All that action in the trenches nearly every offensive and special teams snap for a decade and a half came with a high price, however. Hardy Brown, Linebacker, Brooklyn Dodgers & Chicago Hornets & Baltimore Colts & Washington Redskins & San Francisco 49ers & Chicago Cardinals & Denver Broncos (1948-1956, 1960). And that's what I'm doing. In the first sentence of his foreword for the book, Hall of Fame coach John Madden writes: If someone came from another planet and wanted to know what a football player looked like, youd show him a poster of Jim Otto. Madden goes on to call Jim the greatest center who ever played.. Hall of Fame linebacker Dick Butkus had a similar situation with the Bears. Nobody took me off the field, said, "Jim, you've got to do this." And when he drops his head, he drops his head right to the spot where the tackler is coming in with his head and shoulders. But a number of former players, including receiver Al Toon of the New York Jets and running back Vic Washington of the 49ers, developed post-traumatic stress disorder. I don't know what they were taking. Otto is also the subject of works by artist Matthew Barney.[3]. Nobody is giving me any special help. He played three games with a fractured tibia. Dobler punched Pittsburghs Mean Joe Greene in the solar plexus and kicked the Rams Merlin Olsen in the head. That's the way Mike Webster would say it, too. And that is something that I'm dealing with. I saw the bone. I'm over here, I had a couple dozen concussions or more, and I hurt. He ended the career of MVP quarterback Joe Theismann with a compound leg fracture in a Monday Night game in 1985. Two years later Unitas played the entire season with a broken vertebrae. He only called timeout one time and that was to reset his broken nose. Jim Otto was elected into the Hall of Fame as a Player in 1980. No matter how many passes youve caught or touchdowns youve thrown, thats nice, but it doesnt mean anything in the real world., The transition period isnt always smooth, said Yaras-Davis, noting that the average career of a player is less than four years. Privacy Policy Once you leave the game, people forget about you quite quickly, said Drew Pearson, the former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver. He was middle linebacker for the Packers. He was not a great linebacker. Looked like a raccoon. Bob Lilly, 37. And so yes, he broke my helmet; he broke my face mask in here, which broke my nose and set it over here. Bob Lilly, Defensive Tackle, Dallas Cowboys (1961-1974). There's a tear near the break, and his bone is sticking out. But in this particular case, it was pretty good blows he was hitting me with to break my nose, break my cheekbone and my zygomatic arch bone up here. He considered the 20-some broken noses as more nuisance than hindrance, along with a hip pointer, broken fingers, broken ribs, a broken jaw, neck stingers, numerous concussions, kicked-in teeth and a bout of double pneumonia. Losing my leg didn't bother me one bit other than I wanted to make sure that my wife still loved the guy with one leg. Most current players feel they have more leverage since Butkus filed a $1.6 million suit against the Bears in 1974 and came away with a $600,000 settlement. Major funding for FRONTLINE is provided by John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. Not one. 21. I think, why am I thinking this? And my amnesia that I had happened in high school and college. When I retired I was down. The Baltimore Ravens placed a bounty on Ward, to which the former Super Bowl MVP responded, Bring it on. He was voted the smartest offensive player in the NFL (non-quarterbacks) and is considered the best blocking receiver in the NFL. Double-zero recalls stories about all Now, the amnesia one, that was before the NFL, is that right? Of those who did not leave because of injury, 56.2% reported similar emotional problems. There wasn't anybody. The NFLPA report found that of the players leaving the game because of injury, 70.6% had emotional problems some time during the sixth-month transition period after football. The FRONTLINE Interview: Jim Otto | League of Denial: The NFL's That is my complete and honest feeling. I'm hurting like a son of a gun. He was drafted into the U.S. Army after his rookie season and endured shrapnel wounds to his right leg. PBS Terms of Use We had the same thing, similar, happen to a center who took my place after I retired, Dave Dalby. Tommy McDonald, Wide Receiver, Philadelphia Eagles & Dallas Cowboys & Los Angeles Rams & Atlanta Falcons & Cleveland Browns (1957-1968). 