Football History

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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.

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Number 81, Dick Lane, prowled the defensive backfield for the Detroit Lions in the NFL and was the terror of many quarterbacks.

Richard "Night Train" Lane, a fearsome defensive back with electrifying speed and an even scarier reputation, arrived in Detroit in 1960, forever changing the landscape of the Detroit Lions. Already a decorated veteran with the Rams and Cardinals, Lane's six seasons with the Lions solidified his place as one of the greatest cornerbacks in NFL history.

A Defensive Juggernaut:

Lane's impact was immediate. His aggressive, bump-and-run coverage style, honed over his career, intimidated quarterbacks and disrupted pass plays. He earned Pro Bowl selections every year from 1960 to 1962, proving himself a dominant force. In 1962, despite suffering from appendicitis, he played the Pro Bowl, showcasing his dedication and toughness.

Stealing the Spotlight:

Not only did Lane disrupt passes, he took them away. He led the league in interceptions twice with the Lions, in 1960 and 1962, totaling 21 interceptions in his six seasons. His ability to "rob" receivers and return interceptions for touchdowns electrified crowds and earned him the nickname "Touchdown Lane."

Beyond the Stats:

Lane's influence extended beyond his impressive stats. He brought leadership and swagger to the Lions, mentoring younger players and instilling a win-at-all-costs mentality. His intensity and competitiveness were contagious, pushing the entire team to strive for excellence.

Legacy on the Gridiron:

Lane's impact on the Lions was undeniable. He led the team to three playoff appearances during his tenure, including an NFL Championship game in 1962. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1974, a testament to his lasting impact on the game.

Born January 1, 1927, in Dallas, Texas, was Doak Walker the highly decorated Southern Methodist University halfback. The NFF site says that Doak was a 3-time All-America halfback for SMU.

He won the Maxwell Award in 1947, won the Heisman in 1948, and was named Player of the Year by Collier's Magazine in 1949. Doak Walker found the doors to be open wide to welcome him into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1959. Doak, after college, joined the Detroit Lions and spent six productive seasons with the franchise.

In fact, according to the ProFootballHOF.com site, he did almost everything for the Lions as he passed, ran returned punts and kicks, but he also performed the punting and place kicks for the team as well. Walker was selected as All-NFL in 5 of his six seasons played in the League. Doak Walker was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1986.

Born July 15, 1935 was Alex Karras is enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a Defensive Tackle for the Detroit Lions.

-College Career:

Alex Karras' football journey began at the University of Iowa, where he quickly established himself as a force to be reckoned with. A two-time First-team All-American (1956, 1957), Karras dominated as a defensive tackle. His relentless aggression and exceptional technique earned him the respect of teammates and the fear of opposing offenses. In 1957, Karras' dominance reached new heights. He captured the prestigious Outland Trophy, awarded to the nation's best interior lineman, and finished as runner-up to Heisman Trophy winner John David Crow. This marked the highest finish for a tackle in Heisman voting history. Karras also proved his athletic versatility, winning the collegiate heavyweight wrestling championship. Leading the Hawkeyes to a Rose Bowl victory in 1956 cemented his status as an Iowa legend.

-Road to the Pro Game:

Following his decorated college career, Karras entered the 1958 NFL Draft as a highly coveted prospect. The Detroit Lions, yearning for defensive stability, snatched him up in the first round. This would mark the beginning of a long and fruitful partnership.

-Football Legacy:

Karras' 12-year career with the Detroit Lions solidified his place as one of the greatest defensive tackles of his era. His ferocious style of play earned him the nickname "The Spoiler." Despite his intimidating presence, Karras was surprisingly durable, missing just one game during his entire career and starting an astonishing 153 consecutive games.

Accolades followed Karras throughout his career. He earned nine Pro Bowl selections, a testament to his consistent excellence. Three First-team All-Pro selections and six Second-team recognitions further illustrate his dominance. Karras' impact extended beyond individual accolades. He was a cornerstone of the Lions' defense during a competitive era, helping the team reach several NFL Championship games in the 1960s, though they ultimately fell short of a Super Bowl appearance.

