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Merlin Olsen
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Merlin Olsen
No. 74
Position:
Defensive tackle
Personal information
Born:
September 15, 1940
Logan, Utah
Died:
March 11, 2010(2010-03-11) (aged 69)
Duarte, California
Height:
6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Weight:
270 lb (122 kg)
Career information
High school:
Logan (Logan, Utah)
College:
Utah State
NFL Draft:
1962 / Round: 1 / Pick: 3
AFL draft:
1962 / Round: 1 / Pick: 2
Career history
Los Angeles Rams (1962–1976)
Career highlights and awards
14× Pro Bowl (1962–1975)
6× First-team All-Pro (1964, 1966–1970)
3× Second-team All-Pro (1965, 1973, 1974)
Bert Bell Award (1974)
NFL Rookie of the Year (1962)
NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team
NFL 1970s All-Decade Team
NFL 1960s All-Decade Team
Los Angeles Rams No. 74 retired
Outland Trophy (1961)
2× First-team All-American (1960, 1961)
Career NFL statistics
Games:
208
Interceptions:
1
Player stats at NFL.com
Player stats at PFR
Pro Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
Merlin Jay Olsen (/ˈoʊlsən/; September 15, 1940 – March 11, 2010)[1] was an American football player, announcer, and actor. He played his entire 15-year professional football career in National Football League (NFL) as a defensive tackle with the Los Angeles Rams. He was selected to the Pro Bowl a record 14 straight times, missing selection only in the last year of his career. This record of 14 seasons selected to play in the Pro Bowl, consecutive or otherwise, is current and shared with former offensive lineman Bruce Matthews, former tight end Tony Gonzalez, and former quarterback Peyton Manning. A recipient of the 1961 Outland Trophy as the best lineman in college football, Olsen is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the College Football Hall of Fame. As an actor, he portrayed farmer Jonathan Garvey on Little House on the Prairie. After leaving that series, he starred in his own NBC drama, Father Murphy.
Contents
1 Early life
2 College
2.1 Awards and honors
3 Professional football career
4 Post-athletic career
4.1 Broadcaster
4.2 Actor
4.3 Pitchman
4.4 Awards
5 Personal life
6 Illness and death
7 Filmography
7.1 Film
7.2 Television
8 See also
9 References
10 External links
Early life[edit]
Born to Merle Barrus and Lynn Jay Olsen in Logan, Utah, the second of nine siblings and the first-born son, Olsen had three brothers and five sisters: Colleen, Clark, Lorraine, Gwen, Phil, Winona, Ramona, and Orrin.[citation needed]
College[edit]
Olsen attended Utah State University where he became a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity, and was a three-year letterman in football as a defensive tackle. He graduated from the College of Business and Social Sciences at USU with a bachelor's degree in Finance in 1962 and a master's degree in Economics in 1971.[2] He later received an honorary doctorate degree in business from the Huntsman School.[2]
In football, as a senior, he was a consensus All-American selection (making the vast majority of All-America teams) and was the winner of the Outland Trophy. After Olsen's junior year of 1960 he was also named All-American by the Football Writers Association of America and Newspaper Enterprise Association. He was also All-Conference in both 1960 and 1961. Olsen and Utah State were in the 1960 Sun Bowl, losing to New Mexico State, 20–13. Led by Olsen, the Aggie defense held the New Mexico State Aggies to just 44 rushing yards on 32 carries.[3]
The Aggie defense Olsen anchored as a senior gave up an average of 50.8 rushing yards (which led the nation), 88.6 passing yards, and 139.4 total yards which all still stand as school records for defense. The 1961 Aggie defense gave up an average 7.8 points a game, which is second in team history behind Olsen's 1960 team, which allowed 6.5 points per game.[4] Additionally, the Aggie defense held four opponents to less than 100 total yards. One, the University of Idaho, was held to a school-record 23 total yards, with the Aggies winning 69–0.
