If You Build It, They Will Come

  Our initial list had 117 Iowa Connections in the NFL with Miami and Tampa leading the way.  Both are playoff bound, so let's update the connections at the end of the season and see who we should be rooting for. We added three new connections.  Perrion Winfrey joined the Jets, La'Michael Pettway to the Patriots, and Jake Gervase on Minnesota.  

 Here's the initial list of players with Iowa Connections in the NFL in 2023. Some teams made aggressive moves to get more Iowa Connections on their team, including the Jets and the Lions.  Others remain happy in their current state of mediocrity, especially the Commanders who after a disappointing season with zero connections...remain at zero connections.  They are the only team this year without one. This blog is official rooting for a Miami / Tampa Bay Super Bowl.   Overall, 117 connections this year (117 last year by the end).  We will add a few as the season progresses.  

 Yesterday I posted the start of the season NFL Iowa Connections for players and coaches.  Today I have the practice squads and front office personnel.  Lighter amounts for both here, but there is less to start with.  At the end, I total each team's Iowa Connection score (2 points for roster/coaches and 1 point for practice and front office).  Currently (teams are welcome to add players throughout the season) our rooting interest lies with....the Buffalo Bills!   Note: Front office in  italics Update 1: Mike Daniels signed with Cincinnati and Jaleel Johnson signed with New Orleans practice squads.  All NFC teams now have an Iowa Connection. Update 2: Jaleel Johnson plucked from the Saints practice squad by the Houston Texans Update 3: Cole Banwart signed to the practice squad by the New York Giants 2 - Philadelphia : Ross Pierschbacher (Cedar Falls), Matt Leo (ISU) 2 - Denver :  Shaun Beyer / Barrington Wade (Iowa) 1 - New England :...

Here's the initial list of players with Iowa Connections in the NFL in 2021. Seven teams are starting the year at zero, which I assume they are having discussions about in the background.  Tomorrow I'll list Iowa Connections on the practice squad and we'll declare the Iowa Connection "Who to Root For".  Buffalo, Green Bay and Jacksonville are trying hard to be that team this year. Note: Coaches in  italics Iowa Hawkeyes : 37 Iowa State Cyclones : 14 Northern Iowa Panthers : 9 Drake Bulldogs : 3 Ellsworth Community College : 1 North Iowa Area Community College: 1 Des Moines : 2 Iowa City : 1 Ames : 1 Cedar Rapids: 1 6 - Buffalo : Ike Boettger /  AJ Epenesa  / Micah Hyde (Iowa), AJ Klein (ISU), Spencer Brown (UNI), Matt Haack (W. Des Moines) 5 - Green Bay : Jerry Montgomery, Jack Heflin (Iowa), Allen Lazard (ISU), Ryan Mahaffey (UNI), Dominique Dafney (W. Des Moines ) 5 - Jacksonville :  C.J. Beathard  (Iowa),  Darrell Bevell,  Brian Sc...

Profile Merton Hanks was an All-Pro safety with the San Francisco 49ers who played nine years* in the NFL.  Hanks was a All-Pro twice, and won the Super Bowl with the 49ers.  He played corner for the Iowa Hawkeyes and was drafted in 1991**, and now is a high level executive with the Pac-12. * 8 with SF, and one with Seattle.  I wonder if he has a Seattle card (scans...), nope.  But he does has a bunch of new cards from 2018-2020, all serial numbered below 100.   ** A fifth round pick as scouts thought he'd be too slow in the NFL Personal Notes Merton Hanks was a fun player.  Everyone who watched the NFL in the 90s probably remembers his chicken dance when he made a big play.  He falls into this category of random players (though pretty good) who play non-skill positions who normally get forgotten, but he'll be remembered because he played on those very important 49ers teams.  Fox showed the 49ers a lot, and we saw them in the playoffs a bunch...

