1963 Profile: Del Shofner

Split End
No. 85
Baylor
"Any time Del Shofner catches a pass and isn't hit by two men, the defense has made a mistake. He's always double-teamed because of his speed (9.8 for the 100 at Baylor) and ability to break away. This end caught 53 passes for 1,133 yards and 12 touchdowns last season, a remarkable average of 21.4 yards a reception.
Del broke in as a Ram defensive halfback in 1957. The Giants got him in 1960.
Born in Center, Texas, his NFL punting average was almost 43 yards as a Ram."

-Don Schiffer, Pro Football 1963

"Off the field Del Shofner of the New York Giants is a soft-spoken, drawling Texan in the Gary Cooper tradition. But in his gridiron working togs the 6'3", 185-pound offensive end is a jet-propelled menace to every defensive back in the NFL. Shofner made all the major All-Pro teams last season as he nabbed 53 passes, good for 1,133 yards and 12 touchdowns.
The Giants picked up Shofner in September of 1961 after the Los Angeles Rams gave up on him. Del had been an outstanding end until 1960 when he suffered a pulled muscle just as the season began. He muffed a couple of passes, was promptly benched and never was much use to the lowly Rams again. Giants' coach Allie Sherman was starting his freshman season in 1961 and hard at work revamping the New Yorkers' sluggish offense at their Fairfield, Connecticut training camp.
'Has Shofner still got what it takes?' he asked quarterback Y.A. Tittle, another newcomer to the club.
'He was the best receiver I ever saw when we played in the Pro Bowl a few years ago,' replied Yat. Defensive halfback Dick Lynch chimed in with the information that Shofner caused him as much trouble as any end in the league. A few days later Shofner showed up at camp after an overnight plane trip from Los Angeles. Skinny, and worn out from the journey, he didn't look very impressive. But by season's end he had caught 68 passes, scored 11 touchdowns and gained 1,125 yards. Perhaps more than any other player, his presence ignited the New York offense and brought them the Eastern Conference title.
A native of Center Texas, Shofner starred as a halfback at Baylor, and also was a mainstay on the track and basketball teams. He joined the Rams in 1957 and made the All-Pro team in 1958 and 1959.
What does coach Allie Sherman think of his 28-year-old star? Beams Allie: 'He's the best deep receiver I've ever seen in all my years with the Giants.'"

-1963 Official Pro Football Almanac