Football History

Born October 23, 1869 in Cleveland, Ohio - John Heisman, American football coach who was one of the top innovators for the game of football in history. Heisman is credited per the NFF’s website with helping to legalize the forward pass, originated the center snap, innovated the “hike” cadence to initiate a snap and for which the Heisman Trophy is named. John coached at various schools including Oberlin, Akron, Clemson, Georgia Tech, Penn, Washington and Jefferson, Auburn and Rice. He played every line position while he was a student athlete at Brown University. The National Football Foundation selected John Heisman to enter into their College Football Hall of Fame in 1954. Of course the award given to the most recognozed top player in College Football each year is given at trophy that bears his name, the Heisman Trophy. That is how significant he was to the game.

---

Former Lions legend and Steelers Coaching icon Dick LeBeau joins us for a one-on-one interview in the PigPen! This isn't just any conversation - Coach LeBeau dives deep into his incredible career, from his days as a shutdown cornerback to his legendary coaching tenure, including his two Super Bowl victories with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Prepare to be fired up as Coach LeBeau discusses:

- Playing under legendary coaches like Woody Hayes

-Gridiron battles: Hear firsthand accounts of his playing days and the challenges he faced on the field.

-Coaching philosophy: Learn what made Coach LeBeau's defenses so dominant and how he instilled a championship mentality in his players.

Here is a special link as another option to buy a copy of Coach LeBeau's book Legendary that also helps this website via our Amazon Associate program: Dick LeBeau's Legendary.

-Transcript of Dick LeBeau Legendary interview

Darin Hayes 00:02
Hello, my football friends. This is Darin Hayes of pigskin-dispatch com. Welcome once again to the Pigpen, your portal to positive football history. And, you know, there are players, and there are coaches, and there are all-time favorites. And if you sort of take all the players that played significant college football and in the NFL, put them on a graph, and then circle the ones that played in a national championship in college. Then, you circle the ones that made the NFL and cluster together the ones that are in both. And you keep drawing circles. You know, the ones that had a Pro Football Hall of Fame career have been in championship games and Super Bowls to win as a coach. And there's, I can't tell you how many there are, but I can't imagine there's too many. And we have the honor of having a gentleman who is probably in the middle of all those circles today. He's got a book coming out that he's co-authored. It's called "Legendary" by Dick Labeau. He wrote the book with Scott Brown and George Von Benco. It's coming out here in just a few days in July. And we would now like to welcome a coach Dick Labeau. Welcome to the Pigpen.

Dick LeBeau 01:11
Hi, Darin. Thank you for the very nice introduction there. The only thing that you probably left up is how blessed I have been to be the recipient of many of those situations that you were alluded to. And I never let a day go by that I'm not thankful for the longevity part of it first and for the good things that have happened to me. Good to see you.

Darin Hayes 01:36
It's great to see you, Coach. You're looking great, and we appreciate you taking the time to share some of your football history with us. Now, if you don't mind, I could go back and talk a little bit about your playing career because you really have some interesting points that really jumped out as I was doing some research here for our discussion. But first of all, it is your college career, and you played under one of the most legendary coaches of all time with a great last name, may I add, no relation. Maybe you could just tell us a little bit about your time at Ohio State and play for the legendary Woody Hayes.

Dick LeBeau 02:14
Well, again, I was blessed that the list of coaches that I got to play for or work under is another one of my tremendous blessings: Paul Brown, Vincent Barty, and Don Shue. I mean, I can go on and on. I just happened to have a type of career that overlapped with that kind of guy and was exposed to them in many instances. But in my college days, you know, there's an old saying, they say, if something doesn't kill you, it's good for you. Didn't kill me. So it must have been good for me. And I was privileged to be on a very strong group of athletes with a strong group of athletes. And we did win the National Championship in 57. And we won the Rose Bowl. And as a kid, I grew up about 25 miles from the horseshoe Ohio State's football stadium. And we used to get to go to one game a year; my uncle would take me. And, of course, almost everybody in Ohio is an Ohio State fan. And then that's really not an overstatement. Growing up, it was one of my dreams to actually get to put on the scarlet and gray and perform in that stadium. And the Rose Bowl was the granddaddy of all bowl games. In those days, there were only about four of them. That was the first one, and it was the most coveted bowl to be in. And I got to do all of that. So, it couldn't have worked out better for me, especially in the Ohio State situation.

Darin Hayes 04:02
Yeah. And, uh, you know, doing the research on it, something that really jumped out at me that I didn't know about you, that I learned, and maybe you could talk a little bit about, you know, you're known as a defensive coach, you know, probably the greatest defensive coordinator of all time, you know, by many say, and not just me saying it, people like Ron Jaworski saying that, and I know you were an outstanding player in the NFL as a defensive back, but you had a little offense in you in, uh, in Ohio state and including some, some touchdowns, some big games. Maybe you could talk a little bit about that.