The Aggies, not known as a national power football program, finished 10th in both the AP and UPI post-season polls, the only time that has occurred in school history. The Aggies had a combined 18–3–1 record during Olsen's junior and senior seasons under coach John Ralston and were conference champions those two seasons as well.[5]
Awards and honors[edit]
Olsen played in the East-West Shrine Game in 1961 and in 2003 was voted to the game's Hall of Fame.[6] He also played in the Hula Bowl after his senior season and was voted MVP of the game.[7]
Olsen is a member of the State of Utah’s Sports Hall of Fame, the Utah State University Sports Hall of Fame and USU’s All-Century Football Team. In 2000, he was selected by Sports Illustrated as one of the State of Utah’s Top 50 Athletes of the Century. He was voted to the All-Academic All-America Hall of Fame in 1988. In 1969, he was voted to the Newspaper Enterprise Association All-Time All-America team with collegiate greats such as Bronko Nagurski, Red Grange, Jim Thorpe, and O. J. Simpson, among others.[8]
In 2008, Olsen was named to the 75th Anniversary All-Sun Bowl Team to commemorate the Sun Bowl Association's Diamond Anniversary.[9]
Utah State University announced the intention to name its football field after Olsen during a ceremony in Logan during halftime of the USU-St. Mary’s basketball game on December 5, 2009.[10] HOF Sculptor Blair Buswell created a bronze sculpture that sits at the entrance to Merlin Olsen Field at Romney Stadium.
Olsen also was a three-time academic All-American at Utah State and graduated summa cum laude in 1962 with a degree in finance.[4]
Professional football career[edit]
Coming out of college, Olsen had offers from both the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League and the Denver Broncos of the rival American Football League. He chose the security of the NFL and signed with the Rams. Olsen's first contract was for around $50,000 for two years, plus a signing bonus. It was 1962, and the average football player salary at the time was around $12,000 a year. He was the first USU Aggie to be drafted in the 1st round of the NFL draft.[4]
Olsen played professionally (from 1962 to 1976) for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League. A leading defensive star of his era, he missed only two games in his 15-season NFL career. He was named the NFL's Rookie of the Year in 1962 and was First-team All-Pro in 1964, and 1966 through 1970. He was voted Second-team All-Pro in 1965, 1973 and 1974.[11]
Olsen almost ended up on offense, but was later moved to the defensive line after a few experiments in practice. Soon he became part of one of the best front fours in NFL history. Deacon Jones, Rosey Grier, and Lamar Lundy joined Olsen on the defensive line in 1963 that was nicknamed "The Fearsome Foursome".[11] He was named the AP NFL Defensive Player of the Week for week 12 in 1965. Olsen scored his first touchdown in that game.
Throughout the 1960s, this quartet terrorized opposing offenses. Olsen's play helped the Rams to the playoffs in 1967 and 1969. He was voted the club's Outstanding Defensive Lineman from 1967–70 by the Los Angeles Rams Alumni. In week 14, 1967, Olsen and the rest of the Fearsome Foursome were named the AP NFL Defensive Players of the Week for their performance against the Baltimore Colts. In the 1970s, Olsen continued his dominant play at defensive tackle and his eleven sacks in 1972 were second on the team. After week 8 in 1972, Olsen was named the Associated Press NFL Defensive Player of the Week for the third time in his career.[11]
The Rams won the NFC West crown in 1973 through 1976 thanks in part to the play of Olsen. They ranked first in the NFL in run defense in 1973 and 1974 and finished second in sacking opposing passers both years. In 1973 Olsen was voted the NFLPA NFC Defensive Lineman of the Year and the next season, 1974, he was the recipient of Bert Bell Award as the NFL MVP as voted by the Maxwell Club. Olsen accepted the award "on behalf of all who toil in the NFL trenches".
Three of the Olsen brothers, Merlin, Phil, and Orrin, played in the NFL, with Merlin and Phil playing together for the Rams from 1971–74. A nephew, Hans, son of his brother, Clark, also played professional football.[citation needed] In 1975 and 1976, the Rams defense finished second in the NFL against the run while ranking in the top five in sacking opposing quarterbacks and compiling a 22-5-1 record over those two seasons.
Olsen's last game was the NFC Championship game in 1976 at Bloomington, Minnesota. The Vikings took advantage on a freak play early in the game. A blocked field goal returned 90 yards for a touchdown shocked the Rams in the first quarter. The defense was later victimized by a couple of big plays by the Vikings. The Rams came up short, losing 24–13, bringing the storied career of the Rams finest defensive tackle to an end.
