Haven Moses

Haven Christopher Moses (born July 27, 1946) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for 14 seasons in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL) with the Buffalo Bills and Denver Broncos. He holds the Broncos franchise career record for yards per reception (18.0).

He played two years of college football for Los Angeles Harbor College, where he was a junior college second-team All-American. He played his final two college years with the San Diego State Aztecs, under coach Don Coryell, during which time the team was 21–1, and where Moses was named a Little All-American as a senior receiver.

Early life Moses was born on July 27, 1946, in Los Angeles. He attended Fermin Lasuen High School, which had 400 students. He played on the football and basketball teams at Fermin Lasuen, in the El Camino Real League. He was a two-way player on the football team, at halfback and defensive back. Moses weighed 170 lb (77.1 kg) as a senior in 1963.

College career After high school, Moses initially played junior college football at Los Angeles Harbor College, in 1964 and 1965. He was a two-way player at safety and halfback. The team was 9–0 in 1964, and won the Western State Conference (WSC) title. Moses led the team in interceptions and punt returning. He was unanimously selected as a first-team WSC All-Star at defensive back (safety) in 1964; and was named a second-team junior college All-American by J. C. Grid Wire.

In a late September 1965 game, Moses had a 40-yard touchdown reception and 90-yard touchdown on a kickoff return, in Harbor's 11th consecutive win. Two weeks later he had a 73-yard touchdown reception. In 1965, Moses was named a Grid-Wire All-American as a defensive specialist, at defensive back. He was selected both first-team All-WSC on offense as an end, and second-team All-WSC as a defensive back. He was also named Harbor's most valuable player and a team captain. As a 6 ft 3 in (1.90 m) 196 lb (88.9 kg) flanker in 1966, Moses had eight regular season, and ten total, receiving touchdowns, with 62 receptions for 1,201 yards. San Diego State was 11–0 in 1966, and was the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) small college champion.

In 1967, San Diego State was the NCAA small college champion for a second straight season. The Aztecs won their first nine consecutive games that season, making 25 consecutive wins over three years, until being defeated by major college Utah State, 31–25. The Aztecs played San Francisco State in the December 9 Camellia Bowl, winning 27–6. The NCAA declared seven Aztec players ineligible before the Camellia Bowl, and Moses had to play defensive back for the first time in his San Diego State career (as well as flanker). Coryell commended Moses for his fine job on defense in the game. During the season, in addition to playing as a receiver, Moses rushed the ball at least 10 times, and played on special teams covering punts. After his senior season, Moses played in the 1967 East-West Shrine Game, the Chicago College All-Star Game and the Senior Bowl.

Professional career

Buffalo Bills Moses was selected ninth overall in the first round of the 1968 NFL/AFL draft by the Buffalo Bills of the AFL. Moses was knocked unconscious by a right forearm thrown during a tackle by defensive back Erich Barnes during a late August 1968 preseason game against the Cleveland Browns; and yet held onto the pass reception (his fourth of the game). He was taken off the field on a stretcher. As a rookie in 1968, he started all 14 games at flanker, with 42 receptions for 633 yards and two touchdowns. His 55-yard touchdown pass reception against the New York Jets was the Bills longest receptions of the season. His touchdown passes included receptions of 55 (tied with O. J. Simpson for the Bills' season longest reception), 45 and 39 yards. He had two touchdowns in a November 23 game against the Boston Patriots. His 19.3 yards per reception was seventh best in the AFL. Moses was selected to play in the AFL All-Star Game.

He started 14 games for the third consecutive season in 1970, with 39 receptions for 726 yards and two touchdowns. In this first year of the AFL-NFL merger, he was tied for 10th in the now 26-team NFL, with 18.6 yards per reception. In 1971, Moses started nine games, with 23 receptions for 470 yards (20.4 yards per reception) and two touchdowns. He had a 73-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter of the first game of the season against the Dallas Cowboys. He had six receptions for 151 yards against the New York Jets in the fifth game of the season. He suffered a sprained left ankle during a November 14 game, limiting his play for the rest of the season; not recording a reception again until the 13th game of the season on December 12.

In 1972, Moses appeared in only five games for the Bills, without a start and with only three receptions. The Bills new coach Lou Saban had a run oriented offense, and he did not believe Moses was an adequate blocker under this new scheme and did not start Moses. ) Moses was traded in mid-October to the Denver Broncos for wide receiver Dwight Harrison. )

In his four full Bills' seasons (1968 to 1971), Moses started 51 games with 143 receptions for 2,581 yards (18 yards per reception) and 12 touchdowns. In a December 10 game against the San Diego Chargers he had two touchdown receptions and made several key blocks in the game, and was awarded the Broncos' game ball for his performance that day. The Broncos had a 2–6 record when head coach John Ralston made Moses a starter in the ninth game of the season, and then for the Broncos' remaining five games. Over those six games, the Broncos were 3–3. Moses started all 14 games at wide receiver. He had 28 receptions for 518 yards, and his 18.5 yards per catch was fifth best in the NFL. He also had a team-leading and career-high eight touchdown receptions, He had three touchdown receptions in an October 14 game against the Houston Oilers, and a 76-yard touchdown reception against the New York Jets two weeks later. In a late November game against the Kansas City Chiefs, he had touchdown receptions of 18 and 40 yards.

