The Franchise (NFC stars)

Last week I listed the AFC's Franchise players from Score's 1993 and 2023 insert sets. Today we'll compare Score's picks for NFC teams then and now, starting in the North (because I can't put the Cowboys first, ever.)

Chicago Bears

I had thought that Richard Dent was at the end of his Hall of Fame career in 1993. Turns out I was half-right; Dent made his fourth and final Pro Bowl that season - his last as a starter - then signed with San Francisco for 1994. The jury is still out on Justin Fields as a viable starter, much less franchise player. However the rebuilding Bears don't have any All-Pro caliber players on their current roster.

 

Detroit Lions

Barry Sanders was the obvious choice for Detroit in 1993; I'm not even going to look at who else they had (shout-out Chris Spielman). Jared Goff might be the most underrated quarterback in football. He doesn't throw a ton of TD passes but he's a highly accurate passer and leader of the first-place Lions.

Green Bay Packers

We were one year away from the Packers having two non-quarterbacks on this list. Sterling Sharpe (who should be in the Hall of Fame) was an All-Pro in both 1992 and 1993, setting records for receptions in both seasons. Aaron Rodgers is one of two Franchise players in the 2023 Score set who are no longer with the depicted team. Aaron Jones and Christian Watson would have been my picks to succeed Pat McAfee's BFF, but they've been in and out of the lineup with injuries(Watson is currently sixth on the team in receptions.) I dunno... maybe GB's Franchise guy is Rashan Gary?

Minnesota Vikings

Did you guys watch the Secret Base series on the history of the Vikings? No one breaks down a long-suffering franchise's misery like Jon Bois & the boys (I do wish he'd finish up the 20020 story though.)

Anyway, Chris Doleman doesn't get talked about often enough for a guy with 150+ career sacks (5th all time since the stat was official). As someone who is supposed to hate this team, I'm envious of the Vikes' high-end talent over my 30+ years of watching football - from Doleman and John Randle to Randall Cunningham, Cris Carter and Randy Moss, to Jared Allen (who Secret Base didn't mention at all) to Adrian Peterson and Justin Jefferson - who was off to a stratospheric start to his career before a hamstring injury slowed him this season. I'm excited/scared to see him catch passes from someone who isn't Kirk Cousins in the near future.

I wrote way too much about the Vikings and not enough about the Lions. Maybe if the rest of the NFL would stop passing up all-time great talent in the draft and letting legends fall to Minnesota they wouldn't have so many Franchise caliber players. Which (if you click on the links) brings us to the...

 Dallas Cowboys

I couldn't stand Emmitt Smith but there's no denying he was the MVP of the Dallas dynasty. The NFL's leading rusher in 1992 and 1993, Emmitt was NFL MVP the year this card was released despite scoring just 9 touchdowns. (He'd get his stat-padding 1-yard scores in bulk over the next two seasons.) Dak Prescott was certainly worthy of the Franchise tag in 2021 but seems to have hit his ceiling(he led the NFL in interceptions thrown last season). I might lean toward All-Pro linebacker Micah Parsons as the Star of the current Cowboys.

New York Giants

The Giants and Browns are the only two teams with running backs as franchise players in both '93 and '23. Rodney Hampton represented Big Blue in the 1992 Pro Bowl after scoring a career high 14 touchdowns and rushing for 1,141 yards. Lawrence Taylor was winding down his legendary career in 1993 and Score understandably saw Hampton as the Giants' star going forward. Saquon Barkley remains the lone bright spot of the NFL's most inept offense. Remember when Daniel Jones got that huge contract and Barkley didn't because the G-men thought he was the injury risk? Pepperidge Farm remembers.

Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles' defense had a formidable front line with Reggie White, Jerome Brown, and Clyde Simmons - all of whom were All-Pros in 1991 - before Brown passed away in 1992 and White left for Green Bay in '93. Simmons had led the NFL with 19 sacks in 1992 but was far less effective without White drawing double-teams. He departed for Arizona after the '93 campaign along with linebacker Seth Joyner - who would have also been a fine choice. Jalen Hurts nearly won a Super Bowl by himself and could lead the Iggles back to the big game this season. But that "tush push" bullshit is getting tired.

Washington Red Commanders Football Team

Here's the other team that traded their "franchise" player. Chase Young was shipped to San Francisco at the trade deadline (why is everyone trading high-ceiling stars to the fecking 49ers?) Due to injuries, Young had played just 11 games and registered 1.5 sacks in 2021-22 so I would have tabbed Terry McLaurin as the Commanders' Franchise player anyhow. Mark Rypien became the third different Washington QB to win a Super Bowl and earned MVP honors in their victory over the Bills. The 1992 season was a bit of a letdown for him and the Skins; 1993 was his last as a starter. Score could have gone with Darrell Green in hindsight, but Rypien was still seen as the leader of a contending team when 1993 Score hit shelves.

