Al Toon

[Indianapolis-Colts-Fan]

I'm watching something on ESPN about a WR named al toon. Number 88. That's all I know. They said he was playing better than jerry rice until he had "one too many" cuncussions. Which made him retire early. But he played during the same time as jerry rice, with better numbers. Have any of you guys heard of this guy?

[funktacious2]

I've never heard of him either. This interests me.

[shakedownstreet]

he has a brother named car

[NewColtsFan]

Al Toon was a big WR back in the 80's....

I don't recall him being better than Jerry Rice was.... but he was very good. Pro Bowl level. He wasn't that fast, but ran good routes and had good hands and he was big and lanky. Think he was about 6'4" and about 205 or so.

But he suffered BAD concussions and eventually retired.

p.s. -- Toon has a son who just got drafted by the Saints this past draft. I want to say 5th/6th round... the son is about 6'2" or 3 and about 210-215ish...

Both went to Wisconsin...

Here's Toon's Wiki page, and you can get his stats by clicking over to his page on NFL.com

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Toon

[Indianapolis-Colts-Fan]

Well they said on ESPN he was Jerry Rice level.

[Moncrief]

Wait wait wait...... ESPN? 'Nuff said

[stat2883]

Al Toon was pretty good and Ken O-Brien was an above average QB chucking him the rock. The defenses in the AFC East at that time weren't the highest quality either and probably helped his stats. Rice wasn't the fastest guy either but had hands and ran good routes, the same compliments Toon got. Its hard to say really just how good Toon could have been minus the concussions. Keep him mind too that while O'Brien was a good QB, he was no Montana or Young. Toon was the Jets only real constant receiving threat for half of his career there - Wesley Walker retired in '89.

[Warhorse]

he has a brother named car

...who ate toonafish

[oldunclemark]

Well they said on ESPN he was Jerry Rice level.

Lord no..

[YOUR GM]

he has a brother named car

...who ate toonafish

[Boiler_Colt]

He's the father of former Wisconsin and now New Orleans WR Nick Toon right?

[mark5362]

He was good,don't remember him having Rice #'s

[bayone]

I'm watching something on ESPN about a WR named al toon. Number 88. That's all I know. They said he was playing better than jerry rice until he had "one too many" cuncussions. Which made him retire early. But he played during the same time as jerry rice, with better numbers. Have any of you guys heard of this guy?

His son has bettered his all his records at wisconsin too I heard

He's the father of former Wisconsin and now New Orleans WR Nick Toon right?

Yes

Saints coach Joe Vitt says rookie WR Nick Toon will play Thursday

http://www.cbssports.com/general/blog/nfl-rapidreports/19927866/saints-coach-joe-vitt-says-rookie-wr-nick-toon-will-play-thursday

[schwamm]

I was living in NJ during his playing days, and my uncle was a HUGE Jets fan... I remember him being very excited about the Jets drafting Al Toon, and I remember Toon was kind of a big deal, but only for the briefest of times. Maybe not outside of the NY/NJ area, but it seemed like Monday's paper and the local TV news were always showing pictures or clips of some incredible Toon catch.

I never caught the whole Jets bug, but I definitely remember his retirement for the "air's been sucked out of the room" feeling throughout the Jets fandom. From my perspective, the Collie stuff feels really similar, although Toon was definitely on track to be a bigger star.