Dick LeBeau 04:34
Well, first of all, Darren, you know, they say the term greatest and genius, that's a guy that's from out of town. I was blessed to be with a great bunch of athletes. In those days, there wasn't a nationwide recruitment, excuse me, but everybody on my team was from Ohio pretty much. And what people don't know is that the NCAA had a ruling at that time. I went to college from 55 to 59. The NCAA did not want to get into competition with the NFL, which was just coming on after World War II, and it was gaining strength with the American football fans or the American sports fans, really. So they said the pros were the first to do the platoon system; a group of guys played defensive, a group of guys played offense, and special teams were just sprinkled in there. Well, the NCAA passed a rule called single platoon. You could only start if you started the quarter of the game that you were in, and you could only be substituted for one time. And if you did not start the quarter, then if somebody came in for you, you could only go back in the game. Let me phrase this: get this right. If you didn't start the quarter, you could only go out on the field one time. So if you went in for one play to carry the play into the quarterback, and you ran that play, and you didn't make it, and you punted, and you came out, you were dead for the rest of the quarter. So, to keep track of all these things and who could go in the game and who couldn't, they had two sets of benches on the sideline. One was marked live, and the other was marked dead. So, as soon as you had been in the game and out if you had started the quarter, you could go back in one more time. But if you didn't, that was it for you. And you went over and settled on the dead beds. And until the quarter ended, everybody on that dead bed couldn't go into the game. Then they'd get back over in the line and get a start, whoever started that quarter. So, everybody played both ways in college. So, I had good offensive statistics at Ohio State. I scored a lot of touchdowns, actually, but I was always a better defender. Even in high school, I scored a lot of touchdowns, but I was a better defender. That's where most of the colleges wanted me to play, although a couple of them wanted me to play quarterback. But that's why you're seeing those offensive statistics from Ohio State. In fact, I scored the first two-point conversion for the Ohio State University. Oh, really? Yeah, it was a rule that came in in my junior or senior year. I think it was my junior year. We were playing Wisconsin, and they were ahead of us by eight to nothing. And we scored, and we needed that two points to tie the game up, and I caught the pass. So that's a little bit of a low trivia. You talk about ancient history. I mean, people don't even know that there were single platoon rules in the NCAA. I think it lasted four or five years, maybe only. It was a hodgepodge of trying to keep track of it. And I suppose there were a few teams that maybe shuffled some guys back over to that live bench. I don't know. However, one real factor there with that brand of football was that we didn't have any 285, 90-pound linemen, offense or defense, especially. You had to go both ways. So if a guy weighed 235 to 240 pounds, he was big, a big guy, because he was out there. And as you know, football, even in the Midwest, starts in games where you might hit 88 or 90 degrees. In my junior and senior years, I averaged 57 minutes a game of playing time. So you had to be in shape, let's put it that way. That's why I said it didn't kill you. It was good for you. But we had... We, Woody, was a ground and pound guy, you know? And our games, that particular rule of the single platoon, really fit his style of coaching and our style of playing because our games would always be even at halftime, with maybe a slight point difference in the middle of the third quarter. And by the time that fourth quarter hit the air, we were so used to playing in that heat and pounding that it often would end up out of balance because we just would wear them down. And that was part of the way he coached it. And it worked for him. And all the coaching is what works for you. And you're kind of a salesman, really. And, you know, you've got your commodity, and you've got to know your commodity, and you've got to believe in it, and you've got to have your players believe in it. And Woody could sell that atmosphere better than most because he won most of the time.

Darin Hayes 10:16
Yeah, well, he was very effective, and you were very effective in it, too. And I see you had a two-TDI game against rival Michigan, which really had to make you excited, especially since you were growing up by the horseshoe.

Dick LeBeau 10:29
that was that was my junior year the year we won the championship and the game was very even and I'm never forget some stuff in your life you don't forget and particularly around athletics it seems like because you can hit it on a particular game a particular moment a particular play and we came in at halftime and it was very close the game was really close and Woody said man I just got a score a score with a radio and the winner of this game that we're playing right now is going to be the national champion I'm telling you if you win this game you're going to be the national champ but we went out to say we were playing in Ann Arbor and we stampeded them and I scored the two touchdowns in that game we we had a play this was Woody now he didn't like Michigan very much he always called it the school up north and they had a defense that had stopped this running game pretty good the year before so all through spring practice and the first two weeks of ball practice all we did was practice against Michigan's defense and we were getting ready to open the season to play Southern Memphis but they jumped in that same defense in that second half and of course we'd been practicing against it for four months so we were ready for it so that was the result I was a beneficiary of perfectly packed tray plays all I had to do was run really but I did do it

Darin Hayes 12:01
Nice. Now, you know, after your senior year, after graduating from college, you move on, and you have the NFL call you, and you get drafted by the Cleveland Browns and Paul Brown, which is interesting. Now, the 59 is kind of an interesting year the AFL was sort of up and running at that time. Did you get any contact from the AFL?

