In an era where Football has evolved past the idea of “three yards and a cloud of dust” and gone into “spread ’em and shred ’em, many current wide receivers are seeing themselves catch a lot of passes from well schooled quarterbacks and getting a lot of recorded yards and touchdowns. Before all of that, a reciever that could put up big numbers was not just your typical spread offense wideout, but a true gamer in every sense of the word. For former ET WR Gary Compton,  his 4 year career has out lasted every receiver that has come after him, and has outperformed every ET pass catcher before him. He has been voted by fans and former teammates as the greatest Lion WR of all time, and it is indeed well deserved.

The Compton File-

Name: Gary Compton

Hometown: Irving, Texas

High School: Irving High School

Favorite Lions Team: 1990 ET Lions

Position: Wideout

Degree: Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing

What I am Doing Now: Operations Manager for C. Coakley Relocation Systems in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Years Played-1986-1990

Favorite ET Football Memory-“Beating Cameron in the last regular season game to clinch the 1990 Lone Star Conference Championship.”

Favorite School Memory: “Getting my degree that I had promised my family when I went off to college.”

Awards and Honors: 2 Time All-American, 1990 LSC Offensive Player of the Year, Holds school records for most receptions and yards in a career. 4 Time All LSC Conference Selection.

Professional Experience-

San Francisco 49ers-1991

Dallas Texans (AFL)-1992-1993

Fort Worth Cavalry-1994

Milwaukee Mustangs-1995-2001 (All Time frachise leader in receiving) 

Tampa Bay Storm (AFL) 2003 World Champions

Philadelphia Soul (AFL) 2004

Top 25 players in AFL history and top 20 in AFL records in receptions and yards

3 time All Arena Selection 1992, 1999, 2001

2 Time All Ironman 1999-2001

Built Fordtough Player of the Year 2001

Played 13 years in the Arena Football League (AFL) retired in 2004. 

Former Lion Head Coach Eddie Vowell once said about Compton: “He is the best ET receiver to have ever played. If he was playing now, his records would never be broken.”

Ill agree with that.