  Profile Bryce Paup is a linebacker who played for Green Bay, Buffalo, Jacksonville and Minnesota in his NFL career.  A four time pro bowler and 1995 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, Paup played 11 years in the NFL.  Bryce was born in Jefferson* and played his college ball at the University of Northern Iowa**, where he now currently coaches. * Others from Jefferson: (NFL) Paup, Merv Krakau, Dave Long (NASA) Loren Shriver (Medal of Honor) Darrell R. Lindsey ** Panthers drafted in the 90s: Paup (6th 1990), James Jones (3rd 1991), Kenny Shedd (5th 1993), Dedric Ward (3rd 1997), and Ty Talton (5th 1999) Personal Notes So I love numbers and I love seeing the advanced stats that you can now access.  WAR is great for baseball, although never perfect, it does give a quick snapshot of value.  For football, that has to be way harder to determine though.  OL vs CB.  WR value dependent on QB?  RB value change over the years?  Well, pro football referen...

        Profile Everett Lindsay was born in Burlington*, Iowa and played in the NFL for 11 years, mostly with the Minnesota Vikings** as an offensive tackle.  He was raised in North Carolina and has returned as a coach for Brevard College.   * Others notable from Burlington : (MLB)Steve Macko/Jack Hamilton/Matt Perisho , (NFL) Tony Baker/Kurt Warner ** Lindsay's head coach was Dennis Green (UofI) who brought Everett with him to Arizona as an OL coach Personal Notes I love to read profiles on these random players you never spent a moment thinking about, and its always amazing what interesting facts you uncover.  For Everett, its the fact that this NFL player never started in High School.  Not once.  Had to walk on at Ole Miss.  Take that Michael Jordan! Collection Notes I have 2/9 (22%) cards in my collection.

        Profile E.J. Bibbs is a tight end who started at Arizona Western CC before transferring to Iowa State for his final 2 years, earning 1st Team All-Conference honors*.  Bibbs was undrafted but played for Cleveland his first year.  Bibbs bounced around other NFL teams before playing in the newly recreated XFL** in the doomed 2020 year.  * Bibbs was the only Cyclone on either 1st or 2nd teams.  Allen Lazard was a honorable mention. ** Other XFLers: Players: James Butler (UofI), Elijah Campbell (UNI), Jake Campos (ISU)  Coaches: Jonathan Hayes (UofI), Bob Stoops (UofI), Chuck Long (UofI) Personal Notes Moonlight Graham was a ball player in the movie Field of Dreams who had one at bat and was immortalized for the idea of reaching your dreams, but just barely.  E.J. Bibbs has one catch for seven yards.  Where is his movie?! One other thing I noticed when googling E.J. Bibbs, which of these is there more of: E.J. Bibbs car...

        Profile Tom Knight was a corner back for the Iowa Hawkeyes in the early 90s, logging 10 interceptions in his time there.  He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the 1997 NFL Draft* with the 9th overall pick**.  He played 6 years in the pros. * Iowa Connections in 1997 NFL Draft: Knight (1st UofI), Ross Verba (1st UofI), Sedrick Shaw (3rd UofI), Troy Davis (3rd ISU), Tim Kohn (3rd ISU), Dedric Ward (3rd UNI),  Damien Robinson (4th UofI) ** Hawkeyes who were drafted higher than Knight: Randy Duncan (1st 1959), Robert Gallery (2nd 2004), Dick Crayne (4th 1936), Brandon Scherff (5th 2015), John Niland (5th 1966), T.J. Hockenson (8th 2019)  Personal Notes I have one little paragraph for these posts, because I have a lot of them to do, and I'm not trying to be a one stop shop for information about a person here.  There are plenty of other sites for that.  However, for the 9th pick in the draft, Tom Knight is pretty anonymous....

