Pro Football Historian (PFH) is a blog page written by Flint Given. Pro Football Historian or PFH is a page to inform people on prior NFL events that people might not know about. Learning about teams from the 1920s or even the first few NFL World Championships in the 1930s fascinates me. It's these kinds of events that I want to discuss in this blog. Hopefully you are interested and will continue to check up on my blogs.
Ronald Wolf is an American former professional football executive who was a general manager (GM) of the National Football League's Green Bay Packers. Wolf is widely credited with bringing success to a Packers franchise that had rarely won during the two decades prior to Wolf joining the organization. He also played a significant role in personnel operations with the Oakland and Los Angeles Raiders from 1963 to 1975 and again from 1978 to 1990. He joined Green Bay's front office in November 1991 from a personnel director's job with the New York Jets. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in August 2015.
Wolf became a scout for the Raiders in 1963. With the Raiders, Wolf took part in drafting such notable players as Art Shell, Gene Upshaw, Ken Stabler, and Jack Tatum, all of whom would play for the Super Bowl XI Championship team in 1976, and later such players as Howie Long, Marcus Allen, and Matt Millen, all of the Super Bowl XVIII Championship team in 1983, the then Los Angeles Raiders.
After the death of Raiders owner Al Davis, Wolf was rumored to possibly come back to Oakland. He didn't specify that he wanted to have a full-time job as general manager there, but he told the new ownership team that he would assist them with anything they needed. In an interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel he supported Green Bay Packers director of football operations, Reggie McKenzie, as a perfect candidate for the GM position in Oakland and called him a "tremendous evaluator" when it came to finding players.
In 1975, Wolf joined the expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers as vice-president of operations prior to their first season in 1976. He helped build the team that would advance to the 1979 NFC Championship game. His first draft choice was Lee Roy Selmon, a future Hall of Fame player. He would not be around to see his team develop, however, as he resigned his position with the Buccaneers in February 1978, citing "personal matters". It is believed that he had difficulty working with Buccaneer owner Hugh Culverhouse, and that Culverhouse was trying to interfere with personnel decisions. Wolf later indicated that Culverhouse's close personal relationship with and strong financial stake in coach John McKay meant that Wolf had to be the one to pay with his job for the team's start in their first two seasons, which had them lose their first 26 games as a franchise; Wolf noted his problems in trying to find an ideal quarterback in those first two seasons along with noting his pleasure at having met his future wife in Tampa due to meeting her at the condo complex they each lived in. Wolf returned to the Raiders on the expiration of his Buccaneer contract.
From 1990 to 1991, Wolf served as personnel director for the New York Jets.
In 1991, Wolf was hired to replace Packers General Manager Tom Braatz. Wolf's first major decisions were to fire head coach Lindy Infante, hire then-San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Mike Holmgren to replace him, and to trade for then-Atlanta Falcons backup quarterback Brett Favre, whom Wolf had wanted to draft while working with the Jets. In 1993, Wolf signed the most sought-after free agent available, Reggie White, bringing in a team leader and defensive superstar. This signing, in NFL free agency's first year, also made Green Bay a more desirable destination for future potential free agents, including White's fellow defensive linemen Santana Dotson and Sean Jones. Specifically, White's arrival negated the perception of Green Bay as a city where African-American players did not feel welcome. With White and cast-off Gilbert Brown, Dotson and Jones formed the heart of the Packer defense during the team's championship run.
Wolf is credited with remaking the Packers into a perennial winner and championship contender. From 1968 to 1991, the Packers had only four winning seasons. Over Wolf's nine-year term as GM, the Packers compiled a 92–52 record, good for a .639 winning percentage, second in the NFL over that span only to the San Francisco 49ers. The Packers won Super Bowl XXXI against the New England Patriots, lost in Super Bowl XXXII to the Denver Broncos, and made the playoffs six straight times, winning a total of nine playoff games. Wolf announced he would retire as Packers GM in February 2001. He stayed on through the April NFL draft and officially retired as Packers GM in June 2001. Afterward the Packers head coach at that time, Mike Sherman, assumed Wolf's duties as GM. In 2000, Wolf was inducted into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame.
On December 31, 2012, San Diego Chargers President Dean Spanos retained Wolf as a consultant to advise the Chargers throughout the general manager and head coach hiring process.
On December 28, 2014, Wolf later joined Charley Casserly as a consultant for the Jets in their search for a new head coach and general manager, following the firing of Rex Ryan and John Idzik Jr.
On October 22, 2014, Wolf was selected as a finalist to be a member in the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a contributor (designation for individuals who were neither a player nor a coach).
On January 31, 2015, Wolf was confirmed as a member of the 2015 Hall of Fame class. He was inducted on August 8.
Wolf's son, Eliot Wolf, is currently the de facto general manager of the New England Patriots, a role he has served since 2024.
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Henry Michael Tingelhoff was an American professional football player who was a center for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League from 1962 to 1978. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2015.
