2013년 11월 30일 토요일

About 'the university of alabama football roster'|The Key to 2010: Alabama's Class of 2008 Comes of Age







About 'the university of alabama football roster'|The Key to 2010: Alabama's Class of 2008 Comes of Age








Randy               Gradishar
6'3"               233
Linebacker
Denver               Broncos
1973               -               1984
Ten               Seasons
145               Games               Played
20               Interceptions
4               Touchdowns
7               Pro               Bowls
1978               NFL               Defensive               Player               of               the               Year               Randolph               Charles               Gradishar               was               drafted               in               the               first               round               of               the               1973               draft               by               the               Denver               Broncos.

He               was               the               14th               player               chosen               overall.
               He               attended               college               at               Ohio               State               University               under               legendary               coach               Woody               Hayes.

Hayes,               who               sent               over               98               players               to               the               professional               football               level               in               his               Hall               of               Fame               career,               called               Gradishar               the               finest               linebacker               he               ever               coached.
               Not               only               is               he               a               member               of               the               schools               All-Century               Team               and               their               Hall               of               Fame,               but               Radish               is               also               a               member               of               the               College               Football               Hall               of               Fame.

An               excellent               student               in               college,               he               is               also               inducted               into               the               GTE               Academic               Hall               of               Fame               and               is               on               the               ABC               Sports               All-Century               team.
               Denver               brought               him               along               slowly               in               his               rookie               year,               starting               just               three               of               14               games               behind               veteran               Ray               May.

May               was               the               1971               NFL               Man               of               the               Year               and               a               member               of               the               Super               Bowl               V               champion               Baltimore               Colts.
               He               started               every               game               the               next               year,               the               last               season               the               Broncos               would               run               a               base               4-3               defense               during               his               tenure               with               the               club.

He               was               named               to               the               Pro               Bowl               after               grabbing               three               interceptions               and               taking               one               in               44               yards               for               a               touchdown.

He               scored               once               again               the               following               year               off               of               another               three               picks               and               had               seven               quarterback               sacks.
               Denver               went               into               the               1977               season               running               the               3-4               defense               under               coach               Joe               Collier.

With               players               like               Gradishar,               Louis               Wright,               Tom               Jackson,               Bill               Thompson,               Reuben               Carter,               Bob               Swen               sen,               Lyle               Alzado,               and               Barney               Chavous,               the               Broncos               had               one               of               the               most               feared               defenses               in               all               of               football               history.
               They               were               dubbed               the               "Orange               Crush",               and               a               soft               drink               named               after               them               soon               became               very               popular.

Five               members               of               the               defense               was               named               to               the               Pro               Bowl               that               year               and               four               were               named               First               Team               All-Pro,               including               Gradishar.
               They               led               Denver               to               a               12-2               record               and               an               appearance               in               Super               Bowl               XII.

Though               they               lost               the               game,               the               defense               left               a               permanent               mark               on               NFL               history               with               their               excellence               by               allowing               just               10.6               points               per               game               that               year.
               Radish               may               have               had               his               finest               season               the               following               year,               where               he               was               named               NFL               Defensive               Player               of               the               Year               by               both               the               Associated               Press               and               UPI.

He               also               was               named               the               winner               of               the               George               Halas               Award               and               Linebacker               of               the               Year               by               Football               Digest.
               Denver's               defense               was               second               in               the               league               in               points               allowed,               and               Gradishar               was               one               of               five               Bronco               defenders               to               go               to               the               Pro               Bowl.
               Football               Digest               named               him               NFL               Linebacker               of               the               Year               again               in               1979.

He               was               once               again               selected               to               the               Pro               Bowl.
               Though               he               failed               to               make               the               Pro               Bowl               in               1980,               he               did               take               one               interception               a               career               long               93               yards               for               the               last               touchdown               of               his               career.

He               was               also               named               First               Team               All-NFL               by               the               Sporting               News.
               Gradishar               made               the               Pro               Bowl               the               next               three               years               before               retiring               after               the               1983               season.

He               never               missed               a               game               in               his               entire               career,               an               amazing               feat               for               someone               playing               such               a               violent               position               where               he               had               to               give               up               his               body               on               virtually               every               play               to               prevent               the               opponents               from               success.
               Not               only               was               he               durable,               very               intelligent,               quick               on               his               feet,               and               a               big               hitter,               but               Gradishar               was               also               a               masterful               technician.

He               had               the               innate               ability               to               diagnose               a               play               and               was               seldom               fooled.
               This,               along               with               his               foot               speed,               allowed               him               to               defend               just               about               any               opponent               on               a               pass               play.

This               ability               allowed               Denver               the               luxury               of               blitzing               their               outside               linebackers,               knowing               he               could               cover               their               assignments.
               His               specialty               may               have               been               the               short-yardage               situation.

With               a               superb               ability               to               sift               would-be               blockers,               he               often               filled               the               holes               the               opposing               running               backs               would               run               to.

