Jack Youngblood
Encyclopedia
Herbert Jackson "Jack" Youngblood, III (born January 26, 1950) is a former American college and professional football
player who was a defensive end
for the Los Angeles Rams
of the National Football League
(NFL) for fourteen seasons during the 1970s and 1980s. He was a five-time consensus All-Pro
and a seven-time Pro Bowl selection and was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame
. Before playing professionally, Youngblood played college football
for the University of Florida
, and was recognized as an All-America
selection. He is considered among the best players Florida ever produced—one of only five Florida Gators to be named to the Gator Football Ring of Honor
and inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
.
After retiring as a player in 1985, Youngblood worked in the Rams' front office until 1991. He also worked in the front office of the Sacramento Surge
of the Canadian Football League
(CFL) from 1992 to 1993, and the administration of the CFL's Sacramento Gold Miners
from 1993 to 1994. He was a vice-president, then president, of the Orlando Predators
from 1995 until 1999. From 1999 through 2002, he served as the NFL's liaison for the Arena Football League.
Youngblood has made forays into broadcasting (both radio and television), acting, and business, and has written an autobiography. He was a popular spokesperson for various products, and he has been consistently involved in charity work, starting in college, continuing throughout his NFL career, and remaining so today. Currently, Youngblood serves on the NFLPA Mackey
-White
Traumatic Brain Injury Committee.
, the son of Herbert J. and Kay Youngblood. He has two sisters, Paula and Lynn. Youngblood attended Monticello-Jefferson County High School in Monticello, Florida
, graduating in 1967. As an offensive lineman and linebacker, he was a starter on offense and defense and team captain of the state champion Tigers, earning All-State honors in 1966 after recording 70 tackles. He was also All-Big Bend, All-Conference and the Big Bend Linemen of the Year and the Outstanding Lineman for the Tigers that season while leading a defense that shutout seven opponents and allowed ten touchdowns in 12 games, including the state playoffs. He was a four-year letterman in football and also played basketball at M-JC High as well as participating in 4-H, Student Council and Key Club
International.
Youngblood was named to Florida's All-Time High school football team by Sports Illustrated
in 1989. In November 2007, he was recognized as one of the state of Florida's thirty-three all-time greatest high school football players when he was voted to the Florida High School Athletic Association
's All-Century High School football team.
, Youngblood earned a bachelor's degree
in finance
, was a brother of the Alpha Tau Omega
Fraternity
(Alpha Omega Chapter), and was a three-year varsity letterman for coach Ray Graves
and coach Doug Dickey
's Florida Gators football
teams from 1968 to 1970. Youngblood had entered school at 195 pounds and put on 10 pounds a year through weight-lifting, finishing around 245 pounds. Youngblood and his teammates were part of the testing of what became Gatorade
, a beverage created by Doctors Robert Cade
and Dana Shires, designed to help Gator athletes who had to practice and play in Central Florida heat. Said Youngblood, "Dr. Cade began experimenting with Gatorade my freshman year. He tried to kill us all! That first stuff was lethal! It was thick, like syrup, and had an aftertaste. Then, it started to look like milk.″
As a freshman Youngblood played defensive end, wearing number 52, for the Gator freshman team. It was his first experience on the defensive line, after playing linebacker in high school. As a sophomore, Youngblood played defensive end and defensive tackle while also handling the kicking chores for the Gators, kicking a career-long 42-yard field goal to provide the three-point winning margin in his first collegiate game which was against Air Force
.
In 1969, Youngblood was part of a 9–1–1 Gators team that upset the Tennessee Volunteers in the Gator Bowl
in Ray Graves
's final game as coach at Florida. Youngblood played a key role in the Gator Bowl recording nine tackles and forcing a fumble. Youngblood first gained national attention after an October 4, 1969, 5-sack performance 21-6 win versus instate rival Florida State University. He set a school record for sacks (14) in 1969 and led the teams' defensive linemen with 66 tackles.
In 1970, Youngblood was voted All-American
, while recording 58 tackles and leading the team with 10 sacks to finish his Gator career with 29 quarterback sacks. Additionally, he was a finalist for the Outland Trophy
following the 1970 season and was voted the 1970 SEC
lineman of the year. Youngblood was also named to the SEC All-Conference team in 1970, which ended three winning seasons while at Florida. He was also the 1970 recipient of Florida's Fergie Ferguson Award, which goes to the senior who displays outstanding leadership, character, and courage. His performance in the Florida–Georgia rivalry earned him a spot in the Florida–Georgia Game Hall of Fame as well. In the 1970 edition of the game, Florida trailed Georgia by seven points and the Georgia offense had driven to Florida's 1-yard line, Youngblood stopped a Georgia running back short of the goal line and forced him to fumble and then recovered the loose ball beginning a rally that gained a come-from-behind 24–17 victory.
