Joe Schmidt, the Corridor of Fame linebacker who helped the Detroit Lions win NFL championships in 1953 and 1957 and later coached the crew, has died. He was 92.
The Lions mentioned household knowledgeable the crew Schmidt died Wednesday. A explanation for dying was not offered.
One in every of professional soccer’s first nice center linebackers, Schmidt performed his total NFL profession with the Lions from 1953 via 1965. An eight-time All-Professional, he was enshrined into the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame in 1973 and the faculty soccer model in 2000.
“Joe likes to say that at one level in his profession, he was 6-3, however he had tackled so many fullbacks that it drove his neck into his shoulders and now he’s 6-foot,” mentioned the late Lions proprietor William Clay Ford, Schmidt’s presenter at his Corridor of Fame induction in 1973. “At any price, he was listed at 6-feet and as I say was marginal for that place. There are, nonetheless, qualities that definitely scouts or anyone who’s drafting a ballplayer can’t measure.”
Born in Pittsburgh, Schmidt performed faculty soccer in his hometown at Pitt, starting his stint there as a fullback and guard earlier than coach Len Casanova switched him to linebacker.
“Pitt offered me with the chance to do what I’ve wished to do, and additional myself via my athletic talents,” Schmidt mentioned. “Every thing I’ve stemmed from that chance.”
Schmidt handled accidents all through his faculty profession and was drafted by the Lions within the seventh spherical in 1953. As defenses developed in that period, Schmidt’s velocity, savvy and tackling capability made him a priceless a part of among the franchise’s biggest groups.
Schmidt was elected to the Professional Bowl 10 straight years from 1955-64, and after his arrival, the Lions received the final two of their three NFL titles within the Fifties.
In a 1957 playoff recreation at San Francisco, the Lions trailed 27-7 within the third quarter earlier than rallying to win 31-27. That was the NFL’s largest comeback in postseason historical past till Buffalo rallied from a 32-point deficit to beat Houston in 1993.
“We simply determined to go after them, blitz them virtually each down,” Schmidt recalled. “We had nothing to lose. While you’re up towards it, you let each barrels fly.”
Schmidt grew to become an assistant coach after wrapping up his profession as a participant. He was Detroit’s head coach from 1967 via 1972, going 43-35-7.
Schmidt was a part of the NFL’s All-Time Crew revealed in 2019 to rejoice the league’s centennial season. After all, he’d gone into the Corridor of Fame 46 years earlier.
Not dangerous for an undersized seventh-round draft choose.
“It was a dream of mine to play soccer,” Schmidt instructed the Detroit Free Press in 2017. “I had so many individuals inform me that I used to be too small. That I couldn’t play. I had so many unfavorable folks say unfavorable issues about me … that it makes you are feeling good inside. I mentioned, ‘OK, I’ll show it to you.’”