Though               he               didn't               have               the               toothless               snarl               of               Jack               Lambert               or               easily               seen               nastiness               of               Dick               Butkus,               he               was               just               as               good               as               those               two               Hall               of               Famers.
               Some               of               the               best               running               backs               in               NFL               history,               Walter               Payton               and               Tony               Dorsett,               are               on               record               espousing               his               tremendous               hitting               ability.

"The               chance               for               a               real               good               shot               comes               very               seldom,               but               when               it's               there               I               take               full               advantage               of               it."               Gradishar               once               said.
               There               have               been               few               linebackers               to               take               the               gridiron               on               his               level.

He               is               a               member               of               the               Broncos               Ring               of               Honor               and               Colorado               Sports               Hall               of               Fame.

Why               he               has               yet               to               be               inducted               into               the               Pro               Football               Hall               of               Fame               is               beyond               bewildering.

He               has               been               a               finalist               twice               and               a               semi-finalist               four               times.
               Now               he               is               in               a               gigantic               pool               of               candidates               in               the               Seniors               Committee               list.

Though               he               should               have               long               been               inducted               before               he               made               it               that               far,               he               is               caught               in               a               quagmire               of               a               selection               process               where               no               more               than               two               candidates               yearly               can               just               make               it               to               the               final               vote               process.
               It               would               behoove               Canton               to               double               that,               allowing               the               Seniors               Committee               to               try               to               induct               at               least               four               each               year.

The               backlog               of               excellent               players               is               too               long,               and               it               is               frustrating               seeing               lesser               modern               players               go               in               as               superior               players               are               caught               in               a               numbers               crunch               that               is               much               harder               to               win               than               a               slots               machine               jackpot               at               a               casino.
               Watching               a               player               as               great               as               Randy               Gradishar               wait               this               long               to               get               his               deserved               respect               truly               shows               the               ineptness               of               the               Canton               voter.
               Though               no               one               can               question               the               recent               inductions               of               linebackers               like               Andre               Tippett,               Ricky               Jackson,               and               Derrick               Thomas,               no               one               would               ever               say               that               any               were               better               football               players               than               Gradishar.
               Though               deserving,               it               is               a               travesty               the               much               more               deserving               Gradishar               continues               to               wait               on               his               rightful               placement               in               the               hallowed               walls               of               Canton.
               Tommy               Nobis               
               6'2"               240               
               Linebacker               
               Atlanta               Falcons               
               1966               -               1976               
               11               Seasons               
               133               Games               Played               
               5               Pro               Bowls               
               1966               NFL               Rookie               of               the               Year
               Thomas               Henry               Nobis               Jr.

was               the               first               draft               pick               ever               by               the               expansion               Atlanta               Falcons               in               the               1966               NFL               draft.

He               was               also               the               first               player               chosen               overall.
               Nobis               is               a               legend               in               Texas.

He               was               was               the               only               sophomore               starter               on               the               Longhorns'               1963               National               Championship               team.
               No               bis               averaged               nearly               20               tackles               per               game               at               Texas,               and               was               a               two-way               player               on               teams               that               were               ranked               first               in               the               nation               at               some               point               during               each               of               his               three               years.
               He               graced               the               covers               of               Life,               Sports               Illustrated               and               Time               magazines.

Nobis               won               the               Knute               Rockne,               Outland,               and               Maxwell               Awards               and               finished               seventh               in               the               Heisman               voting.
               Nobis               was               selected               to               the               Football               News               All-Time               All-America               Team,               Sports               Illustrated's               All-Century               Team,               and               the               Walter               Camp               Football               Foundation               All-Century               Team.
               He               is               also               a               member               of               the               Texas               and               Georgia               State               High               School               Halls               of               Fame,               Thomas               Jefferson               High               School               Alumni               Hall               of               Fame,               the               San               Antonio               Hall               of               Fame,               the               Longhorn               Hall               of               Honor               and               the               National               Football               Foundation               College               Hall               of               Fame.
               Nobis               started               right               away               for               the               Falcons,               and               was               very               busy               on               a               new               team               that               struggled               to               a               3-11               record.
               He               set               a               Falcons               record,               that               still               stands               today,               when               he               amassed               294               tackles.

It               may               be               an               NFL               record,               but               that               stat               is               unofficial               and               kept               by               individual               teams.
               He               was               named               to               the               Pro               Bowl               and               was               the               1966               NFL               Rookie               of               the               Year.
               Nobis               intercepted               the               first               three               passes               of               his               career               the               next               season,               and               returned               one               for               a               touchdown.

He               was               also               selected               to               his               second               Pro               Bowl               and               only               First               Team               All-Pro               honor.
               In               1968,               he               was               named               to               his               third               Pro               Bowl,               as               the               struggling               Falcons               went               through               a               coaching               change               by               hiring               Hall               of               Famer               Norm               Van               Brocklin               after               the               third               week               of               the               season.
               Nobis               was               injured               in               the               fifth               game               of               the               following               year,               and               missed               the               rest               of               the               season.