Pro Football HOF The Pro Football Hall of Fame is located in Canton, Ohio and is home to just over 346 members.  Each member receives a gold jacket upon enshrinement.  Here's the best list I can come up with of Iowa Connections in this HOF. Iowa Hawkeyes Players Alex Karras Paul Krause Duke Slater Andre Tippett Emlen Tunnell Iowa State Cyclones Coaches Jimmy Johnson Don Shula Mike Michalske Northern Iowa Players Kurt Warner Coe Kohawks Coaches Marv Levy Lived in Iowa Players Terry Bradshaw (Lived in Camanche)

        Profile Dr. Jamie Williams was a former tight end from Davenport (with Roger Craig ), who played at Nebraska and then 12 years in the pros.  He was drafted in the 1983 draft* by the Giants**.  He won the Super Bowl with the 49ers.  Jamie didn't stop just because he retired.  He completed a Doctorate of Education in Organization and Leadership, and now works at the University of Maryland. * Iowa connections in the 1983 draft: Roger Craig (2nd Davenport),  Jamie Williams (3rd Davenport), Karl Nelson (3rd ISU), Pat Dunsmore (4th Drake), Brett Miller (5th UofI), Reggie Roby (6th UofI), Mark Bortz (8th UofI) ** Drafted by the Giants, but never played there.  Played first season with St. Louis (Cardinals), then five with Houston (Oilers), 5 in San Fransisco, and 1 in Los Angeles (Raiders).  Personal Notes Nothing terribly enlightening here today, just an acknowledgement that I enjoyed reading his Wikipedia page and seeing "Dr. Jam...

Profile Lance Olberding is a offensive lineman who went to school at the University of Iowa* and Kirkwood.  He played semipro football for the Randolph Oilers of the Eastern Football League.  He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 7th round of the 1992 draft**. * Iowa had three NFL lineman from this line: Rob Baxley, Mike Devlin and Scott Davis ** Iowa Connections in 1992 Draft: Tyji Armstrong (3rd Iowa Central CC), Ron Geater (7th UofI), T.J. Rubley (9th Davenport), Mike Saunders (10th UofI), Rob Baxley (11th UofI), Matt Rodgers (12th UofI)  Personal Notes So, this is a tough one.  Not much info on Mr. Olberding in my quick search.  Went to Iowa, and was drafted in the 1992 Draft.  However, he never played a snap for the Hawkeyes.  (What?)  He played in the Eastern Football League (what is that?)  He was a bouncer at the time, and Cincinnati thought he was a project and threw a 7th round pick at him.  I can't tell why he l...

        Profile Dale Carter was an All-Pro defensive back* in the NFL playing 14 years.  He was drafted in the 1992 NFL draft out of Tennessee, but started his college career at Ellsworth College**.   * Other accolades: 4x Pro Bowler,  All-American, and Defensive Rookie of the Year ** Other NFLers from Ellsworth: Ken Bishop, Mistral Raymond, Andre Tippett, and Jaleel Scott  Personal Notes To be quite honest, Dale Carter is one of the better players to come from an Iowa college.  All-Pro, ROY, All-American and 4x Pro Bowler are accolades not many can match.  In his bio for the National Junior College Athletic Association Hall of Fame there is nothing but praise for his time at Ellsworth and the team's success. If you look at his Wikipedia page however, you see part of why his memory has faded.  Ejected for kicking Michael Irvin.  Suspended for a year for his 4th substance abuse violation.  These, and for whatever ...

        Profile If you are making a list of Iowa State football players to profile, Troy Davis is near the top. Troy played for ISU from 1994 to 1996 and broke nearly every rushing record at the school.  He ran for over 2000 yards in consecutive years*, and finished in the top 5 for Heisman** twice.   After a few years in the NFL, Troy played  up in the CFL winning the Grey Cup with the Edmonton Eskimos. * 2000 yards in consecutive years is crazy (especially considering 11 games), but looking at college history, the mind is blown when looking at Barry Sanders' Heisman season when he rushed for 2850! ** Troy finished second his junior year behind Danny Wuerffel.  He also lost the Doak Walker Award to Bryan Hanspard, still baffling today. Personal Notes The CFL is another spot where you can gather cards of Iowa greats.  Here's what I have found: Iowa Hawkeyes - Kenny Ploen, Randy Duncan, Bob Jeter, Larry Ferguson, ...