Some regard Youngblood, who was considered to be an excellent pass rusher, as the best defensive lineman in Gators history as well as one of the top five players in the University of Florida's football program. When Time
magazine chose him for their 1970 All-America Team, it said of Youngblood: "Deceptively fast for his size, he reads screens and swing passes so adroitly that he intimidates quarterbacks by his mere presence." His coach Doug Dickey told The Sporting News
, “He is difficult to move when you run at him, has the speed an agility to pursue down the line of scrimmage, and the strength and quickness to rush the passer”. One experienced Florida writer still agrees stating, “Youngblood has to be viewed as one of the top five Gators ever. A phenomenal pass rusher″.
Youngblood graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor's degree
in business administration in 1972.
. He was the 20th overall pick in that draft and signed a 3-year $105,000 contract including a $30,000 signing bonus. That season he backed up Deacon Jones
at left defensive end and started four games when Jones was sidelined with a severely sprained arch. He was named All-Rookie by Football Digest and after the season Jones was traded to the San Diego Chargers. In 1972 the left defensive end position was Youngblood's as he led the Rams defensive linemen in tackles with 70, and started 11 of the 14 games he played, recording six sacks.
In 1973 Youngblood was a Second-team All-pro selection and went to the first of his seven Pro Bowls and led the Rams with 16½ sacks. The Ram defense led the NFL in fewest yards allowed and fewest rushing yards. He was voted the Rams defensive lineman of the year by the Rams Alumni Association. Beginning in the 1973 season, the Rams added the unrelated Jim Youngblood
to its roster, so from that time on, both Youngbloods had the unique distinction of having their entire name on the back of their jerseys, the given name appearing above the family name. The following year, 1974, the Rams again led the NFL in rushing defense and Youngblood led the Rams with 15 sacks while being voted a consensus First-team All-Pro. The Rams advanced to the NFC Championship game, losing 14-10 to the Minnesota Vikings.
Youngblood was honored as the NFC Defensive Player of the Year
by United Press International
in 1975 and Pro Football Weekly
named Youngblood the NFL defensive lineman of the year. For the third consecutive season Youngblood led the Rams in sacks (15) and was a consensus All-pro again, repeating his 1974 honor. In a December, 1975, 35-23 playoff win over the St. Louis Cardinals
, Youngblood pass-rushed Cardinals offensive lineman Dan Dierdorf
, penetrated into the backfield, then tipped and intercepted a pass by Jim Hart, returning the interception 47 yards for a touchdown. Later in the game, Youngblood forced a fumble that was recovered by teammate Fred Dryer
, blocked an extra point attempt, and sacked Hart to stop a Cardinals drive.
Youngblood repeated his NFC Defensive Player of the Year Award in 1976 while co-leading the Rams in sacks with 14½ and being a consensus First-team All-pro for the third straight season. The following year, 1977, Youngblood was voted to his fifth consecutive Pro Bowl and a consensus All-NFC selection and Second-team All-pro while leading the Rams in sacks for the fifth straight season. In 1978 the Rams led the NFL in total defense and Youngblood was a consensus First-team All-Pro for the fourth time in five years.
One of the athletic feats for which Youngblood is best known, is that of playing the entire 1979 playoffs
, including Super Bowl XIV
, with a fractured left fibula. He also played in the 1980 Pro Bowl
with the injured leg, a week after the Super Bowl. In the playoffs, Youngblood sacked Dallas Cowboys
quarterback
Roger Staubach
near the sideline in the waning moments of the divisional playoff game versus the Cowboys. Playing with the fractured leg was noted by Sports Illustrated in their Top 10 list of athletes playing in pain. For that and other achievements Jack was dubbed the “John Wayne of football” by Jim Hanifan and echoed by Hall of Fame coach John Madden
. The NFL Network
series NFL Top 10
selected Youngblood's performance in the 1979 playoffs as top on its list of the “Gutsiest Performances″ of all-time.
