Piece by Alex Christ
From 1960-1966, the American Football League and the National Football League competed for college athletes before both leagues merged in the 1967 NFL Draft. Over the course of these seven years, the AFL and NFL teams selected many Pro Bowl, All-Pro, and Hall of Fame players, but each player had the option to play in either league.
In this countdown of each AFL/NFL team in existence during this seven year stretch, we will take a look at some of the greatest players selected in these drafts and how their careers would have been the same or different if they chose to play for the other team they were drafted by in the AFL or NFL.
1961: The Case of Jim Tyrer (3rd round pick (AFL), 14th round pick (NFL))
After growing up in the city of Newark, Ohio (a 42 minute drive from The Ohio State University), Jim Tyrer received a scholarship to play for his state school from future Hall of Fame head coach Woody Hayes, who had previously led the Buckeyes to an undefeated season in 1954 and a victory in the Rose Bowl over USC.
But, despite missing the 1957 season due to the NCAA’s freshman ineligibility rules, Jim Tyrer would become an All-American at Ohio State while replacing future Hall of Famer Jim Parker on the Buckeyes offensive line. After opening up the 1958 season with a #1 AP Poll ranking, Tyrer would lead Ohio State to two winning seasons along with a rival series sweep of Michigan as well as Illinois in 1958 and 1960.
However, as the Buckeyes wrapped up their 1960 campaign with a shutout victory over Michigan, Jim Tyrer would be drafted by the AFL’s Dallas Texans just two days later in the 3rd round of the AFL Draft before the NFL’s Chicago Bears would select Tyrer in the 14th round of the NFL Draft, three days after Christmas.
While the Texans were building their offensive line from scratch using undrafted free agents and NFL outcasts, the Bears had a few starters returning on their offensive line that were key to Chicago’s success when they represented the NFL’s Western Division in the 1956 NFL Championship including future Hall of Famer Stan Jones.
But, as the Bears struggled to find offensive consistency after the 1956 NFL season, the Texans shocked the AFL in the league’s inaugural season with rookie running back Abner Haynes earning AFL MVP honors by leading the league in rushing yards. With a significant difference in their offense and the Texans drafting Tyrer within the first 30 picks of their league’s draft, Jim Tyrer signed with Dallas and would become an immediate fixture on the Texans offensive line.
After starting 26 games in his first two seasons in Dallas, Jim Tyrer would begin an impressive iron man streak after the Texans moved to Kansas City, in which he would start 140 consecutive games for the Chiefs from 1963-1972. During this streak, Tyrer would also earn six straight All-Pro selections from 1965-1970 along with nine AFL All-Star/Pro Bowl honors.
But, as the Texans/Chiefs continued to add more talent on their offense, Jim Tyrer would be the only starter on the offensive line to play in all three AFL Championships that future Hall of Fame head coach Hank Stram won during the 1960’s in 1962, 1966, and 1969 (including Super Bowl IV). However, after Tyrer missed the last two games of the 1973 NFL season due to injury, he was traded to Washington for three draft picks and only started one game for future Hall of Fame head coach George Allen before retiring at the end of the 1974 NFL season.
Just three years after his retirement from the NFL, Jim Tyrer’s legacy with the Texans/Chiefs would come full circle when he would be inducted in the Chiefs Hall of Fame. But, despite Tyrer’s tragic death in 1980 and his off field issues after his retirement, there has been some talk about his eligibility for the Hall of Fame in Canton with his six All-Pro selections.
However, as Bears fans look back into some of their productive years during the 1960’s with the Hall of Fame additions of Mike Ditka and Gale Sayers on their offense, would Jim Tyrer’s career have been the same or different if he had signed in Chicago?
My answer to this question is… different. Despite winning the 1963 NFL Championship with a few Pro Bowl players on offense, the Bears still struggled to develop a strong offense under future Hall of Fame head coach George Halas during the 1960’s. After the 1961 NFL season, Halas made a huge decision that would affect the Bears offensive line when he placed Stan Jones on his defense to improve Chicago’s defensive line.
But, with that decision, the Bears would not send another offensive lineman to the Pro Bowl during the 1960’s except for center Mike Pyle in 1963, who was drafted seven rounds before Jim Tyrer in the 1961 NFL Draft. As a result, Chicago’s offense continued to struggle despite the efforts of Mike Ditka and Gale Sayers (last in rushing offense in 64’; last in passing offense from 1966-69).
With an inconsistent offense and George Halas’ inability to fix the Bears offensive woes through the draft or free agency, it would have been very difficult for Jim Tyrer to have similar success in Chicago as he had with Dallas/Kansas City when he was surrounded by the All-Pro talents of Len Dawson, Fred Arbanas, Ed Budde, Abner Haynes, Mike Garrett, and many others.
A Question for Chicago Bears/NFL Fans to Think About (Leave your answer/comment below)
Despite his career threatening leg injury halfway through the 1968 NFL season, Gale Sayers would win his second NFL rushing title in 1969 as the league’s only 1,000-yard rusher (Sayers’ first NFL rushing title came in 1966).
During his tenure with the Texans/Chiefs, Jim Tyrer blocked for two 1,000-yard running backs (Abner Haynes in 1962 and Mike Garrett in 1967), but Dallas/Kansas City had the AFL’s #1 rushing offense in four of the league’s 10 seasons.
Even though Jim Tyrer would have won a championship with either organization, which scenario do you think is the most impressive considering the Bears did not have an aerial passing attack while the Texans/Chiefs had a more balanced offensive attack with future Hall of Fame quarterback Len Dawson?