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Brian Urlacher is an American former professional football linebacker who played in the National Football League for 13 seasons with the Chicago Bears. He played college football for the New Mexico Lobos, earning consensus All-American honors and winning MW Player of the Year in 1999. He was selected ninth overall by the Bears in the 2000 NFL draft.
Urlacher quickly established himself as one of the NFL's most productive defensive players, winning the NFL Rookie of the Year Award. During his career, he was selected to eight Pro Bowls, recognized as a first-team All-Pro four times, and won NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2005. He was inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2017 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018.
Urlacher was considered one of the most talented collegiate prospects in the 2000 NFL draft, and impressed spectators and analysts at the NFL Scouting Combine by bench pressing 225 pounds twenty-seven times and completing the forty-yard dash in 4.57 seconds. The Chicago Bears, who needed a defensive playmaker after having the 29th ranked defense in 1999, selected Urlacher in the first round as the ninth overall pick.
He signed a five-year contract, worth nearly eight million dollars with a five and a half million dollar signing bonus, within two months of the draft. Bears head coach Dick Jauron recognized Urlacher's versatility as a middle and outside linebacker and appointed him as the team's starting strongside linebacker. However, Urlacher struggled to perform consistently in his first game and lost his starting position to Rosevelt Colvin. Jauron left Urlacher on the sidelines during the following week as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers shut out the Bears, 41–0.
He managed to regain a starting spot on the Bears roster after Barry Minter, the team's veteran middle linebacker, was forced to miss the week 3 game on account of an injury. Urlacher excelled at the middle linebacker position, and recorded 46 tackles, six sacks, and one interception in his next five starts. He suffered a rib cage injury during this period but still won the league's Rookie Defensive Player of the Month in October. He led the Bears with 124 tackles and eight sacks, both of which surpassed the franchise's previous rookie records. Although the Bears finished with a disappointing 5–11 record, Urlacher received a number of individual accolades for his performance during the season. Many news organizations, such as the Associated Press and The Sporting News named him as the 2000 Defensive Rookie of the Year. Football fans across the nation also voted Urlacher to play at the 2001 Pro Bowl as an alternate middle linebacker. Urlacher's successful rookie campaign served as the foundation for his professional career and reputation.
Urlacher became one of the Bears' most productive playmakers during the 2001 season. He had one of the best games of his career on October 7 against the Atlanta Falcons in which he held Falcons quarterback Michael Vick, who was well known for his scrambling abilities, to just 18 rushing yards. He also recorded a forced fumble and sack, and returned one of Vick's fumbles for a 90-yard touchdown. Two weeks later, Urlacher helped set up a Bears comeback victory against the San Francisco 49ers by intercepting a pass, and later setting up a game-winning touchdown return for Mike Brown, after causing 49ers wide receiver Terrell Owens to lose control of a pass. He also caught a touchdown pass from punter Brad Maynard off a fake field goal attempt against the Washington Redskins in week 14, which clinched a first-round bye. Urlacher concluded the season with three interceptions, six sacks, and was a candidate for 2001 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award. Football Digest named Urlacher their publication's defensive player of the year. The 2001 Chicago Bears won 13 games, marking the team's best finish since 1986, but lost to the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Divisional Playoffs.
The Bears' 2001 winning season would be followed by three straight losing seasons. As a result, the Bears fired Jauron and hired Lovie Smith before the 2004 NFL season. After the Bears started the season on the lower rungs of the NFC North, Urlacher suffered several injuries that sidelined him for a majority of the season.
In 2005, Urlacher won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year after playing for a defensive team that allowed the fewest points per game, and created the most turnovers in the National Football Conference. Urlacher himself recorded at least 10 tackles in six consecutive games, while finishing the season with a team high 121 tackles. He was also credited as one of the team's leaders, whose audibles and experience helped develop several younger teammates. Urlacher led the Bears to an 11–5 record, marking their best finish since 2001. Urlacher played his second career playoff game against the Carolina Panthers on January 15, 2006. He recorded seven tackles and one interception in a 29–21 loss. Urlacher was also selected to the 2006 Pro Bowl, but declined the position on account of an injury.
The team continued their resurgence into the 2006 season, finishing with a record of 13–3. During the season, Urlacher had one of the best performances of his professional career against the Arizona Cardinals. He helped the Bears overcome a 20-point deficit by recording 19 tackles and a forced fumble that was returned for a touchdown. Teammate Devin Hester commented on Urlacher's performance, stating, "We watched the film and everybody was saying that he just turned into the Incredible Hulk the last four minutes of the game, just killing people and running over and tackling whoever had the ball." The Bears won the NFC Championship against the New Orleans Saints 39–14, but lost Super Bowl XLI to the Indianapolis Colts 29–17. Urlacher finished the season with 93 tackles and three forced fumbles. He was elected to the 2006 All-Pro Team and 2007 Pro Bowl, while also earning consideration for the League's Defensive Player of the Year award.
The Bears were unable to replicate their success in the 2007 season, and finished last in the NFC North. In the middle of the season, Urlacher admitted that he had been suffering from an arthritic back, but later claimed the ailment was not serious. Nevertheless, he finished the season on a high note, registering five interceptions, five sacks, one fumble recovery, 123 tackles, and a defensive touchdown. Following the season's conclusion, Urlacher received minor neck surgery to treat his arthritic back. During the offseason, Urlacher revised his contract with the Bears, who granted him a $6 million signing bonus with a $1 million increase in salary each of the next four years.
Urlacher dislocated his wrist in the 2009 season opener against the Packers. He underwent surgery, and went on to miss the remainder of the season. Urlacher had severely damaged a bone in his wrist that was adjacent to a major nerve. Urlacher was forced to wear a cast on his wrist for 12 weeks and spend a month in therapy to recover from the injury. The Bears began to struggle on offense and defense. As frustration built, Urlacher criticized the Bears offense, stating that the addition of quarterback Jay Cutler had changed the team's identity. The Bears, who have historically employed a strong running game, were beginning to rely more on the pass on offense. He went on to say, "Kyle Orton might not be the flashiest quarterback, but the guy is a winner, and that formula worked for us. I hate to say it, but that's the truth." Urlacher and Cutler later made amends. The Bears finished the season with a 7–9 record, and missed the playoffs for the third consecutive year.
After recovering from the injury, Urlacher stated, "I feel more powerful. I'm running to the football, my keys are a lot more clear now, and I'm playing downhill. ... So I think it did help my body kind of calm down and relax a little bit." During the 2010 offseason, Bears general manager Jerry Angelo bolstered the team's defense by signing free agent Julius Peppers.
With Peppers' help, Urlacher and the Bears improved to an 11–5 record in the 2010 NFL season, winning the NFC North and earning a first-round bye for the 2011 playoffs. After leading the NFC in tackles (49) during the period, Urlacher was recognized as the NFC Defensive Player of the Month during December/January. It was the first time winning the award in his career. In the playoffs, the Bears beat the Seattle Seahawks in the divisional round, before falling to the division rival Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship game. Urlacher was also voted to his seventh Pro Bowl for his stellar defensive efforts during the year. He was ranked 49th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2011.
