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The Greatest Houston Oilers of All Time
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Earl Christian Campbell (born March 29, 1955) is a former American football running back who played professionally in the National Football League (NFL) for the Houston Oilers and New Orleans Saints. Known for his aggressive, punishing running style and ability to break tackles, Campbell gained recognition as one of the best power running backs in NFL history. He played college football for the University of Texas, where he won the Heisman Trophy and earned unanimous All-America honors in his senior season, as well as numerous other accolades. He was drafted first overall by the Oilers in 1978 and had an immediate impact in the league, earning NFL Rookie of the Year honors. Earl Campbell was named the NFL's Offensive Player of the Year in each of his first three seasons, during which he averaged nearly 1,700 rushing yards per season. He won the AP NFL Most Valuable Player Award in 1979 after leading the league in rushing yards and touchdowns. With head coach Bum Phillips, Campbell's emergence in Houston coincided with the Luv Ya Blue era, a period of sustained success in which the Oilers made three straight playoff appearances. Campbell became the centerpiece of Houston's offense during the late 1970s and early 1980s. He was traded to the Saints six games into the 1984 season, where he spent his final season and a half before retiring. Campbell was inducted into both the College Football Hall of Fame (1990) and Pro Football Hall of Fame (1991). His jersey number is retired by the University of Texas and the Tennessee Titans.- Photo:
Bruce Rankin Matthews (born August 8, 1961) is a former American football offensive lineman who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 19 seasons, from 1983 to 2001. He spent his entire career playing for the Houston / Tennessee Oilers / Titans franchise. Highly versatile, throughout his NFL career he played every position on the offensive line, starting in 99 games as a left guard, 87 as a center, 67 as a right guard, 22 as a right tackle, 17 as a left tackle, and was the snapper on field goals, PATs, and punts. Having never missed a game due to injury, his 293 NFL games started is the second most of all time. Matthews played college football for the University of Southern California, where he was recognized as a consensus All-American for the USC Trojans football team as a senior. He was selected in the first round of the 1983 NFL Draft by the Oilers. He was a 14-time Pro Bowl selection, tied for the most in NFL history, and a nine-time first-team All-Pro. Matthews was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2007, and his number 74 jersey is retired by the Titans; he is the only member of the team to have his number retired having played for the Titans. After retiring as a player, Matthews served as an assistant coach for the Houston Texans and Titans. A member of the Matthews family of football players, he is the brother of linebacker Clay Matthews Jr.; father of center Kevin Matthews and tackle Jake Matthews; and uncle of linebacker Clay Matthews III and linebacker Casey Matthews.- Photo:
Warren Moon is an actor who appeared in "Jerry Maguire," "Any Given Sunday," and "Air Bud 2: Golden Receiver."- Photo:
Michael Anthony "Mike" Munchak (born March 5, 1960) is a former professional American football player and current offensive line coach for the Denver Broncos. A graduate of Penn State, Munchak played left guard for the Houston Oilers from 1982 until 1993 and was a nine-time selection to the Pro Bowl. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2001. After his retirement, Munchak continued his association with the Houston franchise by becoming an assistant coach. He joined the staff in 1994 as an offensive assistant and quality control coach and stayed with the franchise after it moved to Tennessee and became known as the Tennessee Titans, eventually becoming its offensive line coach in 1997, and served in that position for 14 years. Munchak became the Titans' head coach in 2011 and was fired after the 2013 season, ending his 31-year association with the franchise. He served as offensive line coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers for five years and is now the offensive line coach for the Denver Broncos.- Photo:
Raymond Clay Childress, Jr. (born October 20, 1962) is a former American football defensive tackle in the NFL for the Houston Oilers and Dallas Cowboys. He played college football at Texas A&M University.- Photo:
Elvin Lamont Bethea (born March 1, 1946) is a former American football defensive end who played his entire career with the Houston Oilers. He played for North Carolina A&T State University and was the first person from that school to be elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, having been inducted in 2003.- Photo:
Robert Lorenzo Brazile Jr. (born February 7, 1953) is a former professional American football linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). Nicknamed "Dr. Doom", Brazile played from 1975 to 1984 for the Houston Oilers and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018.- Photo:
George D. Webster (November 25, 1945 – April 19, 2007) was an American college and professional gridiron football player.- Photo:
Robert Guy "Bob" Talamini (born January 8, 1939 in Louisville, Kentucky), was a 6'1", 250 lb lineman, who earned third-team All-SEC honors at the University of Kentucky and was drafted by the Houston Oilers of the American Football League. His professional career began with the AFL's first training camp in 1960, and was capped the day the New York Jets stunned the NFL's Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III on January 12, 1969. Hall of Famers George Blanda and Billy Cannon benefited from his blocking as the Oilers won the first two AFL Championships. Talamini made first-team All-AFL in 1962 and was a regular at American Football League All-Star games, selected to six straight, through 1967. He anchored an offensive line that gave Blanda time to set passing records that would last for decades and opened holes for the likes of Cannon, Charlie Tolar, Sid Blanks and Hoyle Granger to run through. Talamini, Don Floyd and Jim Norton were the last of the original Oilers. After two AFL crowns and three Eastern Division titles, Talamini watched the club rebuild and win the division again in 1967. The Oilers fell one game short in 1967, but Talamini got to realize his dream the following year when he was released and picked up by the New York Jets. Opening holes for Matt Snell and blocking defenders away from Joe Namath. Talamini was selected to the All-Time All-AFL second team. In 2011, he was inducted in the Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Fame.- Photo:
Dante Anthony "Dan" Pastorini (born May 26, 1949) is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Houston Oilers, Oakland Raiders, Los Angeles Rams, and the Philadelphia Eagles. He is also a winning NHRA Top Fuel Dragster driver.
