By Darin 🏈 The 6-Foot-7 Enigma of the Gridiron
In the early 1970s, scouts traveling to St. Louis encountered a physical specimen that looked more like a modern-day NBA power forward than a typical linebacker. Shelby Jordan was a towering 6-foot-7, 270-pound “beast” who redefined defensive dominance at Washington University in St. Louis. With a rare combination of massive size and sideline-to-sideline speed, Jordan led his team in tackles for three consecutive years before making the improbable transition from a small-college linebacker to a decade-long NFL starter at offensive tackle. This is the story of a College Football Hall of Famer who proved that true talent could rise from any level of the game.
Football Bio
January 23, 1952 – East St. Louis, Illinois – Washington University of St Louis linebacker Shelby Jordan was born. According to footballfoundation.org, Shelby was a 6-foot-7, 270-pound beast, leading WUSL in tackles for three consecutive seasons and earning Kodak First Team All-American honors during his senior campaign. The National Football Foundation voters selected Shelby Jordan to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2013. After graduation, Jordan was selected in the seventh round of the 1973 NFL Draft by the Houston Oilers. Eventually, Shelby became a six-year starter at offensive tackle for the New England Patriots and later won Super Bowl XVIII with the Los Angeles Raiders.
From Defensive Terror to Offensive Anchor
Shelby Jordan’s journey is one of the most unique in NFL history. While he was a “tackle machine” at Washington University—earning him a spot as the only player in school history to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame—his professional path saw him switch to the other side of the ball. After a brief stint away from the game following his draft selection, he signed with the New England Patriots, where his massive frame was utilized to protect quarterbacks rather than chase them.
Over 11 NFL seasons, Jordan became a fixture of the offensive line, starting 87 games for the Patriots before joining the Los Angeles Raiders. It was in the Silver and Black that Jordan reached the pinnacle of the sport, serving as a key veteran presence on the 1983 squad that dismantled the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl XVIII. Jordan passed away in 2022, but his legacy as a small-school legend who conquered the NFL remains a cornerstone of Missouri football history.
Accolades and Football Accomplishments
- College Football Hall of Fame Inductee (Class of 2013)
- Super Bowl XVIII Champion (Los Angeles Raiders)
- Kodak First Team All-American (1972)
- 11-Season NFL Veteran (New England Patriots, Los Angeles Raiders)
- Washington University MVP & Team Captain (1972)
- WUSL All-Centennial Football Team Member
- Inaugural Inductee: Washington University Sports Hall of Fame (1991)
- Led WUSL in Tackles for 3 Consecutive Seasons (1970–1972)
- St. Louis Distinguished Alumni Award Winner (2009)
