Today’s card of the day is a 1969 Tresler Comet Bengals card of Bob Johnson. Johnson was one of the original Cincinnati Bengals, and he played center for twelve seasons with the team. He made the Pro Bowl once, in 1968, his rookie year. Thus far, Johnson is the only player whose number (54) the Bengals have retired. (See the Gallery’s Retired Numbers page.)
Before his pro career, Johnson starred at the University of Tennessee. He placed sixth in voting for the 1967 Heisman Trophy (see the Gallery’s Heisman candidates page), and he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1989.
Johnson was the Bengals’ first-ever draft pick, and the second overall pick in the 1968 NFL/AFL Draft. The Minnesota Vikings chose Ron Yary with the first overall pick.
Johnson’s 1969 Tresler Comet card is one of twenty in the set. The cards were distributed by Tresler Comet gas stations in the Cincinnati area. You can see the full set of Tresler Comet cards and all of Bob Johnson’s football cards in the Gallery.
