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Houston's all-time pro football team: Wide receivers

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CloakNNNdagger

Hall of Fame
Current Texan may be best receiver Houston has ever seen

Originally published 02:55 p.m., July 7, 2010
Updated 02:55 p.m., July 7, 2010

CORPUS CHRISTI — When it comes to who is the all-time best receiver in Houston’s 50-year pro football history, fans may be watching him right now.

Andre Johnson has been on the shortlist of top receivers in the NFL for the past few years and is the most likely current Houston Texans to beat the past Houston Oilers on our list.

But it will be up to the voters to decide.

Help select the all-time Houston pro football team’s wide receivers (pick 2) at Caller.com. Here are the candidates (Statistics, honors and years played are from time spent only with Houston pro franchises; seasons spent with Houston pro franchises are listed in parentheses).

Kenny Burrough (1971-1981)

Third on the Oilers in career receiving yards (6,907), sixth in receptions (408) and tied for second in touchdown catches (47). Led NFL with 1,063 receiving yards in 1975. Led team in receptions seven times. Made two Pro Bowls.

Curtis Duncan (1987-1993)

Seventh in Oilers career receptions (322) and yards (3,935), with 20 touchdowns. Had 82 receptions for 954 yards in 1992 to earn Pro Bowl appearance.

Ernest Givins (1986-1994)

Oilers’ all-time leader in receptions (542) and yardage (7,935). His 46 touchdowns are fourth in franchise history. Passed 1,000 yards receiving only in rookie season. Two-time Pro Bowler. UPI All-AFC in 1990.

Bill Groman (1960-1962)

His 1,473 receiving yards in 1960 are third all-time for the Oilers. Twice, he went over 1,000 yards in a season, and twice he averaged more than 20 yards a catch. Two-time All-AFL.

Charley Hennigan (1960-1966)

Led team in receptions four times, passing the 1,000-yard mark three times. His 1,746 receiving yards in 1961 are franchise best, while 1,546 in 1964 are second-best. His 101 receptions in 1964 are most in a season for Oilers. Most receiving touchdowns in Oilers career (51) and fourth in yards (6,823). Played in five AFL All-Star games. Named All-AFL twice.

Drew Hill (1985-1991)

Cleared 1,000 yards five times and led team in receptions four times. Second on the Oilers in career receiving yards (7,477) and touchdowns (47) and third in receptions (480). Two-time Pro Bowler.

Haywood Jeffires (1987-1995)

Led team in receptions five times, including grabbing 100 in 1991. Twice cracked the 1,000-yard barrier. Second among Oilers in receptions (512) and touchdowns (47) and fifth in yards (6,119). Made three Pro Bowls and named all-pro in 1991.

Andre Johnson (2003-present)Has caught at least 50 passes every season for the Texans, twice catching more than 100, including a franchise-high 115 in 2008. Has 7,883 receiving yards for his career and twice has surpassed 1,500 in a season. Has 42 career touchdown catches. Four-time Pro Bowler and twice all-pro.
 
I was surprised that Mike Renfro didn't make the list. Then I looked up his stats and they were meh.

I guess childhood memories trump reality sometimes.
 
El Tejano said:
You truly missed out on Drew Hill, Ernest Givins, Haywood Jeffires,and Curtis Duncan. They were something else.
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Yep, some of my favorite Oilers. I still do the Ernest Givins ball spin when I play front yard ball with the nephews. :smiliedance:

He was never great, but Tony "Warp Speed" Jones, was cool too..... oh and Webster Slaughter as well.
 
It looks like Andre will pass Ernest Givins for all-time receiving yardage by a Houston wide receiver in the first game against the Colts.

I would have thought that would have been a higher number to get to.
 
False Start said:
Yep, some of my favorite Oilers. I still do the Ernest Givins ball spin when I play front yard ball with the nephews. :smiliedance:

He was never great, but Tony "Warp Speed" Jones, was cool too..... oh and Webster Slaughter as well.
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How many times did Givins go up in there and end up getting flipped over and knocked around mid air and come down with the ball every time, he was like an acrobat out there.
 
Hardcore Texan said:
How many times did Givins go up in there and end up getting flipped over and knocked around mid air and come down with the ball every time, he was like an acrobat out there.
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Nobody did that better than...

*groans*

...Don Beebe. He loved to land on his helmet after getting flipped and pop right back up!
 
Let me lead off by saying that AJ is the best WR this city has ever seen, with the possible exception of Hennigan. Hennigan was a little before my time, but what he accomplished in that era looks like it was something pretty special.

