Coach Raeford Rookie Card

That's right. Bridgewater's defensive secondary coach has a rookie card (pictured).

Raeford played professional football in three different leagues. He was a defensive back for the USFL's San Antonio Gunslingers in 1984-85 before joining the NFL's Chicago Bears in 1987. In 1988, he played with New York Knights in the Arena Football League.

In 1984, Raeford was named to the USFL All-League Team by The Sporting News, finishing the season with five interceptions for 73 return yards and one touchdown. He also had two kick returns for 45 yards and one score. In 1985, he recorded two interceptions for 12 return yards for the Gunslingers. In 1988, Raeford tallied three tackles and two pass deflections for the AFL Knights.

Raeford's rookie card is #120 of the 1985 Topps USFL set. The set also includes Steve Young, Reggie White, Jim Kelly, Herschel Walker and Gary Clark, and the rookie cards of Doug Flutie and Sam Mills.

The back of Raeford's card says he scored the first touchdown in Gunslingers' history on February 26, 1984, when their opponent fumbled on a kickoff and recovered it and ran it in for six. The back of his card also mentions he had 12-career interceptions when he attended Northern Michigan University.

Various people on campus have ordered a handful of his rookie cards (including myself - I'm the proud owner of four). He is more than happy to autograph them, as he did for me. You can order his rookie card through Beckett.com or eBay.com.