For the 1979 season Youngblood had a career-high 18 sacks and was a consensus First-team All-pro for the fifth time. He was voted to his seventh consecutive Pro Bowl. In 1980 he was Second-team All-pro and First-team All-NFC while leading the Rams with 11½ sacks. In 1981 Jack led the Rams with 12½ sacks and was the Rams outstanding defensive lineman. In the off-season, prior to the 1981 season, Jack had emergency surgery to remove a hot-dog sized blood clot from under his left arm. It was a result of repeated trauma to a nerve in his arm that blocked the flow of blood. Despite the broken leg and numerous other injuries, Youngblood played in 201 consecutive games, a Rams team record; and only missed 1 game in his 14-year NFL career. He played in seven straight Pro Bowls, 5 NFC Championships, and one Super Bowl. He was also the Rams defensive captain from 1977 through 1984 and was voted the Dan Reeves
award 3 times, which is awarded to the team's MVP. He had 151½ career sacks and led the Rams in sacks nine times despite playing first in assistant Coach Ray Malavasi's stop-the-run-first defensive scheme and then in his final two seasons in Defensive Coordinator Fritz Shurmer's 3-4 two-gap scheme which limited some pass rush opportunities to make sure the opponent's running game was handled.
Youngblood faced a challenge in 1983 when the Rams adopted Shurmer's 3-4 defense. Critics thought Youngblood might be too small to play that position, yet he performed in it well (recording 10½ sacks in 1983 and 9½ sacks in 1984 while Rams were among the NFL's best defenses at stopping the run) despite being considered undersized. Among the standout games in Youngblood's final two seasons were the opening game of the 1983 season, against the New York Giants in which Youngblood recorded two sacks; and the 1983 season finale against the New Orleans Saints. In the Saints game Youngblood recorded 10 tackles, two sacks, recorded a safety and was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year by Pro Football Weekly
for the effort. In Week 5 of 1984 against the New York Giants, Youngblood recorded two sacks, drew three holding calls and was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week by the NFL. Then, in Week 10, against the St. Louis Cardinals, Jack dominated the game sacking Neil Lomax three times and drawing three holding calls, and blocking a potential game-tying field goal on the game's final play to preserve a 16-13 Rams win.
His streak of consecutive games played ended in Week 15 of the 1984
season, when Youngblood had to sit out his first football game since being a collegiate player in 1970. He had suffered a ruptured disc in his lower back two weeks earlier. Despite the injury, he returned for the season finale against the 49ers and the playoffs. He attributed his ability to play to a series of back adjustments that allowed him more freedom of movement, even though team doctors told Youngblood he was out for the season and needed surgery. He was voted the Rams' recipient of the 1984 Ed Block Courage Award
by “representing everything that is positive about professional football and serving as an inspiration in their locker rooms being a positive role model in his communities”.
When Youngblood retired on August 27, 1985, he asked his career to be remembered for “dignity, integrity, respect and pride″.
Seasonal Sack Totals: 1971 (3), 1972 (6), 1973 (16½), 1974 (15), 1975 (15), 1976 (14½), 1977 (8½), 1978 (7), 1979 (18), 1980 (11⅓), 1981 (12½), 1982 (4), 1983 (10½), 1984 (9½), Career Total (151½)
, and Deborah Van Valkenburgh
. For "Python Wolf" he was nominated for an Emmy for 'Best Supporting Actor'.
Both films were directed by William Friedkin
who is most noted for directing The Exorcist
, The French Connection
, and The Boys in the Band
.
Youngblood was a reporter and co-host for ESPN's NFL GameDay
show in 1985 and 1986, alongside Chris Berman and was succeeded by current co-host, Tom Jackson
in 1987. In 1988 he auditioned for the NFL on CBS
's NFL Today along with Dick Butkus
, Lyle Alzado
, and Gary Fencik
, with Butkus being hired to fill the co-host slot. Youngblood was also a regular guest on ESPN programs Star-Shot (1988), Sportslook (1984, 1986, 1988) and Great Outdoors (1989) programs.
Youngblood was a radio analyst for the Los Angeles Rams from 1987–1991, the Sacramento Surge
in 1992, and a television analyst for the Sacramento Gold Miners
in 1993.
In 2000, Youngblood was hired as the co-host for Wal-Mart's Great Outdoors (with Bert Jones
) and served in that capacity through 2003. Wal-Mart's Great Outdoors was telecast 52 weeks a year and was a mainstay on ESPN's popular Saturday morning outdoors programming block, drawing impressive ratings throughout its 10-year history.
as “an unusual sports book″.
as the Director of Marketing for the Sacramento Surge
in 1991 (although he remained as Rams color announcer for the 1991 season), during which time the Surge won the 1992 World Bowl
. He moved to the Sacramento Gold Miners
of the Canadian Football League
in 1993. He also served as a color analyst for the both the Surge and the Gold Miners radio networks and hosted a sports radio talk show at KHTK
-AM 1140 in Sacramento
, California
, when that station became a sports format station in 1994.
