FSU football: 15 greatest NFL careers ever by former Seminoles

FSU football greatest NFL career No. 4: Fred Biletnikoff

Back in the 1960s and 1970s, it was hard to find a wide receiver with more consistency and ability than Fred Biletnikoff. He starred at Florida State for nearly six decades and was drafted by both the AFL and NFL in 1965 before settling in with the Oakland Raiders.

For his first five seasons, Biletnikoff developed into one of the best receivers in the AFL, making his first two Pro Bowl appearances during that time. In 1968, his second trip to the postseason, he had a pair of 180-yard receiving games for the Raiders, including a 3-touchdown performance over the Kansas City Chiefs in the first round.

Biletnikoff caught a career-high 12 touchdowns in 1969, the final season before Oakland joined the NFL, but that certainly wasn’t the end of his production. That was his first year as a First Team All-Pro and one of the six Pro Bowls he’d appear in his career.

He spent most of the 1970s as one of the Raiders’ starting receivers and primary pass catchers. He also was the MVP of Super Bowl XI in 1978. His numbers don’t look as impressive compared to modern-day football, but he was one of the best in the game during his era.

Biletnikoff went into the Pro Football Hall of Fame less than a decade after his retirement, a reflection of 14 impressive seasons in the Raiders’ offense.