Smallthoughts: Old School Tuesday …Mike Garrett

Mike Garrett had an outstanding college career at USC.

A two time All-American, Garrett set numerous NCAA, Pac-8 Conference and USC records in his career by amassing a then unheard of 3,221 yards and scored 30 touchdowns. Garrett also led the nation in rushing in 1965 with 267 carries for 1,440 yards. He also caught 36 passes, returned 43 punts, returned 30 kickoffs and threw 6 passes. Two of his passes went for touchdowns.

After college he went on to play in the American Football League (AFL) with Kansas City Chiefs from 1966 to 1969 and in 1970 as the Chiefs moved to the National Football League in 1970. He was traded to the San Diego Chargers and remained with them until 1973.

Garrett was a two-time AFL All-Star. in 1966 and 1967. He played in the first AFL–NFL World Championship Game, now referred to as Super Bowl I, with the Chiefs after the 1966 season. He contributed 17 rushing yards, three receptions for 28 yards, and two kickoff returns for 43 yards in their loss. Garrett won a World Championship ring with the Chiefs in Super Bowl IV, the last AFL–NFL World Championship Game before the AFL–NFL merger, when the AFL’s Chiefs beat the NFL’s Vikings, 23–7. Garrett was the top rusher of Super Bowl IV with 11 carries for 39 yards and a touchdown, also catching two passes for 25 yards and returning a kickoff for 18 yards. In his eight professional football seasons, Garrett rushed for 5,481 yards, caught 238 passes for 2,010 yards, returned 14 kickoffs for 323 yards, and returned 39 punts for 235 yards. Overall, Garrett gained a total of 8,049 yards and scored 49 touchdowns (35 rushing, 13 receiving, 1 punt return).

Garrett also was drafted three times by professional baseball teams. He was selected in the 41st round of the 1965 MLB Draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates and by the Los Angeles Dodgers twice, in the fourth round of the 1966 MLB Draft and the 35th round of the 1970 MLB Draft.

Smallthoughts: Old School Tuesday spotlights an all round athlete …Mike Garrett

 

Career history
Kansas City Chiefs (1966–1970) San Diego Chargers (1970–1973)
Career highlights and awards
Heisman Trophy winner (1965) UPI Player of the Year (1965) Pop Warner Trophy (1965) 2× AFL All-Star (1966, 1967) 2× AFL Champion (1966, 1969) Super Bowl Champion (IV) Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Fame College football HOF
Career NFL statistics
Rushing attempts: 1,308 Rushing yards: 5,481 Average: 4.2 Receptions: 238 Receiving yards: 2,010 Total touchdowns: 48