Mike Haffner (American football)

Michael Arthur Haffner[1] (July 7, 1942 – October 22, 2024) was an American professional football player who was a wide receiver for four seasons with the Denver Broncos (1968–1970)[2] and Cincinnati Bengals (1971).[3] He played college football for the UCLA Bruins. As of 2017's NFL off-season, he still held the Broncos rookie franchise record[citation needed] for yards per reception at 30.5, for a 4 reception, 122 yard performance on December 14, 1968, against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Mike Haffner
No. 84, 35
PositionWide receiver
Personal information
Born(1942-07-07)July 7, 1942
Waterloo, Iowa, U.S.
DiedOctober 22, 2024(2024-10-22) (aged 82)
Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
Career information
CollegeUCLA
NFL draft1965: undrafted
Career history
Awards and highlights
Career NFL statistics
Receptions59
Receiving yards991
Touchdowns7
Stats at Pro Football Reference Edit this at Wikidata

Life and career

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After retirement, Haffner was a color commentator for the NFL on NBC. He is most noted for being the sideline reporter who inadvertently captured on his live microphone a two‐word expletive uttered by Terry Donahue who was voicing his disapproval over a Bruins interception being nullified due to a penalty in NBC's Christmas Day telecast of the 1978 Fiesta Bowl. Haffner and Donohue had been roommates at UCLA.[4]

Haffner died in Las Vegas on October 22, 2024 at the age of 82.[5][6]

References

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  1. "Mike Haffner". pro-football-reference.com. Retrieved March 5, 2009.
  2. "Broncos All-Time Roster" (PDF). denverbroncos.com. Retrieved March 5, 2009. [dead link]
  3. "Bengals All-Time Roster". bengals.com. Archived from the original on February 23, 2009. Retrieved March 5, 2009.
  4. "Two Words From the Coach With Expletives Undeleted," The Associated Press (AP), Monday, December 25, 1978. Retrieved December 7, 2020
  5. Former Broncos WR Mike Haffner, broadcaster dies at 82
  6. Michael Arthur Haffner