In 1995, he returned to his native Florida as Vice President and General Manager, then later as President, of the Orlando Predators
of the Arena Football League. One of his major projects with the Predators was taking the team a publicly traded company on the NASDAQ
stock exchange. In 1998, Youngblood's final year with the team, the club won its first Arena League championship
, defeating the favored Tampa Bay Storm
. In 1999 he began to work for the AFL office as a liaison to the National Football League and served as a special consultant to the Arena Football League and arenafootball2.
During his NFL career Youngblood partnered with L.A. Rams teammate Larry Brooks
to open "The Wild Bunch" in 1980, a western clothing store that featured high-end western wear, including cowboy boots, cowboy hats, silver belt buckles, jeans, and all else country. Additionally, while still active with the Rams Youngblood worked with BankAmericard, in a public relations capacity. He also owned and operated the South Coast Club in Huntington Beach, California, during his career.
Additionally, some of the sponsorships and advertising ventures Youngblood was involved with were a Miller Lite
TV commercial in 1985 and Honda
Power machines in 1985. He also had print ads for Pro Tron Weights, regional ad, 1984, Dan Post Handcrafted Boots, national print-ad 1986, Cal-Gym, national print-ad, 1986, and was a national spokesman for Protatonin in 2001.
In the mid-1980s he also modeled Munsingwear briefs in a series of magazine and billboard ads. In the mid-1970s Jack did television commercials and print-ads for In-N-Out Burger
, a California-based fast food chain.
In 2007 Sports Illustrated named Youngblood the greatest professional athlete to wear the uniform number 85. Youngblood was also given the same honor in the 2004 book Right on the Numbers by Nino Frostino, and the Best Athletes by the Number blog. One of Youngblood's biggest fans, David G. Lewber, died on June 28, 2007. Mr. Lewber was buried in his autographed Jack Youngblood jersey a week later on July 3, 2007.
In October, 2011, D.W. Cooper released "Because It Was Sunday" a biography about Youngblood's playing career.
selection in 1970, as well as being the SEC Lineman of the Year, All-SEC, and a finalist for the Outland Trophy. After his college career, Youngblood played in the Senior Bowl
and recorded four sacks. He was named the Outstanding Lineman of the Game and in 1989 he was voted into the Senior Bowl Hall of Fame. Additionally he was voted a member of the 50th Anniversary Senior Bowl All-Time Team in 1999.
For his achievements he was selected to the All-Time SEC team in 1983. He was also voted to the All-SEC Quarter-Century Team (1950–74) as well as being voted to the 25-year All-SEC teams which spanned from the 1961 through the 1985 seasons. He was also voted best Defensive end in SEC for the years 1960-85. Additionally, he was voted to the SEC All-Decade team for the 1970s. In 1995, Youngblood was voted one of the SEC Football Legends
and was presented at the SEC championship game in Atlanta, Georgia
.
Youngblood, who is regarded by some as the best defensive end in Gators history, was named to the All-time Florida Gators teams both in 1983 and in 1999 as well as the 100-year Anniversary Gator Team in 2006. In 1975, Youngblood was voted to the Florida Sports Hall of Fame
which features great athletes who played college or professional athletics and have a Florida connection. In 2001, he was elected to the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame. Five years later, in 2006, Youngblood was among the first four Gator legends to be inducted into the Florida Football Ring of Honor
, alongside Steve Spurrier
, Danny Wuerffel
, and Emmitt Smith
.
In 1992, Youngblood was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame
. He was also selected to the FWAA 1969-1994 All-America Team with players like Lawrence Taylor
, Jerry Rice
, John Elway
, Tony Dorsett
, Ronnie Lott
, and Jack Tatum
. In 1999, he was named to the Sports Illustrated NCAA Football All-Century Team as one of only six defensive ends named to the squad.
He was named by one SEC publication as the Top All-Time SEC Defensive of All-Time. Youngblood was also named by the Birmingham News as one of the Top 10 defensive lineman in SEC history, ranking with SEC greats as Reggie White
, Doug Atkins
, and Bill Stanfill
. In addition, he is one of the three the top defensive lineman in history of the SEC, making the 75th Anniversary All-SEC Team in 2007 as determinded by votes of SEC fans.