40. Is he in the Hall of Fame? The impact and velocity of some collisions, normal Americans cant appreciate because they are not on the field, said John Lopez, head of Towson Sports Medicine and former trainer with the Baltimore Colts. I've had amnesia like that. Brett Favre, Quarterback, Atlanta Falcons & Green Bay Packers & New York Jets (1991-present). Is Jim Otto in the Hall of Fame? There's a battle, and that battle is going on. Jim Otto, center for the Oakland Raiders, poses on Aug. 15, 1970. WebJim Otto was born in Wausau, WI. It's just a physical battle in there, that you have to do. Both the pain and the glory are relived this week as Jim, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fames Class of 1980, steps into the Gold Jacket Spotlight. But a knee injury that was treated with repeated shots of cortisone and steroids forced him to end a 15-year playing career after 1973. We invariably would attack a bunker from where the enemy is shooting machine guns. Former San Francisco 49ers defensive lineman Charlie Krueger was a tough guy. Former Chicago Bears tight end and head coach Mike Ditka waddles like a wooden toy soldier because of an artificial hip. If you get hit in the head and a little dizziness comes out of it, you've suffered a concussion. It's strange; it's really strange. When you talk about your knees, legs, those kind of things, those kinds of injuries, clearly related to football, I mean, you know when these injuries started probably and all that. You are fully responsible for your comments. Former Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman Ernie Holmes once sat on a bridge and shot at passing trucks, and then was arrested for shooting a police officer in the leg before surrendering. He takes his thumb in his hand and wrenches it down into his fist. Few occupations can provide the riches and fame, yet simultaneously the danger, of pro football. As a show of respect, he always calls Raiders' owner Al Davis "Mr. When you have nobody helping you in a situation like that, I would imagine it's a pretty empty feeling to be going through life with that problem and nobody is coming to help you. After the game, we go into the locker room and he says, Hey Doc, I think I got a problem. Andy Russell, linebacker, 36. We'd go hunting together; we did a lot of different things together, Dave and I. Well, I'm very fortunate that I can do that, because there are times that I can't remember people's names. And that's the way we played. So he stayed there for the rest of the series, and then we came off, and I'm watching him because I'm the only guy who saw that he had a compound fracture. The highly educated are hiring counselors to advise them on masking agents and certain other breakdown products. Raiders All-Time Top Five: Centers - Sports Illustrated Enter and space open menus and escape closes them as well. How Many Surgeries Has Jim Otto Had? - Sportsmanist And Nitschke, it was right toward the end of his career, and he was I guess letting Carter get some time in there. He knocked the helmet off Minnesota receiver Sammy White in the Super Bowlprobably the hardest hit I have ever seen. Hall of Fame center Jim Otto recently had his right leg amputated and is recovering in a hospital in Utah. Counting preseason, postseason and Pro Bowl games, that number swells to 308 consecutive games played, with rarely a missed practice, either. Thats one of the major reasons why so many of these guys walk with limps.. In 1995, Nagurski was honored when the Football Writers Association of America voted to have his name attached to college footballs Defensive Player of the Year trophy. And he hung with me. PBS is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. As a rookie, he was notorious for threatening veterans and starting fights in training camp. But still, you led with your head, and that was part of football; that was what we learned. Ronnie Lott, Cornerback & Safety, San Francisco 49ers & Los Angeles Raiders & New York Jets & Kansas City Chiefs (1981-1995). In a playoff game in 1972, Greene recorded five sacks, forced a fumble, recovered a fumble, and blocked a field goal in a 9-3 win vs. Houston. I don't make want to make excuses. Giants lineman Al DeRogatis once accused Kilroy of biting him on the nose. Back then, owners would do anything to maximize their payrolls to win the war games. My first thoughts were, I got sick. What is it about the idea for you -- I mean, do you feel like this stuff about brain research and NFL players is kind of hogwash, or do you think there's something to it? Let me ask you. I haven't necessarily told them what I'm thinking. It's incredibly debatable, but here is my attempt to rank them in order for