He               came               back               in               1970               and               was               named               to               the               Pro               Bowl.

He               then               was               injured               in               the               fourth               game               of               the               following               season,               and               missed               the               rest               of               the               year.
               Nobis               would               only               miss               two               games               for               the               rest               of               his               career.

He               made               his               last               Pro               Bowl               in               1972,               and               also               scored               the               last               touchdown               of               his               career.
               The               1973               season               would               be               the               best               record               the               Falcons               had               during               Nobis'               career.

They               went               9-5.

Atlanta               won               50               games               in               his               eleven               seasons.
               His               number               60               the               first               number               retired               by               the               team,               and               he               is               a               member               of               the               Falcons'               Ring               of               Honor,               Georgia               Sports               Hall               of               Fame,               and               the               Atlanta               Sports               Hall               of               Fame.
               He               has               also               been               named               the               NFL               Man               of               the               Year               (Dodge               and               Vitalis),               and               Joseph               P.

Kennedy,               Jr.

award,               due               to               his               work               with               the               Special               Olympics               as               a               member               of               the               Falcons               front               office,               and               in               his               own               foundation.
               Nobis               is               on               the               NFL's               All-1960s               team,               which               is               quite               an               accomplishment               if               you               consider               he               didn't               even               play               half               of               the               decade.
               It               is               TRULY               astounding               that               'Mr.

Falcon'               still               has               yet               to               be               inducted               into               Canton.

While               he               played               on               many               lousy               teams,               but               he               was               outstanding.
               Atlanta               got               little               publicity               during               his               time               as               a               player,               but               the               voters               cannot               use               this               as               an               excuse.

These               voters               are               supposed               to               represent               the               whole               NFL,               not               just               the               media               driven               franchises.
               They               are               supposed               to               be               experts,               or               at               least               this               is               what               their               positions               as               voters               implies.

The               exclusion               of               Nobis               for               all               of               these               years               belies               that               thought.
               Tommy               Nobis               epitomizes               what               a               Hall               of               Fame               football               player               is               supposed               to               symbolize.

Both               on               and               off               the               field.

It               is               truly               disgraceful,               and               disrespectful,               that               he               is               not               in               Canton.
               Lee               Roy               Jordan               
               6'1"               221               
               Linebacker               
               Dallas               Cowboys               
               1963               -               1976               
               14               Seasons               
               186               Games               Played               
               32               Interceptions               
               18               Fumble               Recoveries               
               3               Touchdowns               
               1               Safety               
               5               Pro               Bowls
               Lee               Roy               Jordan               was               the               Dallas               Cowboys               first               draft               pick               of               the               1963               draft.

He               was               the               sixth               player               chosen               overall.

Jordan               was               already               a               gridiron               legend               in               college,               after               a               spectacular               career               at               Alabama               University.
               In               his               last               game               with               Alabama               in               the               Orange               Bowl               against               Oklahoma               University,               Jordan               piled               up               a               whopping               30               tackles               and               was               named               the               games               MVP.

He               is               a               member               of               the               Alabama               Hall               Of               Fame               and               the               College               Football               Hall               Of               Fame.
               He               only               suited               up               for               seven               games               in               his               rookie               year,               but               started               each               game               at               outside               linebacker               on               the               left               side.

He               ended               up               swiping               three               interceptions               and               recovering               a               fumble.
               He               was               moved               to               middle               linebacker               in               1966               and               would               stay               there               the               rest               of               his               career.

This               was               the               time               the               famous               "Doomsday               Defense"               was               at               its               beginnings,               and               Jordan               was               the               leader.
               He               picked               off               one               pass               that               year               and               returned               it               49               yards               for               a               score               that               year.

Jordan               had               three               interceptions               the               next               year               for               a               career               best               85               yards,               while               scoring               another               touchdown               and               recording               a               safety.
               The               Cowboys               would               end               up               making               it               to               the               1967               NFL               Championship               Game               before               losing               to               the               Green               Bay               Packers               in               the               famous               "Ice               Bowl".

He               was               named               to               the               first               of               three               consecutive               Pro               Bowls               that               season.
               Jordan               ended               up               playing               in               Super               Bowl               V,               the               first               Super               Bowl               after               the               NFL/               AFL               merger.

The               Cowboys               ended               up               losing               in               the               waning               seconds               to               the               Baltimore               Colts               in               a               game               dubbed               "The               Blunder               Bowl"               because               it               was               a               game               that               featured               11               turnovers               by               both               teams               and               10               penalties               against               Dallas.
               Jordan               had               two               interceptions               and               a               career               best               three               fumble               recoveries               in               1971.

The               Cowboys               would               go               on               to               beat               the               Miami               Dolphins               24               -               3               in               Super               Bowl               VI.

It               is               the               only               Super               Bowl               where               a               team               was               prevented               from               scoring               a               touchdown.
               Jordan               had               two               more               swipes               in               1972,               then               had               a               career               high               six               interceptions               in               1973.