Olsen made the Pro Bowl a record 14 times, only missing it in his final year. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1982 in his first year of eligibility; he selected his college position coach Tony Knap as his presenter.[12] In 1999, Olsen was ranked 25th on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Football Players.[13]
Post-athletic career[edit]
Olsen enjoyed continued success after the NFL as a broadcaster, actor, and businessman.[14]
Broadcaster[edit]
Olsen served as a television color commentator, teaming mostly with Dick Enberg on NBC's coverage of the AFC during the late 1970s and almost all of the 1980s. He and Enberg also teamed for four Super Bowls (XV, XVII, XX and XXIII), as well as nine Rose Bowls from 1980 to 1988. Olsen also worked Super Bowl XIII in 1979 with Curt Gowdy and John Brodie (Enberg was then serving as pre-game/halftime/post-game host). In 1989, Olsen was replaced by[15] Bill Walsh as NBC's lead NFL color commentator. For the 1989 season, Olsen worked with Charlie Jones on NBC's broadcasts. In 1990 and 1991, he moved to CBS Sports doing NFL games with Dick Stockton.
Actor[edit]
Olsen developed a successful career as an actor. He appears as Sergeant Fitzsimmons in the Dean Martin motion picture, Something Big in 1971.
In 1970, he appeared once on Petticoat Junction, in the episode: "With This Ring". He played mountaineer Merlin Fergus.
When Little House on the Prairie actor Victor French left to star in his own comedy Carter Country in 1977, Olsen was tapped to play Michael Landon's new sidekick Jonathan Garvey for several years. One memorable quote from his character's son, Andy Garvey, "My pa doesn't know anything about football!" came when Andy's friends suggested that Jonathan coach their football team.
A couple of years later, Landon cast Olsen as the eponymous Father Murphy, which lasted for two seasons.
In the Highway to Heaven episode 2.12 ("The Good Doctor"), the main character, Alex, tells Mark Gordon (Victor French) that "All I could see was the flowers and the beard. I thought you were Merlin Olsen." This is an inside joke since all three actors, Merlin Olsen, Michael Landon, and Victor French were in the TV series Little House On the Prairie earlier in their careers.
Olsen's last acting work was in the short-lived 1988 TV series Aaron's Way, in which he played the lead role. He was also in the John Wayne movie The Undefeated as Little George along with teammate Roman Gabriel.
Pitchman[edit]
Olsen was also the commercial spokesman for FTD Florists for many years. A part-time resident of the Coachella Valley, Olsen was the longtime radio and television spokesman for Palm Desert-based El Paseo Bank.[16]
Olsen also appeared in many Sigma Chi fraternity promotional campaigns; Merlin, along with his brother Phil, was a Life Loyal Sig, Significant Sig (given to members for distinguishing acts outside the fraternity) and a member of the Order of Constantine (given for service to the Fraternity). Olsen donated one of his cleats, which were bronzed, to be used during the annual football rivalry between two Las Vegas high schools, Eldorado High School and Chaparral High School, which both opened in 1973. Each year, Olsen presented the "trophy" in the ceremony at the rivalry game.[citation needed]
Olsen often co-hosted the Children's Miracle Network telethons, a humanitarian organization founded in 1983 by Marie Osmond and John Schneider.
Awards[edit]
He was named the Walter Camp Man of the Year in 1982 and Athlete of the Century for the state of Utah. During halftime of a basketball game between Utah State, Olsen's alma mater, and Saint Mary's on December 5, 2009, Utah State University announced that the playing surface inside Romney Stadium, home stadium for the university's football program, would be named Merlin Olsen Field in Olsen's honor. Because of Olsen's illness, Utah State decided not to wait until the 2010 football season to hold the ceremony; he was able to attend the game, but did not speak.[17] A sculpture of Olsen was unveiled in a plaza south of the stadium during an official dedication ceremony in Fall 2010.[18] Olsen was voted to the California Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2010, along with Bill Walton, Dwight Stones, and Jim Otto, among others.[19]
Personal life[edit]
Olsen married fellow USU student Susan Wakley on March 30, 1962, and they had three children: Kelly, Jill, and Nathan, and four grandchildren. He was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Olsen also served as Grand Marshal of the 1983 Rose Parade.