In 2011, in week 17 against the Minnesota Vikings, Urlacher sprained his MCL when teammate Major Wright and Vikings receiver Percy Harvin landed on him with 5:15 left in the game. Urlacher was eventually named to the Pro Bowl, but did not play due to the injury against Minnesota. He missed much of the team's summer practice OTA's while trying to recover from the injury. On August 14, 2012, Urlacher had an arthroscopic debridement procedure on his left knee, and stated that his goal was to play in the 2012 season opener. He eventually practiced on September 3, and played against the Colts in the season opener, though he sat out the second half.
In 2012, Urlacher won the Ed Block Courage Award, given to those who showed a commitment to sportsmanship and courage. During his award acceptance speech, Urlacher thanked the Bears for their support after his mother Lavoyda Lenard died. Against the Tennessee Titans in week 9, Urlacher intercepted Matt Hasselbeck and returned the pick 46 yards for a touchdown. Urlacher led the Bears in tackles until week 13 against the Seahawks, in which he sustained a hamstring injury that sidelined him for the remainder of the season. Urlacher became an unrestricted free agent on March 12, 2013. On March 20, the Bears announced that Urlacher would not return in 2013 after the two sides failed to reach an agreement on a new contract. Urlacher later belittled Phil Emery's contract negotiations with him and stated the Bears had little intention to re-sign him. In 2015, Urlacher told ESPN that he still respected the Bears organization and front office, but has yet to speak to Emery, who was fired in 2014.
On May 22, 2013, Urlacher announced his retirement via his Twitter account. In 182 games in the NFL, Urlacher started all but two, the third most in franchise history behind Walter Payton (184) and Olin Kreutz (183), recording a team-record 1,779 tackles, 41.5 sacks, 22 interceptions, 16 fumble recoveries, and 11 forced fumbles.
Following his successful rookie season, Urlacher was able to gain popularity with the fans. On a national level, Urlacher's jersey sales have rivaled those of other NFL superstars, such as Brett Favre and Michael Vick. Football fans across the nation have also voted Urlacher into eight Pro Bowls. Urlacher's teammates and coaches have also praised his character and athletic ability. In 2007, former teammate Tank Johnson called upon Urlacher to testify during one of his court hearings.
Even after winning the NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award for the 2005 season, a 2006 Sports Illustrated poll of 361 NFL players named Urlacher the second most overrated player in the league behind Terrell Owens. In response, Urlacher has stated "Just watch the film. I don't know what people are saying, but I'm not too worried about it anymore. All I can do is go out there and play hard and try and help my team win, and that's what I'm going to keep doing."
Although the Bears stopped retiring jersey numbers in 2013, Urlacher's No. 54 was kept out of circulation by the team for 13 years following his retirement. Rookie center Logan Jones was assigned the number in 2026, which he felt was "supporting [Urlacher's] memory and letting everybody see the legacy he left." Urlacher clarified the Bears did not need to ask him for permission to resume using No. 54 since it was freely available, but appreciated being informed of the news by Bears chairman George McCaskey and was "happy Logan will be repping it".
On November 21, 2017, Urlacher was announced as one of 27 semi-finalists for the 2018 Pro Football Hall of Fame class. The nomination was Urlacher's first, and came in his first year of eligibility. On February 3, 2018, Urlacher was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
In 2002, Urlacher appeared on the game show Wheel of Fortune and won over $47,000 for charity.
In May 2002, Urlacher appeared in an episode of According to Jim as himself. The episode was titled No Surprises (season 1, episode 22) and aired on May 15, 2002.
Urlacher has appeared in several commercials for McDonald's, Domino's Pizza, Comcast, Nike, Campbell's Chunky soup, Old Spice, and Glacéau. He also shared the spotlight with Peyton Manning in a MasterCard commercial at a spa. Nike also aired special commercials about Urlacher's high school career containing clips and commentary of plays he made. However, Urlacher later stated that he feels "uncomfortable" appearing in commercials. During media day before Super Bowl XLI Urlacher wore a hat promoting Glacéau vitamin water, a non-NFL approved sponsor, for which he was fined US$100,000.
Urlacher wrestled in a pay-per-view event for the NWA-TNA promotion. The Bears organization discovered this and forced him to stop.
In 2012, with Nike taking over the NFL supplier from Reebok, Urlacher modeled for the new uniforms. In July 2013, Urlacher announced that he will be an analyst for Fox Sports 1 on Fox Football Daily with Jay Glazer and Curt Menefee; he had been courted by NFL Network but decided on Fox Sports. On September 16, 2014, Urlacher resigned from the role to spend more time with his family.
In December 2014, Urlacher participated in the USO Chairman's Holiday tour, which provided entertainment to US troops in five countries around the world.
Urlacher has also been spokesperson for several companies. Sega Sports selected Urlacher to appear on the cover of NFL 2K3, while other companies, such as Nike, McDonald's, Old Spice, and Vitamin Water, have featured him in several television advertisements and promotions.
In 2014, Urlacher underwent a hair transplant surgery performed by RESTORE Hair. He became a spokesman for the Illinois-based clinic and appeared on billboards and television. Urlacher later sued a Florida-based hair transplant clinic for using his image and likeness without his consent.
Urlacher has two daughters, Pamela and Riley, with ex-wife Laurie Urlacher and a son, Kennedy, with Tyna Robertson. Kennedy is a safety for the USC Trojans.
In June 2005, Urlacher filed suit to establish paternity of his son Kennedy. Genetic testing determined that he is Kennedy's father. Kennedy's mother, Tyna Robertson, was already well known to the media, having made claims of sexual assault against famed dancer Michael Flatley and a doctor from Naperville, Illinois. Urlacher and Robertson maintain joint custody over Kennedy. In 2017, Urlacher appealed to a Cook County court to remove Kennedy from Robertson's custody after her husband, Ryan Karageorge, was shot and killed in their residence.
In 2011, Urlacher's mother Lavoyda Lenard Urlacher died, and Urlacher was granted temporary leave from the team, returning in time for the season opener. His younger brother, Casey, had a brief career in the Arena Football League and was later elected mayor of Mettawa, Illinois, in 2013.
In April 2012, Urlacher began dating model and actress Jenny McCarthy. In August 2012, McCarthy announced that she and Urlacher had ended their relationship. Urlacher married Jennipher Frost, a former contestant on America's Next Top Model on March 13, 2016.
Urlacher enjoys golfing in his spare time, and during an episode of Home Turf, he revealed a room in his mansion containing a trove of golf paraphernalia. When home, Urlacher revealed that he also enjoys watching the Discovery Channel, National Geographic, and HBO's Entourage, in which he once made a cameo. Urlacher enjoys listening to a wide variety of music, including hip hop, rock, and country music.
On August 27, 2020, Urlacher made a post to his Instagram story criticizing NBA players for boycotting playoff games over the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and "liked" a now-deleted post supporting shooting suspect Kyle Rittenhouse and stating "Patriot Lives Matter," generating significant news and opinion coverage. The Bears responded to the posts, stating, "The social media posts in no way reflect the values or opinions of the Chicago Bears organization."
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Richard Anthony Stanfel was an American professional football player and coach in the National Football League. He played as a guard, and his college and professional career spanned more than 50 years from 1948 to 1998. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a player in 2016. He was also named to the NFL 1950s All-Decade Team.
A native of San Francisco, Stanfel served in the United States Army and later played college football on both offense and defense for the San Francisco Dons from 1948 to 1950. He was selected as a first-team All-Coast defensive guard in 1950.