After graduating from Nebraska, Tingelhoff entered the 1962 NFL draft but was not drafted and instead signed with the Minnesota Vikings as a free agent in 1962. He became their starting center during his rookie season and held that spot until he retired in 1978. He never missed a game, starting 240 regular season games and 19 playoff games.
The Vikings won 10 division titles from 1968 to 1978 with Tingelhoff at center. Those Viking teams won four of the five NFL/NFC championships in which they participated, and played in Super Bowls IV, VIII, IX, and XI, losing all four games.
Beginning in 1964, he was named first-team All-NFL seven consecutive seasons. He was also elected to the Pro Bowl six consecutive years from 1965 to 1970. He was named first-team All-Pro five times in the 1960s. In 1969, he was named to the 1,000-yard Club as the NFL's top blocker.
Tingelhoff was selected All-Pro by the Associated Press (AP) from 1964 to 1966 and 1968–1969; United Press International (UPI) from 1964 to 1969; the Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA) from 1965 to 1966, and 1968–1969; and was selected ALL-NFC by the AP in 1970. In 1967, he was named first-team All-Pro by the NEA and UPI and second-team All-Pro by the AP. In 1970, he was named first-team All-Pro by both the PFWA and Pro Football Weekly. He was also named second-team All-Pro by the NEA.
Tingelhoff was one of 11 players to have played in all four Vikings Super Bowl appearances in the 1970s, and is generally considered to have been the premier center of his era. At the time of his retirement he had started in the 2nd most consecutive games (240 games) in NFL history behind teammate Jim Marshall (270), and was tied for third as of 2020. He was inducted into the Vikings Ring of Honor in 2001, and has had his No. 53 retired by the franchise.
Tingelhoff was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2015. He is also a member of the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame (class of 1980).
In 2011, Tingelhoff was named as that year's recipient of the Gerald R. Ford Legends Award. The award was presented to him during the 12th Annual Rimington Trophy Presentation banquet on January 14, 2012, at the Rococo Theatre in Lincoln, Nebraska.
In 2003, he was named to the Professional Football Researchers Association Hall of Very Good in the association's inaugural HOVG class.
The hall of fame linebacker Dick Butkus (and member of the NFL's 100th Anniversary Team), said Tingelhoff was the “'toughest center I ever played against.'”
He died on September 11, 2021, from complications of Parkinson's disease and dementia. Tingelhoff had been among the first group of former players filing a concussion lawsuit against the NFL, alleging they were misled about the long-term effects of head injuries, which settled in 2013.
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Will Herthie Shields is an American former professional football player who was a guard in the National Football League for 14 seasons. He played college football for the Nebraska Cornhuskers, earning consensus All-American honors and winning the Outland Trophy. Shields played his entire, 14-year professional career with the Kansas City Chiefs and never missed a game. Shields was selected to 12 Pro Bowls, was a three-time First-Team All-Pro, a four-time Second-Team All-Pro, and was selected to the NFL 2000s All-Decade Team. He won the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award in the 2003 season, was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2011, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2015.
Shields was the third-round (74th overall) pick of the Kansas City Chiefs in the 1993 NFL draft, after signing now Chicago Bears president Kevin Warren to be his agent. Shields played for the Chiefs from 1993 to 2006. Beginning with a September 12, 1993 game against the Houston Oilers, he was in the Chiefs' starting lineup for every game, a team record and at the time, the second longest active consecutive starting streak in the NFL behind Brett Favre of the Green Bay Packers. He started 231 straight games (including playoffs) at the right guard position; an NFL record. He went to the Pro Bowl every year from 1995 to 2006, a total of 12, a Chiefs team record, and having played in all of them, he is tied with Champ Bailey and Randall McDaniel for most Pro Bowls played. He was an important part in the Kansas City Chiefs offensive line that consistently led the team to a top 5 finish in rushing offense.
Shields blocked for Marcus Allen, Priest Holmes and Larry Johnson during his career. He had blocked for 1,000-yard rushers for five seasons. He blocked for 4,000-yard passers for five seasons while Elvis Grbac did it in 2000 and Trent Green in 2003, 2004, and 2005. In 14 seasons, Shields never missed a game, and he failed to start only one contest, his first regular-season outing, as a rookie in 1993. On April 15, 2007, following 14 seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, he announced his retirement from football.
Shields currently works for NFL Legends as Community Central South Director. Shields is married to his wife Senia (a native of Denmark); they have one daughter, Sanayika, and two sons, Shavon and Solomon. The Shields family resides in Stillwell, Kansas. Shavon played basketball for the University of Nebraska and currently plays professionally in Italy for Olimpia Milano, while Sanayika is a former basketball player for Drury University who is now an Emergency Medicine/Pediatrics Resident at Indiana University. Solomon is starting his film career writing and directing documentaries.
In 2003 Shields was the recipient of the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, for his work in The "Will to Succeed" Foundation, the charitable organization he started in 1993.