Illness and death[edit]
He was diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma in 2009,[20] and underwent three courses of chemotherapy. In December 2009 he filed a lawsuit against 25 defendants including NBC Studios, NBC Universal, and 20th Century Fox, Georgia Pacific, Sherwin-Williams, and Lennox Corp. for allegedly exposing him to the asbestos which he claimed had caused his cancer.[21][22] Olsen died on March 11, 2010 at City of Hope National Medical Center in Duarte, California, at the age of 69.[23][17][24]
Filmography[edit]
Film[edit]
Year
Title
Role
Notes
1969 The Undefeated Little George
1971 One More Train to Rob Eli Jones
Something Big Sgt. Fitzsimmons
1975 Mitchell Benton
Television[edit]
Year
Title
Role
Notes
1970 Petticoat Junction Merlin Fergus Episode: "With This Ring"
1973 Kung Fu Perlee Skowrin Episode: "Nine Lives"
1974 Dr. Simon Locke The Cat Episode: "The Killer"
1977-1981 Little House on the Prairie Jonathan Garvey 51 episodes
1978 A Fire in the Sky Stan Webster Television film
1980 The Golden Moment: An Olympic Love Story Todd Simms Television film
1981 Walking Tall Webb McClain Episode: "Hitman"
1981-1983 Father Murphy John Michael Murphy 34 episodes
1982 The Juggler of Notre Dame Jonas Television film
1984 Time Bomb Jake Calahan Television film
1986 Fathers and Sons Buddy Landau Four episodes
1988 Aaron's Way Aaron Miller 14 episodes, (final television appearance)
See also[edit]
List of NFL on NBC commentator pairings
References[edit]
Jump up ^ Florio, Miked (March 11, 2010). "Reports: Merlin Olsen dies at 69". NBC Sports. Retrieved March 11, 2010.
^ Jump up to: a b Honorary Degree Recipients Utah State University.
Jump up ^ "Merlin Olsen College". Lowongankerja2010x.com. Retrieved 12 March 2010. [dead link]
^ Jump up to: a b c Utah State University Media Guide
Jump up ^ "Utah State Championships". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on 2010-02-16. Retrieved 2010-03-13.
Jump up ^ The East West Shrine Game | Hall of Fame Archived July 21, 2009, at the Wayback Machine.
Jump up ^ Hula Bowl | History Archived July 14, 2007, at the Wayback Machine.
Jump up ^ NEA All-Time All-America Team – Beckly Post-Herald, August 24, 1969
Jump up ^ "Utah State's Merlin Olsen Named To 75th Anniversary All-Sun Bowl Team" (Press release). Utah State University. July 3, 2008.
Jump up ^ "Utah State University Will Honor Merlin Olsen on Saturday, Dec. 5 At Aggie Basketball Game" (Press release). Utah State University. 2009-11-16. Retrieved 2010-03-11.
^ Jump up to: a b c 2008 St. Louis Rams Media Guide
Jump up ^ profootballhof.com - Merlin Olsen - enshrinement speech - 1982 - accessed 2012-03-25
Jump up ^ "NFL News, Scores, Schedule & Standings - Pro Football". Sporting News.
Jump up ^ "BREAKING NEWS: The Fearsome Foursome now two: NFL Legend Merlin Olsen Dead at 69". The Enterprise Report. March 11, 2010.
Jump up ^ "History of #1 analyst demotions". Classic Sports TV and Media. 18 February 2013. Retrieved 13 April 2013.
Jump up ^ "The Desert Sun - Palm Springs and Coachella Valley news". Desert Sun.
^ Jump up to: a b "Olsen, Hall of Famer and member of 'Fearsome Foursome' dies". NFL News. Associated Press. 2010-03-11. Retrieved 2010-03-11.
Jump up ^ Harrison, Shawn (December 6, 2009). "Field named after Olsen: Utah State honors Aggie legend in halftime ceremony". The Herald Journal. Logan, Utah. Retrieved July 14, 2018.