Karras' legacy transcends the traditional metrics of success. His influence extended beyond the field. He was known for his outspoken personality and confrontational style, clashing with officials and often drawing fines. This rebellious streak resonated with some fans, solidifying his image as a maverick within the sport.

Following his retirement in 1970, Karras embarked on a successful career as a sportscaster, injecting his signature wit and candor into the Monday Night Football booth. He later transitioned into acting, with a memorable role as Mongo in the classic comedy film "Blazing Saddles."

In 2020, Alex Karras was posthumously inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, a fitting tribute to his on-field dominance and enduring influence on the game. He left an indelible mark on the Detroit Lions franchise and the landscape of professional football, remembered as a fearless player, a captivating personality, and a true gridiron legend.

Calvin Johnson, also known by his nickname "Megatron," is widely regarded as one of the greatest wide receivers in NFL history. Born in Flint, Michigan, Johnson's football journey began at Flint Northwestern High School, where he quickly established himself as a dominant force on the gridiron. His exceptional athleticism, combined with his impressive size and speed, made him a nightmare for opposing defenses. Johnson's high school exploits earned him a scholarship to Georgia Tech, where he continued to excel.

His name is found in bold lettering in the records of college football history during his time at Georgia Tech. A towering wide receiver with exceptional speed and strength, Johnson dominated the ACC. His ability to make acrobatic catches and outmuscle defenders was unmatched. His college career culminated in a standout performance in the 2007 ACC Championship Game, where he showcased his immense talent and helped lead Georgia Tech to victory. Johnson's dominance on the field laid the foundation for a successful NFL career, where he continued to excel and solidify his legacy as one of the greatest wide receivers of all time.

In 2007, the Detroit Lions selected Johnson with the second overall pick in the NFL Draft. From the moment he stepped onto the field in Detroit, Johnson's impact was undeniable. His rookie season saw him amass 1,220 receiving yards and eight touchdowns, earning him Pro Bowl honors. However, it was in the following years that Johnson truly showcased his extraordinary talent. He broke the NFL single-season receiving yards record in 2011 with an astonishing 1,964 yards, and followed that up with another impressive season in 2012.

Throughout his career, Johnson was renowned for his ability to make acrobatic catches and dominate opposing defenses with his physicality. His combination of size, speed, and leaping ability made him a virtually unstoppable force. Johnson's dominance on the field earned him numerous accolades, including seven Pro Bowl appearances and three All-Pro selections. Despite his individual success, Johnson's career was marred by the Lions' lack of consistent success as a team. The franchise struggled to find consistent winning seasons during his tenure, leading to frustration and disappointment for both Johnson and the team's loyal fans.

After nine seasons with the Lions, Johnson announced his retirement from the NFL in 2016. His decision to retire at the relatively young age of 31 shocked many, but he cited the toll that the physical demands of the game had taken on his body. Johnson's retirement left a void in the NFL, and his impact on the game will continue to be felt for years to come. He is widely considered one of the greatest wide receivers of all time, and his legacy will undoubtedly endure.

It is a name that many have heard uttered, but few in this era really know who he was and Clarkk's importance to football. The legendary football player, Dutch Clark, is examined with his place in NFL history in this post.

College Career
Hailing from Colorado, Dutch Clark was a standout athlete at Colorado College.

His versatility was exceptional, as he excelled not only in football but also basketball and track and field. On the gridiron, Clark's dynamic playmaking abilities quickly garnered national attention. His 1928 season was particularly remarkable, where he amassed 1,349 rushing yards and 103 points, earning him the distinction of being the first Colorado native to claim first-team All-American honors. Beyond his athletic prowess, Clark also served as a coach at Colorado College, demonstrating his early aptitude for leadership.  

Road to the Pro Game
Dutch Clark's professional football journey began with the Portsmouth Spartans, where he quickly established himself as one of the league's premier talents. Known for his exceptional speed, agility, and versatility, he was a nightmare for opposing defenses. Clark's impact was so significant that he was granted a leave of absence from his coaching duties at Colorado College to focus on his NFL career.  

