Don Dufek
Encyclopedia
Donald Patrick "Don" Dufek, Jr. (born April 28, 1954) is a former American football
player who played safety and special teams for eight seasons with the Seattle Seahawks
of the National Football League
(NFL). He had previously played for the Michigan Wolverines football
team in Ann Arbor from 1973–1975. He was chosen to serve as team captain
for both the Seahawks and Wolverines.
At Michigan, he was following in the footsteps of his father Don Dufek, Sr.
who had been a Wolverine team Most Valuable Player
. As a graduate of Pioneer High School in Ann Arbor, Dufek was able to stay close to home while performing as a two-sport star at the University of Michigan
where he played for the Michigan Wolverines
football and hockey teams. In football, he was a member of back-to-back Big Ten Conference
championship teams at Michigan and became an All-American as well as a team captain.
Dufek, was sought after as a professional athlete in two sports: Dufek was drafted by teams in the National Hockey League
, World Hockey Association
and National Football League
. He opted for football and played his entire professional career with the Seahawks. He endured several unsuccessful seasons in Seattle, but the team made the playoffs in his final two years. In his role as a special teams player, he again became a team captain.
Dufek grew up in Ann Arbor, the son of former fullback
, Don Dufek, Sr.
, who was named Most Valuable Player
of the 1950 Michigan Wolverines football team
and the MVP of the 1951 Rose Bowl
. In 1971, Dufek played linebacker for Ann Arbor Pioneer High School and was one of only three unanimous picks for the major All-State football teams in the State of Michigan, as selected by the United Press International
(UPI), Associated Press
(AP), and Detroit Free Press
. The coach of Pioneer's cross-town rival Huron High School said of Dufek in 1971: "He's the best I've seen."
In a 2003 interview with the Grand Rapids Press
, Dufek recalled growing up in Ann Arbor and meeting his father's Michigan teammates. "Living in Ann Arbor, and seeing all the things that embody a great university, you learned that there were highly successful people in athletics, and it just made you want to feel a part of it. Then, as you got older, and you got more deeply involved in the game yourself, you just hoped that you had a chance to play in college -- and after watching all those games at Michigan Stadium
, that maybe Michigan would take a chance on you."
for the Wolverines
from 1973 to 1975 and was named a team co-captain and an All-American as a member of the 1975 Wolverines team. He was chosen as a first-team All-American
by the Football Writers Association of America
, and the Walter Camp Football Foundation
, and as a second-team All-American by UPI. Twice named an All-Big Ten
safety, Dufek had 249 tackles
, nine fumble
recoveries and four interceptions for the Wolverines. Although the 1973 and 1974 Michigan teams were Big Ten co-champions, the Ohio State Buckeyes
advanced to the Rose Bowl
both years, and Dufek's only bowl game
appearance was in a 14–6 loss to the Oklahoma
in the 1976 Orange Bowl
.
s in football, Dufek also received four letters as a left wing for the Michigan Wolverines hockey
team. Dufek played with the hockey team only after the football season ended, and he managed to score about 10 goals
a year in the shortened seasons he played. Dufek made a sufficiently solid showing in his freshman
and sophomore
years at Michigan that the Detroit Red Wings
selected him in the sixth round of the 1974 NHL Amateur Draft
. He was also drafted by the Minnesota Fighting Saints
of the World Hockey Association
with the 162nd overall selection in the eleventh round of the 1974 WHA Amateur Draft
.
In a 1975 interview, Dufek noted his love of both sports: "There are times when I've thought of dropping one or the other, but heck, I've been doing this since high school and it would be pretty tough to quit them both now." Dufek added: "Hockey is a more relaxed thing. It's a smaller atmosphere and you have to deal with only one or two coaches. You can be more individual and flashy. Football has certain assignments and you can't really express yourself." In the end, however, Dufek chose the NFL over the NHL. He explained: "I've decided to pursue professional football because I would probably have an extensive tour in the hockey minor leagues and I don't want that."
. Dufek was one of the original Seahawks in 1976
, the franchise's first year in the NFL, and he played for them until 1984
. He was the captain of the Seahawks' special teams units in 1981
and 1982
. During both of these seasons he was co-captain along with eventual Pro Football Hall of Fame
r and four-term representative in United States House of Representatives
, Steve Largent
, the captain of the offensive unit and Keith Simpson
, captain of the defensive unit. Over the course of his career he had three interceptions, two quarterback sack
s, a fumble recovery and thirteen kickoff returns. Sportswriter Richard Kucner once wrote: "Don Dufek was the kind of guy who just won't take 'No' for an answer. He was released in training camp four times during his eight-year Seahawks career. But each time, Seattle had a change of heart, bringing him back. Today, he is remembered as one of the best special teams performers the team has had."