Dick LeBeau 12:23
No, they actually weren't viable at that time. The only option that professional football players had at that time was to go to Canada. Canada, I think, had maybe six football teams. And there were only 12 in the NFL. So your choices were to make 12 football teams play in America, of which the total roster was 31. And, you know, it wasn't the high-price deal with the machine that it is now; they were still battling baseball and, you know, looking to get their place in the national sports attraction. And so, in each team, they would carry five defensive backs. So, there are 60 guys in America playing football for a living. And if you didn't make it, you could go up to the sixth in Canada and give it a try up there. But there weren't any other leagues, although there had been some in and out. And it wasn't too long before they merged in the AFL got going. And they, they were getting some quality football players out of the college. And I think that's probably what forced the merger. And the Super Bowl came, I think, in about 66 or something like that. Right. Yeah.

Darin Hayes 13:54
about right on target. Yeah, so so things don't work out in Cleveland that first year and you actually sort of drive right around Lake Erie and sign on with Detroit and as a rookie, you start six games and, you know, some of the players you played within that defensive backfield, it's like a who's who of, you know, Hall of Famers, you know, Yale Lary and Lem Barney and Dick Night Train Lane and yourself, you know, that what a formidable bunch of you folks had to be there with the Lions.

Dick LeBeau 14:26
Yeah, at one time, not in my first years. But at one time, we had a Night Train, and myself were the corners, and Yale Lary was the safety. And three of our starting four ended up in the Hall of Fame, which I don't know if that's ever been done. I don't think so. And I know it is going to be done down the road; it just doesn't happen that way. Lem was drafted thinking about my third, third, or fourth year, and Lem and I played together for a good while. It was after the night train had been there. And retired. So, between that group and within that short span of years, we had four guys who made the Hall of Fame, which is pretty special. We're pretty proud of it.

Darin Hayes 15:21
Yeah, I'm sure you have to know who was maybe the toughest challenge for you as a quarterback and opposing quarterback that you had to prepare for during your playing days.

Dick LeBeau 15:32
I get that question a lot, and I don't want to get in the best and greatest and stuff, things of that nature. The two best, I think, in terms of accomplishment and what they got done, or, of course, Brady, Brady, and Pacey. Talk about as a player. Oh yeah, but that's in my career. I'm talking about my whole career in the NFL, which is probably why I qualify as good as anybody to evaluate these quarterbacks. From 1959 to 2014, I went to Tennessee in 2017. I saw every NFL player there was, either played against them or saw them or watched videos on them pretty close. Uh, the old quarterbacks, quite honestly, uh, were, were super gifted and talented. Well, why do I say that? Because there were only 12 franchises, and they carried two quarterbacks. So there were, again, 24 guys out of our, well, our country's 325 million now. So, however many we were then, there were 12 guys who were playing all the time, and 24 made a living playing professional football. So those guys were tremendously talented with their ability to throw the football, which is more the game was running tight formations and then passing when you had to. And if a guy made that team as a starter, he could really throw the football. Uh, of course, it's a game that has expanded. The roster numbers have expanded, and the flankers have been spread out. You know, they used to have three wide receivers. Now, they carry eight or nine in any kind of formation. And, uh, uh, the, the athletes are more athletic. Uh, but in my total career, uh, Brady and Mandy are the one and two. And that's just me. I thought that, uh, Peyton got more done with less, uh, he ran the daygum offense, and he, you know, and everybody, I used to do a football class, and I did it for women, uh, Pittsburgh Steelers fans, senior nation men, they're strong men and the females are some of the very, very strongest. And, uh, I would, uh, one night a week meet with them, and we'd talk about football. Well, invariably, the question would come up. What's Peyton saying when he says Omaha, Omaha, Omaha, Omaha. And I said he's calling for the next busman because Omaha means nothing. He just means, Hey, listen to me. I'm going to tell you what we're going to do here. But he was, he was fantastic at that. And you actually helped develop me as a defensive coach and theory, uh, which was, I always believed it, but he made it absolutely true. You cannot show an NFL quarterback what defense you're in before the snap of the ball, or he is going to eat you for lunch. And he'd get up there and start chanting around. And that's when the no-huddle type thing actually, uh, Sam wise who coached with me, and since I was our head coach, he was one of the first guys to espouse the no-huddle at the pro level, but everybody does it now. And you know, the defense has to kind of get ready without huddling and get its extra practice time. I guarantee you that, but they have to be ready to go. And, but even when you're doing that, you have to keep the skies in your game plan, or they're going to go zip, zip, zip, zip. And Peyton was the best at that, Brady. If you just look at what he's done numbers-wise, who's going to argue about that? But, uh, the van block lens and the titles and those guys, uh, autographs, they were fantastic with the control. They had a football and the plays that they could make. And most of those guys barked star; the tighter the game was, the more the team needed that last quarter drive; it was more likely United's was the best in the fourth quarter drives down to win a championship to win the Superbowl; those types of things. They were fantastic.

Darin Hayes 20:14
Yeah, I'm sure probably if you ask Peyton Manning to this day if he reflects back on that 2005 playoff game between the Steelers and the Colts, where I think you had him second-guessing himself many a time because he didn't have his best day that that day is a lot because of your schemes and your defensive players, the way they played.

