1967 Profiles: Mike Mercer and Paul Maguire

MIKE MERCER
Place Kicker
No. 7
Arizona State
"The Vikings' most active 'foot' is Mike Mercer, the punting-placement man out of Algona, Ia., whose father was a pro pioneer with Frankfort and the Giants. He clicked for 36 of 37 placements in 1961 and nine field goals.
Mercer saw service at four colleges- Minnesota, Florida State, Hardin-Simmons and Arizona State. He has a business administration degree."

-Don Schiffer, 1962 Pro Football Handbook

"Mike was drafted by the Vikings and quickly developed into a top N.F.L. kicker."

-1962 Topps No. 97

"Mike had a fine rookie year in 1963. He ranked fifth in the American Football League in punting and also kicked eight field goals. He had a perfect record in kicking extra points as he succeeded in each of his 47 attempts. In Mike's very first game with the Oakland Raiders, he kicked five field goals in five attempts.
He played in the All-America Bowl in Tucson, Arizona."

-1964 Topps No. 145

"Mike joined the Oakland Raiders as a free agent in 1963. He has turned out to be a fine pick-up for Oakland. Mike led the Raiders in scoring in 1964 with 79 points. He has never missed an extra point attempt in his two seasons.
Mike also handles the team's punting. He is one of only four professionals who combine place kicking with punting."

-1965 Topps No. 143

"Under a unique lend-lease agreement, Mike Mercer was traded from Buffalo to Kansas City. It happened right after a Buffalo-Kansas City game, after Booth Lusteg had kicked three field goals for the Bills. Mercer was then on the Buffalo taxi squad and Hank Stram came, hat in hand, begging for Mercer. The Bills said okay, providing they could have the option of getting Mike back after the season. They exercised that option in record time once they read Mike's 1967 statistics- 21 field goals in 30 tries, the best record in all of pro football. Lusteg kicked 19 of 38, so there should be a swinging battle between the two in the Bills' camp this summer."

-Pro Football Almanac 1967


PAUL MAGUIRE
Punter-Linebacker
No. 55
The Citadel
Paul once again pinned opposing offenses deep in their own territory last year. His 69 punts (2nd in the AFL, with none blocked) for 2,841 yards (3rd) were good for an average of 41.2 yards (7th), and his longest punt of 61 yards was the AFL's seventh longest of 1966.
His 82-yard punt in 1961 while with the Chargers is still the AFL record. All-Pro in 1962 and 1965, Paul has been booting them for Buffalo since 1964.