After numerous seasons under Jack Patera
from 1976-1982
and interim coach Mike McCormack in 1982, the Seahawks finally reached the playoffs in Dufek's final two seasons under Chuck Knox
. During the 1983 NFL season
, the Seahawks went 9-7 and reached the AFC Championship Game where they lost to the Oakland Raiders
. Then, during the 1984 NFL season
, the Seahawks went 12-4 and failed to reach the Conference Championships during the 1984-85 Playoffs
.
Dufek was interviewed by the Ann Arbor News
in 2006 about life in Seattle. He said: "It's a bigger version of Ann Arbor. It's overcast, and it's green and clean." And there's the coffee. "It's really comical," says Dufek of all the coffee stops in Seattle. "Even the gas stations have coffee bars."
did a feature about the Dufek family and their big U-M tailgate parties
. The article noted: "It's hard to get more maize and blue than the Dufek family. Candy Dufek met Donnie Dufek in the first grade in Ann Arbor, and cheered as he played under Bo Schembechler
in the 1970s. Younger brother, Bill also played for U-M from 1974-78, also attaining All-American status. Their younger brother Joe
, however, played for Yale
(as well as pro ball as a quarterback for the Buffalo Bills and San Diego Chargers). They are the sons of legendary U-M Hall of Famer, Don Dufek, Sr., who scored two touchdown
s in U-M's 1951 Rose Bowl
win." Dufek has two children, Jacqueline and Frank.
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...
player who played safety and special teams for eight seasons with the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
of 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...
(NFL). He had previously played for the Michigan Wolverines football
Michigan Wolverines football
The Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history...
team in Ann Arbor from 1973–1975. He was chosen to serve as team captain
Captain (sports)
In team sports, a captain is a title given to a member of the team. The title is frequently honorary, but in some cases the captain may have significant responsibility for strategy and teamwork while the game is in progress on the field...
for both the Seahawks and Wolverines.
At Michigan, he was following in the footsteps of his father Don Dufek, Sr.
Don Dufek, Sr.
Don Dufek, Sr. is a former American football player and athletic director at Grand Valley State University and Kent State University. He is the father of All-American football players Don, and Bill as well as Joe who all played in the National Football League....
who had been a Wolverine team Most Valuable Player
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
. As a graduate of Pioneer High School in Ann Arbor, Dufek was able to stay close to home while performing as a two-sport star at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
where he played for the Michigan Wolverines
Michigan Wolverines
The Michigan Wolverines comprise 27 varsity sports teams at the University of Michigan. These teams compete in the NCAA's Division I and in the Big Ten Conference in all sports except men's ice hockey which competes in the NCAA D1 Central Collegiate Hockey Association, and women's water polo, which...
football and hockey teams. In football, he was a member of back-to-back Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
championship teams at Michigan and became an All-American as well as a team captain.
Dufek, was sought after as a professional athlete in two sports: Dufek was drafted by teams in the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
, World Hockey Association
World Hockey Association
The World Hockey Association was a professional ice hockey league that operated in North America from 1972 to 1979. It was the first major competition for the National Hockey League since the collapse of the Western Hockey League in 1926...
and 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...
. He opted for football and played his entire professional career with the Seahawks. He endured several unsuccessful seasons in Seattle, but the team made the playoffs in his final two years. In his role as a special teams player, he again became a team captain.
Youth
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
, Don Dufek, Sr.
Don Dufek, Sr.
Don Dufek, Sr. is a former American football player and athletic director at Grand Valley State University and Kent State University. He is the father of All-American football players Don, and Bill as well as Joe who all played in the National Football League....
, who was named Most Valuable Player
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
of the 1950 Michigan Wolverines football team
1950 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1950 Michigan Wolverines football team, coached by Bennie Oosterbaan, won the Big Ten Conference championship with a record of 6–3–1 and defeated the California Bears in the 1951 Rose Bowl, 14–6. The team had two All-Big 10 backs in Don Dufek and Chuck Ortmann and All-American tackle R. Allen...
and the MVP of the 1951 Rose Bowl
1951 Rose Bowl
The 1951 Rose Bowl was a college football bowl game played on January 1, 1951. It was the 37th Rose Bowl Game. The Michigan Wolverines, champions of the Big Ten Conference, defeated the California Golden Bears, champions of the Pacific Coast Conference, 14–6. Michigan fullback Don Dufek was...