In 2011, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
Shields was selected as a first-ballot finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2012.
In 2012 Shields was inducted into the Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Fame.
Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2015.
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Tiaina Baul "Junior" Seau Jr. was an American professional football linebacker who played in the National Football League for 20 seasons, mostly with the San Diego Chargers. Known for his passionate play, he was a six-time first-team All-Pro, twelve-time Pro Bowl selection, and named to the NFL 1990s All-Decade Team. He was elected posthumously to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2015.
Originally from Oceanside, California, Seau played college football for the USC Trojans, earning All-American honors in 1989. He was selected by the Chargers with the fifth overall pick of the 1990 NFL draft. Seau played for the Chargers for 13 seasons and led them to Super Bowl XXIX before being traded to the Miami Dolphins where he spent three years, and spent his last four seasons with the New England Patriots. After his retirement, his No. 55 was retired by the Chargers and he was inducted into their Hall of Fame.
Seau died by suicide in 2012 at age 43. Later studies by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) concluded that Seau had chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a brain disease that has also been found in other deceased former NFL players. It is believed to be caused by repetitive head trauma, and can lead to conditions such as dementia, rage, and depression.
After three years as a Trojan, Seau entered the NFL draft after his junior season and was chosen in the first round of the 1990 NFL draft by Bobby Beathard's San Diego Chargers as the fifth overall draft pick. Seau quickly became one of the most popular players on the Chargers, receiving the nickname "Tasmanian Devil", after the wild antics of the cartoon character. He became the face of the Chargers franchise and a San Diego sports icon.
Seau started 15 of the 16 games he played in during his rookie season, and was named an alternate to the 1991 Pro Bowl after recording 85 tackles. In 1991, he picked up 129 tackles and seven sacks and was named to the 1992 Pro Bowl, the first of 12 consecutive Pro Bowls for Seau. In 1992, he was awarded the George Halas Trophy by the Newspaper Enterprise Association as the NFL's top defensive player, NFL Defensive Player of the Year by Football Digest, AFC Defensive Player of the Year by United Press International, and the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) AFC Linebacker of the Year. He also won the NFLPA award in 1993 and 1994.
He started no fewer than 13 games for the Chargers over each of the ensuing 11 seasons, registering a career-high 155 tackles in 1994, when he led his team to a championship appearance in Super Bowl XXIX. In one of the greatest games in his career, he recorded 16 tackles in the 1994 AFC Championship Game while playing with a pinched nerve in his neck in a 17–13 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Despite San Diego's 1–15 record in 2000, the NFL Alumni Association named him their Linebacker of the Year. In 2002, his final year with the Chargers, he logged a then-career low 83 tackles and missed his final Pro Bowl due to an ankle injury.
On April 16, 2003, Seau was traded to the Miami Dolphins for a conditional draft choice. He started 15 games that season for the 10-6 Dolphins and was one of their standout defensive players. However, in 2004, a torn pectoral muscle limited Seau to eight games, 68 tackles, and one sack. He started five of the first seven games he played in with the Dolphins in 2005, but was placed on injured reserve on November 24 with an achilles tendon injury. On March 6, 2006, Seau was released by the Dolphins.
Seau announced his retirement at an emotional press conference on August 14, 2006. He called it his "graduation" because he was not going to stop working. He contended that he was merely moving on to the next phase of his life.
Seau returned to football just four days later, signing with the New England Patriots. He started 10 of the first 11 games for the Patriots, recording 69 tackles before breaking his right arm while making a tackle in a game against the Chicago Bears. He was placed on injured reserve on November 27.
On May 21, 2007, Seau re-signed with the Patriots for the 2007 season. In September 2007, Seau was named one of the Patriots' seven captains. He was a prominent contributor to the Patriots undefeated regular season that year. He started four of the 16 games he played in for the Patriots in 2007, and then started the Patriots' two playoff games before Super Bowl XLII against the New York Giants. New England's undefeated streak ended with a Super Bowl loss to the Giants.
After the Patriots had a number of injuries late in the 2008 season, they re-signed Seau. He started two of four games he played. On December 22, 2008, a fan was arrested for trespassing and assault and battery for tackling Seau as he stood on the New England sideline during a home game against the Arizona Cardinals. Seau stated that he did not feel threatened by the fan; he thought that the fan was happy and excited, and just got carried away.
On October 7, 2009, NFL Network reported that the Patriots had an "agreement in principle" with Seau for a fourth one-year deal; Seau took physicals and worked out with the team. He officially signed on October 13. He was active for 7 games for the Patriots in 2009, recording 14 tackles as a reserve linebacker.
Seau announced his intention to retire permanently on the television program Inside the NFL on January 13, 2010.
His restaurant at Westfield Mission Valley in Mission Valley, California—Seau's The Restaurant, which opened in 1996—was his most successful business venture. Seau also had a clothing line, Say Ow Gear. The restaurant was closed on May 16, 2012, just two weeks after his death; the trustees of his estate explained that "Without Seau's charismatic leadership, it was felt that the future profitability of the restaurant could be in question."