Jump up ^ "2010 Inductees". California Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved July 14, 2018.
Jump up ^ Eborn, Jared (6 December 2009). "Utah State football names field after Merlin Olsen". Deseret News. Salt Lake City.
Jump up ^ "Merlin Olsen suing NBC". TV Squad. 2009-12-31. Retrieved 2010-03-11.
Jump up ^ "Mesothelioma Takes Life of Merlin Olsen". 2010-03-12. Retrieved 2010-03-12.
Jump up ^ Thursby, Keith (2010-03-12). "Merlin Olsen dies at 69; Hall of Fame football star later became actor". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2010-03-12.
Jump up ^ Goldstein, Richard (11 March 2010). "Merlin Olsen, 69, Football Star, Commentator and Actor, Dies". The New York Times.
External links[edit]
Merlin Olsen at the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Merlin Olsen at the College Football Hall of Fame
Career statistics and player information from Pro-Football-Reference ·
Merlin Olsen on IMDb
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Merlin Olsen—awards and honors
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Outland Trophy winners
1946: Connor
1947: Steffy
1948: Fischer
1949: Bagdon
1950: Gain
1951: Weatherall
1952: Modzelewski
1953: J. Roberts
1954: Brooks
1955: C. Jones
1956: Parker
1957: Karras
1958: Z. Smith
1959: McGee
1960: T. Brown
1961: Olsen
1962: Bell
1963: Appleton
1964: DeLong
1965: Nobis
1966: Phillips
1967: Yary
1968: Stanfill
1969: Reid
1970: Stillwagon
1971: Jacobson
1972: Glover
1973: Hicks
1974: White
1975: Selmon
1976: Browner
1977: Shearer
1978: G. Roberts
1979: Ritcher
1980: May
1981: Rimington
1982: Rimington
1983: Steinkuhler
1984: B. Smith
1985: Ruth
1986: Buck
1987: Hennings
1988: Rocker
1989: Elewonibi
1990: Maryland
1991: Emtman
1992: Shields
1993: Waldrop
1994: Wiegert
1995: Ogden
1996: Pace
1997: Taylor
1998: Farris
1999: Samuels
2000: Henderson
2001: McKinnie
2002: Long
2003: Gallery
2004: J. Brown
2005: Eslinger
2006: Thomas
2007: Dorsey
2008: A. Smith
2009: Suh
2010: Carimi
2011: B. Jones
2012: Joeckel
2013: Donald
2014: Scherff
2015: Garnett
2016: Robinson
2017: Oliver
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1961 College Football All-America Team consensus selections
Backfield
QB Sandy Stephens
HB Ernie Davis
HB Jimmy Saxton
FB Bob Ferguson
Line
E Gary Collins
E Bill Miller
T Billy Neighbors
T Merlin Olsen
G Joe Romig
G Roy Winston
C Alex Kroll
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1962 NFL draft first-round selections
Ernie Davis
Roman Gabriel
Merlin Olsen
Gary Collins
Bob Ferguson
Fate Echols
Ronnie Bull
Lance Alworth
Wendell Harris
John Hadl
Leroy Jackson
Irv Goode
Jerry Hillebrand
Earl Gros
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Cleveland / St. Louis / Los Angeles Rams first-round draft picks
Drake
Davis
Hall
Cordill
Mucha
Wilson
Holovak
Butkovich
Hirsch
Sitko
Wedemeyer
Thomason
Pasquariello
West
McFadin
Carey
Moomaw
Barker
Beatty
Morris
Marconi
Horton
Arnett
Shofner
Michaels
Phillips
Bass
Dickson
Cannon
McKeever
Gabriel
Olsen
Baker
Guthrie
Munson
Williams
Mack
L. Smith
Seymour
Klein
Reynolds
