Jim Brown’s one-page rookie contract from 1957 sold at auction for $21,228 to an anonymous bidder Sunday morning. The auction drew nine bidders with a minimum bid of $7,500. SCP Auctions of Laguna Niguel, California, who handled the auction, said only Johnny Unitas’ rookie contract, which went for $30,000 in 2007, sold for more than Brown’s.
Pittsburgh Steelers great Rod Woodson is selling nearly his entire collection of memorabilia, including his rings, trophies and jerseys. The collection being auctioned by California-based SCP Auctions has more than 70 items from the legendary safety’s career, including his Hall of Fame ring, two AFC Championship rings, his Super Bowl XXXVII game-used Raiders jersey, his game-worn Purdue jersey from the 1984 Peach Bowl and four Pro Bowl uniforms.
SCP Auctions is proud to announce that it has secured the personal memorabilia collection of former NFL great Rod Woodson. The Hall of Fame defensive back’s coveted lineup of game-used jerseys, AFC Championship rings and multitude of accolades and trophies will hit the online auction block on Wednesday, April 8, at SCPAuctions.com. It features nearly 70 lots of Woodson’s most prominent items including dozens of game balls from his alma mater (Purdue) as well as his 17-year pro career, various MVP awards and his NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team trophy which he was awarded in 1994.
“I was blessed with a long career in the NFL,” said Woodson, who now serves as assistant defensive backs coach for the Raiders, “and I was able to acquire quite a few mementoes from my playing days. Now I feel good about consigning with SCP Auctions and sharing these with passionate football fans and collectors who would be interested in adding them to their collections.”
Woodson was a standout defensive back who played 17 hard-hitting seasons in the NFL from 1987 to 2003. A native of Fort Wayne, Indiana, he was a three-sport star at Snider High School before accepting a full scholarship to play football at Purdue University. As a Boilermaker, Woodson was a two-time All-America selection at defensive back (‘85 and ’86) and was a three-time All-Big Ten Conference First Team selection. He was also a member of Purdue’s track team and was twice awarded All-America honors as a hurdler after finishing second at the 1985 NCAA championships and third at the ‘87 NCAA championships, both times in the 55-meter event.
Selected in the first round of the ‘87 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers (No. 10 pick overall), Woodson made a huge impact in the Steel City. For 10 seasons Woodson was one of the NFL’s most feared corners as he recorded 644 tackles, made 38 interceptions (five returned for touchdowns) and recovered 21 fumbles. In 1993, he was named the NFL’s AP Defensive Player of the Year. A six-time First-Team All-Pro selection, he was named to the Pro Bowl 11 times, setting a record for defensive backs. He won his only Super Bowl title as a free safety with the Baltimore Ravens in 2000 and completed his career with the Oakland Raiders in 2003. He finished with 71 interceptions (third best overall) and still owns the NFL record with 12 picks returned for touchdowns. To no one’s surprise, he was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2009, in his first year of eligibility. -Terry Melia