Stanfel was selected by the Detroit Lions with the 19th pick in the 1951 NFL draft, missed the 1951 season due to injury, and then played four seasons for the Detroit Lions from 1952 to 1955 and three seasons for the Washington Redskins from 1956 to 1958. He was a key offensive player on the Lions 1952 and 1953 NFL championship teams and was named the Most Valuable Player on the 1953 team. He was selected by the Associated Press as a first-team All-NFL player in five of his seven NFL seasons and played in five Pro Bowls.
Stanfel also spent more than 35 years as a football coach, principally as an offensive line coach. His coaching career included stints with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (1959–1962), the California Golden Bears (1963), the Philadelphia Eagles (1964–1970), the San Francisco 49ers (1971–1975), the New Orleans Saints (1976–1980, 1997–1998), and the Chicago Bears (1981–1992). Bears head coach Mike Ditka called Stanfel the best offensive line coach in football after the Bears led the NFL in rushing three straight years and won Super Bowl XX.
In January 1951, Stanfel was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the second round, 19th overall pick, of the 1951 NFL draft. He was the first player drafted by head coach Buddy Parker after he became the Lions' head coach. In August 1951, Stanfel was hit from the side in a scrimmage while practicing in Wisconsin for the Chicago College All-Star Game, seriously injuring his left knee. As a result of the injury, Stanfel underwent knee surgery and did not play during the 1951 season. Stanfel later recalled: "For a solid year I worked with weights, took exercises and swam to strengthen the knee."
After recuperating from his knee injury, Stanfel made his NFL debut for the 1952 Detroit Lions, a team that compiled a 9–3 record, ranked second in the NFL with an average of 28.7 points scored per game, and defeated the Cleveland Browns in the 1952 NFL Championship Game. In November 1952, after the Lions rushed for a season-high 321 yards against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Detroit Free Press published an article crediting Stanfel as a key to the running game. Assistant coach Aldo Forte said, "Stanfel's play at guard was the chief contribution to our great running game. He loves to play football and enjoys the game the rougher it gets." George Wilson added: "We feel that Stanfel is one of the best, if not THE best offensive guard in pro football today. He's fast, rangy and can block extremely well. He not only holds the players out of there; he knocks them down and then goes hunting for more."
In his second NFL season, Stanfel played for the 1953 Lions team that repeated as NFL champion, compiling a 10–2 record and again defeating the Browns in the 1953 NFL Championship Game. At the end of the 1953 regular season, the Lions players voted Stanfel as the team's most valuable player. Assistant coach Forte in December 1953 called Stanfel the best guard in the NFL, and Stanfel said that the MVP honor was "the biggest thrill I've ever received in football." He was also selected as a Pro Bowl player and was named a first-team All-NFL player by both the Associated Press (AP) and United Press (UP).
In the spring of 1954, the Calgary Stampeders sought to lure Stanfel to the Canadian Football League with an offer to pay 20% more than his $7,000 salary with the Lions. Stanfel instead signed a new contract with the Lions in May 1954 for an estimated salary of $8,500. After a strong start to the 1954 season, Stanfel missed the last five games of the regular season with a back injury. In Stanfel's absence, the Lions lost to the Bears and played the Eagles to a tie. Stanfel returned to the lineup days before the NFL Championship Game. At the time of Stanfel's return, Lions head coach Buddy Parker called him "the best blocking back in the NFL." The 1954 Lions compiled a 9–2–1 record and won the NFL Western Conference championship before losing to the Browns in the 1954 NFL Championship Game. For the second consecutive season, Stanfel was selected as a first-team All-NFL player by both the AP and UP.
The 1955 Lions fell to 3–9, as Stanfel was injured twice, the later time suffering a spinal injury that took him out of the lineup for three weeks. Despite the injuries, Stanfel remained one of the top offensive linemen in the NFL and was chosen to play in his second Pro Bowl after the 1955 season.
In April 1956, the Lions traded Stanfel to the Washington Redskins in exchange for Dick Alban. Joe Kuharich, who had been Stanfel's college coach at USF, was hired as the Redskins' head coach in 1954 and engineered the trade to acquire his former All-Coast lineman. Stanfel played for Kuharich's Redskins for three seasons from 1956 to 1958. The Redskins did not register a winning season during Stanfel's tenure with the team, compiling records of 6–6 in 1956, 5–6–1 in 1957, and 4–7–1 in 1958. Despite the team's subpar performance, Stanfel earned first-team All-NFL honors from the AP and UP all three years he was with the Redskins. In December 1958, after the end of the season, Kuharich left the Redskins and took over as head coach of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team. Within days, the press began to speculate that Stanfel, who had suffered multiple injuries during the 1958 season, would take a coaching position with Kuharich at Notre Dame.
In January 1959, Stanfel retired as a player and was hired as an assistant line coach at Notre Dame under Joe Kuharich, who had been Stanfel's head coach both at USF and with the Redskins. He remained an assistant coach at Notre Dame for four years. Notre Dame compiled records of 5–5, 2–8, 5–5, and 5–5 in four years under Kuharich and Stanfel. Kuharich was the only head coach in Notre Dame football history to compile a losing record (17–23) over his career with the program.
In January 1963, Stanfel was hired as the offensive line coach for the California Golden Bears football team. He was an assistant at Cal under head coach Marv Levy. Levy resigned as Cal's head coach in December 1963, and Stanfel was rumored at the time to be a leading candidate to take over as the new head coach. Levy, who also coached with Stanfel on the Philadelphia Eagles' staff in 1969, later wrote about Stanfel: "When it came to teaching fundamental line techniques, Dick Stanfel had no peer. . . . Many people who played or who closely observed professional football in the 1950s . . . feel he is the best offensive lineman to have ever played the game."
In March 1964, Stanfel renewed his professional relationship with Kuharich, who had been hired as the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles. Kuharich hired Stanfel as the Eagles' offensive line coach. With quarterback Norm Snead joining Kuharich and Stanfel in moving from the Redskins to the Eagles in 1964, the Eagles initially ranked among the NFL's offensive leaders, finishing fourth in yards gained in 1965 and second in 1966. However, the defense lagged, and the Eagles compiled records of 6–8 and 5–9 in 1964 and 1965. In 1966, the team improved to 9–5, but fell to 6–7–1 in 1967 and 2–12 in 1968. Kuharich left the Eagles after the 1968 season, but Stanfel remained with the club through the 1970 season.
In February 1971, Stanfel returned to his home city as an assistant coach with the San Francisco 49ers under head coach Dick Nolan. He remained with the 49ers through the 1975 season, holding positions as offensive line coach and taking over in 1975 as the offensive coordinator. In the five years that Stanfel was on the staff, the 49ers compiled records of 9–5 in 1971, 8–5–1 in 1972, 5–9 in 1973, 6–8 in 1974, and 5–9 in 1975.
In February 1976, Stanfel was hired as Hank Stram's offensive line coach with the New Orleans Saints. Dick Nolan, under whom Stanfel served in San Francisco, took over as the Saints' head coach in 1978. The Saints compiled records of 4–10 in 1976, 3–11 in 1977, 7–9 in 1978, and 8–8 in 1979. When the 1980 Saints lost their first 12 games, Nolan was fired and Stanfel took over as interim head coach for the final four games of the 1980 season. The Saints compiled a 1–3 record under Stanfel.
