The Story And Significance Of Ken Stabler - Was The Fastest To 100 Wins As A Quarterback

Kenneth Michael Stabler was an American professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League for 17 seasons, primarily with the Oakland Raiders. Nicknamed "Snake", he played college football for the Alabama Crimson Tide and was selected by the Raiders in the second round of the 1968 NFL/AFL draft. During his 10 seasons in Oakland, Stabler received four Pro Bowl selections and was named Most Valuable Player in 1974. Stabler also helped the Raiders win their first Super Bowl title in Super Bowl XI. He was posthumously inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016.

Stabler was selected in the second round of the 1968 NFL/AFL draft by the Oakland Raiders, the reigning AFL champions. He was the fifth quarterback taken, after Greg Landry, Eldridge Dickey, Heisman Trophy winner Gary Beban, and Mike Livingston. He was also drafted to play baseball by the New York Yankees in 1966, the New York Mets in 1967, and the Houston Astros in 1968.

Stabler signed a two-year contract with the Raiders in March 1968. However, he later underwent knee surgery and spent the 1968 AFL season on injured reserve (IR). He worked out with the taxi squad while on IR. In November 1968, the Raiders sent Stabler to Spokane, Washington, to play for the Spokane Shockers of the Continental Football League. He played in two games for the Shockers before being recalled by the Raiders in late November. In July 1969, Stabler left the Raiders, stating "there's not much sense in staying in it if I wasn't enjoying it." However, later in November 1969, Stabler said "I'll be back in pro football come June." In January 1970, it was reported that Stabler and Raiders head coach John Madden agreed that Stabler would return to the Raiders for training camp in July. Stabler made his first regular season appearance as a Raider in 1970. He first attracted attention in the NFL in a 1972 playoff game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. After entering the game in relief of a flu-ridden Daryle Lamonica, he scored the go-ahead touchdown late in the fourth quarter on a 30-yard scramble. The Steelers, however, came back to win on a controversial, deflected pass from Terry Bradshaw to Franco Harris, later known in football lore as the Immaculate Reception. After Lamonica was unable to lead the Raiders to an offensive touchdown in the first three games of the 1973 season, Stabler took over as starter. Stabler helped the Raiders finish the season with a 9–4–1 record and earn an appearance in the AFC championship game.

On April 2, 1974, Stabler and several NFL stars agreed to join the newly created World Football League. He signed a multi-year contract to play for the Birmingham Americans, beginning in 1976 once his Raiders contract would have expired. He said "the biggest thing to me is getting back home. Getting to play before the people in the South is where it's at for me. In two years I'll be in Birmingham if I have to hitchhike." The WFL folded midway through the 1975 season, and Stabler remained in the NFL without ever playing in the WFL.

After having severe knee injuries, Stabler became less a scrambling quarterback and more a classic, drop-back passer, known for accurate passes and an uncanny ability to lead late, come-from-behind drives. During the peak of his career, he had a receiving corps consisting of sprinter Cliff Branch, sure handed receiver Fred Biletnikoff, and tight end Dave Casper. All three of Stabler's receivers would ultimately end up in the Hall of Fame. The Raiders' philosophy was to pound teams with their running game (aided by multiple-time Pro Bowler Marv Hubbard at fullback, and Clarence Davis at tailback), then stretch them with their long passing game. Although Stabler lacked remarkable arm strength, he was a master of the long pass to Branch, and accurate on intermediate routes to Biletnikoff and Casper. As a starter in Oakland, Stabler was named AFC player of the year in 1974 and 1976, and was the NFL's passing champion in 1976. In January 1977, he guided the Raiders to their first Super Bowl victory, a decisive 32–14 win over the Minnesota Vikings at the Rose Bowl. Stabler was awarded the Hickok Belt for 1976, as the year's top professional sports athlete.

In the 1977 AFC playoffs against the Baltimore Colts on Christmas Eve, Stabler completed a legendary fourth quarter pass to Casper to set up a game-tying field goal by Errol Mann. This play, dubbed the "Ghost to the Post," sent the game to double overtime, which the visiting Raiders won 37–31, after Stabler threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Casper. In the second game of 1978 on September 10, the Holy Roller (Immaculate Deception) Game saw Oakland win 21–20 at San Diego after a fourth quarter forward fumble by Stabler was caught and forward-fumbled by two other players to score a touchdown and win the game. This caused the Ken Stabler Rule to be enacted in 1979, permitting only the fumbling player to recover the ball during a fourth down play, or during any down played after the two-minute warning in a half or overtime.

After subpar 1978 and 1979 seasons in which the Raiders failed to make the playoffs and saw the departure of many team leaders from the Super Bowl run – Clarence Davis, Skip Thomas, George Atkinson, Fred Biletnikoff, Willie Brown, and head coach John Madden – Stabler was traded in March 1980 to the Oilers for Dan Pastorini. He left as the Raiders' all-time leader in completions (1,486), passing yards (19,078), and touchdown passes (150). The Oilers saw Stabler as the missing ingredient that could finally get them past the rival Steelers and into the Super Bowl. Houston lacked the exceptional talent on offense that Stabler had thrived with in Oakland, as Earl Campbell and Casper—who was also acquired in a trade from the Raiders—were the few potent weapons they had. Meanwhile, Pastorini lost the starting job in Oakland to Jim Plunkett after an injury, and Plunkett then led the Raiders to a win in Super Bowl XV, which included a playoff win over the Oilers in the wild card game. Houston head coach Bum Phillips was fired shortly after the season, succeeded by defensive coordinator Ed Biles.