Moses started 13 games in 1974, and led the Broncos with a 16.4 yards per catch average on 34 receptions; two for touchdowns. The Broncos again had a winning season (7–6–1). In 1975, the Broncos had their only losing season during the remainder of Moses's career. He started every game and again led the team with a 17.4 yards per catch average; with 29 receptions and two touchdowns. In 1976, the Broncos achieved the best record in team history (9–5). Moses started all 14 games, averaging nearly 20 yards per reception on 25 catches. He led the Broncos with seven receiving touchdowns. He had a 71-yard touchdown reception in an early November game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

He was a key member of the 1977 Broncos team that reached the Super Bowl. The Broncos were 12–2 and finished first in the AFC West Division. Moses again started all 14 games, averaging 20 yards per catch (fourth best in the NFL) on 27 receptions, four for touchdowns. The Broncos defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers in the divisional round of the playoffs, 34–21. Moses had two receptions for 45 yards. The Broncos then beat the Oakland Raiders, 20–17, in the January 1, 1978 AFC championship game. Moses played a critical role in the victory with two receiving touchdowns, including a 74-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter. Moses considered this game the highlight of his life up to that point in time. The Dallas Cowboys defeated the Broncos, 27–10, in Super Bowl XII. Moses had one reception for 21 yards in that game.

The Broncos again were first in the AFC West Division in 1978, with a 10–6 record, Moses starting all 16 games. He averaged 20.1 yards per reception on 37 receptions, with five touchdowns. He led the Broncos in yards per reception and was tied for fifth in the NFL. Moses had two receptions in the Broncos' first round playoff loss to the Steelers that season. The following season (1979), Moses had career-highs of 54 receptions and 943 receiving yards, along with six touchdowns. He again led the Broncos with 17.5 yards per reception. He had three receptions in the Broncos' first round playoff loss to the Houston Oilers, 13–7.

The 34-year old Moses started 14 games in 1980, with 38 receptions for 674 yards and four touchdowns. He led the Broncos in receiving yards and yards per reception (17.7). His 17.7 yards per reception was tied for ninth best in the NFL. Moses started six games in his final season (1981), with 15 receptions for 246 yards and one touchdown.

Moses played in 10 seasons for the Broncos, starting 127 games. He had 302 receptions for 5,450 yards (18.0 yards per reception), with 44 touchdown receptions. Over his entire career, Moses had 448 regular season receptions for 8,091 (18.1 yards per reception), with 56 touchdowns.

Legacy and honors In 1970, Moses selected as a member of the Buffalo Bills team of the 1960s. Moses was inducted into the Denver Broncos Ring of Fame in 1988, and is on the Ring of Fame wall at Empower Field at Mile High. He was a 1986 inductee to the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame. In 1988, he also was inducted into the San Diego State University Hall of Fame.

The Broncos only had one losing season from 1973 to 1981. He is tied with Owen Daniels and Clarence Kay for the Broncos' record for receiving touchdowns in a playoff game, with two against the Oakland Raiders on January 1, 1978. NFL/AFL career statistics Legend Led the league Bold Career high

Regular season Year Team Games Receiving GP GS Rec Yds Avg Lng TD 1968 BUF 14 14 42 633 15.1 55 2 1969 BUF 14 14 39 752 19.3 55 5 1970 BUF 14 14 39 726 18.6 45 2 1971 BUF 12 9 23 470 20.4 73 2 1972 BUF 5 0 3 60 20.0 25 1 DEN 8 6 15 224 14.9 33 5 1973 DEN 14 14 28 518 18.5 76 8 1974 DEN 13 13 34 559 16.4 42 2 1975 DEN 14 14 29 505 17.4 42 2 1976 DEN 14 14 25 498 19.9 71 7 1977 DEN 14 14 27 539 20.0 35 4 1978 DEN 16 16 37 744 20.1 42 5 1979 DEN 16 16 54 943 17.5 64 6 1980 DEN 15 14 38 674 17.7 33 4 1981 DEN 16 6 15 246 16.4 30 1 199 178 448 8,091 18.1 76 56

Regular season Year Team Games Receiving GP GS Rec Yds Avg Lng TD 1977 DEN 3 3 8 234 29.3 74 2 1978 DEN 1 1 2 33 16.5 19 0 1979 DEN 1 1 3 47 15.7 25 0 5 5 13 314 24.2 74 2

Personal life In his last four years as a player, in the offseason he worked for Samsonite, the international luggage company headquartered

After the 1981 season, Moses retired from the NFL in March at age 35 and went to work for Adolph Coors Company in the community affairs He spent 15 years with Coors, seven with the Archdiocese of Denver, and five with the Denver Health Foundation.