Halfback
No. 20
Washington State
"Keith Lincoln left the defensive unit in 1962 after injuries caused huge holes in the offensive group. He did his job well enough to earn a No. 7 rating in rushing and was the club's leader in gaining yardage, carrying 117 times for an average of 4.8. Used to retrieve kickoffs and punts, he checked in with the longest kickoff return of the year, a 103-yarder against New York.
Born in Reading, Michigan, he's 24 and decided to go to the Chargers after being drafted by the Bears. Lincoln holds all-time ground-gaining honors at Washington State."
-Don Schiffer, Pro Football 1963
"Keith can do everything well on a football field: run, pass, receive, defend.
He started out in 1961 as a defensive back. An injury to Paul Lowe forced the Chargers to shift Keith to offense in '62 and he led the team in rushing with 574 yards on 117 carries. He's also a prime threat on the option pass- he completed two last Fall for two touchdowns. He caught 16 passes and led the club in punt and kickoff returns."
-1963 Fleer No. 70
"Keith Lincoln, who had the highest per-game rush average (6.4) in all of 1963, is one of the few dashers who's 'not whistled dead until dirt is shoveled on him,' tribute to his furious desire to keep moving for still more yardage. He was the No. 4 carrier (826 yards on 128 attempts), third in returning kickoffs and set a playoff-game mark for yards gained as a rusher-receiver-passer.
In three seasons he's played three positions. Lincoln started at safety as a 1961 rookie; moved to offensive halfback in '62 (replacing injured Paul Lowe) and switched to fullback last semester.
Born in Reading, Michigan, he's Washington State's all-time rushing leader."
-Don Schiffer, Pro Football 1964
"Touted as one of the best running back in all of pro football, Keith Lincoln starts his fourth season with the Chargers. He rushed for 826 yards on 128 carries last season, a league-leading 6.4 average gain. He also caught 24 passes for 325 yards. In his spare time he ran back 17 kickoffs for a 25.8 average. A versatile runner, Lincoln can play fullback or halfback; last year he was a unanimous All-AFL fullback.
Only 25, he was an All-America at Washington State, where he holds rushing records."
-Dave Anderson, Pro Football Handbook 1964
"Keith, one of pro football's most versatile players, can handle any of a number of jobs for the Chargers. A hard-running fullback, he can be used effectively as a halfback, end, defensive halfback and even a quarterback if the situation comes up.
With good hands and good speed, Keith led the Chargers and finished third in the AFL in kickoff returns last year. An injury hampered him in 1963."
-1964 Topps No. 164
"How valuable is Keith Lincoln? Until he was knocked out of last year's AFL championship game with a broken rib, the Chargers were in the ball game. As a Buffalo assistant said afterwards, 'We saw Lincoln down, and we knew we had them.'
During the regular season, when he shifted from halfback to fullback, Keith was the sixth leading ground-gainer with 632 yards on 155 carries. As a halfback in '63, he gained 826 yards to rank fourth, but his 8.5 average was the best anywhere.
According to coach Gillman, he can do anything. He is especially tough to stop, even after he's been brought down."
-Jack Zanger, Pro Football 1965
"One of the top fullbacks in pro football, Keith finished sixth in the AFL in rushing in 1964. Keith was voted the Chargers' Most Valuable Player in 1962.
No. 22 is especially valuable to Coach Sid Gillman because of his ability to be used effectively as a halfback, end, defensive back and even as a quarterback if the situation should call for it."
-1965 Topps No. 165
"Keith Lincoln is a pro's pro, a super back on whom the outcome of a game can turn. Since his sophomore campaign of 1962, he's been among the league's top rushers, and in 1963, when he ranked fourth, he gained 826 yards on 128 carries for a phenomenal 6.5 average. He also catches between 20 and 30 passes a season. In 1965, he was hurt early and wound up gaining only 302 yards on 74 carries, for a 4.07 average and three touchdowns; as a pass-catcher, he caught 23 aerials for 376 yards and four touchdowns.
Keith is highly competitive and is a hard runner who's good at eluding tacklers. But at 6-1 and 212 pounds, he really isn't big enough to play fullback, and he tries to run over people.
He played collegiate ball at Washington State, where he was an All-America."
-Jack Zanger, Pro Football 1966
"Injuries sidelined Keith for a good part of the season last year, but the powerful fullback still finished second on the Chargers in rushing. He was fourth in AFL rushing with a 4.07 average run per carry.
In 1962, Keith was voted the most valuable member of the San Diego Chargers."
-1966 Topps No. 127
"Although he was beginning to feel superfluous in San Diego, Keith Lincoln was a little shook up when he got news of his trade to Buffalo. He didn't like feeling unwanted, but the open-arms reception he received in Buffalo quickly reassured him.
One of the league's super-backs since 1962, he has the great versatility to play either halfback or fullback, is a strong, tough blocker, can catch passes and can run strong enough to break tackles. He was held to 58 carries for 214 yards and one touchdown last year, but this is a runner who pounded out more than 800 yards in 1963.
Pulled hamstring muscles have cut into his effectiveness the last couple of seasons, but the 6-1, 212-pounder expects to be running at full speed again in 1967."
-Jack Zanger, Pro Football 1967
"A real coup for Buffalo was the acquisition of All-AFL fullback Keith Lincoln. The Bills did have to give up a regular, and a good one, in defensive end Tom Day. But they were able to do so comfortably because they have a young bull, Remi Prudhomme, ready to move in.
With Bobby Burnett and Wray Carlton already in the backfield (Burnett and Carlton ran fourth and fifth in the league in rushing in '66, gaining 1,462 yards between them) the Bills now have tremendous strength in that department. Lincoln, 29, is a versatile gentleman who can play either fullback or halfback and is as good a pass receiver as any running back in the league."
-Pro Football Almanac 1967
"The Bills obtained the veteran halfback from the San Diego Chargers. Keith is an aggressive and hard-driving runner. Buffalo feels a healthy Keith Lincoln will ensure a title."
-1967 Topps No. 15
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