In February 1981, Stanfel was hired by Neill Armstrong as the offensive line coach for the Chicago Bears. He remained with the Bears when Mike Ditka took over as head coach in 1982. He remained with the Bears throughout Ditka's tenure with the team which lasted through the 1992 season. Stanfel was credited with helping to establish a solid offensive line that helped the 1985 Chicago Bears win Super Bowl XX. After the 1985 season, Ditka noted that the Bears had led the NFL in rushing for three straight years, gave credit to Stanfel, and called him "the best offensive line coach in football."
When Ditka was hired as the head coach of the New Orleans Saints in 1997, he persuaded Stanfel, then 70 years old, to come out of retirement as the Saints' offensive line coach. Stanfel said at the time that it was his respect for Ditka that lured him back to coaching: "I respect the man. He's a hell of a coach. I think he's an honest person and a fair man, and he asked me to come back. . . . He's always been good to me, and we've coached a long time together. In fact, I coached him when he was a player a couple years (with the Eagles), so I think there's a feeling for the both of us . . ." Stanfel announced his retirement from the Saints in January 1999.
In 1969, Stanfel was selected as an offensive guard on the NFL's 1950s All-Decade Team. He was selected as a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in both 1993 and 2012, but failed to garner sufficient support.
Stanfel died at age 87 in June 2015 at his home in Libertyville, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago.
In February 2016, Stanfel was posthumously elected to the Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony took place in August 2016.
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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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Richard Lamar Dent is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League, primarily for the Chicago Bears. He was the MVP of the Super Bowl XX. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011.
After playing four years at Tennessee State University and graduating in 1983, Dent was selected in the eighth round by the Bears, with the 203rd overall pick in the 1983 NFL draft. At 6 ft 5 in, 265 lb (120 kg), Dent was a great pass rusher who beat offensive tackles with his speed and thrived in defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan's aggressive 46 defense. He was part of the core of great players who made the Bears' defenses of the 1980s legendary. Between 1984 and 1985, Dent recorded 34.5 sacks while recording a then team-record 17.5 sacks in the former season.
When the Bears went on to defeat the New England Patriots in a 46–10 landslide in Super Bowl XX,[2] Dent was selected as the game's MVP. During the game, he had 1.5 sacks, forced two fumbles, and blocked a pass. Dent made a mere $90,000 in base salary for his efforts in 1985 ($263,000 in 2024 dollars). He was a featured soloist of the "Shuffling Crew" in the video, the "Super Bowl Shuffle" in 1985.
Dent would remain with the team until the end of the 1993 season, after the Bears had won just one playoff game since their loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the 1988 NFC Championship Game, and head coach Mike Ditka had been replaced by Dave Wannstedt.
Dent won another Super Bowl ring after spending the 1994 season under contract with the 49ers, though he spent almost the whole year injured. Injuries would continue to hamper Dent after his return to Chicago in 1995. He would spend 1996 and 1997 with the Indianapolis Colts and Philadelphia Eagles, respectively, playing the so-called designated pass rusher for them.
Dent retired after the 1997 season. His lifetime statistics included 137.5 sacks and eight interceptions; he returned these picks for 89 yards and one touchdown. He also recovered 13 fumbles, returning them for 56 yards and one touchdown. He had 124.5 sacks during his first stint with the Bears, from 1983 to 1993. At the time of his retirement, his 137.5 sacks ranked him third in NFL history behind Reggie White and Bruce Smith.
During Super Bowl XLIV, Dent joined other members of the 1985 Chicago Bears in resurrecting the "Super Bowl Shuffle" in a Boost Mobile commercial.
Dent was nominated numerous times for the Pro Football Hall of Fame and in 2005–2009 he was among the top 15 finalists in the selection process. After several years of unsuccessful nominations, he was finally selected for enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio on February 5, 2011. His induction speech was notable for omitting any mention of both Ditka and Ryan.[7] Since his retirement Dent has had a difficult relationship with Ditka because he publicly blamed Ditka for the Bears' inability to repeat as Super Bowl champions. In a 2012 interview on WSCR, Dent argued that the Bears would have won at least three Super Bowls if they had been able to find any consistency at quarterback.
In addition to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Dent was also inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in 2008 and the Black College Football Hall of Fame in 2015.
According to a DNA analysis, he descended mainly from Mende people of Sierra Leone and Balanta people of Guinea Bissau. He is the godfather of football player Ahmaad Smith.
Richard lives in Chicago and has four children: Mary, Sarah, R.J., and Shiloh. His son R.J. is a football player who played WR at Stevenson High School, and now plays at Miami University Ohio.
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Daniel Oliver Hampton is an American former professional football player who was a defensive tackle for twelve seasons with the Chicago Bears from 1979 to 1990 in the National Football League. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2002. He currently hosts the Bears postgame show on WGN Radio in Chicago.
Hampton was selected by the Bears in the first round of the 1979 NFL draft and on June 27, 1979, he signed a four-year $470,000 contract with the club that included a $60,000 signing bonus. In 1979, he was voted All-Rookie by the Pro Football Writers Association. The following year, he was a Second-team All-Pro selection and was voted to his first Pro Bowl after recording 11½ sacks which lead the Bears. His fierce style of play earned him the nickname of "Danimal".
He was selected to four Pro Bowls and was a key defensive member of the Bears' Super Bowl XX win against the New England Patriots in 1986. Hampton was a versatile defensive lineman, making All-Pro at both defensive end and defensive tackle. In all, Hampton was 1st or 2nd team All-Pro in 1980, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1986, and 1988. His versatility likely cost him several post-season honors, for example, in 1986 he was an alternate for the Pro Bowl at both defensive end and defensive tackle. His playing both positions likely split the votes of his NFC peers. Hampton was also a 1st alternate for the Pro Bowl in 1988 and graded out as the top defender on the Bears that season, even though Mike Singletary was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
During Hampton's tenure in Chicago (1979–90), the Bears defense ranked #1 in the NFL in allowing the fewest rushing yards, the fewest rushing touchdowns, the fewest total yards, the fewest points and inflicted the most sacks.
In 1982, he had a tremendous year while playing defensive tackle, recording 9 sacks in the 9-game, strike-shortened season. He was also named NFL defensive player of the year by Pro Football Weekly. He played out his option after that season and became a free agent. On July 15, 1983, Hampton signed a deal that made him the Bears' second highest-paid player (behind Walter Payton). Hampton signed three one-year contracts worth about $1 million (including bonuses), an average of about $333,000 per year. "Dan will be the highest paid defensive lineman in the league this year," said Jim Steiner, Hampton's agent. "I'm very happy," said Hampton. "I'm glad to have the contract behind me so I can concentrate on training camp. I'm optimistic about this season and I didn't want to miss any of the fun."
Hampton didn't miss out on the fun. He was voted the NFLPA NFC Defensive Lineman of the Year in 1984 along with being consensus All-Pro and made his third Pro Bowl. Hampton also tied his own career-best of 11½ sacks in 1984. The Bears' defense was the tops in the league in 1984 and he was part of the defense that set the NFL record for most sacks in a season, with 72, and is the co-holder of the record for most sacks in a game with 12. The latter occurred against the Detroit Lions on December 16, 1984. Earlier in that season the Bears sacked Minnesota Vikings quarterback Archie Manning 11 times, to tie the record for the second-most sacks in a game.