However, I have to say that I think Jeffires would have excelled in today's NFL. He was a fast, tall, and gifted receiver. His place in history would be afforded a bit more respect if the Oilers had ever won anything. His numbers stand out even among his peers, but those of us who watched him know that the numbers don't even tell the story.
 
Even having said all that, the fab four still had one of the best passers in the NFL for their stays in Houston. Now Schaub was really good last year, but he is still way short of Moon's numbers and respect he had around the league during the Run and Shoot era. AJ didn't have the excellent numbers while Carr was doing him wrong, but his talent has really shown through the last 4 years (even when he came back from an MCL injury like it didn't happen). This is something me and my parents hyave discussed and they believe, as well as I, that it's going to be a long time before we somebody as good as AJ catching balls for Houston again.

Could you imagine how sick his numbers would be if he had Warren Moon throwing him the ball?
 
I agree with what's been said, but just out of my fond memories I have to give double-knot Kenny Burrough some love. When he was a Houston Oiler every kid in Houston that was Oiler faithful said his name as a long bomb was coming down to them for a touchdown. Good times.

PSA-1972-Topps-026-12507695.jpg
 
Hardcore Texan said:
How many times did Givins go up in there and end up getting flipped over and knocked around mid air and come down with the ball every time, he was like an acrobat out there.
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I'll never forget that play. Its still showed on highlight films to this day. 81 was the man. :cool:
 
Drew Hill was always my favorite out of these guys. He was fun to watch to me back in the day and I always hated Slaughter when he was on the Browns. I loved it when we added him to the mix though, because he did not disappoint.
 
I know that Jeffiries and Kenny Burroughs gave me the most pleasure watching. AJ needs to up his TDs.
 
Texecutioner said:
Drew Hill was always my favorite out of these guys. He was fun to watch to me back in the day and I always hated Slaughter when he was on the Browns. I loved it when we added him to the mix though, because he did not disappoint.
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Yep, no doubt. I was stoked when the Oilers acquired Slaughter. He was a great addition. The Oilers receivers were the best in the league back then.
 
False Start said:
Yep, no doubt. I was stoked when the Oilers acquired Slaughter. He was a great addition. The Oilers receivers were the best in the league back then.
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His best year with us was cut short due to blowing out his knee. I remember watching on TV. It was towards the end of the season against the Steelers (iirc).
 
El Tejano said:
You truly missed out on Drew Hill, Ernest Givins, Haywood Jeffires,and Curtis Duncan. They were something else.
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I would add Kenny Burrough, old 00, should be higher on the list and he was something to watch. I do not think that Houston has had a better deep threat than Kenny.

They have had more complete receivers but not a better deep guy.
 
b0ng said:
Even having said all that, the fab four still had one of the best passers in the NFL for their stays in Houston. Now Schaub was really good last year, but he is still way short of Moon's numbers and respect he had around the league during the Run and Shoot era. AJ didn't have the excellent numbers while Carr was doing him wrong, but his talent has really shown through the last 4 years (even when he came back from an MCL injury like it didn't happen). This is something me and my parents hyave discussed and they believe, as well as I, that it's going to be a long time before we somebody as good as AJ catching balls for Houston again.

Could you imagine how sick his numbers would be if he had Warren Moon throwing him the ball?
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Schaub threw for more yards last year than Moon ever did for the Oilers.

Schaub had like the 6th most passing yardage in NFL History in 2010.

As for AJ v. the old school oilers WR, I would take Andre over any of those guys. No hesitation at all.

Moon was a chokejob waiting to happen imho....but that is another story.
 
I had to go with Andre and Burroughs. But, it was tough not to vote for Charlie Hennigan. 1746 yds in 1961 was just unbelievable. And he still leads in touchdowns with 51 in six years. It took Jeffires 8 yrs and Givens 8 yrs in the run & shoot to get 47. And Burroughs 10 yrs to get to 47, of course the last 4 of those were in the Earl days where passes were few & far between.

Thinking about it, I should have gone with Hennigan.
 
AJ is the best WR in Houston Pro Football history IMO. The man is just a beast. He is as reliable as it gets, and he has made his fair share of clutch catches.
 
False Start said:
AJ is the best WR in Houston Pro Football history IMO. The man is just a beast. He is as reliable as it gets, and he has made his fair share of clutch catches.
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Absolutely, but who is your second?
 
False Start said:
AJ is the best WR in Houston Pro Football history IMO. The man is just a beast. He is as reliable as it gets, and he has made his fair share of clutch catches.
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Easily. There is and never will be a WR better than AJ in Houston history. Maybe some guy will come out years from now, but I just don't see anyone being better than AJ. His numbers could have been so much better many years ago had Carr not been here.
 