In               one               game               against               the               Cincinnati               Bengals,               Jordan               picked               off               three               passes               in               a               five-minute               span.
               He               took               one               ball               for               a               31               yard               touchdown,               and               was               named               to               the               Pro               Bowl               after               the               season.

He               made               his               final               Pro               Bowl               in               1974               after               getting               two               interceptions.
               The               1975               season               saw               Jordan               tie               his               career               high               of               six               interceptions,               while               leading               the               Cowboys               to               Super               Bowl               X.

The               Cowboys               ended               up               losing               a               close               game               to               the               Pittsburgh               Steelers.

Jordan               again               started               every               game               in               1976,               but               did               not               record               any               turnovers               for               only               the               second               time               of               his               career.
               He               then               retired               after               that               season               as               the               franchises               all-time               leader               in               tackles,               and               his               32               interceptions               are               still               tied               for               the               third               most               ever               by               a               linebacker               in               NFL               history.

Jordan               is               a               member               of               the               Cowboys               Ring               Of               Fame.
               There               are               a               few               theories               as               to               why               Jordan               still               awaits               his               call               to               Canton.

One               is               that               he               was               a               member               of               a               fantastic               defense               that               featured               Hall               Of               Fame               Defensive               Tackle               Bob               Lilly,               along               with               such               greats               as               George               Andrie,               Chuck               Howley,               Jethro               Pugh,               Charlie               Waters,               Cornell               Green,               and               Cliff               Harris.
               Then               there               is               some               that               say               is               was               because               of               the               genius               diagramming               of               Hall               Of               Fame               Coach               Tom               Landry               that               the               "Doomsday               Defense"               was               so               effective.
               Others               believe               that               the               voters               have               some               anti-Cowboys               bias               from               that               era               as               well.

Maybe               all               those               points               have               some               validity,               but               you               cannot               ignore               the               facts               that               Jordan               has               placed               in               front               of               all               to               see               through               his               play               on               the               field.
               He               was               a               true               leader               who               always               gave               it               everything               he               had               on               every               play               without               fail.

Not               only               was               he               a               tackling               machine,               but               the               man               helped               get               the               ball               back               for               his               teams               offense               over               50               times               in               his               career.
               Jordan               gathered               a               turnover               in               every               3.72               games               he               played               in               his               career,               an               outstanding               percentage.

His               three               interception               game               was               named               one               of               the               ten               most               memorable               moments               in               the               history               of               Texas               Stadium               in               2008.
               Not               a               big               man               in               size               or               stature,               Jordan's               heart               was               immeasurable,               and               he               was               one               of               the               top               linebackers               in               the               NFL               almost               every               year               that               he               played.
               When               you               see               the               late               Derrick               Thomas               of               the               Kansas               City               Chiefs               inducted,               though               deservedly               so,               it               can               make               one               wonder.

Thomas               was               known               for               just               rushing               the               passer,               and               was               not               the               complete               player               that               Jordan               was.
               Lee               Roy               Jordan               certainly               is               deserving               of               being               inducted               into               the               Pro               Football               Hall               Of               Fame.
               Sam               Mills               
               5'9"               229               
               Linebacker               
               New               Orleans               Saints               
               1986-1997               
               12               Seasons               
               181               Games               Played               
               23               Fumbles               Recovered               
               4               Touchdowns               
               5               Pro               Bowls
               Samuel               Davis               Mills               Jr.

went               undrafted               in               1981,               then               tried               out               with               the               Cleveland               Browns               and               was               cut.

He               then               tried               out               with               the               Toronto               Argonauts               of               the               Canadian               Football               League               and               was               cut               again.
               The               United               States               Football               League               began               playing               in               1983               and               Mills               tried               out               for               the               Philadelphia               Stars.

Not               only               did               he               make               the               team,               he               became               an               instant               success.

Nicknamed               the               "Field               Mouse",               the               5'9"               Mills               was               known               for               his               leadership               and               intensity               both               on               and               off               the               field.
               The               USFL               folded               after               1985,               but               it               did               have               many               successes.

Six               members               of               the               USFL               are               inducted               into               the               Pro               Football               Hall               of               Fame,               including               four               players.

Mills               played               in               the               USFL               Championship               Game               all               three               seasons,               winning               twice.

He               is               a               member               of               the               USFL               All-Time               Team,               and               was               named               All-USFL,               their               version               of               the               Pro               Bowl,               all               three               years.
               David               Dixon               created               the               USFL.

He               also               was               instrumental               in               bringing               the               Saints               to               New               Orleans.

His               connections               with               the               USFL               proved               to               be               valuable               when               that               league               folded               as               he               signed               many               former               USFL               personnel.
               He               hired               Jim               Mora               Sr.

as               his               head               coach,               Bobby               Hebert               as               his               starting               quarterback,               Chuck               Commiskey               as               a               starting               offensive               guard,               Buford               Jordan               as               the               starting               fullback,               Antonio               Gibson               as               the               starting               strong               safety,               Mel               Gray               as               the               return               specialist,               and               Mills               and               Vaughn               Johnson               as               his               starting               inside               linebackers.