. In 1971, Dufek played linebacker for Ann Arbor Pioneer High School and was one of only three unanimous picks for the major All-State football teams in the State of Michigan, as selected by the United Press International
United Press International
United Press International is a once-major international news agency, whose newswires, photo, news film and audio services provided news material to thousands of newspapers, magazines and radio and television stations for most of the twentieth century...
(UPI), Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
(AP), and Detroit Free Press
Detroit Free Press
The Detroit Free Press is the largest daily newspaper in Detroit, Michigan, USA. The Sunday edition is entitled the Sunday Free Press. It is sometimes informally referred to as the "Freep"...
. The coach of Pioneer's cross-town rival Huron High School said of Dufek in 1971: "He's the best I've seen."
In a 2003 interview with the Grand Rapids Press
Grand Rapids Press
The Grand Rapids Press is a daily newspaper published in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It is the largest of the eight Booth newspapers. It is sold for $.75 daily and $2.00 on Sunday.AccuWeather provides weather content to the Grand Rapids Press....
, Dufek recalled growing up in Ann Arbor and meeting his father's Michigan teammates. "Living in Ann Arbor, and seeing all the things that embody a great university, you learned that there were highly successful people in athletics, and it just made you want to feel a part of it. Then, as you got older, and you got more deeply involved in the game yourself, you just hoped that you had a chance to play in college -- and after watching all those games at Michigan Stadium
Michigan Stadium
Michigan Stadium, nicknamed "The Big House," is the football stadium for the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Michigan Stadium was built in 1927 at a cost of $950,000 and had an original capacity of 72,000. Before playing football at the stadium, the Wolverines played on Ferry Field...
, that maybe Michigan would take a chance on you."
University of Michigan
Football
Michigan provided Dufek with the opportunity that he had hoped for. He played defensive backDefensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
for the Wolverines
Michigan Wolverines football
The Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history...
from 1973 to 1975 and was named a team co-captain and an All-American as a member of the 1975 Wolverines team. He was chosen as a first-team All-American
1975 College Football All-America Team
The 1975 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,...
by the Football Writers Association of America
Football Writers Association of America
The Football Writers Association of America is one of the organizations whose College Football All-America Team is recognized by the NCAA...
, and the Walter Camp Football Foundation
Walter Camp Football Foundation
The Walter Camp Football Foundation is one of the organizations whose College Football All-America Team is recognized by the NCAA. The organization also presents various awards.-Awards:*Walter Camp Player of the Year*CT Player of the Year...
, and as a second-team All-American by UPI. Twice named an All-Big Ten
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
safety, Dufek had 249 tackles
Tackle (football move)
Most forms of football have a move known as a tackle. The primary purposes of tackling is to disposses an opponent of the ball, to stop the player from gaining ground towards goal or to stop them from carrying out what they intend....
, nine fumble
Fumble
A fumble in American and Canadian football occurs when a player, who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed or scoring. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking or successful handing that results in loss of player possession...
recoveries and four interceptions for the Wolverines. Although the 1973 and 1974 Michigan teams were Big Ten co-champions, the Ohio State Buckeyes
Ohio State Buckeyes football
The Ohio State Buckeyes football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of The Ohio State University. The team is a member of the Big Ten Conference of the NCAA, playing at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly Division I-A, level. The team nickname is derived from the state...
advanced to the Rose Bowl
Rose Bowl Game
The Rose Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game, usually played on January 1 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. When New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, the game is played on Monday, January 2...
both years, and Dufek's only bowl game
Bowl game
In North America, a bowl game is commonly considered to refer to one of a number of post-season college football games. Prior to 2002, bowl game statistics were not included in players' career totals and the games were mostly considered to be exhibition games involving a payout to participating...
appearance was in a 14–6 loss to the Oklahoma
1975 Oklahoma Sooners football team
The 1975 Oklahoma Sooners football team represented the University of Oklahoma in the college football season of 1975-1976. The team was helmed by Barry Switzer in his third season as head coach. After sailing through their first eight games, Oklahoma suffered a surprising home loss to Kansas,...
in the 1976 Orange Bowl
1976 Orange Bowl
The 1976 Orange Bowl was a college football bowl game played on January 1, 1976. The Oklahoma Sooners, champions of the Big Eight Conference, defeated the Michigan Wolverines, second-place finishers in the Big Ten Conference, 14–6....
.