Fun fact, this card has been in my collection since pulling it from a pack 30 years ago. It's the only Score Franchise football card I managed to hold on to this whole time (I've also got a pack-pulled Al MacInnis insert from '93-94 Score Franchise hockey)

The South is next.... ugh...

 Atlanta Falcons

Andre Rison began the 1990s with four consecutive Pro Bowl seasons - a streak that would end the year this card was released. The flamboyant star spent the second half of the decade bouncing between five different teams - though he did catch a 54-yard bomb from Brett Favre in Super Bowl XXXI. (Also, "Left Eye" Lopez from TLC burned his house down.)

Score's choice of Desmond Ridder as the Falcons' current Franchise player is... optimistic. Ridder and the Falcons' offense are in a similar position to Green Bay - they've got young, unproven playmakers in an offense led by a project quarterback who has yet to prove he can do the job. Atlanta is actually better positioned than the Pack because they've got a stud running back in Bijan Robinson and a stalwart offensive tackle who doesn't get hurt. Maybe Jake Matthews should be the Falcons' Franchise player?

Carolina Panthers---kind of?

The Panthers did not play until 1995, so they obviously didn't have a Franchise player in 1993. Technically they're not represented in the 2023 set, either.

Carolina traded DJ Moore to the Bears to acquire the 1st overall pick in the 2023 Draft. Chicago gets the Cats' 1st-rounder in 2024 meaning they could have back-to-back picks at or near the top of the draft. It also means they technically have back-to-back cards in the 2023 Score Franchise insert set - which is equally as important :P

New Orleans Saints

The 1992-93 Saints had a killer linebacking crew with Hall of Famers Rickey Jackson and Sam Mills, along with 1991 and '92 All-Pro Pat Swilling. Jackson was never an All-Pro but he had suited up for the Saints since 1981 and set a career high in sacks with 13.5 in '92. He would leave the Big Easy for the 49ers in '94. NOLA also had a HOFer on offense - but Score would never name a kicker The Franchise. That's absurd.

Chris Olave had a nice rookie season and he's currently leading the team in receptions and yards - but he doesn't get into the end zone enough for a "franchise" wideout (just six times in 1.5 seasons so far.) Cam Jordan would be my pick; he has never missed a game in his 12+ seasons with the Saints, was named a Pro Bowler in each of the last six seasons, and has compiled 117.5 career sacks - not counting his latest takedown of Matt Ryan.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Bring back the creamsicles! The Bucs were still getting thrashed in the NFC "Norris" division in '93, when Reggie Cobb was named the team's Franchise player. Cobb was coming off a season in which he set career highs with 1,171 rushing yards and 9 scores. Vinny Testaverde was finally cut loose in the 1993 off-season and All-Pro Hardy Nickerson had just joined the team so Cobb was the only logical choice. Mike Evans hasn't been a Buccaneer as long as linebacker Lavonte David, but the four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver ranks top-3 among active pass catchers in yards and touchdowns.


We'll wrap this up out West.

Arizona Cardinals

I never said Score wouldn't name a punter as a Franchise player. To understand how Rich Camarillo could possibly be considered the then-Phoenix Cardinals' most indispensable player we must glance at their 1992 roster, and... yikes. Safety Tim McDonald was named to his third Pro Bowl - then he signed with San Francisco as a free agent. Johnny Bailey made the Pro Bowl as a return man. But Camarillo was an All Pro, which really seems to be how Score decided these things at the time.

Kyler Murray is still a Cardinal and may return to the active roster as soon as Sunday- but he's just keeping the seat warm for his successor at this point. Arizona appears ready to give him the Josh Rosen treatment in favor of their shiny new toy Caleb Williams - unless Murray can earn enough victories in the season's second half to lower their draft slot and they miss out on a franchise QB. What a bizarre situation this Franchise finds itself in. 

Los Angeles Rams

Score had some options as the Rams' Franchise for '93 including Hall of Fame tackle Jackie Slater, veteran wide receiver Henry Ellard, and defensive lineman Sean Gilbert - who the Rams selected 3rd overall a year prior. They chose Cleveland Gary, who led the Rams in rushing yards and total touchdowns. L.A. valued him so much that they... chose a running back 10th overall in the '93 draft. Some guy named Bettis.

