Don Maynard
Encyclopedia
Donald Rogers Maynard is a former American football
player who played collegiately
for Texas Western College (now University of Texas at El Paso
) and professionally with the National Football League
's New York Giants
and the American Football League
's New York Jets
and the World Football League
's Shreveport Steamer
.
After having been released by the Giants, Maynard became the very first player to sign with the New York Titans in 1960 (the team was renamed the Jets in 1963). Although scorned by the New York press as an "NFL reject", in 1960, he teamed with Hall of Famer Art Powell
to form the first professional wide receiver tandem to each gain over 1,000 yards on receptions in a season, with the pair achieving this milestone again in 1962. Over the next 13 years Maynard put up receiving numbers that would earn him a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame
in 1987.
Collecting 72 pass receptions in his first year as a Titan, he went on to compile four more seasons with 50 or more catches and 1,000 yards receiving, and held the professional football record for total receptions and yards receiving. A four-time AFL All-Star
, he is sixth in all-time pro football touchdown receptions, and is a member of the All-time All-AFL Team
.
In 1965 Maynard was teamed with rookie Joe Namath
. Maynard had 1,218 yards on 68 receptions and 14 TD's in Namath's first season (Namath had 22 TD passes that year), and in 1968 the duo hooked up 57 times for 1,297 yards (22.8 yards per catch) and 10 touchdowns (Namath had 15 TD's that year). In 1967 where Maynard caught 1,434 of Namath's historic 4,007 passing yards. The receiving yards were a career high for Maynard and led the league; he also had 71 receptions, 10 TD's, and averaged 20.2 yards per catch. His team would go on to win Super Bowl III
the following year which was hailed as the first "upset" in Super Bowl history.
He finished his career in 1974, playing with the Houston Texans / Shreveport Steamer
of the WFL, where he caught 5 passes for 62 yards.
One of only 20 players who were in the AFL for its entire 10-year existence, Maynard was also one of only seven players who played their entire AFL careers with one team. Maynard finished his career with 633 receptions for 11,834 yards and 88 touchdowns. His 18.7 yards per catch is the highest for anyone with at least 600 receptions.
along with his former teammates, in honor of the 40th anniversary of the 1958 NFL Championship, which is also known as "The Greatest Game Ever Played". He was also once named the Grand Marshall in the annual El Paso Thanksgiving Parade that is held every Thanksgiving Day. He currently lives in El Paso, Texas.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player who played collegiately
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
for Texas Western College (now University of Texas at El Paso
University of Texas at El Paso
The University of Texas at El Paso is a four-year state university, and is a component institution of the University of Texas System. Its campus is located on the bank of the Rio Grande in El Paso, Texas. The school was founded in 1914 as The Texas State School of Mines and Metallurgy,...
) and professionally with the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
's New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
and the American Football League
American Football League
The American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
's New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and the World Football League
World Football League
The World Football League was a short-lived gridiron football league that played in 1974 and part of 1975. Although the league's proclaimed ambition was to bring American football onto a worldwide stage, the farthest the WFL reached was placing a team – the Hawaiians – in Honolulu, Hawaii. The...
's Shreveport Steamer
Shreveport Steamer
The Shreveport Steamer were a professional American football team in the World Football League. The franchise began the 1974 season in Houston, Texas, as the Houston Texans, who are in no way related to the current NFL team of the same name, playing their home games at the Houston Astrodome...
.
After having been released by the Giants, Maynard became the very first player to sign with the New York Titans in 1960 (the team was renamed the Jets in 1963). Although scorned by the New York press as an "NFL reject", in 1960, he teamed with Hall of Famer Art Powell
Art Powell
-Early career:Powell attended and played high school football at San Diego High School and played college football at San José State University.-Professional career:...
to form the first professional wide receiver tandem to each gain over 1,000 yards on receptions in a season, with the pair achieving this milestone again in 1962. Over the next 13 years Maynard put up receiving numbers that would earn him a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
in 1987.
Collecting 72 pass receptions in his first year as a Titan, he went on to compile four more seasons with 50 or more catches and 1,000 yards receiving, and held the professional football record for total receptions and yards receiving. A four-time AFL All-Star
American Football League All-Star games
-All-League Teams:The Sporting News published American Football League All-League Teams for each season played by the American Football League, 1960 through 1969...
, he is sixth in all-time pro football touchdown receptions, and is a member of the All-time All-AFL Team
American Football League All-Time Team
The American Football League All- Time Team was selected on January 14, 1970. The first and second teams would be determined by a panel of members of the AFL's Hall of Fame Board of Selectors: Since the First team included two halfbacks, rather than a halfback and a fullback, Cookie Gilchrist, a...
.
In 1965 Maynard was teamed with rookie Joe Namath
Joe Namath
Joseph William "Joe" Namath , nicknamed "Broadway Joe" or "Joe Willie", is a former American football quarterback. He played college football for the University of Alabama under coach Paul "Bear" Bryant and his assistant, Howard Schnellenberger, from 1962–1964, and professional football in the...
. Maynard had 1,218 yards on 68 receptions and 14 TD's in Namath's first season (Namath had 22 TD passes that year), and in 1968 the duo hooked up 57 times for 1,297 yards (22.8 yards per catch) and 10 touchdowns (Namath had 15 TD's that year). In 1967 where Maynard caught 1,434 of Namath's historic 4,007 passing yards. The receiving yards were a career high for Maynard and led the league; he also had 71 receptions, 10 TD's, and averaged 20.2 yards per catch. His team would go on to win Super Bowl III
Super Bowl III
Super Bowl III was the third AFL-NFL Championship Game in professional American football, but the first to officially bear the name "Super Bowl". This game is regarded as one of the greatest upsets in sports history...
the following year which was hailed as the first "upset" in Super Bowl history.
He finished his career in 1974, playing with the Houston Texans / Shreveport Steamer
Shreveport Steamer
The Shreveport Steamer were a professional American football team in the World Football League. The franchise began the 1974 season in Houston, Texas, as the Houston Texans, who are in no way related to the current NFL team of the same name, playing their home games at the Houston Astrodome...
of the WFL, where he caught 5 passes for 62 yards.
One of only 20 players who were in the AFL for its entire 10-year existence, Maynard was also one of only seven players who played their entire AFL careers with one team. Maynard finished his career with 633 receptions for 11,834 yards and 88 touchdowns. His 18.7 yards per catch is the highest for anyone with at least 600 receptions.
Post NFL Career
Following his NFL Career, Don Maynard went on to participate in many charity sponsored events. He also participated in the coin toss in Super Bowl XXXIIISuper Bowl XXXIII
Super Bowl XXXIII was an American football game played on January 31, 1999, at Pro Player Stadium in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion, following the 1998 regular season. The American Football Conference champion Denver Broncos defeated the National Football...
along with his former teammates, in honor of the 40th anniversary of the 1958 NFL Championship, which is also known as "The Greatest Game Ever Played". He was also once named the Grand Marshall in the annual El Paso Thanksgiving Parade that is held every Thanksgiving Day. He currently lives in El Paso, Texas.
External links
- Pro Football Hall of Fame: Member profile
- Maynard's 1965 Topps football card
- http://www.elpasotimes.com/news/ci_13353771 UTEP vs. NMSU rivalry: Players on both sides hold fast to vivid memories
- Rams sign Maynard: http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/643519912.html?dids=643519912:643519912&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Dec+13%2C+1973&author=&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=Rams+Make+a+Late+Catch%3A+Don+Maynard&pqatl=google