Robertson
Youngblood
Cappelletti
Fanning
Harrah
France
McLain
Brudzinski
Peacock
Andrews
K. Hill
Johnson
Owens
Redden
Dickerson
Gray
Schad
Green
Cox
Hawkins
Gary
Brostek
Lyght
Gilbert
Bettis
Gandy
Carter
Phillips
Kennison
Pace
Wistrom
Holt
Canidate
Lewis
Archuleta
Pickett
Thomas
Kennedy
Jackson
Barron
T. Hill
Carriker
Long
J. Smith
Bradford
Quinn
Brockers
Austin
Ogletree
Robinson
Donald
Gurley
Goff
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Los Angeles Rams 1962 NFL Draft selections
Roman Gabriel
Merlin Olsen
Joe Carollo
John Meyers
John Cornett
Art Perkins
Jim Smith
Ben Wilson
Sherwyn Thorson
Jim Bakken
Dick Farris
Ike Lassiter
Jim Norris
Bert Wilder
Marv Marinovich
Bob Fearnside
Gary Henson
Walter Nikirk
Ron Skufca
Dave Steadman
Charlie Furlow
Gerard Barto
Foster Anderson
Draft years
1937
1938
1939
1940
1941
1942
1944
1945
1946
1947
1948
1949
1950
1951
1952
1953
1954
1955
1956
1957
1958
1959
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
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1979
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1981
1982
1983
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1988
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1991
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2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
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Denver Broncos first-round draft picks
LeClerc
Gaiters
Olsen
Alexander
Brown
Shay
Little
Anderson
Montgomery
Odoms
Armstrong
Gradishar
Wright
Glassic
Schindler
Latimer
Clark
Smith
Willhite
Hinton
Sewell
Nattiel
Gregory
Atwater
Croel
Maddox
Da. Williams
Mobley
Pryce
Nash
Wilson
O'Neal
Middlebrooks
Lelie
Foster
D. J. Williams
Cutler
Moss
Clady
Moreno
Ayers
Thomas
Tebow
Miller
S. Williams
Roby
Ray
Lynch
Bolles
Chubb
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Bert Bell Award winners
1959: Unitas
1960: Van Brocklin
1961: Hornung
1962: Robustelli
1963: J. Brown
1964: Unitas
1965: Retzlaff
1966: Meredith
1967: Unitas
1968: Kelly
1969: Gabriel
1970: Blanda
1971: Staubach
1972: L. Brown
1973: Simpson
1974: Olsen
1975: Tarkenton
1976: Stabler
1977: Griese
1978: Bradshaw
1979: Campbell
1980: Jaworski
1981: Anderson
1982: Theismann
1983: Riggins
1984: Marino
1985: Payton
1986: Taylor
1987: Rice
1988: Cunningham
1989: Montana
1990: Cunningham
1991: Sanders
1992: Young
1993: Smith
1994: Young
1995: Favre
1996: Favre
1997: Sanders
1998: Cunningham
1999: Warner
2000: Gannon
2001: Faulk
2002: Gannon
2003: Manning
2004: Manning
2005: Alexander
2006: Tomlinson
2007: Brady
2008: Peterson
2009: Brees
2010: Vick
2011: Rodgers
2012: Peterson
2013: Manning
2014: Watt
2015: Newton
2016: Ryan
2017: Wentz
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NFL's 1960s All-Decade Team
Sonny Jurgensen
Bart Starr
Johnny Unitas
John David Crow
Paul Hornung
Leroy Kelly
Gale Sayers
Jim Brown
Jim Taylor
John Mackey
Del Shofner
Charley Taylor
Gary Collins
Boyd Dowler
Bob Brown
Forrest Gregg
Ralph Neely
Gene Hickerson
Jerry Kramer
Howard Mudd
Jim Ringo
Doug Atkins
Willie Davis
Deacon Jones
Alex Karras
Bob Lilly