Dick LeBeau 20:35
Well, we, that was a game I'll never forget, but those, you know, those two guys were so good. Ian Brady, they got me more than I got them, but I do remember the times that I did get them. That, our guys played tremendously well that day. I forget how many times we sacked them, but it was a lot. And that was the best game we ever had against them. They were always tough because he was so tough.

Darin Hayes 21:05
Yeah. Now, if I could step back just a little bit now, you know, you went through, you know, after your playing days, you went to the coaching ranks, your, you know, special teams coach, your position coach, eventually coordinator, head coach, the Bengals for a handful of years. Now, how hard is that you know, once, especially being a defensive coordinator into becoming a head coach and, you know, you're used to calling all the defensive plays. Now you've hired somebody to call the plays. How hard is it to take your hands off during the game? Is that a difficult thing to do?

Dick LeBeau 21:41
Well it was not that difficult totally because a head coach is always busy doing something else and as we used to say every day going to work it's always something you know and usually it doesn't have a damn thing to do with your football team it's something else you've got to take care of but one thing was easy for me there and I had been a coordinator that that's what my goal was uh to be be a defensive coordinator and and I've been blessed enough to get that position and do it for a good while and uh I knew how distracting it was in your earphones if your head coach is is talking to you while you're trying to decide what you want to do with the next part oh so I was never going to be that kind of a head coach so uh I would have a lot of meetings with our coordinator but uh I didn't try to oh I might tell him we're going to run it this series or run it this down I might do that but I never got in his ear as he was trying to get ready for his next call because I had it happen to me too many times and that that was another advantage longevity has been my strongest asset and I've been through so many situations and when you're going through your uh rolodex on you know oh here's fourth and three on the 28th you know I'm you know you remember situations that you were in you remember good plays and bad ones and you sure don't want to go back to visit the bad ones so it eliminates your choices that go it helps you experience helps you in any business but particularly if you're coaching purple.

Darin Hayes 23:36
We're speaking of folks to Dick Laboe, a football Hall of Fame coach, has a book out, uh, legendary is the title of it's on Amazon and, uh, Barnes and Noble and a place else where you buy books. It's coming out here in early January 2024. And coach on the, the cover of the book, there's, uh, you know, a picture of you and Troy Paul Amalo when it, when your players, the Steelers, there's a forward by Troy Palumalu and James Harrison. And there's a comment by James Farrier, another one of your linebackers. Now, the theme is continuous: Your players loved you as a coach. They do anything for you. I can remember when you were inducted in the Hall of Fame; I believe it was during training camp, the, the whole Steelers training camp stopped and took that short drive up the Canton from, uh, La Trobe to, to watch you get inducted on it. Now you, there it takes a special person to have all of you, your peers, and these superstars of the NFL to love you that much and want to do that. And is this something, you know, what's your secret sauce that, uh, got you to be so successful and so loved by your fans and players alike?