Seven time All-Pro Aaron Donald is one of the last remaining Rams from their St. Louis years. He's also a future first-ballot Hall of Famer and the rare defensive player who card companies can't ignore. Cooper Kupp might have had this title briefly but otherwise the Rams have been Donald's team for a decade.

San Francisco 49ers

Hey, it's that team that all the stars of 1993 signed with in 1994 - and all the recent franchise players were traded to. Case in point - Christian McCaffrey, who the Niners acquired from Carolina midway through the 2022 season. CMC currently leads the NFL in rushing yards and is tied with former 49er Raheem Mostert for the league lead in total touchdowns. Like the Bears - who also traded with Carolina (stop trading your star players, Panthers!) - San Fran now has two players in the 2023 Franchise set: McCaffrey and Chase Young.

Steve Young was undoubtedly the 49ers' franchise star in the early-mid 1990s. The 1992 NFL MVP led the league in completion percentage, touchdown passes, and (lowest) interception rate in his first full year as the man in San Fran - and the first of three All-Pro seasons for the Hall of Famer.

Seattle Seahawks

We'll wrap up this two-part series with another no-brainer for the folks at Score. Seattle (still in the AFC at the time) tied with New England for the league's worst record at 2-14 in 1992 but missed out on selecting local product Drew Bledsoe, as one of their two wins was against the Pats. The Rick Mirer era began in '93 with two Pro Bowlers on defense - safety Eugene Robinson and (say it with me)All-Pro Cortez Kennedy, NFL Defensive Player of the Year in '92. 

Seattle was supposed to be in a similar situation last year after trading franchise icon Russell Wilson to the Broncos. However Geno Smith and the 12s played well above expectations. Dependable pass catcher D.K. Metcalf didn't make the All-Pro roster or even the Pro Bowl (Panini-Score doesn't seem to care about such things anymore) but he's the arguably the biggest name and playmaker on the Seahawks roster.

Who is the Franchise player on your favorite team? Do you disagree with any of these selections? Are there any "blast from the past" players you'd forgotten about?



Thanks for reading!



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The Franchise (30th Anniversary Edition)

It's been five years since I reviewed 1993 Score Franchise baseball and discussed the present-day stars that would have been honored if the insert set still existed. 

I haven't bought any 2023 football cards yet, but I traded for these two on TCDB and noticed the familiar 'Franchise' wordmark was an homage to the original insert set from 30 years ago. That gave me the idea to compare the Franchise players from 1993 Score with the 2023 stars and debate if Score made the right choice, starting with the AFC East:

Buffalo Bills

It was probably tougher to choose the Bills' Franchise player between Thurman Thomas, Bruce Smith, Jim Kelly, and possibly Andre Reed during their early '90s run of four straight AFC titles. Josh Allen is a more clear cut choice. Stefon Diggs is one of few franchise-quality wide receivers in the NFL today, but I'd stick with Allen.

Miami Dolphins

This won't be the only team with two quarterbacks as franchise players. Dan Marino rarely had high-end talent around him on either side of the ball; there's no disputing his selection. Tua is a solid choice for now - but Tyreek Hill is on pace for a record-shattering season as his favorite target. If this were based on 2023 production I might make a change.

New England Patriots

What an unfortunate time to discuss Patriots stars - right before Drew Bledsoe arrived and not long after Tom Brady retired. Tight end Marv Cook was quickly overshadowed by Ben Coates but he was the lone Pro Bowler on some awful New England teams. Linebacker Andre Tippett might have been a better choice but he was at the end of his Hall of Fame career. For today's franchise star I'd go with Matt Judon over Mac Jones, who is regressing so poorly the Pats might have to draft another QB in 2024.

New York Jets

Jeff Lageman (seen here being guarded by a mysterious Packer) was chosen primarily for his production in 1991; he missed most of the '92 season while Mo Lewis and James Hasty anchored the Jets' defense. Garrett Wilson was offensive rookie of the year in 2022 and is a much better option than their other Wilson. 2022 All-Pro Quinnen Williams would be my choice, but card companies have largely ignored defensive linemen unless they're Watt/Donald-level stars.

Ever wonder why the Indianapolis Colts are in the AFC South but the Miami Dolphins aren't? Blame the dingus who owned the Fish (and Blockbuster Video).

Indianapolis Colts

I was not expecting this Jeff to be the Colts' franchise star in the early '90s. But Jeff George was playing his way out of Indy and their only Pro Bowlers were on special teams (shout-out Clarence Verdin). Zaire Franklin is their modern-day Herrod - he currently leads the NFL in tackles - but Jonathan Taylor and Shaq Leonard have more star power. Honestly, the best choice for the 2022-23 Colts might be five-time Pro Bowler Quenton Nelson. It wouldn't be unheard of for Score to select a guard.

