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Brian Dawkins (True) Rookie Cards
With their 2nd Pick of the 2nd Round of the 1996 NFL Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles selected Brian Dawkins from Clemson University. Brian Dawkins has 6 true rookie cards and 6 rookie parallel cards.
Brian Dawkins a Passionate Man
Locker-room talk implicates that the NFL Hall of Fame is biased towards defensive players because they’re “not game-changers.” Brian Dawkins disproves that bias. Not only is he a Hall of Famer but he was a definite game-changer too.
It seems inappropriate to say that any player is the heart and soul of a team. But this seems to be the case with Brian Dawkins.
When you listen to the testimony of many people and you observe the passion in which he played, it would be hard to deny the heartfelt impact he had on and off the field.
He didn’t play with just passion, he played with intense passion! He expressed himself with powerful, compelling emotion.
A leader in every aspect, he had a way of rallying the troops and inspiring them to chew nails, to run through brick walls, and to make sure to give him all they’ve got!
Brian Dawkins a Devote Man
Although intensely passionate during game time Brian Dawkins never used curse words. A conviction he lives by on and off the field due to his faith in Jesus Christ.
But as he said during an interview, “Just because I don’t cuss doesn’t mean I’m cushy. It doesn’t mean I won’t come at you.”
Sundays between 1:30pm-4:00pm Dawkins was a complete madman. The rest of the week he was a God-fearing gentleman.
His mad-man-like intensity was inspired by the X-Men Wolverine character. Brian Dawkins was nicknamed “WeaponX” because he mimics the Wolverine’s intense aggression and because he never backed down from a battle.
He routinely entered the field in his Wolverine impersonation and it excited the crowd. It was something right out of the World Wrestling Federation and I loved it!
Promotion – Induction – Champion
In 2002, in a game versus the Houston Texans, Dawkins became the first player in NFL history to record a sack, an interception, a forced fumble, and a touchdown reception in a single game. Philly fans know it as the “Quadraupheta!”
Brian Dawkins never won a Super Bowl Championship but he came close in 2004 when the Eagles fell to the New England Patriots.
He spent the last three years of his career with the Denver Broncos but shortly after his retirement he signed a one-day contract with the Philadelphia Eagles then officially retired as an Eagle.
In 2016, Dawkins was hired by the Eagles as Executive of Football Operations for Player Development which he holds to this day.
Here’s the really cool part. On February 3, 2018, he was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame and the very next day, February 4, 2018, the Eagles win their first Super Bowl – guess against who? Those same New England Patriots! Folks, you can’t make this stuff up!
Which reminds me. Congratulations are due to the 2018 Philadelphia Eagles and to all their fans! It’s been a long time coming and you all are well deserved.
Career Stats & Accomplishments
According to Pro-Football-Reference.com Brian Dawkins career stats are: Tackles 1,131 | Sacks 26 | Interceptions 37 | Forced Fumbles 36 | Touchdowns 3.
Accomplishments:
- 1996 NFL All-Rookie Team
- 9x Pro Bowler
- 4x All-Pro
- 5x 1st Team All-Pro
- 2018 Hall of Fame Induction
Brian Dawkins True Rookie Cards:
1996 Finest, #344 (RC)
1996 Finest is a 359 card set and it was distributed in two series. This card can be pulled from series two packs, and it’s Brian Dawkins most desirable rookie card among collectors.
In the photo Dawkins appears to be in practice gear, the background seems to have rays of light, which brings emphasis to Dawkins.
The card back shows the same photo as the front but it seems to be under the burning hot rays of the sun.
Towards the bottom, there are a few sentences of commentary. It says, “Freshman Fact: An aggressive DB who loves to pound WRs on deep routes.” Yep, that’s him!
There is one parallel. Bronze Refractor inserted 1:12 packs.
1996 Fleer, #150 (RC)
1996 Fleer Football is a single series 200 card set. It was printed on very thin card board stock. It features a Brian Dawkins rookie card in a practice uniform with no logos, not a collector favorite. However, it is still a true rookie card of a hall of famer. There are no parallels for this set.
1996 Pacific, #335 (RC)
Pacific Football is a 450 card set released in a single series. Instead of the practice gear, the Pacific offering gives collectors an action photo of Dawkins in his Clemson uniform.
Today, the college uniform rookie cards are frowned upon, some collectors love them while others do not. Collectors want to see the rookies in their pro uniforms.
Towards the bottom of the card, you get the name and NFL helmet in a gold foil which looks a lot better in person than this photo. The Pacific Collection logo gets lost in the upper left corner but it is there.
The card back mimics what appears to me like broken glass, creative but unrelated to the card theme.
Three parallels feature different colored foil fronts. Blue 1:4 packs, Red 1:4 packs, and Silvers were randomly inserted into retail packs.
1996 SkyBox Impact Rookies, #50 (RC)
Skybox Impact Rookies is a 150 card set released in a single series. This full-action Brian Dawkins rookie card catches him doing what he does best, breaking up plays. The player’s name appears blurry and made me check my glasses.
The card back is another photo of Dawkins and it takes up the entire real estate. Player info is all pushed to the left side which is a bit different but works with the overall design of the card back. There are no parallels in this set.
1996 Skybox Premium, #190 (RC)
The 1996 Skybox Premium is a quality set, it offers 250 cards and was released in a single series.
For its day it had great photography, a high gloss finish, and thicker card stock. The front photo is borderless and shows Dawkins with a blurred shadow showcasing his speed and forward motion.
However, we have yet another photo of Dawkins in his practice gear and no logo, 3 of 6 show him in this type of garb. Nicely placed foil name at lower right and foil brand logo at upper left make this a fantastic card of WeaponX.
The card pack is a vibrant, crisp, clean design. Player portrait, large team logo work well together. Although not his most valuable card this is my favorite Brian Dawkins rookie card just for the overall card design.
There is one parallel. Premium Rubies inserted one per hobby box and offers red foil highlights.
1996 Stadium Club, #343 (RC)
1996 Stadium Club is a 360 card set released in two series. The rookie card of Brian Dawkins can be found in Series 2 packs.
Stadium Club, known for their great photography, did not fail to deliver. The upper torso photo of Brian Dawkins shows him in uniform and not in practice gear!
A three-quarter makeshift border reveals a rainbow type of technology. The brand logo in red is placed at the upper left and gives it a nice pop. And the player’s name at the bottom is hard to read even in person.
Card back was well thought out too. Everything is well placed and centered nicely. Different color fonts make things stand out, and instead of player commentary, it gives us a Scouting Report that focuses on Dawkins skills.
There is one parallel. Members Only which was sold in complete set form. The card front was stamped with a foil Members Only logo.
There is another All-Time Great defensive player that started in the NFL the same year as Dawkins, and entered the Hall of Fame the same year as Dawkins. Check out the rookie cards Ray Lewis here.
Happy Collecting Collectors,
Learn. Collect. Enjoy.