His tenure with the Spartans, which later evolved into the Detroit Lions, was marked by consistent excellence. Clark's ability to excel as both a runner and passer made him a multifaceted threat. His leadership qualities were also evident as he took on a player-coach role during his later years with the team.  

Football Legacy
Dutch Clark's legacy in football is undeniable. As a player, he was a pioneer, showcasing a level of skill and athleticism that was ahead of his time. His impact on the game extended beyond his playing days, as he transitioned into coaching with success. His induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1963 is a testament to his enduring influence.  

Clark's story is one of perseverance, talent, and leadership. He overcame challenges and excelled at every level of the game. His contributions to the sport have left an enduring mark, and his name remains synonymous with football excellence.

Born May 1, 1930, in Trinity, Texas, was the University of San Francisco’s stud halfback of 1949 to 1951, Ollie Matson. Matson, a trailblazer in the realm of professional football, left an indelible mark on both the college and pro game. Hailing from Georgia, Matson's athletic prowess was evident from a young age. He attended the University of Georgia, where he excelled as a running back, earning All-American honors.

Ollie finished as a contender for the Heisman Trophy. After that season, he turned around and won the silver and bronze medals in the 1952 Olympic Games! The College Football Hall of Fame proudly placed a display in honor of Ollie Matson in their legendary museum in 1976. In 1952 Matson was the number one overall pick by the Chicago Cardinals in the NFL Draft.

Matson's college success translated seamlessly to the professional level. Drafted by the Chicago Cardinals in 1952, he quickly established himself as one of the league's premier running backs. Known for his elusive running style, Matson's ability to make defenders miss tackles and find open space was unmatched. He consistently led the league in rushing yards and touchdowns, earning numerous Pro Bowl selections and even winning the NFL MVP award in 1955.

Beyond his individual accomplishments, Matson also played a significant role in breaking down racial barriers in the NFL. As one of the first African American players to achieve widespread success and recognition, he helped pave the way for future generations of Black athletes. Matson's contributions to the game extended beyond the field, as he became a respected figure in the community and a role model for aspiring athletes. His legacy as a pioneering running back and a trailblazer in the fight for racial equality will continue to inspire future generations.

He played well for the Cards but was traded to the Rams in 1959 for nine players! You can learn more about that trade here. Ollie racked up over 12,000 yards of total offense in the League and was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1972.

The life and football career of College Football Hall of Fame star, Harley Sewell. Born April 18, 1931, Jefferson County, Oklahoma, was the University of Texas two-way player at guard and linebacker Harley Sewell.

Sewell was indeed a versatile player that the Longhorn’s used to gain advantages over opponents. One such instance of note, according to FootballFoundation.org, was the 1952 Cotton Bowl, where Texas blanked the Vols of Tennessee 16-0. Sewell was named Defensive Most Valuable Player as he led a defense that held Tennessee to six first downs with negative 14 yards rushing. The National Football Foundation selected Harley Sewell for entrance into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2000.

The Detroit Lions, a storied franchise with a rich history, have a relatively small but distinguished list of retired jersey numbers. These numbers represent the pinnacle of achievement for players who have made indelible marks on the team.

Among the most iconic is the number 20, a unique distinction in NFL history, as it was retired to honor three legendary players: Lem Barney, Billy Sims, and Barry Sanders.

Each of these running backs epitomized excellence and redefined the position during their respective eras.  

Other retired numbers include 7 for Dutch Clark, a pioneering figure in the early days of the Lions, and 56 for Joe Schmidt, a Hall of Fame linebacker known for his fierce competitiveness. These numbers serve as a permanent tribute to these football greats, inspiring future generations of Lions players and fans alike. While the list of retired jerseys may be shorter compared to some other franchises, the significance of each number is undeniable.
 

