Coming from Deacon Jones that is high praise. He was definitely old school. Watching highlights from his career this evening, he was savage. When savagery was what the NFL required and desired. Dick Butkus, Ray Nitschke (the prototype), Chuck Howley, Mike Curtis..... they set the mold.
“When savagery was what the NFL required and desired. Dick Butkus, Ray Nitschke (the prototype), Chuck Howley, Mike Curtis..... they set the mold.”
A few names you might add to the founders style of the game…Jack Lambert, Joe Schmidt, Mike Singletary, Bill George, Chuck Bednarik, Willie Lanier, Sam Huff, and Lee Roy Jordan might have made that list of players in the transitioning years before the game became so money hungry. Only their play demanded attention, not their hype, size, color, team...these guys were respected, and in some cases feared, for their game. They all could hit like the noon express and you earned every inch you got. This was that time frame.
Wy69