During the middle of the Bears 1985 Super Bowl run, Hampton signed a 4-year contract extension. On November 8, 1985, he signed a four-year deal worth $2.7 million. Hampton became the fifth highest-paid defensive lineman in the NFL when the contract began in 1986 with an estimated salary of $625,000. Hampton was making $325,000 during the 1985 season. Also in the middle of 1985 Hampton moved from right defensive tackle to left defensive end, allowing William Perry to move into the starting lineup. Also that season, Hampton, feeling the "Bears Super Bowl Shuffle" was too cocky, declined involvement.
Sports Illustrated's Paul Zimmerman relates an anecdote that when he picked fellow Bear DT Steve McMichael for his All-Pro team in 1985 he was chided a year later by Buddy Ryan, then the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles. Ryan told Zimmerman that he was disappointed in him and that he thought Zimmerman knew football. He then pulled out Bears films and showed Zimmerman that "Hampton was the cornerstone to our 46 defense by drawing constant double teams". That year, he also was credited for inventing the 'Gatorade dump" in which a coach is drenched with the drink after a victory, which was often credited with Harry Carson.
Hampton remained at left defensive end in 1986 and was a First-team All-Pro. However, in the Bears 46 defense he would line up as a nose tackle and when the Bears lined up in a nickel defense, Hampton would play right tackle. Late in the 1987 season, Mike Ditka moved Hampton back to defensive tackle (where he played from 1982 to 1984), where he remained throughout the rest of his career.
In his 1987 book "Fatso" Hall of Fame defensive tackle Art Donovan called Dan the best defensive lineman in the NFL and "the closest thing to Gino Marchetti I've seen". Hampton's play also caught the eye of John Madden, who named Hampton to his All-Madden team six times and to the 10th Anniversary All-Madden team.
During his football career Hampton endured 10 knee surgeries (five on each knee) and had two more just after finishing his 12th NFL season in 1990. He is credited by the Chicago Bears as having 82 career sacks. He had a career-high of 11.5 in both 1980 (as a DE) and 1984 (as DT). After his contract expired after 1989, Hampton signed a 1-year deal for $850,000 to play the 1990 season for the Bears. The final contract was incentive based, if Hampton played he got paid, if an injury forced him to the sidelines he would not. Hampton played 14 games—had he played all 16 he would have earned the full $1 million value of the contract. After the 1990 season Hampton was voted to the NFL All-Decade team of the 1980s.
Hampton, who missed 23 games in his career due to severe knee injures, was a positive force on the Bear defense. From 1983 to 1990, in games he missed, the Bears only won 33% of the time. In games he played they won 75%. When he was in the lineup the Bears sacked the quarterback 3.6 times a game and only 2.3 times a game without him. When Hampton played the defense gave up an average of 14 points a game and allowed 23 points a game in the games he missed, all seemingly remarkable statistics.
Dan Hampton retired from the Chicago Bears after the 1990 season. In 1990, he was the recipient of the George S. Halas Courage Award by the Pro Football Writers Association which is given to the player or coach who "has performed with abandon despite injury." Other winners over the years have been Robert Edwards, Dick Butkus, as well as others.
Hampton was selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2002. He was inducted with Washington Redskins head coach George Allen, Oakland Raiders tight end Dave Casper, Buffalo Bills quarterback Jim Kelly and Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver John Stallworth.
Hampton is a co-host for the syndicated Pro Football Weekly television show which is approaching its 20th season on the air. The show is hosted by a panel, Pro Football Weekly publisher/editor Hub Arkush as well as Chicago sportscaster Pat Boyle, and former Bear Tom Waddle. Hampton was also a color commentator for NFL games on NBC in the early 1990s, and called XFL games for the network in 2001.
On May 22, 2002, Hampton was sentenced in Arkansas for his third DWI in six years. He received a sentence of one week in jail, a $1,000 fine, and was ordered to attend alcohol education courses. On November 20, 2021, Hampton was arrested in Winfield, Indiana on a charge of operating a vehicle while intoxicated. It was later reported that a toxicology report resulting from that arrest revealed a blood alcohol content of 0.189.
Hampton is part of a Miller Lite and Gridiron Greats promotion to raise funds for retired NFL players in need. He also participates in "One for the Kids" Annual Golf Tournament that raises funds for various charities that support children in the Chicago area. Hampton has also been a spokesperson for companies such as Chevrolet and Firestone.
Hampton is also renowned for coining various catch phrases, such as: "de facto cream-of-the-class, if you will," "throw it against the pallet to see what sticks," and "hit that town like Hurricane Katrina." He later apologized for his Katrina comment.
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Smith, Stephen (September 7, 2010). "NFL Analyst Dan Hampton Apologizes for Katrina Analogy". CBS News. Retrieved December 21, 2024.
George Herbert Allen was an American football coach. He served as the head coach for two teams in the National Football League, the Los Angeles Rams from 1966 to 1970 and the Washington Redskins from 1971 to 1977. Allen led his teams to winning records in all 12 of his seasons as an NFL head coach, compiling an overall regular-season record of 116–47–5. Seven of his teams qualified for the NFL playoffs, including the 1972 Washington Redskins, who reached Super Bowl VII, losing to Don Shula's Miami Dolphins. Allen made a brief return as head coach of the Rams in 1978, but was fired before the regular season commenced.
Allen began his coaching career at the college football level, serving as head football coach at Morningside College from 1948 to 1950 and Whittier College from 1951 to 1956. He moved to the NFL in 1957 as an assistant coach for the Rams under head coach Sid Gillman. Allen then spent eight years, from 1958 to 1965, as an assistant coach and head of player personnel for the NFL's Chicago Bears before returning to the Rams as head coach in 1966.
After three years as a broadcaster for CBS Sports, from 1978 and 1981, and a short stint as an executive with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League (CFL) in 1982, Allen resumed coaching in 1983 as head coach for the Chicago Blitz of the newly formed United States Football League (USFL). The following year, he served as head coach of the USFL's Arizona Wranglers, leading them to the league's title game, where the Wranglers lost to the Philadelphia Stars. After a second hiatus from coaching, Allen returned to the game a final time, serving as head football coach for one season, in 1990, at California State University, Long Beach. In ten seasons as a college football head coach, Allen amassed a record of 53–38–7.
Allen was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2002. His eldest son, also named George Allen, is a Republican politician who served as Governor of and United States Senator from Virginia. His second son, Bruce, followed his father's footsteps as a football coach and executive, serving as general manager for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Redskins of the NFL.
Allen was the head football coach at Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa. The Morningside team was called the Chiefs at that time. He held that position for three seasons, from 1948 through 1950. His coaching record at Morningside was 16–11–2.
Allen was the head football coach at Whittier College in Whittier, California for six seasons, where he was 32–22–5 from 1951 through 1956. He was also the head baseball coach there from 1952 to 1957.
Allen joined the Los Angeles Rams staff in 1957, under fellow Hall of Fame coach Sid Gillman. Allen was dismissed after one season and, after he resided in Los Angeles out of football for several months, George Halas, founding owner and head coach of the Chicago Bears, brought him to Chicago during the 1958 season. The original purpose of Allen's hiring was to scout the Rams, whom the Bears would play twice during the season; Allen was asked for insights into Gillman's, and the Rams', offensive strategy and signals. Allen's thoroughness and attention to detail so impressed Halas that he eventually earned a full-time position on the coaching staff. During the latter stages of the 1962 season Allen replaced veteran Clark Shaughnessy as Halas' top defensive assistant, effectively making him the Bears' defensive coordinator.