Sports Jobs with Junior Seau premiered on December 2, 2009, on Versus. The show followed Seau as he did the jobs that make sports work. Ten episodes aired through January 27, 2010.
Seau was actively involved with community work through Samoan "sister city" projects within San Diego County.
In 1992, Seau created the Junior Seau Foundation with the mission to educate and empower young people through the support of child abuse prevention, drug and alcohol awareness, recreational opportunities, anti-juvenile delinquency efforts and complementary educational programs.
The 20th Anniversary Junior Seau Celebrity Golf Classic was held March 10–12, 2012, at the La Costa Resort and Spa.
The Foundation gave out an annual award to the individual who exemplifies the mission statement of the Junior Seau Foundation.
In 1989, Seau's older son, Tyler, was born to Seau's high school sweetheart, Melissa Waldrop. Seau broke up with Waldrop when Tyler was 13 months old. He married Gina Deboer in 1991. The couple had three children together, a daughter and two sons, before divorcing in 2002. Seau's son Jake attended Duke University where he played lacrosse. In 2019, Jake signed with the Dallas Rattlers of Major League Lacrosse.
Seau sustained minor injuries in October 2010 when his SUV plunged down a 100-foot cliff in Carlsbad, California, only hours after he was arrested for domestic violence following an incident reported to the police by his girlfriend at their home in nearby Oceanside. Seau stated that he fell asleep at the wheel, and was never charged in the domestic incident.
Seau's nephew, Ian Seau, was also a football player. Another nephew, Micah Seau, played football at San Diego State. His cousin was Pulu Poumele.
On May 2, 2012, Seau was found dead with a gunshot wound to the chest at his home in Oceanside. Authorities ruled his death a suicide. He left no suicide note, but did leave a piece of paper in the kitchen of his home with lyrics he scribbled from his favorite country song, "Who I Ain't." The song, co-written by his friend Jamie Paulin, describes a man who regrets the person he has become.
Seau's death recalled the 2011 suicide of former NFL player Dave Duerson, who shot himself in the chest and left a suicide note requesting that his brain be studied for brain trauma. Seau had no prior reported history of concussions, but his ex-wife said he did sustain concussions during his career. "He always bounced back and kept on playing," Gina Seau said. "He's a warrior. That didn't stop him." Seau had insomnia for at least the last seven years of his life, and he was taking zolpidem (Ambien), a prescription drug commonly prescribed for sleep disorders.
Seau's autopsy report released later in August 2012 by the San Diego County medical examiner indicated that his body contained no illegal drugs or alcohol, but did show traces of zolpidem. No apparent signs of brain damage were found, nor was he determined to have exhibited mood changes and irritability often apparent with concussions and brain damage.
There was speculation that Seau suffered brain damage due to CTE, a condition traced to concussion-related brain damage with depression as a symptom, as dozens of deceased former NFL players were found to have CTE. Seau's family donated his brain tissue to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, part of the NIH; other candidates included the Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy and the Brain Injury Research Institute. Citing the Seau family's right to privacy, NIH did not intend to release the findings.
On January 10, 2013, Seau's family released the NIH's findings that his brain showed definitive signs of CTE. Russell Lonser of the NIH coordinated with three independent neuropathologists, giving them unidentified tissue from three brains, including Seau's. The three experts - along with two government researchers - arrived at the same conclusion. The NIH said the findings on Seau were similar to autopsies of people "with exposure to repetitive head injuries."
On January 23, 2013, Seau's family sued the NFL over the brain injuries he had over his career. In 2014, his family continued to pursue the lawsuit while opting out of the NFL concussion lawsuit's proposed settlement, which was initially funded with $765 million. The family reached a confidential settlement with the league in 2018. The Seaus' attorney said that they were "pleased" with the resolution.
Seau 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.
Seau was known for his passionate playing style, including a fist-pumping dance he performed after big plays. Rick Gosselin of The Dallas Morning News said Seau "probably was the most dynamic player of his era". NFL head coach Norv Turner, who coached Seau as well as faced him as an opponent, said, "The No. 1 thing about Junior was that he was such an explosive player he'd defeat one-on-one blocks and he was a great tackler."
Seau's quickness allowed him to freelance, which sometimes put him out of position. "People say he gambled a bit, but in reality, his insight led him to the ball ... Even when he was wrong, you had to account for him and that created problems for offensive coordinators. You'd better have somebody blocking him," said former NFL coach Tom Bass.
He was praised by teammates for his work ethic and leadership. He would play when hurt, and often refused to leave games. "He played the game the way it was meant to be played," said retired Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway. Bill Belichick, his coach at New England, praised Seau's leadership and willingness to accept any role.
