A collegiate baseball standout as well, Garrett also received a big offer from the Pittsburgh Pirates.The Chiefs won the bidding war. While there were doubts as to if Garrett had the size to succeed professionally, as a rookie he alternated with HB Bert Coan and with his speed and aggressiveness rushed for 801 yards as Kansas City went on to win the AFL title. He added 56 yards in the postseason, including the first Super Bowl.

1967 Season Summary
Appeared in all 14 games
[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing
Attempts – 236 [2, tied with Hoyle Granger]
Most attempts, game – 26 (for 83 yds.) vs. San Diego 11/19
Yards – 1087 [3]
Most yards, game – 192 yards (on 23 carries) vs. NY Jets 11/5
Average gain – 4.6 [3]
TDs – 9 [2]
100-yard rushing games – 4

Pass Receiving
Receptions – 46 [8, tied with Eric Crabtree & Al Denson]
Most receptions, game – 6 (for 42 yds.) at Houston 9/9
Yards – 261
Most yards, game – 42 (on 6 catches) at Houston 9/9
Average gain – 5.7
TDs – 1

Passing
Attempts – 4
Completions – 1
Yards – 17
TD passes – 1 [13, tied with four others]
Interceptions – 0

Punt Returns
Returns – 4 [20, tied with Goldie Sellers & Jack Harper]
Yards – 22
Average per return – 5.5
TDs – 0
Longest return – 14 yards

All-Purpose yards – 1370 [6]

Scoring
TDs – 10 [4, tied with Don Maynard, Billy Cannon & Willie Frazier]
Points – 60 [12, tied with Billy Cannon & Willie Frazier]

Awards & Honors:
1st team All-AFL: AP, UPI, NEA, NY Daily News
1st team All-Western Division: Sporting News
AFL All-Star Game

Chiefs went 9-5 to finish second in the AFL Western Division.

Aftermath:
Slowed by injuries in 1968, Garrett’s rushing total dropped to 564 yards, although he also caught 33 passes for 359 yards (10.9 avg.). and totaled 6 TDs. He led the club with 732 rushing yards in 1969 and KC won the last AFL Championship and the Super Bowl. Garrett flirted with a switch to baseball and was dealt to the San Diego Chargers during the 1970 season. He remained with the Chargers through 1973 and ran for 1031 yards in 1972. Garrett compiled a total of 5481 yards on 1308 rushing attempts (4.2 avg.) with 3246 yards on 736 carries occurring while with the Chiefs. He also caught 238 passes for 2010 yards (8.4 avg.), 141 for 1231 yards while with KC. He scored a total of 49 TDs. Garrett received consensus first-team All-AFL recognition once, some second-team recognition after two other seasons, and was selected to two AFL All-Star games. He went on to earn a law degree and eventually served as athletic director at USC and California State-Fullerton.


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Highlighted Years features players who were consensus first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)
Passing: Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating
Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)
Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)
All-Purpose: Total Yards
Defense: Interceptions, Sacks
Kickoff Returns: Average
Punt Returns: Average
Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

**NFC/AFC since 1970