Without the popular head coach that rejuvenated an otherwise woeful Houston franchise, Stabler did not report to training camp in 1981 and announced his retirement through his agent on July 23. After five weeks and an injury to projected starter Gifford Nielsen, he returned to the Oilers in late August and signed a two-year contract. He had a mediocre season, as Houston went 7–9 and missed the playoffs.

Released by the Oilers after the season, Stabler re-joined Phillips in New Orleans in late August. (Dave Wilson had a season-ending knee injury on August 12.) In mid-September, the Saints traded longtime starter Archie Manning for offensive tackle Leon Gray. By this time, however, the 37-year-old Stabler was past his prime and the Saints were still a fairly dismal franchise. The first year was interrupted by a two-month players' strike; New Orleans was 4–5 and narrowly missed the expanded playoffs. The 1983 season was his best as a Saint. He started 14 games, and while the team's record in those games was only 7–7, Stabler was the starter for the final game of the season, in New Orleans, against the division rival Los Angeles Rams. Had the Saints won that game, they would have finished 9–7 and reached their first trip to the playoffs. But the Rams pulled out the victory late in the 4th quarter, 26–24. The Saints then acquired New York Jets veteran Richard Todd, who like Stabler played for Bryant at Alabama, before the 1984 season and Stabler retired in the middle of that season, in late October.

Stabler was the fastest to win 100 games as a starting quarterback, having done so in 150 games, which bettered Johnny Unitas' previous mark of 153 games. Since then, only Terry Bradshaw in 147 games, Joe Montana in 139 games, and Tom Brady in 131 games have reached 100 wins more quickly. Stabler was also the first NFL quarterback to retire with at least 200 passing yards per game in the playoffs (minimum 10 playoff appearances).

Stabler was named the twenty-seventh greatest quarterback of the post-merger era by Football Nation.

The Professional Football Researchers Association named Stabler to the PFRA Hall of Very Good Class of 2014.

At the 2016 NFL Honors, it was announced that Stabler had been selected for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and he was officially inducted on August 6, 2016.

Following his retirement as a player, Stabler worked as a color commentator, first on CBS NFL telecasts, and then on radio with Eli Gold for Alabama football games. Stabler left before Alabama's 2008 season and was replaced by Phil Savage.

Stabler served as chairman of the XOXO Stabler Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit with a mission "to raise funds, build awareness and hope for a variety of charitable causes." Stabler's celebrity golf tournaments in Point Clear, Alabama have raised nearly $600,000 for charitable partner The Ronald McDonald House of Mobile, which serves families of seriously ill and injured children receiving medical treatment at local hospitals.

Stabler was featured on a Saturday Night Live skit as the spokesman for a fictional product called the "Lung Brush".

Professional wrestler Jake "The Snake" Roberts adopted his nickname "The Snake" as a tribute to Stabler.

Stabler is featured on the "NFL Legends" team in the video game NFL Street.

Stabler appears in the 2K video game All-Pro Football 2K8.

Stabler was married three times: to Isabel Clarke from 1968 to 1973, to Debbie Fitzsimmons from 1975 to 1978, and to Rose Molly Burch from 1984 to 2009.

Stabler had three daughters, Kendra Stabler Moyes, Alexa Stabler-Adams, and Marissa Leigh Stabler. In 2017, Alexa Stabler-Adams was certified by the NFLPA as a sports agent.

Renowned for being cool and cerebral on the field, Stabler was equally legendary for his off-field exploits; he wrote in his 1986 autobiography Snake, "The monotony of [training] camp was so oppressive that without the diversions of whiskey and women, those of us who were wired for activity and no more than six hours sleep a night might have gone berserk." Stabler told stories of drunk Raiders teammates pointing guns at him, and bailing out a teammate from jail who was wearing nothing but blue cowboy boots and his Super Bowl ring. "We were the only pro team who traveled with its own bail bondsman," he said.

Stabler died of colon cancer on July 8, 2015, at the age of 69. He had been diagnosed with the disease in February 2015. After some initial confusion when The Tuscaloosa News leaked a draft obituary for Stabler before word of his death could be confirmed, his family confirmed his death in a statement issued on July 9.

In February 2016, The New York Times reported that researchers at Boston University discovered high Stage 3 chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in Stabler's brain after his death. He is one of at least 345 NFL players to be diagnosed after death with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), which is caused by repeated hits to the head. He was buried at Pine Rest Cemetery in Foley, Alabama.

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The Story And Significance Of Orlando Pace - Seven Consecutive Pro Bowl Selections At Left Tackle

Orlando Lamar Pace is an American former professional football offensive tackle who played in the National Football League for 13 seasons, primarily with the St. Louis Rams. He played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes, winning the Lombardi Award in 1995 after blocking for Eddie George during his Heisman campaign. The following season, Pace won the Outland Trophy, his second Lombardi Award, the Jim Parker Trophy, and UPI Lineman of the Year. Pace was selected first overall in the 1997 NFL draft by the Rams, where he spent all but one season of his professional career. This included being a member of the Greatest Show on Turf. In his final season, he was a member of the Chicago Bears.

With the Rams, Pace was recognized as the cornerstone of an offensive line that blocked for an offense with the most gross yardage, second-highest completion percentage, and fifth-most touchdown passes during his 12 years with the team. Under Pace's protection, the Rams passing offense compiled more than 3,000 yards per season in each of the years he played, seven different quarterbacks eclipsed 3,000 yards in a season, and seven players rushed for 1,000 yards. Pace also protected the league's Most Valuable Player (MVP) recipient for three consecutive seasons, blocking for 1999 and 2001 MVP Kurt Warner and 2000 MVP Marshall Faulk.