, 1975
, 1976
, 1978
, 1979
) during his 14 years with the Rams and was an All-NFC selection seven times (1974–80). In addition, Youngblood was a second-team All-Pro in 1973
, 1977
, and 1980
and was second-team All-NFC in 1973 and 1984. He was also named to seven Pro Bowls and was a first alternate to the game in 1984, his final season. Youngblood was also on the 1984 All-Madden team and was chosen by John Madden
as the player who most exemplified the All-Madden team.
Youngblood is also a member of the Los Angeles Rams' 50th Anniversary Team (1985), and the Rams All-Century Team chosen after the 1999 season. In October 2001 he was honored in the St. Louis Rams Ring of Fame, along with Jackie Slater. Youngblood was voted the Rams' Outstanding Defensive Linemen by the Rams' Alumni nine times (1973, 1975–76, 1978–81, and 1983–84).
Youngblood, in 1987, was voted to the Orange County (California) Sports Hall of Fame along with Pat McCormick, Ann Meyers
and Cap Sheue. Four years earlier Youngblood was recognized as the 1983 Orange County Sportsman of the Year by the Orange County Youth Sports Foundation. Other notable honorees have been Jim Nantz
, Peter Ueberroth
, John McKay, Bill Walsh, and Pete Carroll
.
Youngblood played in 201 consecutive games, a Rams team record; he only missed one game in his 14-year NFL career. He was also the Rams' defensive captain from 1977 through 1984 and was voted the recipient Dan Reeves
award three times, which is awarded to the team's most valuable player. He had 151.5 career sacks and led the Rams in sacks nine times despite playing first in assistant coach Ray Malavasi's stop-the-run-first defensive scheme and then in his final two seasons in defensive coordinator Fritz Shurmer's 3-4 two-gap scheme which limited some pass rush opportunities to make sure the opponent's running game was handled. His highest single-season sack total was 18 in 1979.
He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2001 along with Ron Yary
, Lynn Swann
, Jackie Slater, Mike Munchak
, Marv Levy
, and Nick Buoniconti
and inducted in August in Canton, Ohio. Youngblood echoed his post-retirement sentiments in his Hall of Fame acceptance speech by stating, “I didn't sack the quarterback every time I rushed the passer. I didn't make every tackle for a loss. I guess — no one could. But, it wasn't because I didn't have the passion to, the desire to. I hope that showed”.
Youngblood's style of play and perceived ability to play hurt brought many notations in NFL lore. In 1996 NFL Films
named him to their list of the 100 Toughest Players of All-Time and in 2006 NFL writer Neil Reynolds featured Youngblood in his 2006 book "Pain Gang," in which Reynolds names Youngblood as one of the 50 Toughest players of All-Time. In addition, Blitz magazine, The Sporting News, Football Digest, and Sport magazine have singled Youngblood out as one of the toughest and one of the hardest hitting players of all-time. He was named by Yahoo! writer Charles Robinson as the best-ever player taken in the 20th slot of the 1st round of the NFL draft calling Youngblood “the essence of today's defensive end——a mixture of strength, toughness and speed that few ends boasted in the 1970s.” In 2000, Sports Illustrated ranked Youngblood as #4 in its list of the greatest pass rushers of all-time, behind only Deacon Jones
, Reggie White
and Lawrence Taylor
.
During his career, Jack won the respect of both teammates and opponents. Dan Dierdorf
, a Hall of Fame tackle, said that Youngblood was “by far the toughest opponent I faced in my career”, a thought echoed by Viking Hall of Fame tackle Ron Yary
who said, “There wasn't anybody who was tougher to block than Jack”. Other NFL greats such as Hall of Fame tackles Bob Brown and Rayfield Wright
, rank Jack among the top players they faced. Opposing quarterbacks also ranked Youngblood highly, with two of them, Fran Tarkenton
and Roger Staubach
, stating that Jack was the top defensive lineman they faced in their careers. Hall of Fame defensive tackle Merlin Olsen
paid Youngblood the highest compliment by stating that Jack was the “perfect defensive end″. Running backs also entered the chorus, “I remember bouncing off Jack Youngblood and it was just like a pillar of strength over there on the defense,” Rocky Bleier recalled. “Jack played hurt, he played tough, and he was a great opponent.”
