Card: 1964 Philadelphia Gum, Card #3

Team/Position: Baltimore Colts / Tight End

Cost: $5.00

I ended up ordering this Mackey card with the Butkus rookie card, so it was pretty cheap.  When it comes to getting lower grade rookie cards, Kruk Cards out of Michigan has really been a solid source.

Mackey essentially revolutionized the tight-end position and was only the second true tight-end to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

In 10 NFL seasons, Mackey caught over 300 balls for over 5000 yards and 38 touchdowns.  In addition to break away speed, especially for the tight-end position, Mackey was a powerful all-around blocker.

In his 10 years, Mackey was selected to 5 Pro Bowls and 3 All Pro teams.  However, Mackey’s almost certainly best known for his catch in Superbowl V off a tip.

Mackey served as NFLPA President for four years, from 1969 to 1974.  Thus, making Mackey the first President of the Players’ Union after the AFL/NFL merger.

John Mackey currently suffers from frontotemperal dementia, and his original claims were denied by the NFLPA.  Thankfully, the people in charge of the NFL’s pension plan were able to connect the dots between Football and Brain Injury and “MACKEY 88” was established.

Unfortunately, dementia cannot be fully diagnosed until after an autopsy is performed, which makes it difficult to link brain injury directly to football.  Many current NFL players have gone about donating their brains (after death, duh) to science to help further research.

If you haven’t read Malcolm Gladwell’s insightful take on head injuries in football, please do (author of The Tipping Point, Blink and Outliers)