Dick LeBeau 24:51
I just had 14 years of experience in the National Football League as a player. And I wanted to be a coach. So I watched my coaches, all of them, and I would constantly evaluate them internally. And I don't think I would do it that way, you know, or hey, that was good. And so I was; I was gaining data all along for a coaching career. And I decided pretty early that I was going to treat our players the way I wanted to be treated when I was a player. And my mother was a particularly blessed person. I thank her for every asset that I ever ended up with because she molded me in the things of value in life, the appreciation of other things in life and other people in life, and the realization that you're not the only person on the planet. And everybody's got a right to their own little space. And I have just tried to treat people that way all my life. But basically, I never tried to be anything other than what I was. And I had a genuine desire to help our players get better. A coach is nothing but a teacher. And I just wanted to teach them what I learned the hard way in the 14 years of going down the wrong turn sometimes. And they don't do this because it doesn't work. And that increased my percentage of being right in what we were doing. And that, I mean, I would say this, Darin, if we had never won a game, if I had never held a job more than one year and got fired, which coaches get fired on occasion, to have my players talk about me the way these guys did in this book, I would have considered my career a complete success. That's all that I ever wanted to do, which was to help our players get better and share some of the knowledge that I had acquired through a lifetime of National Football League football. Sometimes, I did better than others, but on the forwards there, the reason those three guys were chosen for the forwards was that Troy and James Harrison won the most valuable defensive player of the league in two different settings. And Farrier was our captain and definitely our leader throughout that whole period of time. He was a wonderful, wonderful leader. But beyond that, he finished second year in the voting for the NFL Most Valuable Defensive Player. He should have won it. Our defense led in every category that year. We beat the team and had the guy that won it, I think, three times. But nonetheless, James Farrier they were deciding about forwards. And I said, well, it's got to be Troy, it's got to be Harrison, it's got to be Farrier. Those are the three most accomplished guys that we had on that team. The only one of them, Harrison, won the MVP here, the defense. He played so well. He actually had it won with about four games left to play. He had so many sacks, so many key interceptions, and so many big plays that he was going to win the daygum thing. And the fact that we ended up winning the championship that year helped him, too, I'm sure. But those guys, that's why they're there. In the book, people say, why is this book about 2008? I always have been a statistic guy there. There were no analytics, of course, when I came into the game. And that was more of an orientated towards baseball anyhow, because you play so many games and so many situations left-handed, right-handed, hit, run, steal, and all that. And I think it's very applicable to baseball. I'm not all that sold on it for football, but I get steady statistics every year. My driving force as a player when I was playing How do I evaluate what I actually did this year? Play, but play. How do you evaluate a group, a secondary? How do you evaluate the defense and not just pull stuff out of a hat but have some concrete foundation? And everybody says you gotta be goal-oriented. You should be goal-oriented. I believe that. Yeah, but these goals, to me, had to be realistic. I mean, attainable goals. And it couldn't be so easy that if you made them, you still finished in the middle of the pack. They had to be goals that would get you into the playoffs, minimum. And on down into making playoff runs for the Super Bowl. Also, when you got done looking at them, they had to be, in my mind, attainable, and realistic, but not easy. So I ended up sitting on the top 10 teams, and there are all kinds of statistical categories in the NFL: yards per throw, yards per carry, and total yards yielded points. You know, I mean, you can go on and on. I tried to isolate the ones that were the most critical for the defense to contribute to winning the game. That's all I was interested in evaluating the defense. And where could I set goals for these guys and actually hold them accountable to make those goals and not be, you know, fly by night and not be too easy? And who cares about a goal if let you finish, you know, nine to nine, it's not gonna do it. It's not gonna get you where you want to go. So I had been compiling the study, and as the rules changed and the squads expanded in the overall ability of the players and coaches group, sometimes the statistics changed, but I would say for about the first 15 years, I didn't ever have to change the numbers at all. They were just good. And that's when I knew I was on the right track. Well, having been at least indoctrinated to myself that this was good. It was good to give something for me to teach my players around and about and set goals that, hey, you played well this week. If we keep going at this rate, we're gonna be very productive in a quality defense. I focused on that. I was more interested in evaluating that part of the game because that's what I was responsible for. And I could still feel pretty worthwhile saying, man, this thing, I'm gonna throw this video in the waste basket. We're not even gonna look at it because it's not us. We were terrible. Then, I would show them why statistically. What happened there in my mind? I began to get a good feeling for what was good and what wasn't. Well, in the O8 defense, which this book is totally about, there's a reason for the book. And you'll see, I'm going around the barn here a long way, but this is how I came to say that this book should be written. I kept track of our statistics and would talk to them weekly about it. And you don't have any time for anything but to get ready for the next game, basically, and the next day's practice. That's all you do in the football season if you're an NFL coach. So I said to myself a couple of times, number one, number one, number one, number one, this is pretty good, this is unusual. All these years of compiling these stats, I hadn't seen anyone do it with that type of repetitiveness that, oh, what were they on S number one? What were they on S number one? Where were they second? Where were they at number one? I said this is pretty fantastic. I said, well, I said, I hope we can keep this up because it could be a memorable year. Well, we did. And we ended up winning the championship, which, of course, doesn't hurt for the climatic end of the book anyhow. But when we got through it, I think I was about 71 years old myself with this season. I said, in some way, I should write a book about what these guys did this year. I said I'd do it, but I got to get ready for the draft that's coming up here in a month. So I didn't have time to do it then. And I just watched the stats continually because I didn't know I was going to work ten more years, or I would have written it sooner. But nobody came close to those numbers. And I noticed that. And I said I'm gonna write a book about these guys when I get out of football and get a chance to do it. So that's the reason for the book. And I guess I couldn't tell it without telling some of my personal experiences in the National Football League. And we threw some of those in there, too. But the book itself is about the extraordinary statistical year that these guys put up. And the main thing was it was not that they were so great play-in and play-out. But in the end, they didn't give up any big plays. And as a result, the other team always had to go the hard way. And so their numbers totaled up were fantastic because people just couldn't block them enough or couldn't get them beat enough to throw the ball to make the big long pass. And if they got a hole, if they got the front block, which didn't happen very often, and they got a hole, there was always Troy or Ryan Clark, or even our corners were wonderful tacklers. One of those DBs was gonna get them on the ground where they only made seven or eight yards instead of 25 or 30, which resulted in the big yardage game. And therein lies the story for why the book. And I'm hoping at least now there'll be a record where people can read and compare. And compare them with what defenses are given up today in today's game. And they were totally in the now in terms of high-powered offensive formation players, athletes, and everything. They were defending the same thing they're defending now. They were just very special players. And that was the reason for the book. They just had a special thing with them that they weren't gonna let people cross the goal line. And the best way to do that was not to let them get big plays, and they didn't give up any. They were fantastic.

Darin Hayes 36:44
And they definitely were in coach, you know, it was a pleasure to, to, to watch that season and, and watch your whole career stealers nation on behalf of them, I'm going to tell you, thank you for, for bringing us such great defense, you know, how Pittsburgh loves defense, uh, at least all my years of watching them, but we, we love it. And, uh, you, you, you definitely epitomize that and took, took the defense number one in so many categories, as you said, and, uh, you know, like, I can't wait for the book. The book is coming out on July 9th. Uh, again, like we said, on Amazon and major retailers, there's also an audio version that is going to be released the same day, on July 9th. So we're excited about that, too. For folks who want to listen in the car or whatever, as well as a coach, it's been quite an honor to talk to you today. Uh, I know there are so many more things that people want to learn about, you know, the, the zone, uh, bullets and, and everything I thought, which I know you have in the book, that's why I didn't really want to touch on. I want folks to read it, and it, you know, so.

