TTM Stats
- Sent: 7/18/2020 | Received: 8/7/2020 | 19 Days
- ’92 Pro Set
- Address: Home (address from Sports Card Forum)
The Story of the Autograph
Wayne Fontes is a former player and head coach in the NFL. He played as a defensive back with the New York Titans in 1962. He later worked as a coach at the college level and in the NFL including as a head coach with the Detroit Lions from 1988 to 1996.
Fontes was born in Massachusetts and grew up in Canton, Ohio. He played basketball and baseball as well as football in high school and went on to Michigan State for college. The Philadelphia Eagles drafted him in the ninth round of the NFL Draft in 1961. He played during the 1962 season with the New York Titans. After an injury while playing he went back to school and started assistant coaching.
He got the first big gig of his career as an assistant coach with John McKay at USC. When McKay went on to Tampa Bay to coach in the NFL, Fontes went along and was an assistant and then coached the defense. He then went to Detroit as a defensive coordinator in 1985 and in 1988 took over as the interim head coach, replacing Darryl Rogers mid-season.
He was known as a players coach and improved the team and after drafting players like Barry Sanders, Chris Spielman, Robert Porcher, Lomas Brown, Luther Ellis, Bennie Blades, and Herman Moore, he led the team to winning season in 1991, and 1993-1995. The 12-4 record that he led the Lions to in 1991 earned him Coach of the Year honors.
Unfortunately he never had success in the playoffs. He was able to survive rumors of him being fired for a while and seemed to go on winning streaks when he really needed it. A 5-11 record in 1996 was the last chance he had though.
The Score on Wayne Fontes – 4.5
Wayne actually has a few cards out there but I feel like I was lucky to find this one in my doubles. I wouldn’t say he has an great autograph in general, but this one was not great because it looked like he signed with another marker first before ultimately finding a good one.
Thanks Mr. Fontes! I’m giving this one a 4.5.
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Information gathered using Wikipedia and Pro Football Reference.