Jim Nance
Encyclopedia
James Solomon "Big Jim" Nance (December 30, 1942 – June 17, 1992) was an American collegiate and Professional Football
fullback
with the Boston Patriots
during their days in the American Football League
. He was inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame in 2009.
, Nance tied the school record for career touchdowns (13) and led the Orange (then the Orangemen
) in rushing in 1964, scoring in ten straight games. In 1963 and 1965 Jim Nance was the NCAA heavyweight wrestling champion and received All-America honors.
in the 1965 NFL Draft
. Nance signed with the Patriots. Though his rookie season was unimpressive, he led the AFL in rushing the next two seasons. He went on to become the only AFL player ever to rush for more than 1,400 yards in a season. At 6-1 and 260 pounds, Nance was a classic fullback who carried 299 times in 1966, for 17 touchdowns and 1,458 yards. That season, he rushed for 208 yards and two touchdowns in a 24-21 victory over the Oakland Raiders
.
Nance was an American Football League All-Star
in 1966, when he also received the league’s Most Valuable Player
award, and an All-Star
again in 1967 when he became the only AFL player to have consecutive seasons with over 1,000 yards, this time 1,216. He retired as the Patriots’ all-time leading rusher with 60 career touchdowns, a record he still holds.
In 1972 he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles
but refused to play for them, temporarily retiring. He joined the New York Jets
the following year.
In 1974, Nance played with the Houston Texans/Shreveport Steamer
of the World Football League
, rushing for 1240 yards. In 1975, he ran for 767 yards before the WFL folded. He is the all-time leading rusher in the WFL with 490 carries for 2007 yards and a 4.1 average. He rushed for 15 touchdowns in his WFL career.
James Solomon "Big Jim" Nance (December 30, 1942 – June 17, 1992) was an American collegiate and Professional Football
fullback
with the Boston Patriots
during their days in the American Football League
. He was inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame in 2009.
, Nance tied the school record for career touchdowns (13) and led the Orange (then the Orangemen
) in rushing in 1964, scoring in ten straight games. In 1963 and 1965 Jim Nance was the NCAA heavyweight wrestling champion and received All-America honors.
in the 1965 NFL Draft
. Nance signed with the Patriots. Though his rookie season was unimpressive, he led the AFL in rushing the next two seasons. He went on to become the only AFL player ever to rush for more than 1,400 yards in a season. At 6-1 and 260 pounds, Nance was a classic fullback who carried 299 times in 1966, for 17 touchdowns and 1,458 yards. That season, he rushed for 208 yards and two touchdowns in a 24-21 victory over the Oakland Raiders
.
Nance was an American Football League All-Star
in 1966, when he also received the league’s Most Valuable Player
award, and an All-Star
again in 1967 when he became the only AFL player to have consecutive seasons with over 1,000 yards, this time 1,216. He retired as the Patriots’ all-time leading rusher with 60 career touchdowns, a record he still holds.
In 1972 he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles
but refused to play for them, temporarily retiring. He joined the New York Jets
the following year.
In 1974, Nance played with the Houston Texans/Shreveport Steamer
of the World Football League
, rushing for 1240 yards. In 1975, he ran for 767 yards before the WFL folded. He is the all-time leading rusher in the WFL with 490 carries for 2007 yards and a 4.1 average. He rushed for 15 touchdowns in his WFL career.
James Solomon "Big Jim" Nance (December 30, 1942 – June 17, 1992) was an American collegiate and Professional Football
fullback
with the Boston Patriots
during their days in the American Football League
. He was inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame in 2009.
, Nance tied the school record for career touchdowns (13) and led the Orange (then the Orangemen
) in rushing in 1964, scoring in ten straight games. In 1963 and 1965 Jim Nance was the NCAA heavyweight wrestling champion and received All-America honors.
in the 1965 NFL Draft
. Nance signed with the Patriots. Though his rookie season was unimpressive, he led the AFL in rushing the next two seasons. He went on to become the only AFL player ever to rush for more than 1,400 yards in a season. At 6-1 and 260 pounds, Nance was a classic fullback who carried 299 times in 1966, for 17 touchdowns and 1,458 yards. That season, he rushed for 208 yards and two touchdowns in a 24-21 victory over the Oakland Raiders
.