He was named to the Chargers 40th and 50th anniversary teams, which honor the top players and coaches in the team's history. He was inducted into the San Diego Chargers Hall of Fame on November 27, 2011, as part of Alumni Day ceremonies at a sold-out game against the Denver Broncos at Qualcomm Stadium. Fellow Chargers Hall of Famer Dan Fouts introduced Seau before a crowd of nearly 71,000.
Chargers President Dean Spanos honored Seau after his death as "...An icon in our community. He transcended the game. He wasn't just a football player, he was so much more." The Chargers retired his No. 55 during his public memorial. The Junior Seau Pier Amphitheatre and Junior Seau Beach Community Center were renamed posthumously in his honor by the city of Oceanside in July 2012.
On September 1, 2012, during the University of Southern California's home opener, Seau was honored by the team. On September 16, 2012, the Chargers retired Seau's number 55 during a ceremony at the 2012 regular season home opener against the Tennessee Titans. The San Diego Hall of Champions inducted Seau into the Breitbard Hall of Fame on February 25, 2013, forgoing their normal two-year waiting period after an athlete's retirement or death.
Seau became eligible for election into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2015. His eligibility was not accelerated due to his death from the standard five-year waiting period after a player's retirement. On January 31, 2015, Seau was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He wanted his daughter, Sydney, to introduce him if he were ever to be inducted. However, the Hall of Fame cited a five-year policy of not allowing speeches for deceased inductees, denying Sydney the opportunity to introduce her father.
Instead, she was allowed to speak onstage for three minutes uninterrupted on the NFL Network, and delivered a pared down version of her full speech, which The New York Times published. Seau is the first player of Polynesian and Samoan descent to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
On September 21, 2018, ESPN released Seau, a 30 for 30 documentary that highlighted Seau's career, as well as the effects of his injuries on his life, his family, and his post-football endeavors.
On August 5, 2023, Junior Seau's linebacker teammate in Miami for three years, Zach Thomas, paid tribute to him at the end of his Pro Football Hall of Fame speech: "But there's one person whose name I've yet to mention. His poster hung on my wall in college, and he was everything I wanted to be as a football player. He was my inspiration, and he became my teammate and friend. Though he's not here physically, he's here in spirit and in a bust in that building behind me. I'm truly honored to join him. Junior Seau, love ya buddy."
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William Patrick Polian Jr. is an American former professional football executive. He rose to league prominence as the general manager of the Buffalo Bills, building a team that participated in four straight Super Bowls—the most consecutive appearances by any team—but lost each time. Following his stint in Buffalo, Polian went on to become the general manager of the expansion Carolina Panthers. He then served as general manager and team president of the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League from 1998 to 2011, where they reached two Super Bowls, winning Super Bowl XLI. He subsequently served as an NFL analyst for ESPN. Polian was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2015. Polian co-founded the now-defunct Alliance of American Football in 2018.
Throughout the course of his career, Polian was awarded the NFL Executive of the Year award an NFL record six times, winning it twice with the Bills, twice with the Panthers, and twice with the Colts.
Polian began his career in professional football as a scout for the Montreal Alouettes in 1976, followed Marv Levy to the Kansas City Chiefs in 1978, eventually leaving the team in 1982 and joining the Chicago Blitz of the United States Football League, as personnel director in 1983. The Blitz shut down in 1984, and Polian moved back to the Canadian Football League, where he assembled a Grey Cup winning team with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Early on in his career, he was a coach for the now defunct football teams at Manhattan College and the Trinity School, both in New York City.
Polian was general manager for the Buffalo Bills from 1986 to 1992. When Polian was promoted to general manager of the Bills on December 30, 1985, the Bills were suffering from back-to-back 2–14 seasons and fan interest was at an all-time low. Polian was originally hired as director of pro personnel for the Bills on August 2, 1984. Polian was instrumental in the signing of Bruce Smith to his first NFL contract, after which he was promoted to GM in 1985. While GM of the Bills, Polian won the NFL Executive of the Year Award twice, in 1988 and in 1991. After the 1992 season, on February 4, 1993, after the Bills had appeared in, and lost, their third straight Super Bowl, Polian was fired as general manager.
In 2012, Polian became the 28th inductee into the Buffalo Bills Wall of Fame.
Polian was general manager of the Carolina Panthers from 1995 to 1997. He tried to create the quickest Super Bowl winner in history, and nearly did so, building a team that went to the NFC Championship Game in only its second year of existence. This feat led him to a promotion, becoming not just the GM, but the president of the Indianapolis Colts.
In 1998, Polian was hired as president and decided to build through the draft as the Indianapolis Colts would have the No. 1 overall pick for 1998; the Colts picked Peyton Manning. In 2002, Polian hired head coach Tony Dungy.