Retiring as a seven-time Pro Bowl and three-time first-team All-Pro selection, Pace was a core contributor of the Rams Greatest Show on Turf offense that won the franchise's first Super Bowl title in Super Bowl XXXIV. He was inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2013 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016.

The Rams traded with the New York Jets for the first overall pick the day before the 1997 NFL draft. Pace was the first offensive lineman since Ron Yary in 1968 to be drafted first overall. After a three-week holdout, on August 15, 1997, Pace signed a seven-year $29.4 million contract that included a $6.3 million signing bonus. Pace played 13 games during the 1997 season, his rookie year. He made his first start against the Oakland Raiders on September 28, 1997, and started every game for the rest of the season.

In 1998, Pace started 16 games at the left tackle position and was named Pro Bowl alternate.

In the 1999 season, Pace played in 896 of 994 offensive plays and was selected to his first Pro Bowl. It was the first time that a Rams' offensive tackle was named to the Pro Bowl since Jackie Slater in 1990. Pace was also a First-team All-Pro for the Super Bowl winning Rams.

In the 2000 season, Pace earned second consecutive Pro Bowl invitation, starting all 16 regular season games and 1 playoff game. Pace was anchor of offensive line that helped offense produce most passing yards in NFL history, playing in 1,006 of possible 1,013 offensive plays (99.3 percent), second highest total on offensive line. Pace was one of three Rams' offensive linemen (C Andy McCollum, RT Ryan Tucker) who were not penalized for holding.

In 2001, Pace started every game for the fourth consecutive season. He played in 100 percent of offensive plays, joining Adam Timmerman as the only Ram to play in every offensive play. He started all three playoff contests, the St. Louis Rams claimed the NFC West title and advanced to Super Bowl XXXVI falling to the New England Patriots, 20–17. He earned third consecutive Pro Bowl invitation.

In 2002, despite missing six games due to injury (three to calf injury in games 4–6 and three to hamstring games in 13–16), Pace earned his fourth consecutive Pro Bowl invitation.

Pace had a lengthy holdout by reporting to camp on August 26, 2003, and signing a one-year deal as the Rams franchise player. The deal was worth $5.7 million. In 2003, Pace started all 16 regular season games and one playoff game, he helped the Rams' offense to rank second in the NFL with an average of 27.9 points a game. He earned a fifth consecutive Pro Bowl invitation as the Rams claimed their third NFC West title in five years.

On September 5, 2004, Pace ended another holdout and signed the Rams' $7.02 million offer. It marked the second straight year Pace missed most or all of the preseason before signing his one-year tender. By designating Pace as a franchise player, the Rams were obligated to pay him the average salary of the five highest-paid offensive linemen in the NFL. Pace went on to start all 16 regular season games at left tackle and both playoff games. He was one of three linemen to start every game (C Andy McCollum, G Adam Timmerman) and blocked for an offense that ranked eighth in the NFL (third in the NFC) in first downs (321). Pace helped Rams convert 13-of-16 fourth down attempts, second highest fourth-down conversion percentage in the NFL (68.4%). He earned his sixth consecutive Pro Bowl invitation.

Pace was a free agent in 2005 and explored the possibility of signing with another team. The Rams placed the franchise tag on Pace again. In March, he visited the Houston Texans. The problem for Pace and the Texans was that if they work out an agreement, the Texans would have had to agree with the Rams on a compensation package, which would be two first-round draft choices which the Rams would be entitled to under the franchise-player rules. However, the day before the deadline, Pace accepted a seven-year, $52.9 million deal. The deal included $18 million in first-year salary and bonus.

In 2005, Pace earned seventh consecutive Pro Bowl invitation, tying him for fourth in Rams history, behind Hall of Famer DT Merlin Olsen (14), Hall of Famer G Tom Mack (11), and LB Les Richter (8). That season, Pace started all 16 games at left tackle, joining C Andy McCollum and G Adam Timmerman as only Rams linemen to start every game.

In 2006, Pace started the 8 games he appeared in until he left in the second quarter against the Seattle Seahawks on November 12, 2006, after he tore his triceps, ending his 2006 season. He was placed on Injured Reserve on November 14.

Pace was injured during the Rams' 2007 season opener against the Carolina Panthers on September 9, 2007. Officials confirmed that Pace would be out for the entire 2007 season, severely jeopardizing the Rams' offense for the remainder of the season.

In 2008, Pace played in and started 14 games, missing only two with an injury, compared to the 15 he missed in 2007 and the 8 he missed in 2006. However, the Rams struggled on the field and their head coach Scott Linehan was fired mid-season and the team fared little better under interim head coach Jim Haslett and the team finished 2–14.

Dogged by injuries in recent seasons, Pace was released by the Rams on March 10, 2009, to save $6 million under the salary cap.

Pace signed a three-year $15 million deal (with $6.1 million guaranteed) with the Chicago Bears on April 2, 2009. Pace started the first 11 games at left tackle in his lone season with the Bears in 2009 before sustaining a groin injury on November 29 in a loss to the Minnesota Vikings. He later finished the year as a reserve behind 2008 first-round draft pick Chris Williams. He was released on March 1, 2010.

In his 13-year career, Pace was paid just over $75 million in salary and bonuses.

Pace owned "Big O's Ltd" in his home town of Sandusky, Ohio. It was a family-friendly sports bar located on W. Perkins Avenue. Pace made appearances at his restaurant, occasionally signing autographs for his hometown fans. Big O's Ltd has since been closed.

Pace was inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame on December 30, 2013, at the Pasadena Convention Center.