Mora               had               coached               Mills,               Commiskey,               and               Gibson               in               the               USFL.
               The               Saints               already               had               Hall               of               Famer               Ricky               Jackson               at               one               outside               linebacker               slot,               and               had               just               drafted               future               Pro               Bowler               Pat               Swilling               to               bookend               him.

Teamed               with               Mills               and               Johnson,               New               Orleans               has               one               of               the               best               linebacker               corps               in               NFL               history.

The               group               was               so               devastating               that               they               were               called               "The               Dome               Patrol".
               Mills               was               the               leader               of               the               group               and               made               his               first               Pro               Bowl               in               his               second               season.

He               was               always               around               the               ball               and               averaged               almost               100               tackles               a               year               in               his               nine               season               with               the               Saints.

He               also               took               two               fumble               recoveries               in               for               touchdowns               and               made               the               Pro               Bowl               four               times               total.
               When               his               contract               expired               in               1994,               the               Saint               allowed               the               36-year               old               to               leave               despite               the               fact               he               had               just               piled               up               a               career               high               155               tackles               that               year               for               them.

Mills               signed               with               the               expansion               Carolina               Panthers               determined               to               show               he               had               a               lot               of               football               still               in               him.

He               became               an               instant               hero               for               the               Panthers.
               The               1996               season               was               one               of               his               best.

He               was               named               to               the               Pro               Bowl               and               was               also               given               his               only               First               Team               All-Pro               honor.

Mills               had               a               career               best               5.5               sacks               to               go               with               122               tackles               and               became               the               oldest               player               in               NFL               history               to               recover               a               fumble               and               return               it               for               a               score.
               He               retired               after               the               1997               season               and               became               a               linebackers               coach               for               Carolina.

He               found               out               he               had               intestinal               cancer               and               only               had               a               few               months               to               live               in               2003,               but               kept               coaching               and               pleading               for               his               players               to               "keep               pounding".

This               inspired               Carolina               to               reach               Super               Bowl               XXXVIII               that               year.
               Mills               died               in               2005               and               the               Panthers               have               a               statue               of               him               outside               of               their               stadium               in               his               honor.

He               is               a               member               of               the               Panthers               Hall               of               Honor,               the               Saints               Hall               of               Fame,               the               Louisiana               Sports               Hall               of               Fame,               the               Sports               Hall               of               Fame               of               New               Jersey,               and               the               College               Football               Hall               of               Fame.
               There               is               still               a               good               chance               Mills               will               be               inducted               into               the               Pro               Football               Hall               of               Fame               one               day.

Though               critics               may               say               his               five               Pro               Bowls               with               the               NFL               isn't               enough               for               induction,               that               means               they               are               discounting               what               he               did               in               the               USFL.
               The               USFL               was               professional               football,               and               Mills               was               a               huge               star               in               that               league.

The               building               in               Canton               has               the               words               Pro               Football"               engraved               on               their               buildings,               signs,               and               letterheads               everywhere.

The               USFL               obviously               had               tremendous               impact               and               influence               on               the               NFL               as               well.
               His               is               a               story               of               perseverance.

The               "American               Dream"               that               became               reality.

Even               if               Mills               never               gets               into               Canton,               he               is               probably               the               greatest               inside               linebacker               the               Saints               franchise               ever               had               wear               their               jersey.
               Bill               Bergey               
               6'4"               243               
               Philadelphia               Eagles               
               1969-1980               
               12               Seasons               
               159               Games               Played               
               27               Interceptions               
               21               Fumble               Recoveries               
               5               Pro               Bowls
               William               Earl               Bergey               was               drafted               by               the               Cincinnati               Bengals               in               the               second               round               of               the               1969               AFL               draft               out               of               Arkansas               State               and               was               an               AFL               All-Star               in               his               first               year.

Bergey               started               for               the               Bengals               for               five               years.
               He               was               traded               to               the               Philadelphia               Eagles               in               1974               for               two               first-round               and               one               second-round               draft               picks               because               he               had               signed               a               "futures               contract"               with               the               World               Football               League.
               The               WFL               folded,               so               he               went               to               Philadelphia.

With               the               Eagles,               Bergey               went               to               four               straight               Pro               Bowls,               and               became               the               highest-paid               defensive               player               in               the               league.
               He               earned               Eagles               MVP               status               three               times.

Bergey               recorded               233               tackles               in               a               single               season               with               the               Eagles.

After               Philadelphia               lost               to               Oakland               in               Super               Bowl               XV,               Bergey               retired               in               1980               with               48               turnovers,               which               means               he               got               the               ball               back               for               his               teams               every               3.3               games.
               Bergey               is               a               member               of               the               Bengals               40th               Anniversary               Roster,               the               Eagles               Honor               Roll,               and               the               city               of               Buffalo's               Hall               of               Fame.

