Haynes and King on the roster. During his three years on the football team, he earned All-America recognition twice. McVea was on the receiving end of the longest pass play completed in Houston history – a 99-yard reception against Washington State University on September 23, 1966. That game marked the first football game ever played on artificial turf. Professional career He was selected in the fourth round (109th overall) of the NFL/AFL 1968 Common Draft by the American Football League's Cincinnati Bengals during the team's expansion season. In 12 games, he rushed nine times for 133 yards (an astounding 14.8 yards per carry) including an 80-yard run, with one touchdown. He also caught 21 passes for 264 yards (a 12.6 average) and two touchdowns. He also returned 14 kicks for 210 yards, a 22.1 average. He was traded to the AFL's Kansas City Chiefs for kicker Horst Muhlmann and a draft choice on September 8, 1969. McVea's timing proved to be excellent. McVea rushed 106 times for 500 yards (a 4.7 average) and seven touchdowns, with seven receptions for 71 yards (a 10.1 average) and he returned 13 kicks for 318 yards (a 24.5 average) as the Chiefs went on to capture the final American Football League championship. The Chiefs then defeated the Minnesota Vikings 23-7 in Super Bowl IV on January 11, 1970. In the Super Bowl, McVea rushed 12 times for 26 yards. During his years in Kansas City, TV commentators referred to him as "The Flea", reflecting his small size and ability to avoid defenders. In 1970, the Chiefs began play in the National Football League as a result of the NFL-AFL merger. In McVea's third pro season, he totaled 61 carries for 260 yards (a 4.3 average) while catching five passes for 26 yards. He returned three kicks for 57 yards. In 1971, he rushed 68 times for 288 yards (a 4.2 average) and three touchdowns. He caught five passes but for -3 yards, and he returned nine kicks for 177 yards (a 19.7 average). He was inactive for the 1972 season due to a knee injury. His fifth and final year in the NFL/AFL was 1973, when he rushed only four times for five yards and returned eight kicks for 146 yards, an 18.3 average. After the 1973 season, McVea signed with the fledgling World Football League's Detroit Wheels, and was immediately considered one of