HousTennessee TexTitans

Neither the Jaguars nor the Texans existed in 1993 (technically the Jags did, but barely) The Titans' franchise star is at the top of this post, while the Jaguar star is Trevor Lawrence. Warren Moon was certainly the most recognizable Oiler but was he the best player on the team? That's a much tougher question for the talent-starved Texans. C.J. Stroud will likely be Houston's Franchise player next year. 

Whoever scanned these to TCDB must have had some snow-covered copies of those '93 inserts. 

Cincinnati Bengals

1992-93 was a tough stretch for the Bungles. Boomer Esiason declined and then departed, David Klingler was awful, and Anthony Munoz was completing his legendary career. He would have been a better choice than the man he opened holes for; Harold Green had just two rushing touchdowns in those two seasons. Total. Alas, Munoz signed with Tampa in the '93 off-season and retired before the season started.

I really hope Joe Burrow isn't turning into Baker Mayfield; he's a special player when healthy.

Cleveland Browns

Two very different running backs for two different iterations of the Browns. Eric Metcalf was an All-Pro return man who didn't even lead his team in rushing yards (and would soon become a wide receiver in Atlanta.) Nick Chubb was one of the top bell-cow backs in the league until suffering a devastating knee injury earlier this season. No argument with either selection.

Tangentially related, the Baltimore Ravens' Franchise star is of course Lamar Jackson.

Pittsburgh Steelers

There are only three defensive players in the 2023 Score Franchise insert set (compared to nine in '93) Pittsburgh is the only franchise with defensive stars in both sets. Score was smart to bypass Barry Foster despite his 1,690 rushing yards in 1992. Rod Woodson was an All-Pro in '92 and '93, doubled his interception total from 4 to 8 and earned Defensive Player of the Year honors. T.J. Watt was named DPOY in 2021 after leading the NFL with 22.5 sacks. An easy choice for face of the franchise.

Denver Broncos

John Elway had been so average at the start of the '90s that Denver drafted his potential successor Tommy Maddox with their first round pick in 1992. Elway responded with the best statistical season of his legendary career. Russell Wilson is in the midst of a bounce-back year after a disappointing first year in Denver. Patrick Surtain was an All-Pro defensive back and Denver's best player last season - which might be good enough to earn the Franchise label on a team without a Hall of Fame signal caller.

Kansas City Chiefs

Derrick Thomas was rightly chosen as Kansas City's star in the original Franchise set, though he had notable competition. Joe Montana had just arrived in the spring of '93 with the expectation that adding an aging legend at QB was all the team needed to make a long-awaited return to the Super Bowl (sound familiar?) Meanwhile, 1993 NFL All-Pro pass rusher Neil Smith matched Thomas's sack total in 1992 and nearly doubled his Hall of Fame teammate's output in '93. Patrick Mahomes is undoubtedly the right choice to rep the current Chiefs - unless you're a Swiftie.


There was an AFC West team in Los Angeles 30 years ago, but not the same one L.A. has now...

Los Angeles/Las Vegas Raiders

Here's the guard I alluded to in the Colts paragraph. I've wondered before on this blog why Steve Wisniewski isn't in the Hall of Fame (not that I'm an expert on offensive linemen). The 8-time Pro Bowl selection was an All-Pro in 1992, which seems to be how Score based many of their selections for the 1993 set. Tim Brown hadn't established himself as an all-time great receiver until that '93 season - which was Howie Long's last in silver and black.

As seen at the top of this post, Davante Adams is the Raiders' current Franchise player. I'm still a fan of Adams and he was fantastic for the Raiders last year, but he probably won't stay in Vegas much longer. Maxxx Crosby should succeed him; no one looks more like a Raider than that dude.

San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers

Ronnie Harmon excelled as a receiver out of the backfield, making his only Pro Bowl appearance in 1992 while leading the Chargers in....

...wait... why isn't Junior Seau here? Why is Junior Seau not the... Score picked Harmon over Junior Seau!?!?!?

At least they got it right this year. Justin Herbert seems destined to follow the lineage of Dan Fouts and Phillip Rivers, putting up incredible passing stats on a Charger team lacking enough talent to contend for the AFC title, much less a Super Bowl. Not that anyone in Los Angeles will notice.

Next week we'll look at the indispensable players of the NFC franchises.

Thanks for reading!



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