Dick LeBeau 37:41
honest with you. There are not too many secrets about Zoom. Listen, let them figure it out themselves. It's not an instructive text. This is a text of praise for a group of athletes who were fantastically gifted and bonded. And do they still meet today? They get together today, and they will as long as any two of them are still left on the planet. They were very special, and it was my benefit to call the place for them. That's all I had to do.

Darin Hayes 38:19
Well, I think it's much more than that because you had some genius things to put them in the right position to make those plays and to coach them up. So I think I'm sure they all they I do. I know they all appreciate that and appreciate you for what you did. And you're you're playing experience as a football historian. You know, what a story, you know, over six decades of NFL football. That's just unbelievable to be so successful at everything you did, too. That's just a tremendous attribute that you can hang your hat on and tell the kind of person you are.

Dick LeBeau 38:57
good years and some bad years there, and that's the tough league, you know. Everybody's after one prize, and everybody else comes in second or worse.

Darin Hayes 39:07
Yeah, that's that's for sure. And coach, we appreciate you coming on today and sharing this and writing this book and sharing the story that 2008 Steelers defense and your career. And can't wait to get our hands on it. And again, I thank you and for honoring us and talking with us today.

Dick LeBeau 39:26
Well, you're welcome. Thank you for having me.

Born June 11, 1902, in Willow River, Minnesota, was Ernie "Big Dog" Nevers the Stanford University fullback from 1923 to 1925. He was an All-American according to the Pro Football Hall of Fame and excelled at basketball and baseball as well as football. Nevers gained national attention on New Year's Day 1925 at the Rose Bowl.

Ernie and his Cardinal teammates were matched against the powerful Notre Dame Fighting Irish squad that featured the 7 Mules, the Four Horsemen backfield and a legendary coach in Knute Rockne. Ernie’s performance was memorable and courageous as he was only five days removed from having a cast removed on a broken ankle, and with his foot bound tightly in a brace, Nevers dominated the game. Nevers established a Rose Bowl record with 34 carries as he gained 114 yards, only 13 less than the combined total for Notre Dame's legendary backfield. His brilliance in the contest did not stop there as Nevers averaged 42 yards punting as a bonus.

Unfortunately for the Cardinal faithful, the Irish were just a bit too much as Stanford fell 27-10. The FootballFoundation.org bio of Nevers goes on to say that Hall of Fame coach Glenn "Pop" Warner, who coached Nevers and the legendary Jim Thorpe picked Nevers over Thorpe as his personal choice as the "greatest football player of all time." In 1969, Nevers was named to Football's All-Time Team, which was part of college football's Centennial celebration. Big Dog was Stanford's captain in 1925 when he led a 24-17 upset of arch rival California. He handled the ball on all but three offensive plays as Stanford posted its first win over Cal in eight seasons.

Ernie Nevers received the great honor of being selected for inclusion into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1971. His bio on the ProFootballHOF.com explains that after college Nevers signed pro basketball and baseball contracts and, in fact, was destined to throw two homerun pitches to Babe Ruth in his historic 60-home run season in 1927. But pro football also beckoned. In 1926, the Duluth Eskimos convinced Nevers to join their ranks over lucrative offers of the other sports. The Eskimos had a unique existence as they played all but one of their games on the road during Never’s time there. Ernie reportedly played all but 29 of a possible 1,740 minutes in 29 games as a running back, kicker & quarterback. He got hurt and that fact forced him to miss the 1928 season but he came back with a vengeance in 1929 with a new team the Chicago Cardinals. He stayed with the Cards for a few seasons and was even coaching the squad during the 1930 and 1931 seasons. His biggest pro game was with Chicago in 1929 against their cross town rivals the Bears on Thanksgiving Day when Nevers scored all 40 of the Cardinals points in a Red Bird romp 40-7. Check out more on Ernie Nevers with our friend Joe Ziemba on the Sports History Network and in his great book, When Football Was Football. The Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrined the Big Dog Ernie Nevers in 1963.

Troy Polamalu wasn't your average safety. With his flowing hair, instinctive playmaking, and bone-crushing tackles, he carved a unique path in NFL history. Here's a glimpse into his remarkable career:

Image credits under Creative Commons Attribution:Troy Polamalu's one-handed interception by Kamkad12. Polamalu was one of the most exciting players in NFL history. From timely tackles and interceptions to timing a leap over the offensive line to sack a QB before they hit their drop.

- Southern Cal College Star:

-Played for the USC Trojans (2000-2002), earning All-American honors in 2002.
Known for his versatility, playing both offense and defense at a high level.

-A nagging shoulder injury limited his senior season but solidified his reputation as a top prospect.

-NFL Domination (Pittsburgh Steelers, 2003-2014):

-Drafted 16th overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers, becoming a cornerstone of their vaunted defense for over a decade.

