Check out this dude
The rest of the players on this Roy Hobbs series list of Browns who have come out of nowhere to do big things, have built their resumes over long periods of time.
But the player in this, Part 9, did so on just two plays over a three-minute span in one game.
Wow, what a Dude — what a gamer — that guy must have been!
Indeed, that is the case in more ways than one.
We introduce you to wide receiver Ricky Feacher, nicknamed “Dude” because he was the flashiest stressor on the team more than four decades ago.
He was a 10th-round choice of the New England Patriots in the 1976 NFL Draft out of Mississippi Valley State, the same tiny school that produced the incomparable Jerry Rice. He was traded to the Browns in his rookie season of 1976 but did not catch a pass for them. He also did not catch a pass in 1977. He had four in 1978 and seven in 1979. He wasn’t even a bit player on offense, really, in that he was more of a special teamer.
He was a little more involved in the offense — but not much — in that electric Kardiac Kids season of 1980, heading into the last game with eight catches, two of which went for touchdowns. The Browns played their finale at Cincinnati and had to beat the Bengals to win the AFC Central title. If they lost, then they would be out because they coukd not go into the playoffs as a wild card.
Wide receiver Dave Logan got hurt early in that game and had to leave, being replaced by Feacher. He didn’t do much until the middle of the third quarter after the Browns fell behind 17–10. He caught two touchdown passes on basically the same play, a fly pattern down the sideline, a 34-yarder on the right then a 35-yarder on the left on consecutive series to put the Browns ahead 24–17 and give them momentum to eventually win the game, and the division title, 27–24.
As such, then, they are two of the most important plays in team history.
He ended the season with 10 catches for, incredibly so, four touchdowns.
In his Browns career, which continued through the 1984 season, after what he retired, he caught 113 passes for 15 touchdowns, which is a pretty good scoring rate, too.
NEXT: Pushing his way in.
Steve King