During his tenure, the Colts led the NFL with eight consecutive playoff appearances and seven consecutive seasons of 12 or more regular-season victories. They won seven division titles (1999, 2003–07, 09), won Super Bowl XLI against the Chicago Bears, and made a second Super Bowl appearance in Super Bowl XLIV under coach Jim Caldwell but lost to the New Orleans Saints. From 2000 to 2009, the Colts (115–45) set the NFL mark for most wins in a decade, and their nine playoff berths tied the NFL record set by Dallas in the 1970s. Polian stepped down as general manager in 2009, being succeeded by his son Chris, but remained with the team as president and vice-chairman.
In 2006, according to Jay Glazer of FOX Sports, Polian reportedly shoved a New York Jets employee by pinning him against a wall, for placing speakers too close to the field during warmups. The league required Polian to issue a written apology to the Jets employee.
Polian and his son Chris were fired by owner Jim Irsay after the Colts finished with a 2–14 record in the 2011 season.
On January 31, 2015, it was announced that Polian had been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. On January 1, 2017, Polian became the 13th inductee into the Indianapolis Colts Ring of Honor.
In March 2018, Polian announced the creation of an off-season professional football league, called the Alliance of American Football, which he co-founded with Charlie Ebersol. The league began playing in February 2019, with television broadcasts produced by CBS Sports, and airing on CBS, CBS Sports Network, TNT, and NFL Network. On April 2, 2019, the league's football operations were suspended by controlling owner Thomas Dundon, who purchased his stake in the league shortly after it began play.
In January 2022, the Chicago Bears brought in Polian to help lead their search for a new head coach and general manager. The Bears went on to hire Colts defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus and Kansas City Chiefs director of player personnel Ryan Poles for the respective positions.
Polian is married to Eileen and has four kids: Lynn, Chris, Brian, and Dennis. Polian has nine grandkids: Annie, William, Jack, Caroline, Kate, Aidan, Charlotte, Finn, and Millie. Polian joined ESPN in 2012 as an NFL analyst.
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Charles Lewis Haley is an American former professional football player in the National Football League for the San Francisco 49ers (1986–1991, 1998–1999) and Dallas Cowboys (1992–1996).
Haley began his career as a specialty outside linebacker, then played as a defensive end because of a defensive scheme change from the 3–4 to the 4–3 defense. He was the first five-time Super Bowl champion; only Tom Brady, with seven titles, has won more. He won two Super Bowls with the 49ers (XXIII, XXIV) and three with the Cowboys (XXVII, XXVIII, XXX); starting in all five championship games. Haley was inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2011 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2015.
Haley was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the fourth round (96th overall) of the 1986 NFL draft, after dropping because he was initially timed at 4.8 seconds in the 40-yard dash, although he was later clocked by a 49ers scout at 4.55 seconds. He played outside linebacker in a 3–4 defense, finished second behind Leslie O'Neal for rookies with 12 sacks and was voted to the NFL All-Rookie team by Pro Football Weekly and the United Press International. The following year, he played again in a designated pass rusher role, coming into the game in likely passing situations, while making 25 tackles and 6.5 sacks.
In 1988, Haley was named the starter at left outside linebacker, registering 69 tackles, 11.5 sacks and would hold that spot through the 1991 season. The next year, he tallied 57 tackles and 10.5 sacks.
In 1990, Haley had 58 tackles and 9 passes defensed. He was third in the league with 16 sacks, voted the UPI NFC Defensive Player of the Year, and a consensus All-Pro.
In 1991, Haley's relationship with the organization began to deteriorate after safety Ronnie Lott was left unprotected eligible to sign with any team under Plan B free agency. He still recorded 53 tackles, 6 passes defensed, 2 forced fumbles and 7 sacks, tying for the team lead with Larry Roberts. While with the 49ers from 1986 to 1991, he led the team in sacks every season, and played on the Super Bowl XXIII and Super Bowl XXIV championship teams.
On August 26, 1992, Haley's volatile temperament and clashes with head coach George Seifert prompted the team to trade him to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for a 1993 second round selection (#56-Vincent Brisby) and a 1994 third round selection (#99-Alai Kalaniuvalu).
In 1992, Haley was moved to right defensive end in the Dallas Cowboys 4–3 defense, made 39 tackles, 6 sacks, and 42 quarterback pressures (led the team), and helped the team improve from 17th in total defense in 1991 to first. Haley received the UPI NFC Defensive Player of the Year Award and was a consensus All-Pro once again. He is often mentioned as the final piece that helped propel the Cowboys into a Super Bowl contender.
In 1993, Haley made headlines after smashing his helmet through a concrete wall in the locker room following a home loss to the Buffalo Bills, showing his displeasure with the team's inability to sign holdout running back Emmitt Smith, which contributed to an 0–2 start and put the season in jeopardy. The Cowboys relented and reached an agreement with Smith the following week, getting them back on track and making them the first team to win a Super Bowl after starting a season 0–2. Haley registered 41 tackles, 4 sacks, 2 passes defensed, and 3 forced fumbles, but his recurring back problems began to require a series of surgeries.