His defensive schemes and tactics—and his strong motivational skills—helped make the Bears' unit one of the stingiest of its era. Allen's presence also had a formative effect on such future Hall of Fame players as linebacker Bill George and end Doug Atkins during their most productive years. By 1963, in his first full season in charge of the Bears' defense, Allen's innovative strategies helped the Bears yield a league-low 144 total points, 62 fewer than any other team, and earn an 11–1–2 record that was a half-game better than the two-time defending league champion Green Bay Packers and allowed the Bears to host the NFL championship game. Following their 14–10 victory over the New York Giants on December 29 at frigid Wrigley Field, the Bears' players awarded Allen the "game ball." NBC's post-game locker-room television coverage infamously captured Bears players singing "Hooray for George, hooray at last; hooray for George, he's a horse's ass!"
Allen was also given responsibility for the Bears' college player drafts; most likely his best-remembered choices were three players who won election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame and became household names in American sport—end Mike Ditka (chosen in 1961), halfback Gale Sayers, and middle linebacker Dick Butkus (1965). Allen's was the most common name to be suggested as a replacement for Halas should the grand old man of the league decide to step down. Jeff Davis's biography Papa Bear states that Halas informally told Allen in 1964 and 1965 that he would ultimately name him as head coach. But in 1965, after a 9–5 Bears finish that earned the iron-willed Halas NFL Coach of the Year honors, Allen decided to look elsewhere to fulfill his head-coaching ambitions. Halas stayed on as head coach through the 1967 season.
On January 10th, 1966, ex-Rams assistant coach Allen reached an agreement with Los Angeles Rams owner Dan Reeves to replace Harland Svare as head coach. He quickly faced a legal battle with Halas, who claimed that Allen's leaving was in breach of his Bears contract. (Halas accused Allen and the Rams of "chicanery.") The Bears' owner did win his case in a Chicago court but immediately allowed Allen to leave, saying he initiated the lawsuit to make a point about the validity of contracts. Halas would not be so magnanimous in an NFL meeting soon after when he attacked Allen's character. Upon hearing this, Green Bay coach Vince Lombardi joked to Reeves, "Sounds like you've got yourself a hell of a coach."
The Rams had only notched one winning season since 1956, and for much of that time been dwelling in or just above the NFL's basement. The team boasted considerable talent at several positions, most notably on the defensive line; the "Fearsome Foursome" (David Deacon Jones, Merlin Olsen, Rosey Grier, and Lamar Lundy) had gained vast attention on a losing team. Allen brought his well-known motivational skills to Los Angeles, and his twice-daily (sometimes three times) rigorous training-camp practices took players by surprise. He revealed the philosophy that he would be known for throughout his NFL career—acquiring veteran players for draft picks to fill specific roles. His motto was "the future is now." He also emphasized the role of special teams (kickoff, punt, and field-goal units) as integral to team success. He revamped the Rams' secondary with trades and installed quarterback Roman Gabriel, previously relegated to the bench, as his starter. Allen vaulted the Rams from a 4–10 record in 1965 to 8–6 in his first year—the team's first winning season since 1958. Allen received 1967 Coach of the Year honors for leading the Rams to an 11–1–2 record and the NFL Coastal Division title, their first post-season berth since 1955. Despite an 11–3 record (while winning their first 11 games) during the 1969 season and losing a conference playoff game to Joe Kapp and the Minnesota Vikings, the offense and the record did not rollover to the 1970 season and Allen was released at the end of season. The news surprised the football world, but subsequent reports revealed that discord between Reeves and Allen had been growing for some time. By some accounts, the owner's lower-key temperament differed from Allen's intense approach; more importantly, some animus had developed between the two men in November 1968. After the favored Rams struggled to a tie at San Francisco, Allen disparaged the sloppy Kezar Stadium turf; a few days later Reeves, addressing reporters, subtly admonished his coach for making what he considered an "alibi." The next week, after a narrow home win over the New York Giants, Allen rebuffed Reeves's handshake and upbraided him for "embarrassing me and my family."
Allen's firing was met not only with criticism from fans and reporters,[citation needed] but an overwhelming show of support from Ram players: 38 members of the team's 40-man roster, including such standouts as Gabriel, Jones, Olsen, Lundy, Dick Bass, Jack Snow, Bernie Casey, Tom Mack, Irv Cross, Ed Meador, and Jack Pardee, stated for the record that they would seek a trade or retire if Allen were not reinstated. Many of these players convened a press conference at a Los Angeles hotel to urge their employer, Reeves, to reconsider his decision. Allen, wearing dark glasses, spoke briefly to thank his players for their support but did not make an appeal for his job. After some negotiation Reeves offered Allen a new two-year contract, although there was no indication that the two men had reconciled their differences.
Allen and the 1969 Rams seemed to justify the coach's renewed presence; their 11–3 record earned them a Coastal Division title as Gabriel won the NFL's Most Valuable Player award. But in both 1969 and 1970 Allen's team could not produce the championship that many had predicted for them. At the end of 1970, with the Rams missing the playoffs and Allen's contract expiring, Reeves dismissed the coach again. It had been tacitly assumed that Allen had been granted the two extra years to bring the Rams a title, and so the second time the firing met with neither fan outrage nor player objection. Allen quietly left Los Angeles as the most successful coach in Rams history; he is currently fourth on the franchise's all-time wins list behind John Robinson, Chuck Knox, and Mike Martz. He was replaced by UCLA head coach Tommy Prothro, almost Allen's opposite in personality and approach.
Allen was hired as head coach and general manager of the Washington Redskins on January 6, 1971. Shortly after joining the Redskins, Allen made a series of trades with his former Ram team and brought seven 1970 Los Angeles players to Washington, including the starting linebacker corps (Maxie Baughan, Myron Pottios, and Pardee). Sportswriters nicknamed the team the "Ramskins" or the "Redrams." Allen continued his practice of bringing in veteran players at all positions; one was quarterback Billy Kilmer, something of an NFL journeyman for a decade, whose wobbly but efficient passing and raw-boned leadership complemented and eventually supplanted strong-armed veteran Sonny Jurgensen. Allen restored the Redskins to competitiveness after over two decades of losing. The 1971 team was undefeated through late October and finished with a surprising 9–4–1 record and its first trip to the playoffs since 1945. Perhaps Allen's most satisfying 1971 victory was a Monday night win in Los Angeles in December that clinched a playoff berth and eliminated the Rams from the postseason.
Allen's 1972 team, with Kilmer by now the starting quarterback, won the NFC East title with an 11–3 record; the defense allowed a conference-low 218 points on the way to a NFC title, which was secured with a 26–3 home victory over the defending Super Bowl champion Dallas Cowboys. The Redskins gained the chance to contest the undefeated Miami Dolphins for the world championship, a team they had beaten in the pre-season, but in Super Bowl VII at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the "'Skins" were overmatched by the Dolphins' relentless running game and staunch defense and lost, 14–7.