Though               he               was               excellent               in               Cincinnati,               it               was               with               Philadelphia               he               enjoyed               his               best               years               in               the               NFL.
               In               his               five               years               with               the               Bengals,               Bergey               had               9               interceptions               and               6               fumble               recoveries.
               He               accumulated               18               interceptions               and               15               fumble               recoveries               in               seven               seasons               as               an               Eagle.
               He               was               a               tackling               machine               that               allowed               fellow               Eagle               linebackers               John               Bunting,               Frank               LeMaster               and               Jerry               Robinson               to               excel.
               When               you               talk               of               the               rich               history               of               the               Eagles,               names               like               Van               Buren,               Bednarik,               McDonald,               White,               Montgomery,               Carmichael,               and               Bill               Bergey               roll               off               the               tongues               of               most               die               hard               Philly               fans.
               He               may               not               get               into               Canton,               but               he               is               a               Hall               of               Fame               player               in               my               book.
               Hardy               Nickerson               
               6'2"               230               
               Linebacker               
               Tampa               Bay               Buccaneers               
               1987-2002               
               16               Seasons               
               225               Games               Played               
               1990s               All-Decade               Team               
               5               Pro               Bowls
               Hardy               Otto               Nickerson               was               drafted               in               the               fifth               round               of               the               1987               draft               by               the               Pittsburgh               Steelers.

After               spending               his               rookie               year               as               a               reserve,               he               soon               moved               into               the               starting               lineup               and               became               a               solid               member               of               the               team.
               He               signed               with               the               Buccaneers               as               a               free               agent               in               1993,               and               blossomed               in               the               4-3               base               defense               that               head               coach               Tony               Dungy               ran.

He               was               named               First               Team               All-Pro               and               to               the               Pro               Bowl               in               his               first               season               after               setting               a               team               record               with               a               whopping               214               tackles               that               still               stands               today.
               Though               he               never               exceeded               147               tackles               in               a               season               for               the               rest               of               his               career,               Nickerson               was               the               fiery,               intelligent               leader               of               the               defense               and               was               called               "The               Dragon"               by               teammates               and               fans.
               In               1996,               he               went               to               the               Pro               Bowl               again,               something               he               would               continue               to               do               until               1999.

He               also               was               named               First               Team               All-Pro               in               1997,               and               was               honored               with               the               Byron               "Whizzer"               White               NFL               Man               of               the               Year               Award               for               his               work               in               the               community               and               country.
               He               became               a               free               agent               after               his               last               Pro               Bowl               season               of               1999,               so               he               signed               a               contract               with               the               Jacksonville               Jaguars.

He               got               hurt               after               six               games,               missing               the               rest               of               the               season.
               The               2001               season               saw               him               get               a               career               high               three               interceptions               and               nine               defended               passes.

He               then               signed               with               the               Green               Bay               Packers               in               2002,               then               retired               at               the               end               of               the               season.
               Nickerson               is               a               member               of               the               NFL               1990's               All-Decade               Second               Team.

No               other               Buccaneers               middle               linebacker               has               more               tackles               than               him               and               he               has               the               third               most               in               team               history.
               His               getting               inducted               into               Canton               may               seem               a               long               shot               to               some,               but               Nickerson's               career               stacks               up               next               to               some               of               the               greatest               middle               linebackers               in               NFL               history.

His               longevity               also               shows               how               tough               he               was               and               how               much               he               had.
               Karl               Mecklenburg               
               6'3"               240               
               Linebacker               
               Denver               Broncos               
               1983-1994               
               12               Seasons               
               180               Games               Played               
               79               Sacks               
               6               Pro               Bowls
               Karl               Bernard               Mecklenburg               was               drafted               in               the               12th               round               of               the               1983               draft               by               the               Denver               Broncos,               the               310th               player               chosen               overall.

He               made               the               team               as               a               rookie,               but               started               out               playing               defensive               end.
               He               was               able               to               work               his               way               on               the               field               by               impressing               the               coaches               with               his               determination.

After               getting               a               pair               of               sacks               as               a               rookie,               he               was               used               as               a               pass               rush               specialist               the               next               year               and               got               seven               more.

He               also               picked               off               two               passes               and               returned               them               for               105               yards.
               Denver               knew               they               had               to               find               a               way               to               get               Mecklenburg               on               the               field,               and               they               also               wanted               to               upgrade               their               linebacking               unit.

Joe               Collier,               the               Broncos               legendary               defensive               coordinator,               decided               to               try               him               at               inside               linebacker.
               Though               he               split               time               with               incumbent               starter               Rick               Dennison,               Mecklenburg               was               still               able               to               rack               up               a               career               high               13               sacks.

He               was               named               First               Team               All-Pro               and               to               the               Pro               Bowl               despite               starting               just               nine               games.
               He               took               over               as               a               full-time               starter               in               1986               and               was               named               First               Team               All-Pro               and               to               the               Pro               Bowl               again               after               getting               9.5               sacks.