toughness. Former Los Angeles Raiders offensive lineman Curt Marsh, who retired in 1987, had his right foot and lower leg amputated Sept. 21. They do it now, which is good. Yeah, just on the line, hitting each other. Teammate Hugh Gallarneau claims that, He had a piece of cement for a head. He once dove into a brick wall attempting to catch a pass, busted open his head, and was carried off semiconscious. When asked why he played through the pain, instead of watching from the sidelines, Smith calmly responded, This is why they pay me., 19. Never misses a down. And --. Thats when doctors operated on his back for 11 1/2 hours to remove scar tissue and For 19 straight seasons. Lavine, now the University of Marylands team doctor, agrees with Huizenga, but adds the pressure does not come solely from owners, but also from coaches, parents and especially players. For the next 15 years, he was a fixture at center for the Oakland Raiders, never missing a single game due to injury. Family Life He married a woman named Sally and has a daughter named Jennifer. In a playoff game in 1970, Garrison broke three ribs in the first quarter and continued playing after he was carried off the field. Also, once the NFL became a billion-dollar business about 1980, teams became less likely to risk injuries with million-dollar players, and urged them to participate in year-round conditioning, which includes weight training and aerobic exercise. 18. Coaches had a way of making you feel less manly if you didnt play. In most cases I would like to be able to be out there doing something for somebody else, helping somebody else, and I can't. I mean, we battled in there, and this is the result of it right here, sitting here, looking at you. Some things couldnt be measured, however, like Jims self-motivation, commitment and pride. He is famous for his crack-back blocks, and broke the jaw of Cincinnati rookie Keith Rivers in a 2008 contest. WebIn addition to his football injuries, Otto also had two strokes, three heart attacks, and diabetes which caused blindness in one eye. It was the hardest tackle I ever made, but I made it, and I said to myself, Well, I guess that will show you, Nagurski! Then as I was getting up, I heard the referee shout, Second down and 2!, George Halas: Nagurski blasted through two would-be tacklers as though they were a pair of old saloon doors and kept on going right into the endzone. I'm going to be just like you, Pops." It is, because there's some people who think there's a connection between all those hits that you take and suicide, like there's a physiological connection there, you know? There's the toughness of getting the snot knocked out of you, and the can't-be-intimidated, never-quit kind of tough. Otto punished his body greatly during his NFL career, resulting in nearly 40 surgeries, including 28 knee operations (nine of them during his playing career The Rock Island fans were so angered that a rock-throwing mob chased him from the field. 30. We'd attack the bunker, and the quarterbacks would be sitting in a tank with the general saying, 'Well, what kind of attack are you planning?' Numerous accolades for Jim support Maddens widely shared opinion of the 15-year pro as the best to play his position: 10 first-team All-Pro selections, 12 Pro Bowl appearances and spots on the AFL Hall of Fame All-1960s Team and the NFL 100 All-Time Team. They are similar to those experienced by rape victims and soldiers returning from combat. I mean, he'd figure out a way to beat you, and so would Jim Otto. WebHow did Jim Otto loose his leg? WebBut Jim, remembering that his college injuries had all come when he was on defense, chose to let down a little during defensive tryouts and then really go all out when it came time for offensive team trials. Bill Romanowski, Linebacker, San Francisco 49ers & Philadelphia Eagles & Denver Broncos & Oakland Raiders (1988-2003). ISIS is in Afghanistan, But Who Are They Really? I don't want anybody to be hurt from football. But you're saying there are issues? The guy coming down the field to cover the kickoff, the guy with the ball with the kickoff, hey, this is football. And it's not being selfish, not on my behalf being selfish because I can't do it, and I would want it. You want to spell football: T-U-F-F. Conrad Dobler, Guard, St. Louis Cardinals & New Orleans Saints & Buffalo Bills (1972-1981). American Football Wiki is a FANDOM Lifestyle Community. They blame these problems for failed relationships, unemployment and drug or alcohol addictions. But has suicide and those kind of mental traumas, extreme points like a suicide, has that always been a feature that you've known about that's been kind of the chatter of the backroom [among] players? His dedication and durability symbolized the teams Commitment to Excellence motto. The origin of the since-outlawed helmet-to-helmet hit is sometimes traced to Brown. As a rookie in 1920, he angered the Rock Island Independents so bad that they sent four players into the game on a mission to destroy Trafton. Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis made the announcement Wednesday as part of a wide-ranging news conference touching on the state of the team, the recent death of Bill Walsh and pensions for former NFL players. He turned To break a helmet, split it right here in front, to have it then break your nose and the face mask that you have there, so --. "Double O" starred for Wausau East, but even after college was considered There have been problems with steroids. I think I'm going and continuing to do the best I can with what I had, and I'm going to do that till I can't. His famed right shoulder was responsible for dozens of broken noses and jaws. He's beating people with it. Otto punished his body greatly during his NFL career, resulting in nearly 40 surgeries, including 28 knee operations (nine of them during his playing career alone) and multiple joint replacements. Now, the tackler is fined $20,000, $30,000, $50,000, whatever it is for a blow to the head. Kilroy denied the charge. Thats when doctors operated on his back for 11 1/2 hours to remove scar tissue and insert rods, screws and ties so he could walk again. Hein played fifteen seasons with the Giants and never missed a play. Was there anybody that helped Mike Webster go through rehab at that time? We hear about the concussions and talk about the big plays like cornerbacks hitting wide receivers after they've caught the ball up in the air. He chewed through the bars of his face mask and reportedly ate the window panes of the team bus. He went down, then got up and trotted off the field. WebJim Otto is generally recognized as one of the greatest and most durable centers the game of football has ever seen. Team doctors injected his knees with cortisone and other high-powered drugs in 1972 and 1973, causing permanent damage, he said. And from what I understand and read -- never met him -- it does sound like he played that game exactly like you described. Do you feel like the suicide thoughts are related to the pain or related to retirement? He maintained his streak despite pneumonia, an ulcer, and a shotgun wound to the side. Where are you?," you know, and I didn't know where the hell I was. These guys constantly live on the edge, and the same behavior they once used to achieve notoriety on the field they exhibit off the field.. There is also a tremendous fear perpetuated by management that younger guys are a threat if you cant perform.. We havent seen the worst yet.. One time, Otto nearly died on the operating table. Jim Otto Otto paid the price, as he has had 74 surgeries, including 28 knee operations, and in 2007 his lower right leg had to be amputated but has said that he He spit in the face of Eagles safety Bill Bradley as he lay injured on the ground. Hall of Fame center Jim Otto recently had his right leg amputated and is recovering in a hospital in Utah. The psychological high and its addiction is parallel to people who become addicted to cocaine or a smoker who has a dependency on cigarettes. WebHe considered the 20-some broken noses as more nuisance than hindrance, along with a hip pointer, broken fingers, broken ribs, a broken jaw, neck stingers, numerous Double-zero recalls stories about all of his famous Raider teammates, his most memorable opponents, and the behind-the-scenes life of an NFL Hall of Famer. I know he was a great football player. I think so. Among Doblers principal offenses were biting, gouging, punching, kicking, and grabbing the face mask. WebAs a result of injuries sustained during his playing career, he has endured more than 70 surgeries, including nearly 30 knee operations. McDonald suffered exactly zero broken noses and knocked out teeth in his career. And so these thoughts that have come through your head are fairly recent then? Otto set the standard for excellence at center, the article said. However, Otto paid the price, as he has had 74 surgeries, including 28 knee operations, and in 2007 his lower right leg had to be amputated. Well, as you know, it didnt get better. He has had two major back surgeries, 16 knee operations and five artificial knees. Theyre still in that state of denial. and the FRONTLINE Journalism Fund with major support from Jon and Jo Ann Hagler on behalf of the Jon L. Hagler Foundation. You're taught