Hockey
In addition to receiving three varsity letterVarsity letter
A varsity letter is an award earned in the United States for excellence in school activities. A varsity letter signifies that its winner was a qualified varsity team member, awarded after a certain standard was met.- Description :...
s in football, Dufek also received four letters as a left wing for the Michigan Wolverines hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
team. Dufek played with the hockey team only after the football season ended, and he managed to score about 10 goals
Goal (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to...
a year in the shortened seasons he played. Dufek made a sufficiently solid showing in his freshman
Freshman
A freshman or fresher is a first-year student in secondary school, high school, or college. The term first year can also be used as a noun, to describe the students themselves A freshman (US) or fresher (UK, India) (or sometimes fish, freshie, fresher; slang plural frosh or freshmeat) is a...
and sophomore
Sophomore
Sophomore is a term used in the United States to describe a student in the second year of study at high school or university.The word is also used as a synonym for "second", for the second album or EP released by a musician or group, the second movie of a director, or the second season of a...
years at Michigan that the Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
selected him in the sixth round of the 1974 NHL Amateur Draft
1974 NHL Amateur Draft
The 1974 NHL Amateur Draft was held via conference call at the NHL office in Montreal, Quebec. In an effort to prevent the WHA from poaching players, the draft was conducted early and in secret. This failed to prevent tampering as information leaked out via agents and other sources over the three...
. He was also drafted by the Minnesota Fighting Saints
Minnesota Fighting Saints
The Minnesota Fighting Saints was the name of two professional ice hockey teams based in Saint Paul, Minnesota that played in the World Hockey Association. The first team was one of the WHA's original twelve franchises, playing from 1972–76. The second team was relocated from Cleveland, Ohio, and...
of the World Hockey Association
World Hockey Association
The World Hockey Association was a professional ice hockey league that operated in North America from 1972 to 1979. It was the first major competition for the National Hockey League since the collapse of the Western Hockey League in 1926...
with the 162nd overall selection in the eleventh round of the 1974 WHA Amateur Draft
1974 WHA Amateur Draft
The 1974 WHA Amateur Draft was the second draft held by the World Hockey Association.-Selections by round:Listed below are the selections made in the 1974 WHA Amateur Draft.-Round 1:1. Pat Price - Vancouver Blazers2. Mike Will - Indianapolis Racers...
.
In a 1975 interview, Dufek noted his love of both sports: "There are times when I've thought of dropping one or the other, but heck, I've been doing this since high school and it would be pretty tough to quit them both now." Dufek added: "Hockey is a more relaxed thing. It's a smaller atmosphere and you have to deal with only one or two coaches. You can be more individual and flashy. Football has certain assignments and you can't really express yourself." In the end, however, Dufek chose the NFL over the NHL. He explained: "I've decided to pursue professional football because I would probably have an extensive tour in the hockey minor leagues and I don't want that."
Seattle Seahawks
Dufek was drafted by the Seahawks with the second selection of fifth round and 126th overall selection of the 1976 NFL Draft1976 NFL Draft
The 1976 National Football League Draft was an annual player selection meeting held on April 8–April 9, 1976. It lasted 17 rounds, with the expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Seattle Seahawks making the first two selections. The expansion teams were also given a pair of extra picks at the end of...
. Dufek was one of the original Seahawks in 1976
1976 NFL season
The 1976 NFL season was the 57th regular season of the National Football League. The league expanded to 28 teams with the addition of the Seattle Seahawks and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers...
, the franchise's first year in the NFL, and he played for them until 1984
1984 NFL season
The 1984 NFL season was the 65th regular season of the National Football League. The Colts relocated from Baltimore, Maryland to Indianapolis, Indiana....
. He was the captain of the Seahawks' special teams units in 1981
1981 NFL season
The 1981 NFL season was the 62nd regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XVI when the San Francisco 49ers defeated the Cincinnati Bengals.-Major rule changes:...
and 1982
1982 NFL season
The 1982 NFL season was the 63rd regular season of the National Football League. A 57-day long players' strike reduced the 1982 season from a 16-game schedule per team to an abbreviated nine game schedule...
. During both of these seasons he was co-captain along with eventual Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
r and four-term representative in United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
, Steve Largent
Steve Largent
Steven Michael "Steve" Largent is a retired American football player, enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and a former U.S. Congressman, having served in the U.S. House of Representatives for Oklahoma from 1994 until 2002...
, the captain of the offensive unit and Keith Simpson
Keith Simpson (American football)
Keith Edward Simpson is a former NFL defensive back. He played his whole eight-season career for the Seattle Seahawks.-References:...
, captain of the defensive unit. Over the course of his career he had three interceptions, two quarterback sack
Quarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
s, a fumble recovery and thirteen kickoff returns. Sportswriter Richard Kucner once wrote: "Don Dufek was the kind of guy who just won't take 'No' for an answer. He was released in training camp four times during his eight-year Seahawks career. But each time, Seattle had a change of heart, bringing him back. Today, he is remembered as one of the best special teams performers the team has had."