With Allen's painstaking attention to detail and enthusiastic approach, Washington's teams were known for their spirited play and camaraderie, with the coach often leading a chant of "Three Cheers for the Redskins" ("Hip Hip Hooray") in the locker room after wins. The Redskins acquired a reputation of a team that came by its success through hard work and workmanlike play that was rarely reflected in individual statistics. Becoming a household phrase among NFL fans was the "Over-the-Hill Gang"—the aging Redskin veterans who seemed to save their best efforts for the most important games. They reached the playoffs in five of Allen's seven years, but were not able to duplicate their 1972 Super Bowl trip. It was during this time that the Redskins' fierce rivalry with the Dallas Cowboys became a choice subject for pro football fans, and Allen inflamed it with bizarre actions like taunting Cowboys players while wearing an Indian headdress.
As had been the case with the Rams, Allen's intense approach was seen to indicate that winning in the present was all-important, with planning for the franchise's future taking a lesser priority. In 1977, the Redskins were 9–5, but failed to reach the postseason for the second time in three seasons. Although owner Williams did attempt to negotiate a new pact for Allen, there were rumors that he was beginning to question his coach's philosophy.
After rejecting a $1 million, four-year contract offer throughout the 1977 season, Allen was dismissed by the Redskins in mid-January 1978. He was replaced by one of his favorite players, Jack Pardee, by then the promising young head coach of the Bears, who had gained the wild card playoff berth ahead of the Redskins; both had finished at 9–5.
Rams owner Carroll Rosenbloom was searching for a new coach after parting ways with Chuck Knox, and decided to bring Allen back. Allen's hiring was announced on February 1, and he returned to Los Angeles in 1978 with much media fanfare. His second stint as the Rams' head coach was an unfortunate experience for all concerned. Unlike his first stint, Allen did not have full authority over personnel. He thus worked with general manager Don Klosterman to oversee a talented roster that had made the team a perennial playoff challenger.
Allen brought with him his scrupulous discipline and attention to detail, which extended to practice-field protocol and dining-hall decorum. However, his autocratic coaching style did not play well with the new generation of NFL players, and a group of Ram players chafed at the regulations almost immediately. Some made their grievances public; a few, including standout linebacker Isiah Robertson, briefly left camp. As newspaper reports were quoting players expressing confidence that differences would be resolved, the Rams played listlessly and lost the first two games of the 1978 exhibition schedule. Rosenbloom decided that an immediate change was needed to save the season, and announced Allen's firing on August 13. Many of Allen's own players were surprised by the decision. Defensive coordinator Ray Malavasi, well-respected and liked by players (and the only holdover from Chuck Knox' staff), replaced him; the Rams ultimately advanced to that year's NFC Championship Game and the following year to the Super Bowl. Rosenbloom died in April 1979.
Although he was off the sidelines for the first time in three decades, Allen was not unemployed for long. He soon joined CBS Sports as an analyst for NFL network telecasts, and worked in the broadcast booth from 1978 to 1981. For much of his tenure, he was part of CBS' number-two broadcast team with play-by-play announcer Vin Scully. During 1978, Scully and Allen were teamed with former NFL great Jim Brown as the network's only three-man broadcast team.
George Halas biographer Jeff Davis notes that Allen had contacted Halas in late 1981, asking to be considered for the vacant head coaching position with the Bears. However, Halas was still smarting at how Allen left the Bears 15 years earlier. He angrily rejected Allen's overtures and hired his old friend and former player Mike Ditka instead.
Allen had a brief flirtation with the Canadian Football League when he was hired by the Montreal Alouettes as president and chief operating manager on February 19, 1982. Allen also agreed to purchase 20 percent of the team, with an option to become the majority shareholder. However, three months later, Allen resigned after continued financial troubles and a shift in majority ownership from Nelson Skalbania to Harry Ornest soured Allen on the situation.
On June 21 of that same year, Allen became part-owner, chairman and head coach of the Chicago Blitz of the fledgling United States Football League, returning to the city where he had established his NFL coaching credentials two decades earlier. In his first season in 1983, the Blitz were tabbed as the early favorite to capture the league's inaugural title, in part because Allen assembled a roster laden with NFL veterans. The team finished in a tie for first with the Michigan Panthers with a 12–6 record, but the team lost the tiebreaker, making them the wild card team. In their playoff game against the Philadelphia Stars, the Blitz held a commanding 38–17 lead before a late comeback sent the game into overtime, where Chicago lost by a 44–38 score.
Two months after that collapse, the Blitz were part of a bizarre transaction in which the entire franchise was essentially traded for the Arizona Wranglers. Blitz owner Ted Diethrich was disgusted at the team's lackluster attendance figures. Looking for a way out, he found it when Wranglers owner Jim Joseph decided to get out after suffering massive losses of his own. The Diethrich/Allen group sold the Blitz to James Hoffman, then bought the Wranglers from Joseph. Diethrich and Hoffman then engineered a swap of assets that resulted in the 1983 Blitz roster moving virtually en masse to Arizona, while nearly all of the 1983 Wranglers moved to Chicago. Allen, who retained his posts as part-owner, chairman, and head coach, was thus able to retain much of the core of a roster that had been considered NFL-caliber.
During that 1984 season, Allen's Wranglers struggled early before finishing with a 10–8 mark, earning another wild card spot. In the opening round of the playoffs, Arizona staged a comeback to knock off the Houston Gamblers, 17–16. The following week, the Wranglers stopped the Los Angeles Express, 35–23, in the Western Conference final. However, the run of success came to an end in the USFL Championship Game, when Arizona was shut down in a 23–3 defeat.
In September 1984, Allen resigned his positions with the team after the Wranglers' financial troubles necessitated severe budget cuts.
Following several years out of the public eye, he accepted a one-year offer to coach at Long Beach State University in 1990. The 49ers, which had managed only 11 wins against 24 losses their previous three seasons, responded to Allen's mentoring with a 6–5 record.
Following Allen's death, the team played one additional season in 1991 under Willie Brown, then LBSU dropped the football program.
Allen was considered one of the hardest-working coaches in football. He is credited by some with popularizing the coaching trend of 16-hour (or longer) work-days. He sometimes slept at the Redskin Park complex he designed. Allen's need for full organizational control and his wild spending habits would create friction between him and the team owners he worked for. Edward Bennett Williams, the Redskins' president, once famously said, "George was given an unlimited budget and he exceeded it." In ending Allen's second stint as the Rams' head coach after only two preseason games in 1978, Carroll Rosenbloom said, "I made a serious error of judgment in believing George could work within our framework." and "He got unlimited authority and exceeded it." Allen was also notorious for his paranoia, regularly believing that his practices were being spied upon and that his offices were bugged. He even went as far as being the first coach in the NFL to employ a full-time security man, Ed Boynton, to keep potential spies away and patrol the woods outside Redskin Park.
As documented by NFL Films, Allen was known to eat ice cream or peanut butter for many meals because it was easy to eat, and saved time so Allen could get back to preparing for the next game. Allen kept in shape as a coach, and would run several miles at the start of each day. He did not curse, smoke, or drink, instead habitually consuming milk (some suspected that this beverage of choice arose from ulcers they suspected the always-high-strung coach to suffer from). Coach Allen would later be appointed by President Ronald Reagan to the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. It is interesting to note that President Richard Nixon (an armchair coach) once "recommended" the team run an end-around play by wide receiver Roy Jefferson. Allen agreed, choosing to run the play against the San Francisco 49ers in the 1971 NFC Divisional playoff game. Jefferson was tackled by the 49ers' Cedrick Hardman for a 13-yard loss on the play, a game the Redskins lost by four points.