to lead with your head. Jim Otto: The Pain of Glory - Jim Otto, Dave Newhouse - Google Why? 24. I don't know what other players are thinking. Otto played high school football at Wisconsin's Wausau High School, under coach Win Brockmeyer. Otto used to collapse in the early years of his retirement, even though he walks without difficulty now. I realize that. WebJim Otto (born January 10, 1992) is a retired American football Offensive Tackle. In 1972, he thought he broke his back on a hit by a Minnesota Vikings linebacker, so he crawled off the field. He led the Eagles to championships in 1949 and 1960. Bednarik was nicknamed Concrete Charlie and to me, will always be known for the phrase I heard him say at training camp one year: Today's football players are underplayed and overpaid., 9. 1 seed for Division 1 baseball playoffs, High school tennis: Southern Section playoff pairings, High school baseball: Southern Section playoff pairings, Dig this: Long Beach States Mason Briggs could be next big thing at libero. Concertgoer lets out a loud full body orgasm while L.A. Phil plays Tchaikovskys 5th, How Palm Springs ran out Black and Latino families to build a fantasy for rich, white people, 17 SoCal hiking trails that are blooming with wildflowers (but probably not for long! He comes in like he's going to hit the man midsection, which there's no penalty for, and just as he hits coming in on the midsection, you'll see that ballplayer, the guy with the ball, drop his head. Oftentimes you'll see the contact where a tackler will tackle a runner or the quarterback, and right away they flag him, and it's going to cost them $20,000, $50,000, whatever it is for that hit. I put my head down and charged into the hole. They want my brain at I think it's Michigan or --. Doesn't say anything. NAPA, Calif. -- Hall of Fame center Jim Otto recently had his right leg amputated and is recovering in a hospital in Utah. Perhaps the most painful of Jim Ottos 23 surgeries occurred five years ago. The NFL Hall of Famer recounts his legendary career with the Oakland Raiders, his many injuries, and the terrible cost of playing through the pain.From 1960 to 1974, Jim Otto played center for the Oakland Raiders, leading the team to historic AFL and NFL victories. Unitas also has an artificial knee and will have a hip replacement soon. Nicknamed The Brute, Trafton broke the leg and ended the career of halfback Fred Chicken by throwing him into a fence. According to the latest NFLPA survey, conducted in 1990, more than one-third of 645 players whose careers began as early as 1940 and ended no later than 1986 retired because of disabling injuries. Otto worked diligently to build his body up to his playing weight of 250 pounds. I mean, it's affected my life; it surely has. He helped the Steelers win four Super Bowl titles in a six-year span in the 1970's and is probably the most important player in team history. That crackling thud can mean a broken bone or a torn cartilage--and a redefined life. Walt Garrison, Running Back, Dallas Cowboys (1966-1974). Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis made the announcement Wednesday as part of a wide-ranging news conference touching on the state of the team, the recent death of Bill Walsh and pensions for former NFL players. But I'll tell you whathe had more knockouts than any of us. Brown fractured the face of an Eagles running back, broke another players vertebrae, and knocked a Steelers running backs eye out of its socket. FactSnippet No. And playing with concussions, playing with other problems that we did play with, never coming off the field --. THE BREAKS OF THE GAME OF THE GAME What do you mean by that? We will take steps to block users who repeatedly violate our commenting rules, terms of use, or privacy policies. It was Dave Dalby. Teammate Charlie Waters recalls the time that Garrison accidentally cut his thumb with a knife so that it was dangling from his hand. Nicknamed Rambo for his tough play and physical resemblance to Sylvester Stallone, Bavaro broke seven tackles on one catch across the middle against the 49ers in a 1986 game. I was happy for him. After a few days, Otto gave out a press conference telling the nation that he had retired from the game of football. During one game in 1970, a piece of Kruegers knee was broken off, but he was given codeine and put back in to play. [1] In the 1967 regular season, Oakland scored 468 points (33.4 points/game), leading the AFL, but lost Super Bowl II to the Vince Lombardi-led Green Bay Packers. Minutes later, he set up the winning touchdown with a fake handoff.
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