Pace was a finalist in the 2015 Hall of Fame induction class and in his second year of eligibility he made the final 15. On February 6, 2016, he was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Pace resides in St. Louis, Missouri. He and his family purchased a house in Henderson, NV in 2025. His son, Landon, currently plays tight end for Wyoming.

He was portrayed by Brandon Murphy in the 2021 film American Underdog: The Kurt Warner Story.

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The Story And Significance Of Marvin Harrison - Had A Reception In Every Game He Played

Marvin Darnell Harrison Sr. is an American former professional football wide receiver who played his entire 13-year career for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He played college football for the Syracuse Orange and was selected by the Colts in the first round of the 1996 NFL draft.

Harrison earned a Super Bowl ring with the Colts in Super Bowl XLI where they beat the Chicago Bears. An eight-time Pro Bowler and All-Pro member, he held the record for most receptions in a single season (143) until it was broken by Michael Thomas (149) in 2019. Harrison was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 2026, and is widely considered one of the greatest wide receivers in NFL history.

Harrison was selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the first round as the 19th selection in the 1996 NFL draft, a selection which was obtained in a trade that sent Jeff George to the Atlanta Falcons. Harrison went on to become one of the most productive receivers from that draft class, which included Keyshawn Johnson, Eric Moulds, Bobby Engram, Muhsin Muhammad, Eddie Kennison, Terry Glenn, Amani Toomer, Joe Horn, and Terrell Owens among others.

Harrison made his NFL debut in Week 1 of the 1996 NFL season against the Arizona Cardinals with six receptions for 85 yards and a touchdown reception from quarterback Jim Harbaugh in the 20–13 victory. In Week 2 against the Jets, he had five punt returns for 102 yards and earned AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance in the 21–7 win. In Week 15 against the Philadelphia Eagles, he had six receptions for 106 yards and touchdown in the 37–10 victory. In the following game, a 24–19 win over the Kansas City Chiefs, he had six receptions for 103 yards and three touchdowns. He was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week for his game against the Chiefs. He finished his rookie season with 64 receptions for 836 receiving yards and eight receiving touchdowns in 16 games and 15 starts as the Colts went 9–7. Among rookie wide receivers, he finished fourth in receiving yards, third in receptions, and tied for second in receiving touchdowns. In his playoff debut, Harrison had three receptions for 71 yards in a 42–14 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Wild Card Round.

From Week 11 to Week 13, Harrison had a three-game streak of scoring a receiving touchdown. In the 1997 season, Harrison recorded 73 receptions for 866 yards and six touchdowns as the Colts went 3–13.

The 1998 NFL Draft had the arrival of Peyton Manning who became the franchise quarterback for the Colts. During their careers, Manning and Harrison were arguably one of the most productive quarterback-wide receiver duos in NFL history. In the Colts' 1998 regular season opener, Harrison had five receptions for 102 yards and a touchdown in a 24–15 loss to the Miami Dolphins. In Week 7, against the San Francisco 49ers, he had three receiving touchdowns in the 34–31 loss. In Week 11, against the New York Jets, he had nine receptions for 128 yards and a touchdown in the 24–23 victory. Harrison missed the Colts' final four regular season games after going on Injured Reserve. In the 1998 season, he had 59 receptions for 776 yards and seven touchdowns in 12 games and starts as the Colts went 3–13.

In the 1999 season, Harrison had a breakout season. He started off the regular season with eight receptions for 121 yards and two touchdowns in a 31–14 win over the Bills. In the following game, he had seven receptions for 105 yards and three touchdowns in a 31–28 loss to the Patriots. In the following game, he had 13 receptions for 196 yards and a touchdown in the 27–19 win over the Chargers. He was named AFC Offensive Player of the Month for September. In Week 7, against the Bengals, he had eight receptions for 156 yards and a touchdown in the 31–10 victory. From Week 13 to Week 16, he had four consecutive games with over 100 receiving yards (125 against the Dolphins, 118 against the Patriots, 117 against Washington, and 138 against the Browns), all wins for the Colts. He had 115 receptions for 1,663 receiving yards and 12 receiving touchdowns in 16 games and starts as the Colts went 13–3 and won the AFC East. He earned Pro Bowl and first team All-Pro honors.

Harrison started off the 2000 season with nine receptions for 115 yards in a 27–14 win over the Chiefs. In the following game, he had ten receptions for 141 yards and a touchdown in the 38–31 loss to the Raiders. In a Week 6 loss to the Patriots, he had 13 receptions for 159 yards and a touchdown in the 24–16 loss. In the following game, a 37–24 victory over the Seahawks, he had seven receptions for 134 yards. In the following game, a 30–23 victory over the Patriots, he had five receptions for 156 yards and two touchdowns. In the regular season finale against the Vikings, Harrison had 12 receptions for 109 yards and three touchdowns in the 31–10 victory. In the 2000 season, he had a league-leading 102 receptions for 1,413 receiving yards and 14 receiving touchdowns in 16 games and starts as the Colts went 10–6. He was named to his second Pro Bowl for his performance in the 2000 season.

In Week 2 of the 2001 season, Harrison had seven receptions for 146 yards and three touchdowns in the 42–26 win over the Bills. In Week 6, he had eight receptions for 157 yards and a touchdown in the 38–17 loss to the Patriots. In Week 9, he had nine receptions for 174 yards and three touchdowns in the loss to the Dolphins. In the Colts' regular season finale against the Broncos, he had nine receptions for 128 yards and two touchdowns in the 29–10 victory. In the 2001 season, Harrison had 109 receptions for 1,524 receiving yards and 15 receiving touchdowns in 16 games and starts as the Colts went 6–10. He was named to his third consecutive Pro Bowl for his performance in the 2001 season.