Merlin Olsen
Dick Butkus
Larry Morris
Ray Nitschke
Tommy Nobis
Dave Robinson
Herb Adderley
Lem Barney
Bobby Boyd
Ed Meador
Larry Wilson
Willie Wood
Jim Bakken
Don Chandler
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NFL's 1970s All-Decade Team
Terry Bradshaw
Ken Stabler
Roger Staubach
Earl Campbell
Franco Harris
Walter Payton
O. J. Simpson
Harold Carmichael
Drew Pearson
Lynn Swann
Paul Warfield
Dave Casper
Charlie Sanders
Dan Dierdorf
Art Shell
Rayfield Wright
Ron Yary
Joe DeLamielleure
John Hannah
Larry Little
Gene Upshaw
Jim Langer
Mike Webster
Carl Eller
L. C. Greenwood
Harvey Martin
Jack Youngblood
Joe Greene
Bob Lilly
Merlin Olsen
Alan Page
Bobby Bell
Robert Brazile
Dick Butkus
Jack Ham
Ted Hendricks
Jack Lambert
Willie Brown
Jimmy Johnson
Roger Wehrli
Louis Wright
Dick Anderson
Cliff Harris
Ken Houston
Rick Upchurch
Larry Wilson
Garo Yepremian
Jim Bakken
Ray Guy
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National Football League 75th Anniversary All-Time Team
Sammy Baugh
Otto Graham
Joe Montana
Johnny Unitas
Jim Brown
Marion Motley
Bronko Nagurski
Walter Payton
Gale Sayers
O. J. Simpson
Steve Van Buren
Lance Alworth
Raymond Berry
Don Hutson
Jerry Rice
Mike Ditka
Kellen Winslow
Roosevelt Brown
Forrest Gregg
Anthony Muñoz
John Hannah
Jim Parker
Gene Upshaw
Mel Hein
Mike Webster
Deacon Jones
Gino Marchetti
Reggie White
Joe Greene
Bob Lilly
Merlin Olsen
Dick Butkus
Jack Ham
Ted Hendricks
Jack Lambert
Willie Lanier
Ray Nitschke
Lawrence Taylor
Mel Blount
Mike Haynes
Dick Lane
Rod Woodson
Ken Houston
Ronnie Lott
Larry Wilson
Ray Guy
Jan Stenerud
Billy Johnson
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Los Angeles Rams retired numbers
7 Bob Waterfield
28 Marshall Faulk
29 Eric Dickerson
74 Merlin Olsen
75 Deacon Jones
78 Jackie Slater
80 Isaac Bruce
85 Jack Youngblood
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St. Louis Football Ring of Fame
Waterfield
Wilson
Van Brocklin
Dickerson
Wehrli
Hirsch
Fears
Mack
Dierdorf
Olsen
Jones
Slater
Smith
Snow
Youngblood
Vermeil
Rosenbloom
Reeves
Frontiere
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Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 1982
Doug Atkins
Sam Huff
George Musso
Merlin Olsen
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Members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Quarterbacks
Pre-modern era
Baugh
Clark
Conzelman
Driscoll
Friedman
Herber
Luckman
A. Parker
Modern era
Aikman
Blanda
Bradshaw
L. Dawson
Elway
Favre
Fouts
Graham
Griese
Jurgensen
J. Kelly
Layne
Marino
Montana
Moon
Namath
Stabler
Starr
Staubach
Tarkenton
Tittle
Unitas
Van Brocklin
Warner
Waterfield
Young
Running backs
Pre-modern era
Battles
Canadeo
Dudley
Grange
Guyon
Hinkle
Lambeau
Leemans
McAfee
McNally
Nagurski
Nevers
Pollard
Strong
Thorpe
Van Buren
Modern era
M. Allen
Bettis
J. Brown
Campbell
Csonka
T. Davis
Dickerson
Dorsett
Faulk
Gifford
Harris
Hornung
J. H. Johnson
L. Kelly
F. Little
Martin
Matson
McElhenny
Moore
Motley
Payton
Perry
Riggins
B. Sanders
Sayers
Simpson
E. Smith
Jim Taylor
T. Thomas
Tomlinson
Trippi
Walker
Wide receivers /
