Longshot: Return Man

iHeartPodcasts

Season 1 of Longshot: Return Man is an investigation into the life and mysterious death of the only Super Bowl champion from Lancaster, S.C. In 1970, Jim Duncan was a star on the rise for the Baltimore Colts, and the top kickoff return man in the NFL. Then, two years later, authorities say Duncan, who was Black, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound inside his hometown police station. Many Black people alive in Lancaster at the time didn't believe the official account of the death. They also didn't openly question it. Until now. Reported and hosted by Bret McCormick of The Herald in Rock Hill, South Carolina.

Season 1

  1. Part 1: The Milltown

    EPISODE 1

    Part 1: The Milltown

    Jim Duncan was one of eight children, growing up in a shotgun house on the poorest side of a small South Carolina milltown. There in Lancaster, the public facilities were segregated—but one of the few spots Blacks and whites both called home was the lone football field in town, shared by the Black and white high schools. There, Duncan began carving a path out of poverty for himself, and his family.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    29 min
  2. Part 2: From the Cotton Fields to Glory

    EPISODE 2

    Part 2: From the Cotton Fields to Glory

    Jim Duncan's rare athleticism made him a star on the Maryland State College football team, where he played offense, defense and special teams. In 1968, he was a fourth-round draft pick by the Baltimore Colts, and soon became the leading kickoff return man in the NFL, enjoying a level of celebrity and status that friends and family back in Lancaster could hardly imagine. New episodes coming each Tuesday, through March 16. To continue supporting work like this, visit heraldonline.com/podcasts and consider a digital subscription.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    27 min
  3. Part 3: The Burden

    EPISODE 3

    Part 3: The Burden

    Following his Super Bowl win, Jim Duncan fell in love with a woman he met in South Carolina. But financial obligations soon sapped his joy for the game, and those who knew Jim say his personality began changing in unsettling ways. They speculate that for a rising star playing arguably the most dangerous position on the football field, head injuries might have begun to take their toll on Jim. New episodes coming each Tuesday, through March 16. To continue supporting work like this, visit heraldonline.com/podcasts and consider a digital subscription.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    24 min
  4. Part 4: October 20, 1972

    EPISODE 4

    Part 4: October 20, 1972

    After a series of injuries and bizarre behavior, Jim Duncan's last chance to catch on with a new NFL team fell short. By the fall of 1972, he was back in Lancaster; his career was over, his marriage wasn't much better off, and he was running out of money. On the morning of Oct. 20, 1972, Duncan left his family's house and drove downtown. It was the last time his loved ones saw him alive. New episodes coming each Tuesday, through March 16. To continue supporting work like this, visit heraldonline.com/podcasts and consider a digital subscription.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    30 min
  5. Part 5: The Police Station

    EPISODE 5

    Part 5: The Police Station

    According to officials, Jim Duncan walked into the Lancaster Police Station on Oct. 20, 1972, and crossed the lobby in just a few steps. Without saying a word, authorities allege, he ripped the revolver from the holster on an unsuspecting officer's hip, stepped back, and shot himself in the head. But what sort of investigation was done after the fact? What sort of investigation could have been done — and should have been done? New episodes coming each Tuesday, through March 16. To continue supporting work like this, visit heraldonline.com/podcasts and consider a digital subscription.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    34 min
  6. Part 6: The Inquest

    EPISODE 6

    Part 6: The Inquest

    Following Jim Duncan's death, the Lancaster County coroner called an inquest to determine what happened inside the police station. Seven witnesses were called to testify under oath; all worked at, or with, the Lancaster police department. After a short deliberation, the small jury concluded that Duncan died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. But the one Black member of the inquest panel didn't believe what became the official account, and doesn't to this day. New episodes coming each Tuesday, through March 16. To continue supporting work like this, visit heraldonline.com/podcasts and consider a digital subscription.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    28 min
  7. Part 7: Conspiracy

    EPISODE 7

    Part 7: Conspiracy

    In the weeks following Jim Duncan's death, conspiracy theories proliferated throughout the Black community in Lancaster. Was his death really about drugs? A woman? His skin color? Many other proposed versions of events seemed equally as implausible as the official narrative—but one scandalous theory came up time and time again, and it was one we could investigate. New episodes coming each Tuesday, through March 16. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    28 min
  8. Part 8: Speaking from the Grave

    EPISODE 8

    Part 8: Speaking from the Grave

    For some, including some of Jim Duncan's friends, the past is better left in the past. But for others, there could never be closure with so many open questions; and the chance to find answers is worth the pain of asking one last time. Late in our reporting, we learned that a legal team in New York could begin an independent investigation of this case, in the search for even more answers. To continue supporting work like this, visit heraldonline.com/podcasts and consider a digital subscription.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    33 min

  9. EPISODE 9

    Bonus 1: Seth Stoughton

    Seth Stoughton, whom listeners heard in the podcast, was a police officer before becoming a lawyer. Today, he teaches at the University of South Carolina School of Law, and is an expert in the evolution of policing tactics throughout American history. In this extended interview, Stoughton talks about lessons today's officers can learn from a case like Jim Duncan's, and the vital role of trust in the police-community relationship. To continue supporting work like this, visit heraldonline.com/podcasts and consider a digital subscription.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    32 min

  10. EPISODE 10

    Bonus 2: Paula Johnson

    Paula Johnson, whom listeners heard in the podcast, is a professor at the Syracuse University College of Law, and co-director of the Cold Case Justice Initiative (CCJI). Her team at CCJI could soon begin investigating Jim Duncan's death from a legal perspective. In this extended interview, Johnson talks about how her team of student-volunteers approaches Civil Rights-era investigations, what could come next in Jim's case, and that elusive concept of closure. To continue supporting work like this, visit heraldonline.com/podcasts and consider a digital subscription.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    21 min

  11. SEASON 1 TRAILER

    Introducing Return Man

    From The Herald in Rock Hill, S.C., McClatchy Studios and iHeartRadio comes an investigation into the life and mysterious death of the only Super Bowl champion from Lancaster, S.C. At one time, Jim Duncan was a star on the rise for the Baltimore Colts; the NFL’s leading kickoff returner in 1970; and a hero of that year’s title game. Then, two years later, authorities say Duncan, who was Black, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound inside his hometown police station. Many Black people alive in Lancaster at the time didn't believe the official account of the death. We examine the questions they had. New episodes coming each Tuesday, through March 16. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    2 min

Trailer

About

Season 1 of Longshot: Return Man is an investigation into the life and mysterious death of the only Super Bowl champion from Lancaster, S.C. In 1970, Jim Duncan was a star on the rise for the Baltimore Colts, and the top kickoff return man in the NFL. Then, two years later, authorities say Duncan, who was Black, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound inside his hometown police station. Many Black people alive in Lancaster at the time didn't believe the official account of the death. They also didn't openly question it. Until now. Reported and hosted by Bret McCormick of The Herald in Rock Hill, South Carolina.

Information

  • Creator
    iHeartPodcasts
  • Episodes
    11
  • Seasons
    1
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    2026 iHeartMedia, Inc. © Any use of this intellectual property for text and data mining or computational analysis including as training material for artificial intelligence systems is strictly prohibited without express written consent from iHeartMedia
  • Show Website
    Longshot: Return Man