To all the praise, Youngblood responded, “I don't consider myself tough, I consider myself a nut for some of the things I did”. Youngblood concluded, “I wasn’t the biggest guy, I certainly wasn’t the strongest and I wasn’t the fastest either. But I think one of my biggest assets was that I had an undeniable determination to be the best that has ever put his hand on the ground, I had a genuine desire to be great.”
while also speaking to youth groups and raising funds for needy children—one such event was a 57-mile bicycle ride he organized which intended to send disadvantaged youth to a summer camp. Youngblood was involved in the 1974 NFL-USO
tour to Vietnam
and Southeast Asia. In 1977, Youngblood was the chairman of the Los Angeles
-area "Right to Read" program and active in the Muscular Dystrophy
Foundation. The same year, he was the United Way spokesman for the Rams and was the club's Man of the Year nominee in 1975 and 1983. In 1986 He participated the Hands Across America
, an event to end hunger in the United States. Other NFL stars including Walter Payton and Tony Dorsett were also in the nation-wide hand-holding line. In his final 13 years (1979–1991) in Los Angeles, Youngblood sponsored a celebrity golf tournament for the John Tracy Clinic for Deaf Children, and was active with programs at the Children's Hospital for Orange County. He was named the Orange County "Sportsman of the Year" by the hospital in 1987.
Since 2001, Youngblood has been the St. Louis Rams' host for the Taste of the NFL charity event, a dinner held annually at the Super Bowl to raise funds for Feeding America-The Nation's Foodbank Network. In April, 2007, Youngblood was inducted into the National Football League Alumni
Association’s prestigious Order of the Leather Helmet, which is the highest award for the NFL Alumni given to those “who make a lasting impression on the game”.
Throughout his NFL career and after Youngblood has been a skilled public speaker being sought after by corporate, athletic, and Christian groups due to his activity and success in those arenas. He also attends hunting, fishing and golf outings when associated with a good cause. He also is active in the Orlando chapter of Young Life
, a nationwide organization whose goals include attempting to mentor young men and women in the Christian faith. Jack's wife, Barbara Youngblood, serves on the Executive Committee for Young Life for the Orlando Chapter.
Youngblood serves on the Honorary Advisory Board of the St. Louis Rams along with notables like Bill Cosby
, August A. Busch III, Jonathan Winters
, Dick Gephardt
, Jackie Joyner-Kersee
, and Stan Musial
, Maxine Waters
, Dr. Toby Freedman, et al. Former members of the Rams Advisory Board, created in 1981, include, Lord David Westbury, former Ram and Evangelist Rosey Grier
, Maureen Reagan
, Henry Mancini
, Bob Hope
, Danny Thomas
, Jane Upton Bell, former President Gerald Ford
among others.
Youngblood is also involved in helping former NFL players in need by supporting the Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund (GGAF). The Gridiron Greats sponsors golf tournaments, autograph signings, memorabilia auctions, clay pigeon shoots and dinners to raise funds for retired players.
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 was a defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
for the Los Angeles Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
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) for fourteen seasons during the 1970s and 1980s. He was a five-time consensus All-Pro
All-Pro
All-Pro is a term mostly used in the NFL for the best players of each position during that season. It began as polls of sportswriters in the early 1920s...
and a seven-time Pro Bowl selection and was inducted to the 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...
. Before playing professionally, Youngblood played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
for the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
, and was recognized as an All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
selection. He is considered among the best players Florida ever produced—one of only five Florida Gators to be named to the Gator Football Ring of Honor
Gator Football Ring of Honor
The Gator Football Ring of Honor is the University of Florida's alternative to retiring a player's number and pays homage to the greatest former players and coaches. Physically, it is a ring displayed on the North Endzone façade of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, displaying the names of the players and...
and inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
.
After retiring as a player in 1985, Youngblood worked in the Rams' front office until 1991. He also worked in the front office of the Sacramento Surge
Sacramento Surge
The Sacramento Surge was a professional American football team that played in the World League of American Football in 1991 and 1992. The team played its first season at Hughes Stadium in Sacramento, and the second season in Hornet Stadium on the Sacramento State University campus. It was owned...
of the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
(CFL) from 1992 to 1993, and the administration of the CFL's Sacramento Gold Miners
Sacramento Gold Miners
The Sacramento Gold Miners were a Canadian football team based in Sacramento, California. The franchise was the first American team in the Canadian Football League. The Gold Miners were originally the "descendants" of the Sacramento Surge from the defunct World League of American Football...
from 1993 to 1994. He was a vice-president, then president, of the Orlando Predators
Orlando Predators
The Orlando Predators are an Arena Football League team based in Orlando, Florida that was founded in 1991. Their playoff streak is currently 19 seasons in a row, as of the season, becoming the ArenaBowl champions in 1998 and 2000...
from 1995 until 1999. From 1999 through 2002, he served as the NFL's liaison for the Arena Football League.