HOU-TEX said:
His best year with us was cut short due to blowing out his knee. I remember watching on TV. It was towards the end of the season against the Steelers (iirc).
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Yup... I remember that too. And, yes, I believe it was against the Pitts!


I was actually stoked whenever we acquired Webster from Cleveland. He was a major plus by subtraction.. (for Cleveland)
 
All of the WR's mentioned were great in their own time and are considered great today, but I think, baring major injuries, AJ will go down as one of the greatest WR's in NFL history. If he and Schaub stay healthy, and keep connecting like they have been, AJ will probably have a few NFL receiving records, let alone Houston records, when it's all said and done. I just hope they both stay healthy and get a few :trophy:. I'm sure AJ and Schaub would trade records for rings! JMHO!
 
False Start said:
For me its a tie between Burrough, and Givins. The Oilers had so many great receivers, its hard to make a decision.

Another personal Favorite was this guy:


billy-white-shoes-johnson.jpg
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Givins was 3rd on his team, behind Hill and Jeffires, how can he be your #2?

00 played in a different era, teams did not throw near as much or near as well as they do now. He also played on a bad team his early years in the league, he was the only weapon they had until 1976. Danta would rear back and throw the ball as far as he could, and Kenny would run under it and catch it 50 yds downfield. It was a thing of beauty.

Moon's deep ball was not as pretty as Dan Pastorini's deep ball. But Dan could not throw it short without knocking the receiver over.

As the number 2 guy behind AJ, I would have to say it was Hill or Jeffires.
 
False Start said:
Another personal Favorite was this guy:


billy-white-shoes-johnson.jpg
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Billy White Shoes Johnson at least needs to be on the HM team.

If they didn't use him as a returner, he would have gotten more than 337 catches in his career.

13.2 yds average on punt return is simply sickening!
The guy can run some nice reverse, too!

3-time Pro-Bowler as a returner.
Pro-Bowl MVP when he took a punt 90 yds for a TD.
He was also named All-Pro once.

Billy "White Shoes" Johnson was named to both the NFL's 1980's All-Decade Team, and to the 75th Anniversary All-Time Team


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0EVm7fi0iQ
 
You will get a chance to vote for BWS on July 17 when voting will be up for K, P, returners.
 
No brainer. Andre Johnson and Charley Hennigan.

Does anyone know why Hennigan retires after only 6 years in the NFL? That's the only thing I can think of that could have kept him out of the HOF.
 
painekiller said:
Givins was 3rd on his team, behind Hill and Jeffires, how can he be your #2?

00 played in a different era, teams did not throw near as much or near as well as they do now. He also played on a bad team his early years in the league, he was the only weapon they had until 1976. Danta would rear back and throw the ball as far as he could, and Kenny would run under it and catch it 50 yds downfield. It was a thing of beauty.

Moon's deep ball was not as pretty as Dan Pastorini's deep ball. But Dan could not throw it short without knocking the receiver over.

As the number 2 guy behind AJ, I would have to say it was Hill or Jeffires.
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It was just my personal preference, nothing to do with stats. EG was my favorite Oiler in the 90s.
 
NitroHonda said:
He also was my favorite behind Bubba McDowell, Cris Dishman, and Lamar Lathon.

Man those guys could hit.
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Yeah they could. Dishman will never live down the play where he was showing the ball to the defender, and got it swatted out of his hand. I remember thinking, WTF? :pissed: However, I did like CD.
 
aj. said:
This is part of a larger effort to select Houston's all time pro football team. Voting is up for four positions now. I have them all linked at the bottom of this article for one stop shopping if you haven't voted on the other positions yet:

http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-...-Help-pick-Houstons-alltime-pro-football-team
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Thanks for linking them all. I was shocked to see Earl Campbell wasn't 90%.

Texecutioner said:
His numbers could have been so much better many years ago had Carr not been here.
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Can you imagine if this was AJ's eighth year with Schaub?

Lucky said:
Wish they had included the Gamblers. Jim Kelly is still the best QB this town has ever seen, IMO.
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Yup. Don't understand excluding Kelly. I guess because it was only two years but they included Casper with three years in Houston.
 
Voting for the offensive tackles is up. Read the ballot and weep.

They left David Williams off for some reason. He wasn't just famous for babygate, he turned into a pretty good tackle I thought....
 
infantrycak said:
Thanks for linking them all. I was shocked to see Earl Campbell wasn't 90%.
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WTH? Who in the hell would vote for anyone else but Earl? I mean, as far as Houston RBs go, it's Earl and a bunch of scrubs (relatively speaking). I just cannot even fathom a vote that doesn't have Earl as the #1 Houston RB of all time.
 
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