ends
Pre-modern era
Badgro
Chamberlin
Flaherty
Halas
Hewitt
Hutson
Millner
Modern era
Alworth
Berry
Biletnikoff
T. Brown
Carter
Fears
Harrison
Hayes
Hirsch
Irvin
Joiner
Largent
Lavelli
Lofton
Maynard
McDonald
Mitchell
Monk
Moss
Owens
Pihos
Reed
Rice
Stallworth
Swann
C. Taylor
Warfield
Tight ends
Casper
Ditka
Mackey
Newsome
C. Sanders
Sharpe
J. Smith
Winslow
Offensive
linemen
L. Allen
B. Brown
R. Brown
Creekmur
D. Dawson
DeLamielleure
Dierdorf
Gatski
Gregg
Grimm
Hannah
Hickerson
S. Jones
W. Jones
Kramer
Langer
L. Little
Mack
Matthews
McCormack
McDaniel
Mix
Munchak
Muñoz
Ogden
Otto
Pace
J. Parker
Ringo
Roaf
Shaw
Shell
Shields
Slater
St. Clair
Stanfel
Stephenson
Tingelhoff
Upshaw
Webster
Wright
Yary
Zimmerman
Pre-modern era
two-way players
Edwards
Fortmann
Healey
Hein
Henry
Hubbard
Kiesling
Kinard
Lyman
Michalske
Musso
Owen
Stydahar
Trafton
Turner
Wojciechowicz
Defensive
linemen
Atkins
Bethea
Buchanan
Culp
W. Davis
Dean
Dent
Doleman
Donovan
Eller
Ford
J. Greene
Haley
Hampton
Humphrey
D. Jones
Jordan
Kennedy
Lilly
Long
Marchetti
Nomellini
Olsen
Page
Randle
Robustelli
Sapp
Selmon
B. Smith
Stautner
Strahan
Ja. Taylor
Weinmeister
Ra. White
Re. White
Willis
Youngblood
Linebackers
Bednarik
Bo. Bell
Brazile
Brooks
Buoniconti
Butkus
Carson
Connor
George
K. Greene
Ham
Hanburger
Hendricks
Huff
Jackson
Lambert
Lanier
Lewis
Nitschke
Richter
Robinson
Schmidt
Seau
Singletary
L. Taylor
D. Thomas
Tippett
Urlacher
Wilcox
Defensive backs
Adderley
Barney
Blount
W. Brown
Butler
Christiansen
Dawkins
Easley
Green
Haynes
Houston
J. Johnson
Krause
Lane
Lary
LeBeau
Lott
Renfro
D. Sanders
E. Thomas
Tunnell
Wehrli
Williams
L. Wilson
Wood
Woodson
Placekickers
and punters
Andersen
Groza
Guy
Stenerud
Coaches
G. Allen
P. Brown
Chamberlin
Conzelman
Dungy
Ewbank
Flaherty
Gibbs
Gillman
Grant
Halas
Lambeau
Landry
Levy
Lombardi
Madden
Neale
Noll
Owen
Parcells
Shula
Stram
Walsh
Contributors
Beathard
Be. Bell
Bidwill
Carr
A. Davis
DeBartolo
Finks
Halas
Hunt
J. Jones
Lambeau
T. Mara
W. Mara
Marshall
Polian
Ray
Reeves
A. Rooney
D. Rooney
Rozelle
Sabol
Schramm
R. Wilson
Wolf
show
v
t
e
Walter Camp Man of the Year Award winners
1967: Fish
1968: Blair
1969: Rozelle
1970: Kipke
1971: Blanchard
1972: Frank
1973: Daugherty
1974: Gaither
1975: Dawkins
1976: Krause
1977: Dunlap
1978: Little
1979: Kemp
1980: Sayers
1981: Graham
1982: Olsen
1983: Staubach
1984: Shula
1985: Bleier
1986: Davis
1987: Jackson
1988: Robustelli
1989: Brown
1990: Buoniconti
1991: Blount
1992: Griese
1993: Moon
1994: Anderson
1995: Williams
1996: Swann
1997: Hill
1998: Holtz
1999: Brandt
2000: Long
2001: Singletary
2002: Kelly
2003: Newsome
2004: Muñoz
2005: Stephenson
2006: Utley
2007: Butkus
2008: Andersen
2009: Elway
2010: Shields
2011: Carson
2012: Edwards
2013: Millen
2014: Bettis
2015: Andruzzi & Biletnikoff
2016: Dunn
2017: Johnson
Authority control
WorldCat Identities
BNF: cb14212546f (data)
ISNI: 0000 0000 7761 3033
LCCN: n83184955
VIAF: 107601136
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Merlin_Olsen&oldid=850206927"
Categories:
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