In 1994, Haley recovered from off-season surgery (lumbar microdiscectomy) to post 68 tackles, 12.5 sacks, and 52 quarterback pressures. He immediately announced his retirement after losing 38–28 to the 49ers in the NFC Championship game, but decided to return after being offered a new contract.
In 1995, Haley posted 10.5 sacks, 33 quarterback pressures, and 35 tackles in the first 10 games, until suffering a ruptured disk against the Washington Redskins, which derailed his season. He started in Super Bowl XXX six weeks after having back surgery, making one sack, 3 quarterback pressures, and 5 tackles. The next year, with the team trying to limit him to 30 plays per game, he appeared in the first three contests and in week 9 and 10 before being deactivated with a back injury. He retired after the season, because of his back injuries and his youngest daughter Brianna being diagnosed with leukemia.
On January 2, 1998, Haley was signed by the 49ers after being out of football for almost two years to provide depth for an injury depleted defensive line in the playoffs (2 games). He was re-signed for the 1999 season and tallied 3 sacks.
In his 12 NFL seasons, Haley recorded 100.5 quarterback sacks, two interceptions (nine return yards), and eight fumble recoveries, which he returned for nine yards and a touchdown. He was also selected to play in five Pro Bowls (1988, 1990, 1991, 1994, 1995) and was named NFL All-Pro in 1990 and 1994. In his first four seasons in Dallas, he was on three Super Bowl-winning teams: in 1992 (XXVII), 1993 (XXVIII), and 1995 (XXX). He was the first player with more than four Super Bowl Rings.
Haley was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2015 after several years of eligibility and his bust was sculpted by Scott Myers. Haley felt that his election may have been delayed by his image and behavior: "I thought that what you do on the field would govern whether you get in the Hall". On August 8, 2015, Haley was inducted at the Enshrinement Ceremony where his bust was unveiled. He was also inducted into the San Francisco 49ers Hall of Fame in 2015.
Prior to that, Haley was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame in 2006, the College Football Hall of Fame in 2011, and the Texas Black Sports Hall of Fame in 2012. He was enshrined into the Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor on November 6, 2011.
After football, Haley was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and began to undergo therapy and to take medication. Haley was an assistant defensive coach for the Detroit Lions from 2001 to 2002. He is a special advisor mentoring rookies for both the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers. He also has dedicated his life to help fund several local initiatives with organizations such as Jubilee Centre and The Salvation Army. He is the founder of Tackle Tomorrow which provides struggling schools in the Dallas area with reading programs and special teachers to help students improve their reading skills. Tackle Tomorrow is an active foundation with support from the Dallas community and other Cowboys such as Dak Prescott, DeMarcus Lawrence, Tony Tolbert, Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, Michael Irvin, and many others.
His daughter, Madison Haley, is a professional soccer player who currently plays for Brighton and Hove Albion in the Women's Premier League in England.
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Timothy Donell Brown is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League. He played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, where he won the Heisman Trophy, becoming the first wide receiver to do so. He spent sixteen years with the Los Angeles / Oakland Raiders, during which he established himself as one of the NFL's greatest wide receivers of all time. Brown has also played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In 2015, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
As of 2023, Brown serves as the league chairman and commissioner of The Arena League, an indoor football league that began play in 2024.
Brown was selected by the Los Angeles Raiders in the first round with the sixth overall pick of the 1988 NFL draft. In his first NFL season, he led the league in kickoff returns, return yards, and yards per return average. Though it took time for him to fill into the role as the team's #1 receiver, catching just 147 passes in his first five seasons, he went on to rack up 9 consecutive 1,000-yard seasons from 1993 to 2001. He also led the NFL in punt returns in 1994, and receptions in 1997. In March 1994, Brown was offered and signed a free-agent offer-sheet with the Denver Broncos. The Raiders matched the offer soon thereafter. He was voted to the Pro Bowl nine times, in 1988 and 1991 as a kick returner, and in 1993–97, 1999 and 2001 as a receiver. In 2001, Brown would later play alongside another well-known wide receiver, Jerry Rice. On December 9, 2001, Brown returned a punt 88 yards for a touchdown in a home game against the Kansas City Chiefs, making him the oldest player in NFL history to score a touchdown on a punt return. In 2002, he passed Gene Upshaw to become the Raiders' all-time leader in games played with 224. He also set Raiders franchise records for receptions, receiving yards, and punt return yards. Brown was released by the Raiders before the 2004 season, as he did not want to accept a smaller role in the offense.
Brown was signed shortly thereafter by the Buccaneers (coached by former Raider head coach Jon Gruden). The move was controversial, considering that Brown had always been a fan favorite in the Oakland area and was much admired by many current and former Raiders players and staff over the sixteen years he spent with the Raider organization. He was the last of the Los Angeles Raiders to remain with Oakland.
On September 27, 2004, in his first game at Oakland since being signed by Tampa Bay, Brown reached 100 career receiving touchdowns, tying him (with Steve Largent) for 3rd on the NFL's all-time career receiving touchdown list at that time (behind former teammate Jerry Rice and Cris Carter). He received a standing ovation from the Oakland Raider crowd.
