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Wide Receiver
"Pass receiving is something I’ve been good at, but as far as mastering the art, it’s not something you think about that way. It is a skill that just sort of comes to you as a result of everything else.”
(Grambling)...5'11'', 188...Charles Joiner, Jr. . .4th-round pick, 1969 draft. . .Played 18 seasons, 239 games, most ever for wide receiver at time of retirement. . .Career record: 750 catches, 12,146 yards, 65 TDs. . .Caught 586 passes as Charger. . . Key element in vaunted "Air Coryell" offense. . . Surpassed 50 catches seven years. . . 100-yard receiver 29 games. . .Intelligent, smart, calculating. . .Played in three Pro Bowls. . .Durable, missed one game last 13 years. . .Born October 14, 1947, in Many, Louisiana.
Charlie Joiner played pro football for 18 years, longer than any other wide receiver in history at the time of his retirement. When he retired at the age of 39 after the 1986 season with the San Diego Chargers, he ranked as the leading receiver of all-time with 750 catches.
Blessed with excellent speed and tantalizing moves, Joiner averaged 16.2 yards per catch and accounted for 12,146 yards and 65 touchdowns on his receptions. He ranked sixth in career reception yardage.
The Houston Oilers targeted Joiner for the defensive backfield when they picked the 5-11, 180-pounder from Grambling in the fourth round of the 1969 AFL-NFL Draft. Joiner played briefly on defense and the kickoff return team but soon became established as a premier pass catcher.
In his fourth season in 1972, Houston sent him to the Cincinnati Bengals in a four-player swap. Four years later in 1976, he was traded to San Diego. With the Chargers, Joiner blossomed into super-stardom. He and quarterback Dan Fouts formed a lethal pass-catch team that accounted for the preponderance of his 586 receptions as a Charger.
During his 11 years in San Diego, Joiner caught 50 or more passes seven times and had 70 or more receptions three seasons. Injuries cut into his playing time at the beginning but, in a 193-game span over his final 13 seasons, Joiner missed only one game. He was an All-NFL pick in 1980 and a Pro Bowl choice three times. In the 1980 AFC title game, he led the Chargers with six receptions for 130 yards and two touchdowns.
Joiner, who was born October 14, 1947, in Many, Louisiana, was once described by San Francisco 49ers coaching great Bill Walsh as “the most intelligent, the smartest, the most calculating receiver the game has ever known.”
Full Name: Charles Joiner, Jr. Birthdate: October 14, 1947 Birthplace: Many, Louisiana High School: William Oscar Boston (Lake Charles, La.) Elected to Pro Football Hall of Fame: January 27, 1996 Enshrined into Pro Football Hall of Fame: July 27, 1996 Presenter: Eddie Robinson, College coach at Grambling Other Members of Class of 1996: Lou Creekmur, Dan Dierdorf, Joe Gibbs, Mel Renfro Pro Career: 18 seasons, 239 games Drafted: 4th round (93rd player overall) in 1969 by Houston Oilers Uniform Number: 18, (40)
One year ago today, a group of Gold Jackets visited @Pontifex #TBT https://t.co/XnMgliHuJ4
Posted on 21 Jun
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#TBT to when @JasonTaylor's life changed forever with one knock https://t.co/sF67s546LD