In Week 2 of the 2002 season, Harrison had 11 receptions for 144 yards and a touchdown in the 21–13 loss to the Dolphins. In Week 5, he had nine receptions for 145 yards and a touchdown in the win over the Bengals. In Week 10, in a victory over the Eagles, he had six receptions for 137 yards and two touchdowns. In Week 11, he had 14 receptions for 138 yards and two touchdowns in the 20–3 win over the Cowboys. He won AFC Offensive Player of the Month for November. In Week 15 against the Browns, he had nine receptions for 172 yards and two touchdowns in the 28–23 victory. For his game against the Browns, he won AFC Offensive Player of the Week. In 2002, Harrison broke Herman Moore's single-season receptions record by 20 receptions. He finished the Colts' 10–6 season with 143 catches for a league-leading 1,722 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. He was named to his fourth consecutive Pro Bowl and earned first team All-Pro honors for the second time. Harrison receiving yardage marked the fourth most in NFL history for a single season at the time. The record stood until December 22, 2019, when Michael Thomas of the New Orleans Saints broke that record with 149. He finished runner-up to Priest Holmes for AP Offensive Player of the Year.

In Week 4 of the 2003 season, Harrison had six receptions for 158 yards and three touchdowns in the 55–21 win over the Saints. In the following game against the Buccaneers, he had 11 receptions for 176 yards and two touchdowns in the 38–35 win. In the game the Colts were down 35–14 in the fourth quarter. Harrison's second touchdown brought the deficit to seven points. For his game against the Buccaneers, he won AFC Offensive Player of the Week. In the 2003 season, Harrison recorded 94 receptions for 1,272 receiving yards and ten receiving touchdowns in 15 games and starts as the Colts went 12–4 and won the AFC South. He was named to his fifth consecutive Pro Bowl.[88] In the Colts' Wild Card Round victory over the Broncos, Harrison had seven receptions for 133 yards and two touchdowns.

In Week 8 of the 2004 season, Harrison had five receptions for 119 yards and two touchdowns in the 45–35 loss to the Chiefs. In Week 12, in a win over the Lions, he had 12 receptions for 127 yards and three touchdowns. In the 2004 season, he recorded 86 receptions for 1,113 receiving yards and 15 receiving touchdowns in 16 games and starts as the Colts went 12–4 and won the AFC South. He was named to his sixth consecutive Pro Bowl.

In 2005, Harrison had five 100+ yard receiving games in a seven-game stretch late in the season. He finished the 2005 season with 82 receptions for 1,146 receiving yards and a league-leading 12 touchdowns in 15 games and starts as the Colts went 14–2 and won the AFC South. He was named to his seventh consecutive Pro Bowl in recognition of his 2005 season.

In the first two games of the 2006 season, Harrison had consecutive games over 100 yards in wins over the Giants and Texans. In Week 9, Harrison had eight receptions for 145 yards and two touchdowns in the 27–20 win over the Patriots. In Week 15, he had three touchdowns in the 34–16 win over the Bengals. In December 2006, Harrison became just the fourth player in NFL history to record 1,000 receptions, joining Jerry Rice (1,549), Cris Carter (1,101), and Tim Brown (1,094). He is one of only seven wide receivers in NFL history to reach 100 touchdowns. For December 2006, he won AFC Offensive Player of the Month. He finished the 2006 season with 95 receptions for 1,366 receiving yards and 12 receiving touchdowns in 16 games and starts. The Colts finished with a 12–4 record and won the AFC South. He was named to his eighth consecutive Pro Bowl and earned first team All-Pro honors for the third time. In the AFC Championship against the Patriots, he converted a two-point conversion on a pass from Manning in the third quarter. In Super Bowl XLI, Harrison had five receptions for 59 yards as he won his first Super Bowl with a 29–17 win over the Chicago Bears.

In the 2007 season, Harrison appeared in only five regular season games due to a knee injury. It marked only the second time Harrison had missed regular-season action due to injuries and the first since 1998. He returned for the Colts' postseason loss to the Chargers in the Divisional Round.

On December 14, 2008, in a game against the Detroit Lions, Harrison caught his 1,095th career reception, passing Tim Brown for third all time. He passed Cris Carter to become second on the all-time NFL reception record list with 1,102 receptions during a 23–0 Colts victory over the Tennessee Titans on December 28, 2008. He finished the 2008 season with 60 receptions for 636 receiving yards and five receiving touchdowns in 15 games and starts as the Colts went 12–4.

After the 2008 NFL season, Harrison asked for and was granted his release by the Colts. After sitting out the entire 2009 season, Harrison quietly retired from the NFL. Harrison retired having recorded at least one reception in every game (regular season and postseason) that he played.

Harrison was inducted into the Indianapolis Colts Ring of Honor during the week 12 game against the Carolina Panthers on November 27, 2011. He is widely considered one of the greatest wide receivers in NFL history and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016.

Harrison was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame First Team for the 2000s decade. Harrison was named to the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team.

Harrison's son, Marvin Harrison Jr., is an NFL wide receiver. He played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes and was selected in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft, 4th overall, by the Arizona Cardinals.

Harrison was sued in a civil lawsuit by Dwight Dixon, a convicted drug dealer, after Dixon was shot outside Chuckie's Garage, a North Philadelphia business owned by Harrison, on April 29, 2008. The two men had been in a fight minutes prior to the shooting over something that happened a few weeks earlier when Dixon and Harrison got into a verbal argument after Harrison denied Dixon entry into Playmakers, a sports bar owned and operated by Harrison. Dixon alleged that Harrison was the gunman who shot at him. On January 6, 2009, Philadelphia District Attorney Lynne Abraham confirmed the gun that fired shots at Dixon was the same model as Harrison's gun but said they had been unable to determine who pulled the trigger.