-Defined by his incredible range, tackling ability, and knack for making game-changing interceptions.
Led the Steelers to two Super Bowl victories (XL and XLIII) and was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2010.

-Earned eight Pro Bowl selections, four First-Team All-Pro honors, and was a key member of the Steelers' "Steel Curtain" defense revival.

-Playing Style and Legacy:

-Polamalu's unpredictable movements and ability to read plays confused opposing quarterbacks.

-His aggressive tackling style and knack for stripping the ball earned him the nickname "The Turnover Machine."

-Beyond his stats, Polamalu's impact transcended the field. His leadership, intensity, and passion were infectious, inspiring his teammates and captivating fans.

Marcus Allen's NFL career was a captivating blend of power, agility, and clutch performances. Drafted by the Los Angeles Raiders in 1982, he quickly established himself as a dynamic weapon out of the backfield. This essay explores the highlights of Allen's career, showcasing his dominance as a runner, his Super Bowl triumphs, and the legacy he leaves behind.

-Early Brilliance and Sharing the Spotlight

-Born March 26, 1960 in San Diego California

-Allen attended USC and In 1980 he rushed for 1,563 yards, second in the nation. In 1981 he rushed for 2,342. He led the nation in scoring, 12.5 points per game; rushing, 219.9 yards per game; and all-purpose running, 232.6 yards per game.

-In 1981 Marcus won the Heisman, the Walter Camp Foundation Award, Maxwell Trophy, as well as the Pop Warner League Player of the Year honor.

-Marcus Allen received the great honor of being selected for inclusion into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2000.

-The Los Angeles Raiders used their first round pick to take Marcus in the first round of the 1982 NFL Draft.

Allen burst onto the scene as a rookie, he showcased his explosiveness, leading the league in rushing touchdowns (12) and earning Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. The following season, the Raiders unleashed a potent one-two punch with Allen and quarterback Jim Plunkett, culminating in a Super Bowl XVIII victory over the Washington Redskins. Allen's dominant performance, including a game-clinching 74-yard touchdown run, cemented his place as a rising star.

-Taking the Lead and Championship Glory

By 1985, Allen emerged as the focal point of the Raiders' offense. Number 32 became the very first player in the League’s history to rush for more than 10,000 yards while also having receiving yards exceeding 5000 yards. This dominance propelled the Raiders back to the Super Bowl stage, facing the Washington Redskins once again. In Super Bowl XXV, Allen solidified his legacy, rushing for a then-Super Bowl record 209 yards and earning the game's Most Valuable Player award.

-Career Longevity and Adaptability

While Allen's peak years were undeniably impressive, his career extended beyond the late 1980s. He displayed remarkable adaptability, adjusting his playing style as his speed diminished.

He spent the last five with the Kansas City Chiefs. For his pro career Marcus compiled 12243 yards rushing with 123 touchdowns and another 21 scores from catching passes with 5411 yards receiving. Allen was a 2 time All-Pro and played in 6 Pro Bowls.

Allen spent time with the Kansas City Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles, and finally returned to the Raiders before retiring in 1997. The Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrined the great Marcus Allen in 2003.

Paul Hornung, nicknamed the "Golden Boy," wasn't your typical football player. He transcended the limitations of a single position, carving his name in NFL history as a versatile weapon on offense and a reliable contributor on defense. This essay explores Hornung's remarkable career, highlighting his achievements and the impact he left on the game.

Hornung's brilliance began at Notre Dame, where he won the Heisman Trophy in 1956, showcasing his well-rounded skillset as a halfback. Drafted first overall by the Green Bay Packers in 1957, he joined a team on the cusp of greatness under the legendary coach Vince Lombardi.

Hornung defied categorization. He could run the ball with power and finesse, excelling at both inside and outside runs. His hands were sure, making him a reliable target in the passing game. But Hornung's talents didn't stop on offense. He was a skilled placekicker, a valuable asset in an era when kicking specialists were not yet commonplace.

This versatility made Hornung a nightmare for opposing teams. He led the league in scoring for three consecutive seasons (1959-1961), a feat rarely replicated. He was named NFL Most Valuable Player in 1961, a testament to his offensive dominance.

However, Hornung's impact wasn't limited to scoring points. He was a fierce competitor who embraced contact and contributed on defense when needed. His hustle and leadership were infectious, perfectly aligning with Coach Lombardi's philosophy.

Hornung's career wasn't without controversy. A two-season suspension for gambling in 1963 threatened to derail his career. However, he returned with renewed determination, leading the Packers to four NFL championships (1961, 1962, 1965, 1966) and the first-ever Super Bowl victory in 1967, though he did not play in the game due to injury.

Hornung retired in 1966, leaving behind a legacy of unique talent. He is one of the few players to achieve the prestigious double of winning both the Heisman Trophy and the NFL MVP award. His impact on the Packers' dynasty under Lombardi is undeniable, and his versatility continues to inspire conversations about what it means to be a complete football player.