As a coach, Allen was known for his tendency to prefer veteran players to rookies and younger players. During Allen's early years with the Redskins, the team was known as the "Over-the-Hill Gang," due to the predominance of players over the age of 30, such as quarterback Billy Kilmer. Upon becoming Redskins coach, Allen traded for or acquired many players - all veterans of course - he had formerly coached with the Rams, including Jack Pardee, Richie Petitbon, Myron Pottios, John Wilbur, George Burman, and Diron Talbert, leading to the Redskins sometimes being referred to in those days as the "Ramskins." The phrase "the future is now" is often associated with Allen; he made 131 trades as an NFL coach, 81 of which came during his seven years with the Redskins.
Allen was also known for emphasizing special teams play, and in 1969 became the NFL's first coach to hire a special teams coach, 32-year-old Dick Vermeil, to run a standalone special teams unit. (Jerry Williams followed suit a month later when he hired Marv Levy.) When Vermeil went to UCLA in 1970, Allen hired Levy, and then brought Levy with him to Washington in 1971. During the 1971 preseason, Allen coaxed his former long snapper with the Rams, George Burman, out of retirement, bringing him to Washington for the primary purpose of being the snapper on punts, thus making Burman the NFL's first modern specialist long snapper, while Sam Wyche was brought as a specialty Holder.
Allen's coaching tree led to several high-profile special teams coaches and achievements. Vermeil discovered special teams standout Vince Papale in 1976, won a Super Bowl as head coach of the St. Louis Rams, and coached return great Dante Hall with the Chiefs. Levy led the Buffalo Bills to four consecutive Super Bowl appearances in the early 1990s, while coaching perhaps the greatest special teams coverage man ever, Steve Tasker. Allen's longtime offensive assistant Ted Marchibroda gave Bill Belichick his first NFL coaching job. Both Vermeil and Levy would go on to employ Frank Gansz, whom Vermeil called "the finest special teams coach ever."
Allen had the third-best winning percentage in the NFL (.681), exceeded only by Vince Lombardi (.736) and John Madden (.731). He also never coached an NFL team to a losing season. This was particularly notable in the case of the Redskins, who had finished above .500 only once over the past 15 seasons (1969, under Lombardi) before Allen's arrival.
Allen was noted primarily as a defensive innovator and a motivator. He was an early innovator in the use of sophisticated playbooks, well-organized drafts, use of special teams, and daring trades for veterans over new players. He is also known for sparking the Dallas Cowboys–Washington Redskins rivalry to new heights. In the seven seasons that Allen's team played the Cowboys, six of them saw the teams split the two contests they played before the Cowboys finally broke through in winning both contests in Allen's final season as coach in Washington; in total, Allen went 7–8 against the Cowboys in Washington but managed to reach the Super Bowl with Washington's victory over Dallas in the 1973 NFC Championship Game.
Allen was inducted to the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame in 1998. He was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2002.
Allen married the former Henrietta (Etty) Lumbroso (1922–2013), with whom he had four children, three sons and one daughter. His son George is a Republican politician, having served as Governor and U.S. Senator from Virginia. Another son, Bruce, served as an executive for the Oakland Raiders, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Washington Redskins of the NFL. Allen's third son, Gregory, is a sports psychologist. His daughter, Jennifer, is an author.
Allen died at age 72 from ventricular fibrillation in his home in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, on December 31, 1990.
There was some speculation afterward that his death may have been caused by a form of Gatorade shower. On November 17, some of his Long Beach State players dumped a Gatorade bucket filled with ice water on him following a season-ending victory over UNLV; in an interview some weeks later, Allen quipped that the university couldn't afford actual Gatorade, and said that he had felt somewhat unwell since then. The sports editor of the Long Beach State newspaper, the Daily Forty-Niner, recalled that the temperature was in the 50s with a biting wind. Allen stayed on the field for media interviews for a considerable length of time in his drenched clothing, and remained in his wet clothing on the bus back to Long Beach state.
However, in 2012, Allen's son George denied that the Gatorade shower caused the death, saying it merely caused a cold, and said that his father had a pre-existing heart arrythmia. He stated that seeing Gatorade showers on television was a reminder that his father "went out a winner".
After Allen's death, the soccer and multipurpose field area on the lower end of campus was dedicated in his honor as George Allen Field. A youth baseball field in Palos Verdes Estates is also named after him.
Gildea, William (January 1, 1991). "Ex-Redskins Coach Allen Dies". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 16, 2022.
George Allen - Class of 2002 Pro Football Hall of Fame
"Morningside Football Coach Invents Gadget to Aid Tutors". The Sioux City Sunday Journal. Sioux City, Iowa. May 20, 1951. p. 1, section 4. Retrieved January 3, 2026 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
Rollow, Cooper (January 1, 1991). "'Great motivator' George Allen dies". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 2, 2016.
"George Allen goes to Rams and Papa Bear Halas angry". Lawrence Journal-World. Kansas. Associated Press. January 11, 1966. p. 10.
"George Allen gets release from Bears for Rams job". Victoria Advocate. Texas. Associated Press. January 19, 1966. p. 8.
Tobin, Jack; Rogin, Gilbert (January 6, 1969). "A marriage that was doomed". Sports Illustrated. p. 22.
Brady, Dave (January 7, 1971). "Redskins Hire Allen As Coach". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 12, 2024.
Seppy, Tom (January 19, 1978). "Redskins fire George Allen". Free Lance-Star. Fredericksburg, Virginia. Associated Press. p. 10.
"Redskins fire Allen". Pittsburgh Press. UPI. January 19, 1978. p. C8.
"Rams hire Allen". Prescott. Arizona. Associated Press. February 1, 1978. p. 6.
"LA's firing shocks Allen". Eugene Register-Guard. Oregon. Associated Press. August 14, 1978. p. 1C.
Israel, David (August 14, 1978). "Allen fell victim to own tactics". Chicago Tribune. p. 1, sec. 6.
Anderson, Dave (January 4, 1991). "Sports of the Times; George Allen: Won Games, Lost Jobs". The New York Times. Retrieved April 2, 2016.
Solomon, George (September 16, 2007). "If You're not spying, you're not trying". Washington Post. Retrieved April 2, 2016.
Redskins: A History of Washington's Team. Washington Post Company. February 2, 1998. p. 87. ISBN 978-0962597145 – via The Washington Post.
"George Allen hires Dick Vermeil". Los Angeles Times. April 10, 1969. Retrieved April 9, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
"Marv Levy Quits W&M to Join Eagle Staff". www.newspapers.com. May 26, 1969.
Silverstein, Jack (December 29, 2020). "The First Long Snapper: The untold story of George Burman". Windy City Gridiron. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
"Dick Vermeil's "Special" Special Teamers". nflfootballjournal.blogspot.com. May 9, 2019.
Fisher, Marc (January 7, 2013). "Henriette "Etty" Allen, wife of NFL coach and mother of senator, dies". The Washington Post. Washington, D.C. Retrieved April 2, 2016.
"Friends eulogize George Allen". Eugene Register-Guard. Oregon. Associated Press. January 5, 1991. p. 8C.
"George Allen, coach, dead at 72; led Redskins to Super Bowl VII". The New York Times. Associated Press. January 1, 1991. Retrieved April 2, 2016.
Borden, Sam (January 21, 2012). "The Spill of Victory". The New York Times. p. D1. Retrieved April 2, 2016.
"NCAA Statistics; Coach; George Allen". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved January 3, 2026.