Youngblood has made forays into broadcasting (both radio and television), acting, and business, and has written an autobiography. He was a popular spokesperson for various products, and he has been consistently involved in charity work, starting in college, continuing throughout his NFL career, and remaining so today. Currently, Youngblood serves on the NFLPA Mackey
John Mackey (American football)
John Mackey was an American Football tight end who grew up in Roosevelt, Long Island and played for the Baltimore Colts and the San Diego Chargers . He played college football at Syracuse University...
-White
Reggie White
Reginald Howard "Reggie" White was a professional American football player. He played 15 seasons as a defensive end in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers and Carolina Panthers, becoming one of the most decorated players in NFL history...
Traumatic Brain Injury Committee.
Early years
Jack Youngblood was born in Jacksonville, FloridaJacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
, the son of Herbert J. and Kay Youngblood. He has two sisters, Paula and Lynn. Youngblood attended Monticello-Jefferson County High School in Monticello, Florida
Monticello, Florida
Monticello is a city in Jefferson County, Florida, United States. The population was 2,533 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 2,572. It is the county seat of Jefferson County...
, graduating in 1967. As an offensive lineman and linebacker, he was a starter on offense and defense and team captain of the state champion Tigers, earning All-State honors in 1966 after recording 70 tackles. He was also All-Big Bend, All-Conference and the Big Bend Linemen of the Year and the Outstanding Lineman for the Tigers that season while leading a defense that shutout seven opponents and allowed ten touchdowns in 12 games, including the state playoffs. He was a four-year letterman in football and also played basketball at M-JC High as well as participating in 4-H, Student Council and Key Club
Key Club
Key Club International is the oldest and largest service program for high school students. It is a student-led organization whose goal is to teach leadership through serving others. Key Club International is a part of the Kiwanis International family of service-leadership programs...
International.
Youngblood was named to Florida's All-Time High school football team by Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
in 1989. In November 2007, he was recognized as one of the state of Florida's thirty-three all-time greatest high school football players when he was voted to the Florida High School Athletic Association
Florida High School Athletic Association
The Florida High School Athletic Association is an organization whose purpose is to organize sports competition for high school It is a member of the National Federation of State High School Associations ....
's All-Century High School football team.
College career
At the University of FloridaUniversity of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
, Youngblood earned a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in finance
Finance
"Finance" is often defined simply as the management of money or “funds” management Modern finance, however, is a family of business activity that includes the origination, marketing, and management of cash and money surrogates through a variety of capital accounts, instruments, and markets created...
, was a brother of the Alpha Tau Omega
Alpha Tau Omega
Alpha Tau Omega is a secret American leadership and social fraternity.The Fraternity has more than 250 active and inactive chapters, more than 200,000 initiates, and over 7,000 active undergraduate members. The 200,000th member was initiated in early 2009...
Fraternity
Fraternities and sororities
Fraternities and sororities are fraternal social organizations for undergraduate students. In Latin, the term refers mainly to such organizations at colleges and universities in the United States, although it is also applied to analogous European groups also known as corporations...
(Alpha Omega Chapter), and was a three-year varsity letterman for coach Ray Graves
Ray Graves
Samuel Ray Graves is a former American college and professional football player and former college football coach. He is a native of Tennessee and an alumnus of the University of Tennessee, where he played college football...
and coach Doug Dickey
Doug Dickey
Douglas Adair "Doug" Dickey is a former American college football player and coach and college athletics administrator. Dickey is a South Dakota native who was raised in Florida and graduated from the University of Florida, where he played college football...
's Florida Gators football
Florida Gators football
The Florida Gators football team represents the University of Florida in the sport of American football. The Florida Gators compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletics Association and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference...
teams from 1968 to 1970. Youngblood had entered school at 195 pounds and put on 10 pounds a year through weight-lifting, finishing around 245 pounds. Youngblood and his teammates were part of the testing of what became Gatorade
Gatorade
Gatorade is a brand of sports-themed food and beverage products, built around its signature product: a line of sports drinks. Gatorade is currently manufactured by PepsiCo, distributed in over 80 countries...
, a beverage created by Doctors Robert Cade
Robert Cade
James Robert Cade was an American physician, university professor, research scientist and inventor. Cade, a native of Texas, earned his undergraduate and medical degrees, and became a professor of medicine and nephrology at the University of Florida...
and Dana Shires, designed to help Gator athletes who had to practice and play in Central Florida heat. Said Youngblood, "Dr. Cade began experimenting with Gatorade my freshman year. He tried to kill us all! That first stuff was lethal! It was thick, like syrup, and had an aftertaste. Then, it started to look like milk.″
As a freshman Youngblood played defensive end, wearing number 52, for the Gator freshman team. It was his first experience on the defensive line, after playing linebacker in high school. As a sophomore, Youngblood played defensive end and defensive tackle while also handling the kicking chores for the Gators, kicking a career-long 42-yard field goal to provide the three-point winning margin in his first collegiate game which was against Air Force
Air Force Falcons football
The Air Force Falcons are a college football team from the United States Air Force Academy, located just outside of Colorado Springs, Colorado. The team competes in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the NCAA Division I and the Mountain West Conference.-Style:...
