1973 NFL Rookies of the Year

1973 still had 10 different Rookie of the Year awards. Associated Press and Pro Football Weekly had offensive and defensive awards. The Sporting News, United Press International and the Newspaper Enterprise Association all had awards for both AFC and NFC. These ten awards were distributed to 4 different rookies. As was the norm in that era, none of them had cards in the 1973 Topps set.

Chuck Foreman was the recipient of the 1973 AP award for offensive Rookie of the Year. The Vikings fullback was also a receiving threat. He had 1163 combined yards with 4 rushing TDs and 2 receiving TDs.  He was selected to the Pro Bowl his rookie year. He would make the Pro Bowl 5 times during his career.

Wally Chamber came into the NFL with a Pro Bowl afro.  A sack threat before sacks were an official stat, Chambers was a Pro Bowler his first year. He was given 2 defensive Rookie of the Year Awards from Pro Football Weekly and the Associated Press. An injury during the All Pro game in January of  1977 cut his career short. He missed most of the '77 season and was traded to Tampa Bay in 1978. He retired in 1979.

With three AFC Rookie of the Year Awards (Sporting News, UPI and NEA) the Bengals 12th round pick really paid off.  He was primarily an offensive lineman in college.  Due to injuries, he was put in the backfield and caught the eye of Paul Brown. He rushed for 988 yards and 8 TDs his rookie year.

Leading the pack with 4 different Rookie of the year honors was Charle Young.  Young's first name was often misspelled on his cards as Charles, Charlie or Charley.  In fact, Topps misspelled his name "Charlie" on the front of his 1984 card, and misspelled his name "Charley" on the back of the same card.  Young was the starting Pro Bowl tight end after his rookie season.  He played 13 season for the Eagles, Rams, 49ers and Seahawks.