Johnny Unitas wasn't just a quarterback; he was a revolution. In a time dominated by bruising running backs and conservative play-calling, Unitas emerged as a gunslinger, a magician with a cannon for an arm who redefined the position and ushered in a golden age of NFL passing. This essay explores Unitas' remarkable career, highlighting his rise from obscurity to stardom, his innovative playing style, and his lasting impact on the game of football.

-From Undrafted to Unstoppable (1955-1959)

Born in 1933, Johnny Unitas' path to greatness was anything but conventional. Despite a stellar college career at the University of Louisville, he went undrafted in 1955 due to his perceived size and lack of experience in a pro-style offense. Undeterred, Unitas signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers, but was released before the season began. He eventually landed with the Baltimore Colts, initially relegated to a backup role. However, fate intervened when the starting quarterback suffered a season-ending injury in the fourth game. Thrust into the spotlight, Unitas seized the opportunity. With his strong arm, pinpoint accuracy, and calm demeanor under pressure, he led the Colts on a remarkable winning streak, showcasing a revolutionary passing style that emphasized completing short and intermediate passes for consistent gains.

-The Architect of the Modern Passing Game (1959-1973)

Unitas' arrival coincided with the rise of head coach Weeb Ewbank, who implemented an offensive scheme built around Unitas' strengths. This "West Coast Offense" emphasized short passes, quick throws, and high completion percentages, a stark contrast to the run-heavy strategies prevalent at the time. Unitas thrived in this system, becoming the NFL's first true passing star. He shattered records, revolutionized the quarterback position, and led the Colts to a dominant era. He won three NFL championships (1958, 1959, 1968) and was named league MVP three times (1957, 1959, 1964). His iconic "Colts Prayer" touchdown pass in the 1958 NFL Championship game against the New York Giants is etched in football history as a testament to his clutch play and impact on the game.

-A Legacy of Inspiration and Innovation

Johnny Unitas' legacy extends far beyond statistics and championships. He inspired a generation of young quarterbacks to embrace the passing game. His calm leadership, competitive spirit, and dedication to accuracy transformed the way offenses operated, paving the way for the high-octane passing attacks that dominate the modern NFL. Even today, quarterbacks strive for the "Unitas-like" precision throws that revolutionized the sport.

Johnny Unitas' story is one of perseverance, innovation, and a love for the game. He was the right player at the right time, a gunslinger who dared to challenge the established order and ushered in a new era of football.

When you talk about the greatest running backs of all time, This guy needs to be discussed! Born September 9, 1878 in Galesburg, Illinois, was Willie Heston, a college football player and coach who is considered one of the greatest players in the history of the University of Michigan. He played halfback from 1901 to 1904, and led the Wolverines to four consecutive undefeated seasons and two national championships.

Willie attended San Jose Normal School (now San Jose State University) before transferring to Michigan. He was a two-way player for the Wolverines, excelling at both running and passing. He was also a superb punter and kicker.

Heston was a consensus All-American in 1903 and 1904. He was also named the captain of the 1904 team. In his four years at Michigan, Heston scored 72 touchdowns, which is still a school record. He also rushed for 2,339 yards and passed for 1,003 yards.

After graduating from Michigan, Heston played professional football for the Canton Bulldogs in 1905. He suffered a broken leg in his first game, and this ended his playing career.

Heston then turned to coaching. He was the head coach for Drake University in 1905 and North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts (now North Carolina State University) in 1906. He then returned to Michigan to practice law. Heston was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1954.

Born May 19, 1949, in Drew, Mississippi, was Mississippi quarterback from 1968 to 1970, Archie Manning. You have probably heard of Archie’s sons Peyton and Eli but the original Manning QB was the vine that these two Multi Super Bowl winners got their gusto from.

Archie, in 1969, according to the FootballFoundation.org website, tossed for 436 yards and hoofed out another 104 to lead his Ole Miss team against the mighty Alabama eleven. His efforts created an SEC record for a total offense of 540 yards!  He had a 362-yard game against Louisiana State in 1968 and a 341-yard game over Southern Mississippi in 1970. The elder Manning heaped in many awards for performances like those, too.

In 1969, he was Mississippi Sportsman of the Year and recipient of the Nashville Banner Trophy as Most Valuable Player in the Southeastern Conference. Archie was fourth in the Heisman voting in 1969 and third in 1970.

Archie Manning was honored to be selected for inclusion into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1989. He was drafted into the NFL by the New Orleans Saints and also spent time with the Houston Oilers and Minnesota Vikings as well before he hung it up after 14 years in the League.

Born September 24, 1946 Joe Greene was a former defensive tackle from North Texas State and the Pittsburgh Steelers. A number one Draft Pick of the Steelers Greene anchored the Steel Curtain defense that won four Super Bowls in the 1970s. 

Greene played defensive tackle for Pittsburgh from 1969 to 1981. Mean Joe received two NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards, five first-team All-Pro selections, and ten Pro Bowl appearances. Many experts consider the Pro Football Hall of Fame player who wore Number 75 to be one of the top defensive linemen in NFL history.

Joe was a center piece to building the Steelers dynasty of the 1970s, and is considered one of the top defensive lineman to have ever played the game.