PFT: Reports: Merlin Olsen dies at 69
Rich - ® ©
Posted by Michael David Smith on March 11, 2010 11:07 AM ET
Merlin Olsen, the Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive tackle who
played his entire 15-year career for the Los Angeles Rams, has died at
the age of 69, according to reports.
Howard Balzer of the St. Louis Globe-Democrat reports that Olsen died
early this morning. The Cache Valley Daily, a newspaper based in
Olsen's hometown of Logan, Utah, reports that Olsen was diagnosed with
mesothelioma and had been undergoing several rounds of chemotherapy.
Olsen played college football at Utah State, and as a senior in 1961
he won the Outland Trophy as the nation's best lineman.
In 1962 the Rams selected him with the third overall pick in the NFL
draft and the Denver Broncos selected him with the second overall pick
in the AFL draft. He chose the Rams after the rival teams from rival
leagues engaged in a bidding war for his services.
Olsen was worth the money. He was chosen as Rookie of the Year in
1962, and he was selected to the Pro Bowl in each of his first 14 NFL
seasons. He retired after the 1976 season and was inducted into the
Hall of Fame in 1982.
Tutor
RIP. Meso is a horrible disease... just horrible. Merlin was an
amazing lineman, a great analyst and had a decent stint on TV as a
part timer on Little House and the lead role on Father Murphy. Let's
not forget all those flower commercials too. In fact, that's the
first thing I thought of when reading the news of his death that the
flower industry should send his family enough to fill the chapel.
Johnctx
Isn't it from asbestos exposure?
I don't remember much of him playing other than being an ALL_pro
carefully. I do remember him breaking his leg or tearing his knee up in
a Pro-Bowl Game & wondered why they play that game.
Ray O'Hara
"Johnctx" <j...@spamtx.net> wrote in message
news:XeWdnQuSl_AC0wTW...@giganews.com...
I'm old enough to remember when the fearsome foursome were just that.
Olsen ,Jones, Lundy and Grier, and yeah they lived up to it.
papa.carl44
"Ray O'Hara" <raymon...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:hndo7f$npk$1...@news.eternal-september.org...
Damn...your as old as me...maybe...I was already done playing in college
when the fearsome foursome came into being....that was real football back
then. There were very few penalties for D linemen.