Nance was an American Football League All-Star
in 1966, when he also received the league’s Most Valuable Player
award, and an All-Star
again in 1967 when he became the only AFL player to have consecutive seasons with over 1,000 yards, this time 1,216. He retired as the Patriots’ all-time leading rusher with 60 career touchdowns, a record he still holds.
In 1972 he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles
but refused to play for them, temporarily retiring. He joined the New York Jets
the following year.
In 1974, Nance played with the Houston Texans/Shreveport Steamer
of the World Football League
, rushing for 1240 yards. In 1975, he ran for 767 yards before the WFL folded. He is the all-time leading rusher in the WFL with 490 carries for 2007 yards and a 4.1 average. He rushed for 15 touchdowns in his WFL career.
Professional football
In the United States and Canada, the term professional football includes the professional forms of American and Canadian gridiron football. In common usage, it refers to former and existing major football leagues in either country...
fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
with the Boston Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
during their days in 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...
. He was inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame in 2009.
College career
Starting for three years at Syracuse UniversitySyracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
, Nance tied the school record for career touchdowns (13) and led the Orange (then the Orangemen
Orangemen
Orangemen can refer:*Historically, to supporters of King William III of Orange.*To members of the modern Orange Institution - a Protestant fraternal organisation.*To the former name of male sports teams of Syracuse University, now called the Orange....
) in rushing in 1964, scoring in ten straight games. In 1963 and 1965 Jim Nance was the NCAA heavyweight wrestling champion and received All-America honors.
Professional career
Nance was a First-round draft choice of the Buffalo Bills in the 1965 AFL Draft, as well as a Second-round choice of the Chicago BearsChicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the 1965 NFL Draft
1965 NFL Draft
The 1965 National Football League Draft took place on November 28, 1964. The first player selected was Tucker Frederickson, back from Auburn, by the New York Giants. The draft was marked by the failure of the St...
. Nance signed with the Patriots. Though his rookie season was unimpressive, he led the AFL in rushing the next two seasons. He went on to become the only AFL player ever to rush for more than 1,400 yards in a season. At 6-1 and 260 pounds, Nance was a classic fullback who carried 299 times in 1966, for 17 touchdowns and 1,458 yards. That season, he rushed for 208 yards and two touchdowns in a 24-21 victory over the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
Nance was an American Football League 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...
in 1966, when he also received the league’s Most Valuable Player
American Football League Most Valuable Players
During its ten-year existence , the American Football League's best player for each year was called the Most Valuable Player by some sports-news sources and the Player of the Year by others...
award, and an 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...
again in 1967 when he became the only AFL player to have consecutive seasons with over 1,000 yards, this time 1,216. He retired as the Patriots’ all-time leading rusher with 60 career touchdowns, a record he still holds.
In 1972 he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
but refused to play for them, temporarily retiring. He joined the 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...
the following year.
In 1974, Nance played 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 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...
, rushing for 1240 yards. In 1975, he ran for 767 yards before the WFL folded. He is the all-time leading rusher in the WFL with 490 carries for 2007 yards and a 4.1 average. He rushed for 15 touchdowns in his WFL career.
External links
James Solomon "Big Jim" Nance (December 30, 1942 – June 17, 1992) was an American collegiate and Professional Football
Professional football
In the United States and Canada, the term professional football includes the professional forms of American and Canadian gridiron football. In common usage, it refers to former and existing major football leagues in either country...
fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
with the Boston Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
during their days in 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...
. He was inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame in 2009.
College career
Starting for three years at Syracuse UniversitySyracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
, Nance tied the school record for career touchdowns (13) and led the Orange (then the Orangemen
Orangemen
Orangemen can refer:*Historically, to supporters of King William III of Orange.*To members of the modern Orange Institution - a Protestant fraternal organisation.*To the former name of male sports teams of Syracuse University, now called the Orange....
) in rushing in 1964, scoring in ten straight games. In 1963 and 1965 Jim Nance was the NCAA heavyweight wrestling champion and received All-America honors.