Denver               would               reach               the               Super               Bowl,               but               lost.
               The               Broncos               would               go               back               to               the               Super               Bowl               in               1987               and               1989,               but               lost               each               time.

Mecklenburg               was               a               big               reason               for               their               success.

In               1987,               he               went               to               the               Pro               Bowl               after               getting               the               last               three               interceptions               of               his               career.
               He               was               named               First               Team               All-Pro               and               to               the               Pro               Bowl               in               1989               after               scoring               the               first               touchdown               of               his               career,               which               came               off               of               a               fumble               recovery.

He               scored               off               another               fumble               the               next               year,               as               well               as               recording               a               safety.
               From               1986               to               1997,               Mecklenburg               was               one               of               the               best               linebackers               in               all               of               football.

He               wasn't               just               a               pass               rusher,               though               he               did               pile               up               55.5               sacks               over               that               time,               but               he               was               also               a               tackling               machine.
               Starting               in               1986,               Mecklenburg               had               at               least               100               tackles               every               year               until               1986               except               for               the               97               he               had               in               the               strike               shortened               1987               season.

He               had               99               tackles               in               1997.

After               getting               68               in               1998,               his               lowest               total               as               a               full-time               starter,               he               retired.
               Nicknamed               the               "Albino               Rhino"               by               teammates,               he               has               the               second               most               tackles               and               sacks               in               Broncos               history.

His               180               games               played               are               the               third               most               ever               as               well.
               No               other               Broncos               linebacker               has               been               to               the               Pro               Bowl               six               times,               and               his               three               First               Team               All-Pro               nods               are               tied               as               the               second               most               in               franchise               history.

He               is               a               member               of               the               Broncos               Ring               of               Honor.
               Mecklenburg               was               a               winner,               as               shown               by               his               helping               Denver               reach               the               Super               Bowl               three               times.

His               was               career               not               expected,               so               the               term               "self-made               man"               certainly               applies               in               his               care.
               Through               determination,               he               ended               his               career               on               the               same               lever               as               Randy               Gradishar.

Many               consider               Gradishar               the               greatest               Broncos               linebacker               ever,               but               Mecklenburg               is               not               far               behind.
               Besides               missing               seven               games               in               1988,               and               one               the               next               year,               he               took               the               field               every               time               his               team               did.

Consistent,               tough,               and               fiery,               Karl               Mecklenburg               had               a               career               certainly               worthy               of               induction               into               the               Pro               Football               Hall               of               Fame.
               Jessie               Tuggle               
               5'11"               230               
               Linebacker               
               Atlanta               Falcons               
               1987-2000               
               14               Seasons               
               209               Games               Played               
               6               Touchdowns               
               5               Pro               Bowls
               Jessie               Lloyd               Tuggle               Jr               went               undrafted               in               1987               despite               having               a               career               at               Valdosta               State               University               that               had               him               inducted               into               the               College               Football               Hall               of               Fame.

He               signed               with               Atlanta               and               soon               found               himself               starting               at               left               inside               linebacker               after               1980               NFL               Defensive               Rookie               of               the               Year               Buddy               Curry               went               down               with               a               career-ending               injury.
               He               split               time               with               Joel               Williams               the               next               year,               starting               in               eight               games.

He               was               still               able               to               rack               up               103               tackles               and               score               a               touchdown               off               of               a               fumble               recovery.

Atlanta               then               handed               him               the               job               full-time               the               rest               of               his               career,               and               he               missed               just               three               starts               over               that               time.
               After               getting               183               tackles               in               1989,               he               had               201               tackles               and               a               career               high               five               quarterback               sacks               the               next               year.

He               also               took               a               fumble               65               yards               for               a               touchdown.
               He               followed               that               up               in               1991               with               a               career-best               207               tackles,               and               scored               again               off               of               a               fumble               recovery.

He               also               had               his               first               career               interception.
               The               1992               season               saw               him               finally               get               recognized               as               a               Pro               Bowler               after               somehow               not               being               named               in               either               of               his               two               previous               stellar               seasons.

He               had               193               tackles,               and               interception,               and               he               scored               off               a               career-long               69               yard               fumble               recovery.
               After               getting               185               tackles               the               next               year,               he               returned               to               the               Pro               Bowl               in               1994               after               getting               93               tackles.

The               1994               season               was               the               last               time               he               exceeded               100               tackles,               when               he               had               111.
               He               also               had               a               career               high               three               interceptions,               the               last               of               his               career.

One               was               returned               for               a               touchdown,               and               he               made               the               Pro               Bowl               again.
               After               making               the               Pro               Bowl               in               1997,               he               made               his               last               Pro               Bowl               the               next               year.

