Bob Brudzinski
Encyclopedia
Robert Louis Brudzinski (born January 1, 1955 in Fremont, Ohio
) is a former American football
linebacker who played thirteen seasons in the National Football League
.
choice. In his 43 games for Ohio State he totaled 214 tackles and in 1976 he intercepted 4 passes, a high number for a defensive end. In 2000 Brudzinski was voted to the Ohio State Football All-Century Team
.
. The Rams planned moving him to outside linebacker, to match his 4.7 speed and good strength. He started as a rookie because starting middle linebacker Jack Reynolds
help out for the first one-thirds of the season. While starting left linebacker Jack Youngblood
moved to the middle to fill in for Reynolds, Brudzinski started at left linebacker. He ended up starting 7 games and recording 37 tackles, intercepted 2 passes, 3 forced fumbles and 1 sack. He was voted All-Rookie by UPI and PFWA and FD for his efforts in 1977. In 1978 he became the starter at right outside linebacker in week 10 when Isiah Robertson
walked out of camp purported with complaints about his salary. The Rams defense was ranked #1 in the NFL at the time and in the two-and-a-half months with Brudzinski starting they never fell from the top status. He ended the year with 43 tackles, intercepted a pass that went for a touchdown and 2 quarterback sacks.
In 1979 Brudzinski had his best year to date. Making all 16 starts as the RLB and being named 2nd-team All-pro by the Gannett Wire Service. "Bru" as his teammates called him, amassed 127 tackles, with 7 of those for a loss, plus 5 sacks, he intercepted a pass, forced a fumble, recovered on and broke up 14 passes, either at the line of scrimmage or in coverage. The Rams went though the NFC playoffs beating the Dallas Cowboys
and Tampa Bay Bucs before losing Super Bowl XIV
to the Pittsburgh Steelers
.
Two-thirds into the 1980 season Brudzinski walked out and never returned to the Rams. To date, he had made 35 tackles and defenses 6 passes plus had a sack, he felt he was underpaid. He was replaced by George Andrews
.
The Rams were forced to trade Brudzinski and did so in the spring of 1981. The Rams received multiple picks and the top pick was used to draft future star linebacker Jim Collins. With the Rams Brudzinski totaled 242 tackles, 9 sacks, and over 20 passes broken up in his 55 games (41 starts) with the Rams.
's Dolphins from 1981 though 1989, recording 14½ sacks to bring his career total to 23½ to go with his 9 interceptions.
Brudzinski adapted quickly to the Bill Arnsbarger-coached defense nicknamed the "Killer-Bs" which propelled the Dolphins to the 1981 playoffs and the 1982 Super Bowl as well as the 1984 Super Bowl.
While with Miami, Brudzinski was voted to the All-Time Dolphins team in the early 2000s. He was mentioned in articles that ask "Who is the best linebacker never to play in a Pro Bowl?" and Brudzinski's name often comes up since he played well for a long period of time and was never honored by a Pro Bowl selection, even after his stellar 1979 season.
Fremont, Ohio
Fremont Public Schools enroll 4,450 students in public primary and secondary schools. The district administers 9 public schools including seven elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school, Fremont Ross. In addition, the city is home to one private catholic high school, Saint Joseph...
) is a former American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
linebacker who played thirteen seasons in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
.
Ohio State
Brudzinski was a four-time letter winner and a 3-year starter at defensive end for the Ohio State Buckeyes. He was a 2-time All-Big 10 selection and as a senior, in 1976 he was a consensus All-America1976 College Football All-America Team
The 1976 College Football All-America team is composed of various organizations that choose College All-America teams that season. The organizations that chose the teams were Associated Press, United Press International, Newspaper Enterprise Association, Football Writers Association of America,...
choice. In his 43 games for Ohio State he totaled 214 tackles and in 1976 he intercepted 4 passes, a high number for a defensive end. In 2000 Brudzinski was voted to the Ohio State Football All-Century Team
Ohio State Football All-Century Team
The Ohio State Football All-Century Team was chosen in early 2000 by the Touchdown Club of Columbus. It was selected to honor the greatest Ohio State Buckeyes football players of the 20th century...