In 2005, Brown signed a one-day contract with the Raiders to retire with the team. The July 18 news conference was attended by two Raiders officials and only one active Raider, wide receiver Jerry Porter. Brown retired with 14,934 receiving yards, the second-highest total in NFL history, 1,094 receptions (3rd), and 100 touchdown catches (3rd-Tied). Brown also gained 190 rushing yards, 3,320 punt-return yards (5th in NFL history), 3 fumble-return yards, and 1,235 yards returning kickoffs. This gave him a total of 19,682 combined net yards, ranking him #5 among the NFL's all-time leaders at the time of his retirement. He also scored 105 total touchdowns (100 receiving, 1 rushing, 3 punt returns, 1 kickoff return). Brown is the only player ever to retire in the NFL's top five leaders for both receiving and return yards.
Brown became eligible for enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010, but was not selected that year. He was considered a long shot to get in on his first try, as there was a logjam of accomplished receiver candidates, including Jerry Rice (Brown's former teammate), Cris Carter and Andre Reed.
On January 7, 2012, and again on January 11, 2013, Brown was selected as a finalist for enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but was not chosen.
On January 31, 2015, Brown was selected for enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on August 8, 2015.
Brown was in the movie Little Giants, and is co-host on FSN Pro Football Preview with former players Jason Sehorn, Eddie George and NFL Insider Jay Glazer. Brown is also a representative for YorHealth.
In 1995, Brown became the National Chairman of Athletes & Entertainers for Kids and the related 9-1-1 for Kids. These efforts have helped over five million children and teens through mentoring and educational programs.
As of 2013, Brown has been the General Manager and Co-Owner of the Texas Revolution of the Champions Indoor Football League in his home state of Texas and was an analyst for ESPN College Football. Brown also hosts a weekly sports-talk show on WRDI.
Brown serves as the League Chairman and Commissioner of The Arena League, an indoor football league that is estimated to begin play in 2024.
Brown currently lives in Cedar Hill, Texas.
Brown started a NASCAR racing team as part of their Drive for Diversity program. He was recruiting African American sponsors to fund the venture, and has worked out a technical alliance with Roush Fenway Racing, who will provide support to the upstart team. Brown hopes to eventually find a black, Hispanic, or woman driver to be the star of his team in order to bring an element of diversity to what is a white-dominated sport. However, the plan never successfully began.
Since joining the Raiders, Brown had a complicated relationship with the Oakland Raiders and late owner Al Davis. During a 2009 interview with Sportsradiointerview.com Brown commented on his former boss:
“Meeting Al (Davis) was pretty unique. I found out five or ten minutes after my first practice there that he hated African-American athletes from Notre Dame. And they literally told me that. They literally told me that because we’re known for using our education more than our athletic ability that he thought that I would be one of these guys that would basically take the money and run. I don’t know if that was a ploy to get me amped up, but it certainly worked."
In 2000, Brown was dining in an Oakland restaurant with former Raiders Chester McGlockton and Sean Jones. During their meal, Brown found himself unable to approach or speak to Davis. Brown told a reporter, "I was saddened by that because I don't know anybody who I've dealt with for twelve years who I can't say hello to in that situation. I was saddened that the situation is where it is."
On August 5, 2004, the Raiders held a press conference with Brown and Davis which stated that Brown was leaving the Raiders. Davis and Brown professed mutual respect for one another and both men expressed a desire for Brown to return to the Raiders someday.
On July 19, 2005, Brown officially retired but the Raiders did not hold a press conference at the team headquarters. Instead, Brown held his own press conference in an Oakland hotel ballroom. Davis did not attend the conference because he had a "scheduling conflict". Davis did allow Brown to sign a ceremonial $765,000 contract with the Raiders so he could retire as an Oakland Raider. Brown's 2004 departure from the Raiders eventually became acrimonious, and the outspoken receiver often criticized Davis, senior assistant Michael Lombardi and coach Norv Turner publicly for conspiring to make him expendable. Former teammates Marcus Allen, Lincoln Kennedy and Chester McGlockton attended the press conference. For the Raiders, Amy Trask, the Raiders' chief executive officer who had Brown sign the ceremonial contract, Marc Badain, a finance executive and Mike Taylor, the team's director of public relations, were on hand. At the time, Raiders receiver Jerry Porter was also in attendance. Lincoln Kennedy stuck up for the absence of Davis stating "It's not his style; he'll probably invite Tim up to his office, or out to dinner later on. But this? This is not his style."
Recent history suggested that Davis was possibly out of touch with the football world prior to his death in 2011 because the Raiders had suffered through seven straight losing seasons (2003–2009) since losing to Tampa Bay in Super Bowl XXXVII. Brown disagreed, stating "In a lot of peoples’ minds, Al is out of touch, but nothing is further from the truth. He is still quite lucid."
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