Abraham also said that she was not going to pursue charges in the case due to conflicting witness statements. In fact, within a week of the first shooting, Marvin Harrison was not considered a suspect. Dixon, who had initially given the police a false name and claimed he was robbed by two men when interviewed at the hospital, was then convicted of filing a false report for the incident on January 28, 2009. Dixon was sentenced to six months probation. His attorney reportedly sought a new trial; the conviction violated Dixon's parole in an unrelated case. Harrison was also sued by Robert Nixon, a victim who was caught in the crossfire of the shooting who identified Harrison as the shooter in a statement to the police.

Dixon died on July 21, 2009, after he was shot several times while he was in his car outside a building two blocks away from the sports bar. At the hospital after the shooting, detectives questioned Dixon before surgery. He asserted that it stemmed from the Harrison incident a year prior and that Harrison had hired a gunman to shoot him. An informant also made a statement to the effect that the gunman who killed Dixon was Lonnie Harrison, Marvin Harrison's cousin. On June 16, 2010, Shaun Assael of ESPN The Magazine reported that police confiscated a 9mm handgun from Harrison during a routine traffic stop on Wednesday in Philadelphia. They tested the gun to see if it matched three spent 9mm shell casings found inside the truck driven by Dwight Dixon at the scene of an April 2008 shooting. Dixon's claim, he was now deceased, was that the casings came from a second gun which Marvin Harrison fired. Authorities had already matched other bullets to a separate gun which Harrison owns—which he claimed was in his home on the day of the shooting. The police found the gun during a search of Harrison's Escalade. Harrison was stopped as he was driving the wrong way on a one-way street.

Harrison claimed he did not have a gun. But the police believed that they saw Harrison put what appeared to be a weapon in the center console between the two front seats. They concluded that they had probable cause to search the vehicle and they found the gun; however, Harrison was not charged.

Another incident occurred in 2014 when Harrison narrowly escaped a Philadelphia shooting.

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The Story And Significance Of Kevin Greene - Retired With The Third Most Sacks In NFL History

Kevin Darwin Greene was an American professional football player who was a linebacker and defensive end for the Los Angeles Rams, Pittsburgh Steelers, Carolina Panthers, and San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League from 1985 through 1999. He had 160 sacks in his career, which ranks third among NFL career sack leaders, and was voted to the NFL 1990s All-Decade Team. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016.

Greene played college football for the Auburn Tigers. He was a three-time All-Pro during his NFL playing career and was twice the league leader in sacks. He was later an outside linebackers coach for the Green Bay Packers from 2009 through 2013 and the New York Jets from 2017 through 2018.

The Birmingham Stallions selected Greene in the 1985 USFL territorial draft. He was later selected by the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League in the fifth round (113th overall) of the 1985 NFL draft. From 1985 through 1987, Greene played left defensive end in the Rams nickel defense and was second on the team in sacks in both 1986 and 1987. His first sack came in 1985, in a playoff game against the Dallas Cowboys, and it was in the defensive end role that the sack came. In 1988, Greene became the starting left outside linebacker in the Rams base defense that was enhanced by defensive coordinator Fritz Shurmur's Eagle 5-Linebacker defense which he used extensively from 1988 to 1990.

In 1988, Greene led the Rams with 16+1⁄2 sacks which was second overall in the NFL behind Reggie White.[10] That total included 4+1⁄2 sacks against the San Francisco 49ers' Joe Montana in a key late-season game that the Rams had to win in order to make the playoffs, which they did.

In 1989, Greene made both the First and Second All-Pro Team and was named to the Pro Bowl for the first time with his second consecutive season of 161⁄2 sacks (4th in the NFL). Greene signed a three-year $2.5 million contract with the Rams prior to the 1990 season. His 13 sacks (tied for sixth in the NFL) in 1990 gave him 46 sacks for that three-year period, the most of any player in the NFL for that span.

In 1991, the Rams changed defenses and defensive coordinators. Jeff Fisher became the new defensive coordinator and switched the Rams to a 4–3 defense, a system Greene was unfamiliar with, after playing in a 3–4 defense since 1983. Although he had compiled 46 sacks during the previous three seasons, Greene was moved from left outside linebacker in a 3–4 to right defensive end in a 4–3. After five games Greene was moved to left linebacker for a month and a half and then due to injuries he was moved to left defensive end for the remainder of the seasons. In all, he started five games at right defensive end, five games at left linebacker and six games at left defensive end and even though he had a career-high in tackles for loss (8) he ended the year with only 3 sacks—his lowest total, by far, since his rookie season. The entire Rams' coaching staff was released after the 1991 season.

In 1992, the Rams hired Chuck Knox as head coach. The Rams remained a 4–3 defensive team under defensive coordinator George Dyer, and Greene continued to play left outside linebacker. His production returned as he led his team in both tackles and sacks. Greene accepted his new role saying, "On third downs I am still rushing the passer, but I would like to rush the passer more often, from more downs and distances, but I can't because of the role I am now asked to play". He finished the 1992 season with 10 sacks and Sports Illustrated's Paul Zimmerman picked Greene for his annual All-Pro team, citing Greene's coverage ability, "The OLB spot opposite Cox came down to the Eagles' Seth Joyner, my Player of the Year in last year, versus the Rams' Kevin Greene. I picked Greene. He had more coverage responsibility than ever before, and he did just fine. He was a consistent pass rusher. Dick Selcer, his linebacker coach added, "Kevin's a more complete player than he is given credit for, people only seem to notice the home run, but not seem to see the singles.