.
Los Angeles Rams
The Los Angeles Rams drafted Bruzinski with the 23rd pick in the first round of the 1977 NFL Draft1977 NFL Draft
The 1977 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held May 3–4, 1977...
. The Rams planned moving him to outside linebacker, to match his 4.7 speed and good strength. He started as a rookie because starting middle linebacker Jack Reynolds
Jack Reynolds
Jack Reynolds may refer to:* Jack Reynolds , English footballer who played for both Ireland and England* Jack Reynolds , English footballer who was later the manager of Ajax Amsterdam...
help out for the first one-thirds of the season. While starting left linebacker Jack Youngblood
Jack Youngblood
Herbert Jackson "Jack" Youngblood, III is a former American college and professional football player who was a defensive end for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League for fourteen seasons during the 1970s and 1980s. He was a five-time consensus All-Pro and a seven-time Pro Bowl...
moved to the middle to fill in for Reynolds, Brudzinski started at left linebacker. He ended up starting 7 games and recording 37 tackles, intercepted 2 passes, 3 forced fumbles and 1 sack. He was voted All-Rookie by UPI and PFWA and FD for his efforts in 1977. In 1978 he became the starter at right outside linebacker in week 10 when Isiah Robertson
Isiah Robertson
Isiah "Butch" Robertson is a former professional American football player who played linebacker for the Los Angeles Rams and the Buffalo Bills . He was selected to six Pro Bowls during his years with the Rams. He picked off 25 passes in his career, returning three for touchdowns...
walked out of camp purported with complaints about his salary. The Rams defense was ranked #1 in the NFL at the time and in the two-and-a-half months with Brudzinski starting they never fell from the top status. He ended the year with 43 tackles, intercepted a pass that went for a touchdown and 2 quarterback sacks.
In 1979 Brudzinski had his best year to date. Making all 16 starts as the RLB and being named 2nd-team All-pro by the Gannett Wire Service. "Bru" as his teammates called him, amassed 127 tackles, with 7 of those for a loss, plus 5 sacks, he intercepted a pass, forced a fumble, recovered on and broke up 14 passes, either at the line of scrimmage or in coverage. The Rams went though the NFC playoffs beating the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
and Tampa Bay Bucs before losing Super Bowl XIV
Super Bowl XIV
Super Bowl XIV was an American football game played on January 20, 1980 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1979 regular season...
to the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
.
Two-thirds into the 1980 season Brudzinski walked out and never returned to the Rams. To date, he had made 35 tackles and defenses 6 passes plus had a sack, he felt he was underpaid. He was replaced by George Andrews
George Andrews (American football)
George Eldon Andrews, II is a former American football linebacker. He is a graduate of the University of Nebraska who played in the National Football League from 1979–1984 for the Los Angeles Rams.-High school:...
.
The Rams were forced to trade Brudzinski and did so in the spring of 1981. The Rams received multiple picks and the top pick was used to draft future star linebacker Jim Collins. With the Rams Brudzinski totaled 242 tackles, 9 sacks, and over 20 passes broken up in his 55 games (41 starts) with the Rams.
Miami Dolphins
Brudzinki played 125 games with 94 starts for Don ShulaDon Shula
Donald Francis "Don" Shula is a former American football cornerback and coach.He is best known as coach of the Miami Dolphins, the team he led to two Super Bowl victories, and to the National Football League's only perfect season. Shula was named 1993 Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated....
's Dolphins from 1981 though 1989, recording 14½ sacks to bring his career total to 23½ to go with his 9 interceptions.
Brudzinski adapted quickly to the Bill Arnsbarger-coached defense nicknamed the "Killer-Bs" which propelled the Dolphins to the 1981 playoffs and the 1982 Super Bowl as well as the 1984 Super Bowl.
While with Miami, Brudzinski was voted to the All-Time Dolphins team in the early 2000s. He was mentioned in articles that ask "Who is the best linebacker never to play in a Pro Bowl?" and Brudzinski's name often comes up since he played well for a long period of time and was never honored by a Pro Bowl selection, even after his stellar 1979 season.