Jim Nance

Powerful fullback and AFL MVP who led the Patriots in rushing and remains the only Patriot to win a rushing title.

James Solomon "Big Jim" Nance (December 30, 1942 – June 17, 1992) was an American professional football player who was a fullback with the Boston Patriots during their days in the American Football League (AFL). He was inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame in 2009. He played college football for the Syracuse Orangemen.

Quick Facts

Position: Fullback
Born: December 30, 1942
Birthplace: Indiana, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Died: 17 June 1992
Place of death: Quincy, Massachusetts, U.S.
College: Syracuse
Draft year: 1965
Draft round: 4

Lore & Background

Nance was the son of a Pennsylvania coal miner, who had nine other children. He attended Indiana High School in Indiana, Pennsylvania, where he was a two-time Pennsylvania heavyweight wrestling champion in 1960 and 1961. It is said that the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) added the heavyweight class to accommodate Nance, who was too large for their highest weight class in 1959, which was 185 pounds. Starting for three years at Syracuse University, Nance tied the school record for career touchdowns and led the Orangemen football team in rushing in 1964, scoring in ten straight games.

Nance also was a collegiate wrestler at Syracuse, winning the NCAA wrestling national championship at heavyweight in 1963 and 1965. He went 43-1 as a wrestler. He was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2007. Nance was a 19th round selection of the Boston Patriots in the 1965 AFL draft as well as a fourth round selection of the Chicago Bears in the 1965 NFL draft.

Apparently, Patriots owner Billy Sullivan lobbied pretty hard for Nance to his friend and Syracuse coach Ben Schwartzwalder. Nance signed with the Patriots. His rookie season was generally unimpressive, with one outlet calling him a poor pass blocker. However, he would go on to lead the AFL in rushing the next two seasons, which saw him slim down from 245 to 235.

He went on to become the only AFL player ever to rush for more than 1,400 yards in a season. He is still the only Patriot to win a rushing title. At 6-1 and 260 pounds, Nance was a powerful fullback who carried 299 times in 1966, for 11 touchdowns and 1,458 yards. That season, he rushed for 208 yards and two touchdowns in a 24–21 victory over the Oakland Raiders.

Nance was an American Football League All-Star that year and then became the unanimous selection for the league's Most Valuable Player award (the AP vote saw him win 20 of the 27 votes). He was the last Patriot to be named an MVP for over three decades. He was an All-Star again in 1967 when he became the only AFL player to have consecutive seasons with over 1,000 yards, this time 1,216. Ankle troubles in 1968 (which started in preseason) ended up being the first of various maladies that plagued his later years of his career. He retired as the Patriots' all-time leader in rushing touchdowns with 45, a record he still holds.

Reader's Guide

Jim Nance was a powerful fullback for the Boston Patriots, leading the AFL in rushing in 1966 and 1967. He was the only AFL player to rush for over 1,400 yards in a season and remains the only Patriot to win a rushing title. He was named AFL MVP in 1966 and is a member of the Patriots Hall of Fame.