He               also               scored               his               last               touchdown,               which               happened               off               of               a               fumble               recovery.
               The               Falcons               would               reach               Super               Bowl               XXXIII,               their               only               championship               appearance               in               franchise               history,               but               lost.
               He               had               3.5               sacks               in               1999,               but               missed               two               games.

After               missing               half               of               the               2000               season,               he               retired               with               a               Falcons               record               of               1,640               tackles.
               His               five               fumble               recoveries               for               touchdowns               was               an               NFL               record               until               Jason               Taylor               of               the               Miami               Dolphins               surpassed               it               by               one               in               2009.
               "The               Hammer"               has               his               jersey               retired               by               the               Falcons,               and               he               is               a               member               of               the               team's               Ring               of               Honor.
               Tommy               Nobis               may               be               the               best               Falcon               middle               linebacker               ever,               but               Tuggle               is               right               up               there               with               him.

Being               the               ultimate               team               player               that               he               was,               Tuggle               still               has               a               shot               at               induction               into               the               Pro               Football               Hall               Of               Fame.
               Mike               Curtis               
               6'3"               232               
               Linebacker               
               Baltimore               Colts               
               1965-1978               
               14               Seasons               
               166               Games               Played               
               25               Interceptions               
               3               Touchdowns               
               4               Pro               Bowls               
               1970               AFC               Defensive               Player               of               the               Year
               James               Michael               Curtis               was               drafted               in               the               first               round               of               the               1965               NFL               Draft               by               the               Baltimore               Colts.

He               initially               played               fullback               and               even               ran               the               ball               six               times               as               a               rookie,               as               well               a               catching               a               pass.
               The               Colts               switched               him               to               linebacker               the               next               year,               where               he               played               on               the               weak               side.

Though               he               started               seven               games               in               1966,               he               did               score               off               a               fumble               recovery.

He               got               hurt               in               the               third               game               of               1967,               missing               the               rest               of               the               year.
               Curtis               rebounded               strong               in               1968,               helping               lead               the               Colts               to               Super               Bowl               III               after               being               named               First               Team               All-Pro               and               to               the               Pro               Bowl.

In               Baltimore's               first               playoff               game               against               the               Minnesota               Vikings,               Curtis               took               a               fumble               60               yards               for               a               touchdown.
               He               had               an               interception               in               the               Colts               34-0               win               over               the               Cleveland               Browns               in               the               NFL               Championship               and               helped               hold               Cleveland's               powerful               running               game               to               58               yards.
               Baltimore               switched               him               to               middle               linebacker               in               1969.

Curtis               responded               by               being               named               First               Team               All-Pro.

He               got               a               career               best               five               interceptions               in               1970,               helping               the               Colts               win               their               division.
               After               getting               an               interception               in               a               first               round               win               over               the               Cincinnati               Bengals,               he               picked               off               another               pass               in               Super               Bowl               V               as               the               Colts               defeated               the               Dallas               Cowboys               16-13.
               He               was               named               the               AFC               Defensive               Player               of               the               Year               by               the               NFL               101               Club               for               all               of               his               accomplishments               that               year.
               He               was               a               captain               on               the               Colts               most               of               his               time               with               them,               known               for               his               intensity               and               mean               streak.

Many               called               him               the               meanest               player               of               his               era.
               He               made               the               Pro               Bowl               in               1971               and               1974               again               for               Baltimore,               and               was               named               the               team               MVP               in               that               1974               season.

He               got               hurt               in               1975               and               was               able               to               play               just               six               games.
               The               Colts               left               him               exposed               to               the               expansion               draft,               so               the               Seattle               Seahawks               grabbed               him.

He               was               moved               to               outside               linebacker               again,               where               he               started               every               game.
               Curtis,               who               grew               up               in               suburban               Maryland,               asked               to               be               traded               closer               to               home.

Seattle               acquiesced               by               dealing               him               to               the               Washington               Redskins               before               the               1977               season.

Curtis               retired               after               1978.
               Many               fans               who               saw               him               play               think               Curtis               is               one               of               the               most               underrated               middle               linebackers               of               his               era,               in               spite               of               the               many               accolades               he               attained.

They               point               to               Hall               of               Famers               like               Willie               Lanier               and               Nick               Buoniconti               being               in               his               way               of               more               Pro               Bowl               accolades.
               The               fact               is               that               Curtis               was               more               than               a               vicious               hitter               who               brought               violent               collisions.

He               was               very               athletic,               being               one               of               the               very               first               players               to               ever               retire               with               at               least               20               interceptions               and               sacks               in               a               career.
               His               21               interceptions               with               Baltimore               is               still               the               third               most               ever               by               a               Colts               linebacker.

His               presence               also               helped               fellow               linebackers,               and               Colts               legends,               like               Stan               White               and               Hall               of               Famer               Ted               Hendricks               be               even               more               effective.
               As               the               years               pass,               his               chances               for               going               into               Canton               dwindle.

Yet               Mike               Curtis               certainly               did               have               a               career               worthy               of               induction               into               the               Pro               Football               Hall               of               Fame.






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