Here are the honored players and their numbers that are not issued in Detroit anymore:

-Jersey Number 7
Dutch Clark

-Jersey Number 20
Lem Barney
Barry Sanders
Billy Simms

-Jersey Number 22
Bobby Layne

-Jersey Number 37
Doak Walker

-Jersey Number 56
Joe Schmidt

-Jersey Number 85
Chris Hughes

If you love football jersey designs and evolution, wait until you check out the History of American Football Jersey.

-Football Jersey Frequently Asked Questions

-What are American football jerseys made of? Modern jerseys are made of synthetic fibers such as polyester or a blend of different materials such as spandex. For more, check out our in-depth study of The Makeup and Materials of Football Jerseys.

-When did football jerseys start having numbers on them? Though there was documented talk of it since 1894, players only wore digits in a 1905 Iowa State at Drake game. Check out more on this story The Origins Of Football Player Numbers.

-Whose college football jersey was the first to be retired? Red Grange's Number 77 Ilinois Illini jersey was the first college uni shelved in 1925. There were a couple more about the same time, and we chatted with a college football expert historian to help divulge College Football and its First Retired Jerseys.

On September 14, 1930 - The Portsmouth Spartans played their first NFL game on this date. The Spartans defeated the Newark Tornadoes in their first game by the final score of 13-6. The Portsmouth Eleven ended the 1930 season with a record of 5-6-3, but they had a core of players they could build upon, which became evident two years later.

The 1932 season ended with the Spartans and the Chicago Bears finishing with identical records at 6-1-4, and previously (since 1920), the League's champion was determined by the team with the best record. The NFL decided that a final game to determine a Champ would be played in a unique Chicago at Wrigley Field on December 18, 1932. This first postseason game in NFL history had some massive twists and turns to make it quite a remarkable story, even besides the fact that a game was going to be played to determine an NFL Champion. The first odd occurrence was that Spartans star Earl "Dutch" Clark could not play in the game because he had to work. While that may sound wild to us today, the fact was that professional players of that era did not make enough to make a living all year long. Most had to take off-season jobs to make ends meet, even the superstars like Dutch Clark, who worked as the Head Basketball Coach at Colorado College. His hoops team had a game on December 18, and Dutch couldn't get off work to make the football game in Chicago. The second crazy thing that happened was that due to a freak late-fall blizzard in Chicago, the game had to be moved inside the Chicago Stadium because Wrigley was covered with deep snow and frozen with dangerous sub-zero temperatures.

The playing field had to be modified to play inside, so the game was played on a field only 80 yards long and some 30 yards narrower than the normal width the teams played on all season. The last item surrounding the game happened on the contest's only touchdown. Bronko Nagurski threw a scoring jump pass to Red Grange, but the Spartans argued that Nagurski did not meet the requirement of legal forward passes in those days of being 5 yards or more behind the line. The play stood, and the Bears won the NFL title with a score of 9-0. The Spartans franchise would become the Lions in 1933 when they moved from Portsmouth, Ohio, to Detroit, Michigan, after a Detroit radio businessman, George A. Richards, purchased the rights to the team for $8000.

This was a hefty sum at the time, but Portsmouth had, after all, just recently played for a somewhat impromptu first NFL Championship game against the Chicago Bears, shorthanded of their star player. The Motor City was a risky place to put the team at this point, as three previous franchises had failed there, but Richards knew the city needed a winner and took the chance. It was well worth his risk as the newly named Detroit Lions team won the NFL Title in 1935 and later in the 1952, 1953, and 1957 seasons.

Richards took another chance with his football franchise in 1934 when he scheduled a game on Thanksgiving Day. However, it failed in other cities (save Dallas a few decades later), but the Turkey Day game in the Motor City was a huge success. Unfortunately, in 1940, Mr. Richards had to sell the franchise due to a declining health issue and a fine from the NFL for draft tampering, but his $8000 initial investment turned into a $225,000 sale of the Lions to retail magnate Fred Mandel. The Lions eventually were purchased by the descendants of Henry Ford and are owned by the family to this day.