Greene talks to the Pittsburgh Steelers defensive coordinator during a game against the Miami Dolphins at Three Rivers Stadium on November 20, 1994.

In 1993, Greene sought out teams that employed a 3–4 system in the first year of free agency. He visited the Green Bay Packers where his former defensive coordinator Fritz Shurmur was employed as the defensive coordinator, but they were a 4–3 team. He then visited the Pittsburgh Steelers, a 3–4 team. Dom Capers was the defensive coordinator. Greene signed a three-year, $5.35 million free-agent contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Returning to his left outside linebacker position, he teamed up with Greg Lloyd to form what head coach Bill Cowher called his "bookends" in the team's "Blitzburgh" defense; teammates including the biracial Rod Woodson referred to the white Greene and African American Lloyd as "Salt & Pepper".

In his first year with the Steelers, he had a solid season with 121.5 sacks which tied him for seventh in the league. The following season, Greene was a consensus All-Pro choice in 1994 as he led the NFL in sacks (14) and made another appearance in the Pro Bowl. Additionally, Greene was voted the NFLPA AFC Linebacker of the Year (tied with Junior Seau) for the first time in his career. In 1995, he went to his third Pro Bowl, where he finished with nine sacks and played in Super Bowl XXX, a loss to the Dallas Cowboys. During Greene's three years with the Steelers, the defense allowed only 3.48 yards per rush, best in the NFL. As part of that defense, a Steelers team that also led the NFL in sacks with 139 over the same three season period, Dick LeBeau said, "Kevin Greene is a great player against the run, and one of the best pass rushers in NFL history. Greene is almost unblockable."

Greene later stated that he had the "time of his life" playing for the Steelers and decided to receive his Hall of Fame ring from the team despite only playing three of his 15 years in Pittsburgh. His departure from Pittsburgh was due to the salary cap and the Steelers wanting to focus on younger players; Greene, though understanding of the business decision, felt hurt from the organization but continued to hold them in high regard.

On May 21, 1996, Greene signed with the Carolina Panthers (a two-year, $2 million deal) following their 1995 inaugural season and helped them reach the NFC Championship Game, where the team lost to the eventual Super Bowl XXXI champion Green Bay Packers. In 1996, he was named the NFC Linebacker of the Year and received the NEA Defensive Player of the Year Award. In addition, the NFL Alumni voted Greene the NFL Linebacker of the Year Award. He was also voted the NFC Player of the Year by the Washington D.C. Touchdown Club. Additionally, Greene set an NFL record with five consecutive multi-sack games and finished leading the NFL in sacks for the second time in three years with 141⁄2. Along the way he was a consensus All-Pro in 1996 for the second time in three years. Greene was selected to his fourth Pro Bowl. Said by Panther teammate Dwight Stone to be, along with Sam Mills, the most "professional guy" on the 1996 Panther team.

After one season with the Panthers and a dispute with the organization, he was cut by the team and signed a six-year, $13 million contract with the San Francisco 49ers that included a $750,000 signing bonus on August 26, 1997. With the 49ers, Greene had 10.5 sacks. Greene was called on to play the "elephant" role with the 49ers, the player to rush the passer and come in the games on likely passing downs. While doing so, he chipped in on the run game as the 49ers allowed 3.5 yards a rush and Greene had 10.5 of the 49ers 54 sacks.

After the 1997 holdout and a year with the 49ers, Greene re-signed with the Panthers on February 28, 1998. In December 1998, he attacked Kevin Steele, Carolina's linebacker coach, during a game; he received a one-game suspension from the team. After the season, Greene was named the NFC Linebacker of the year by the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA). Greene was also named to the Pro Bowl after the 1998 season, bringing his Pro Bowl total to five. Greene was tied for third in the NFL for sacks, after Michael Sinclair (16.5 sacks), Reggie White (16 sacks), and tied with Michael Strahan who also totaled 15 sacks. As of 2023, Greene's 15.0 sacks in 1998 remains tied with Greg Hardy's 2013 season for the Panthers' franchise record.

Greene retired after registering 12 sacks (good for seventh in the NFL) playing as a 4–3 outside linebacker in 1999; he finished his career as a five-time Pro Bowler and the NFL's third all-time sack leader with 160, behind only Bruce Smith and Reggie White. He also finished as the NFL's all-time leader in sacks by a linebacker, ahead of players such as Lawrence Taylor, Derrick Thomas, Rickey Jackson, and Andre Tippett; Greene is also one of only four players to lead the NFL in sacks in multiple seasons ('94 with the Steelers and '96 with the Panthers). He is also tied for second in career safeties with three and third all-time in fumble recoveries with 26 (which he returned for 136 yards and two touchdowns). During his career, Greene recorded five interceptions, returning them for 53 yards and a touchdown, and he is one of three players to record 10 or more sacks in at least 10 different seasons; he averaged over 10 sacks a year for 15 seasons. Greene ended his career with 160 sacks, 62.5 tackles of running backs behind the line of scrimmage, 23 forced fumbles, 26 recovered fumbles, and three defensive touchdowns, and three safeties. Greene opted for retirement while still playing at a high level rather than becoming a "designated pass rusher".