Professional career
Nance was a First-round draft choice of the Buffalo Bills in the 1965 AFL Draft, as well as a Second-round choice of the Chicago BearsChicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the 1965 NFL Draft
1965 NFL Draft
The 1965 National Football League Draft took place on November 28, 1964. The first player selected was Tucker Frederickson, back from Auburn, by the New York Giants. The draft was marked by the failure of the St...
. Nance signed with the Patriots. Though his rookie season was unimpressive, he led the AFL in rushing the next two seasons. He went on to become the only AFL player ever to rush for more than 1,400 yards in a season. At 6-1 and 260 pounds, Nance was a classic fullback who carried 299 times in 1966, for 17 touchdowns and 1,458 yards. That season, he rushed for 208 yards and two touchdowns in a 24-21 victory over the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
Nance was an American Football League 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...
in 1966, when he also received the league’s Most Valuable Player
American Football League Most Valuable Players
During its ten-year existence , the American Football League's best player for each year was called the Most Valuable Player by some sports-news sources and the Player of the Year by others...
award, and an 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...
again in 1967 when he became the only AFL player to have consecutive seasons with over 1,000 yards, this time 1,216. He retired as the Patriots’ all-time leading rusher with 60 career touchdowns, a record he still holds.
In 1972 he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
but refused to play for them, temporarily retiring. He joined the 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...
the following year.
In 1974, Nance played 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 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...
, rushing for 1240 yards. In 1975, he ran for 767 yards before the WFL folded. He is the all-time leading rusher in the WFL with 490 carries for 2007 yards and a 4.1 average. He rushed for 15 touchdowns in his WFL career.
External links
James Solomon "Big Jim" Nance (December 30, 1942 – June 17, 1992) was an American collegiate and Professional Football
Professional football
In the United States and Canada, the term professional football includes the professional forms of American and Canadian gridiron football. In common usage, it refers to former and existing major football leagues in either country...
fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
with the Boston Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
during their days in 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...
. He was inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame in 2009.
College career
Starting for three years at Syracuse UniversitySyracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
, Nance tied the school record for career touchdowns (13) and led the Orange (then the Orangemen
Orangemen
Orangemen can refer:*Historically, to supporters of King William III of Orange.*To members of the modern Orange Institution - a Protestant fraternal organisation.*To the former name of male sports teams of Syracuse University, now called the Orange....
) in rushing in 1964, scoring in ten straight games. In 1963 and 1965 Jim Nance was the NCAA heavyweight wrestling champion and received All-America honors.
Professional career
Nance was a First-round draft choice of the Buffalo Bills in the 1965 AFL Draft, as well as a Second-round choice of the Chicago BearsChicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the 1965 NFL Draft
1965 NFL Draft
The 1965 National Football League Draft took place on November 28, 1964. The first player selected was Tucker Frederickson, back from Auburn, by the New York Giants. The draft was marked by the failure of the St...
. Nance signed with the Patriots. Though his rookie season was unimpressive, he led the AFL in rushing the next two seasons. He went on to become the only AFL player ever to rush for more than 1,400 yards in a season. At 6-1 and 260 pounds, Nance was a classic fullback who carried 299 times in 1966, for 17 touchdowns and 1,458 yards. That season, he rushed for 208 yards and two touchdowns in a 24-21 victory over the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
Nance was an American Football League 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...
in 1966, when he also received the league’s Most Valuable Player
American Football League Most Valuable Players
During its ten-year existence , the American Football League's best player for each year was called the Most Valuable Player by some sports-news sources and the Player of the Year by others...
award, and an 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...
again in 1967 when he became the only AFL player to have consecutive seasons with over 1,000 yards, this time 1,216. He retired as the Patriots’ all-time leading rusher with 60 career touchdowns, a record he still holds.
In 1972 he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
but refused to play for them, temporarily retiring. He joined the 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...
the following year.
In 1974, Nance played 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 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...
, rushing for 1240 yards. In 1975, he ran for 767 yards before the WFL folded. He is the all-time leading rusher in the WFL with 490 carries for 2007 yards and a 4.1 average. He rushed for 15 touchdowns in his WFL career.