After numerous seasons under Jack Patera
Jack Patera
John Arlen "Jack" Patera is a former American football player and coach in the National Football League. He played for the Baltimore Colts, Chicago Cardinals and Dallas Cowboys. He was an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Rams, New York Giants and the Minnesota Vikings. Patera was the first head...
from 1976-1982
1982 NFL season
The 1982 NFL season was the 63rd regular season of the National Football League. A 57-day long players' strike reduced the 1982 season from a 16-game schedule per team to an abbreviated nine game schedule...
and interim coach Mike McCormack in 1982, the Seahawks finally reached the playoffs in Dufek's final two seasons under Chuck Knox
Chuck Knox
Charles Robert "Chuck" Knox is a former American football coach at the high school, collegiate and professional levels. He is best remembered as head coach of three National Football League teams, the Seattle Seahawks, the Buffalo Bills, and the Los Angeles Rams, serving two separate stints with...
. During the 1983 NFL season
1983 NFL season
The 1983 NFL season was the 64th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XVIII when the Los Angeles Raiders defeated the Washington Redskins.-Major rule changes:...
, the Seahawks went 9-7 and reached the AFC Championship Game where they lost to the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Then, during the 1984 NFL season
1984 NFL season
The 1984 NFL season was the 65th regular season of the National Football League. The Colts relocated from Baltimore, Maryland to Indianapolis, Indiana....
, the Seahawks went 12-4 and failed to reach the Conference Championships during the 1984-85 Playoffs
NFL playoffs, 1984-85
The NFL playoffs following the 1984 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XIX.The two wild card games were held on different days because both venues were in the Pacific Standard Time Zone. The NFL did not schedule prime time playoff games on the east coast until 2002. Normally, playoff games started at...
.
Dufek was interviewed by the Ann Arbor News
Ann Arbor News
The Ann Arbor News was a newspaper serving Washtenaw and Livingston counties in Michigan. Published in Ann Arbor, under various names from 1835 to 2009, The News was part of Booth Newspapers, owned by Advance Publications Inc. The News was published in the afternoons Monday through Friday and in...
in 2006 about life in Seattle. He said: "It's a bigger version of Ann Arbor. It's overcast, and it's green and clean." And there's the coffee. "It's really comical," says Dufek of all the coffee stops in Seattle. "Even the gas stations have coffee bars."
Family
Dufek now lives in Ann Arbor with his wife Candy Dufek. Dufek ran his own construction company, Dufek Wolverine Construction. In December 2006, the Detroit Free PressDetroit Free Press
The Detroit Free Press is the largest daily newspaper in Detroit, Michigan, USA. The Sunday edition is entitled the Sunday Free Press. It is sometimes informally referred to as the "Freep"...
did a feature about the Dufek family and their big U-M tailgate parties
Tailgate party
In the United States, a tailgate party is a social event held on and around the open tailgate of a vehicle. Tailgating often involves consuming alcoholic beverages and grilling food. Tailgate parties usually occur in the parking lots at stadiums and arenas, before and occasionally after games and...
. The article noted: "It's hard to get more maize and blue than the Dufek family. Candy Dufek met Donnie Dufek in the first grade in Ann Arbor, and cheered as he played under Bo Schembechler
Bo Schembechler
Glenn Edward "Bo" Schembechler, Jr. was an American football player, coach, and athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Miami University from 1963 to 1968 and at the University of Michigan from 1969 to 1989, compiling a career record of 234–65–8...
in the 1970s. Younger brother, Bill also played for U-M from 1974-78, also attaining All-American status. Their younger brother Joe
Joe Dufek
Joseph Edward Dufek is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League. He was signed by the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent in 1983...
, however, played for Yale
Yale Bulldogs football
The Yale Bulldogs football program represents Yale University in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision . Yale's football program is one of the oldest in the world, having begun competing in the sport in 1872...
(as well as pro ball as a quarterback for the Buffalo Bills and San Diego Chargers). They are the sons of legendary U-M Hall of Famer, Don Dufek, Sr., who scored two touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
s in U-M's 1951 Rose Bowl
1951 Rose Bowl
The 1951 Rose Bowl was a college football bowl game played on January 1, 1951. It was the 37th Rose Bowl Game. The Michigan Wolverines, champions of the Big Ten Conference, defeated the California Golden Bears, champions of the Pacific Coast Conference, 14–6. Michigan fullback Don Dufek was...
win." Dufek has two children, Jacqueline and Frank.