Greene played in 228 games in his 15-year career; in the modern era (since 1970), only five other linebackers (Clay Matthews Jr., Bill Romanowski, Ray Lewis, London Fletcher, & James Harrison) had longer careers. He was among the NFL's top 10 in sacks eight times, leading the NFL twice. For 11 out of his 15 years, he led his club in sacks. He also played in six conference championships in his 15 seasons. Greene is considered to be one of the greatest pass rushers of all time. He was quoted as saying of his career, "I was an outside linebacker in a 3–4, so I actually had coverage responsibilities. So my rush was more limited. But, still, I think my numbers match up pretty good, even with those that rushed the passer every passing down."

After being a finalist for five consecutive years, Greene was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016 and his bust was sculpted by Scott Myers.

Greene made several appearances with the professional wrestling promotion World Championship Wrestling (WCW) during the late-1990s. He was one of several celebrities brought in by WCW president Eric Bischoff to help generate mainstream publicity for the company.

Greene made his first appearance with WCW at the TBS television special Clash of the Champions XXXII in January 1996, accompanying Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage to ringside for their match against Ric Flair and The Giant. Following the match, Greene helped Hogan fight off an attempted ambush by Brian Pillman and The Zodiac.

In June 1996, Greene wrestled his first match for WCW at its Great American Bash pay-per-view. Greene teamed with his fellow NFL alumnus Steve McMichael - who had joined WCW as a color commentator the prior year - to face Four Horsemen members Ric Flair and Arn Anderson, who in the storyline had incurred McMichael's ire after Flair repeatedly flirted with his wife Debra, leading McMichael to bring in Greene to help defend her honor. McMichael and Greene were accompanied to ringside by their wives along with wrestler Randy Savage, who was presented as their coach. The match ended when Debra and Tara Greene were chased backstage by Flair's valets Miss Elizabeth and Woman, only for Debra to return carrying a briefcase containing a large amount of money (implicitly a bribe from Flair) and a Four Horsemen t-shirt. After Debra showed McMichael the contents of the briefcase, he took the briefcase and hit Greene with it, enabling Flair to pin Greene. McMichael then donned the t-shirt, marking the beginning of his membership in the Four Horsemen.

Greene returned to World Championship Wrestling in May the following year, teaming with Ric Flair and Roddy Piper to face the villainous New World Order (Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, and Syxx) in the main event of the Slamboree pay-per-view. The match ended when Greene pinned Syxx after giving him a running powerslam. The following month, at that year's Great American Bash, Greene faced Steve McMichael in a match resulting from McMichael's betrayal of him at the prior year's event. The match ended when Jeff Jarrett attempted to hit Greene with a briefcase, only to accidentally hit McMichael, enabling Greene to pin him.

Greene returned to World Championship Wrestling for a third and final time in 1998. On the June 22, 1998, episode of WCW Monday Nitro, Greene made a surprise return; as he gave an interview, he was confronted by Curt Hennig and Rick Rude, who distracted him while The Giant attacked him from behind. The altercation led to Greene facing The Giant in the main event of Nitro. Greene won the resultant match by disqualification after Hennig and Rude interfered, after which they attacked Greene until his former Los Angeles Rams teammate Bill Goldberg came to his assistance. Greene faced The Giant in a rematch at the following month's Bash at the Beach pay-per-view, with The Giant pinning him following a chokeslam.

In Greene's contract for 1997, the 49ers included a stipulation prohibiting him from wrestling, as did the Panthers the following year. As a result, his professional wrestling career came to an end in 1998. Greene wrestled a total of five matches between June 16, 1996, and July 12, 1998, four of them on pay-per-view. During his brief career, he "share[d] the ring with some of the biggest names in sports-entertainment." Professional wrestling pundit R. D. Reynolds described him as "a pretty decent wrestler given his level of experience". WCW president Eric Bischoff praised Greene's performances, stating that Greene "poured himself into the training for our show, trying to be as good as he could possibly be". Following Greene's death in 2020, multiple wrestlers paid tribute to him, including Ric Flair, Mick Foley, and Sean "Syxx" Waltman. In addition to wrestling himself, Greene encouraged former teammate Bill Goldberg to pursue a career in professional wrestling. In a retrospective interview about the Steelers "Blitzburgh" zone blitz in 2024, Greene's former teammate Levon Kirkland referred to Greene as "a professional wrestler playing football".

During the 2008 season Greene, along with former Steeler Jason Gildon, served an internship for the Pittsburgh Steelers as an assistant linebackers coach during training camp. On January 26, 2009, Greene was hired as an outside linebackers coach for the Green Bay Packers by Dom Capers, under whom Greene had played. The Packers were transitioning into a 3–4 base defense from their traditional 4–3 base. During this time, according to Clay Matthews Jr., Greene would reiterate to his linebackers every single day: "Establish the violent, physical nature of the game." On February 6, 2011, the Packers won Super Bowl XLV, the first time Greene had ever been part of an NFL championship team; between the third and fourth quarters, Greene famously motivated Matthews with an "It is time!" speech moments before Matthews forced a fumble-turnover to start the fourth quarter that helped Green Bay seal the game.

He left the Packers in 2013 to coach high school football where his son played at Niceville High School. On January 17, 2014, it was announced that he would be stepping away from coaching "in order to spend more time with (his) wife, Tara, and (his) children, Gavin and Gabrielle". He hoped to return to coaching after his children went to college.

In January 2017, the New York Jets hired Greene as their outside linebackers coach. Greene replaced Mark Collins, who was one of five assistants not brought back by head coach Todd Bowles for the 2017 season.[59] After Adam Gase was hired in 2019, Greene was not included in the new coaching staff.

Greene and his wife Tara had a son, Gavin, and a daughter, Gabrielle.

Greene used a multi-component diet to help his performance.

Greene died of a heart attack at age 58 at his home in Destin, Florida, on the morning of December 21, 2020.

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