.
In 1969, Youngblood was part of a 9–1–1 Gators team that upset the Tennessee Volunteers in the Gator Bowl
Gator Bowl
The Gator Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Florida. Held continuously since 1946, it is the sixth oldest college bowl, as well as the first one ever televised nationally...
in Ray Graves
Ray Graves
Samuel Ray Graves is a former American college and professional football player and former college football coach. He is a native of Tennessee and an alumnus of the University of Tennessee, where he played college football...
's final game as coach at Florida. Youngblood played a key role in the Gator Bowl recording nine tackles and forcing a fumble. Youngblood first gained national attention after an October 4, 1969, 5-sack performance 21-6 win versus instate rival Florida State University. He set a school record for sacks (14) in 1969 and led the teams' defensive linemen with 66 tackles.
In 1970, Youngblood was voted All-American
1970 College Football All-America Team
The 1970 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, Central Press Association, Football Writers...
, while recording 58 tackles and leading the team with 10 sacks to finish his Gator career with 29 quarterback sacks. Additionally, he was a finalist for the Outland Trophy
Outland Trophy
The Outland Trophy is awarded to the best United States college football interior lineman by the Football Writers Association of America. It is named after John H. Outland. One of only a few players ever to be named All-America at two positions, Outland garnered consensus All-America honors in...
following the 1970 season and was voted the 1970 SEC
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
lineman of the year. Youngblood was also named to the SEC All-Conference team in 1970, which ended three winning seasons while at Florida. He was also the 1970 recipient of Florida's Fergie Ferguson Award, which goes to the senior who displays outstanding leadership, character, and courage. His performance in the Florida–Georgia rivalry earned him a spot in the Florida–Georgia Game Hall of Fame as well. In the 1970 edition of the game, Florida trailed Georgia by seven points and the Georgia offense had driven to Florida's 1-yard line, Youngblood stopped a Georgia running back short of the goal line and forced him to fumble and then recovered the loose ball beginning a rally that gained a come-from-behind 24–17 victory.
Some regard Youngblood, who was considered to be an excellent pass rusher, as the best defensive lineman in Gators history as well as one of the top five players in the University of Florida's football program. When Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
magazine chose him for their 1970 All-America Team, it said of Youngblood: "Deceptively fast for his size, he reads screens and swing passes so adroitly that he intimidates quarterbacks by his mere presence." His coach Doug Dickey told The Sporting News
The Sporting News
Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
, “He is difficult to move when you run at him, has the speed an agility to pursue down the line of scrimmage, and the strength and quickness to rush the passer”. One experienced Florida writer still agrees stating, “Youngblood has to be viewed as one of the top five Gators ever. A phenomenal pass rusher″.
Youngblood graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in business administration in 1972.
NFL career
Youngblood was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the first round of the 1971 NFL Draft1971 NFL Draft
The 1971 National Football League Draft was held on January 28–29, 1971.-Player selections:-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:-Round eight:-Round nine:-Round ten:...
. He was the 20th overall pick in that draft and signed a 3-year $105,000 contract including a $30,000 signing bonus. That season he backed up Deacon Jones
Deacon Jones
David D. "Deacon" Jones is a former American football defensive end in the National Football League for the Los Angeles Rams, San Diego Chargers, and the Washington Redskins. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1980.Jones specialized in quarterback sacks, a term attributed to him...
at left defensive end and started four games when Jones was sidelined with a severely sprained arch. He was named All-Rookie by Football Digest and after the season Jones was traded to the San Diego Chargers. In 1972 the left defensive end position was Youngblood's as he led the Rams defensive linemen in tackles with 70, and started 11 of the 14 games he played, recording six sacks.
In 1973 Youngblood was a Second-team All-pro selection and went to the first of his seven Pro Bowls and led the Rams with 16½ sacks. The Ram defense led the NFL in fewest yards allowed and fewest rushing yards. He was voted the Rams defensive lineman of the year by the Rams Alumni Association. Beginning in the 1973 season, the Rams added the unrelated Jim Youngblood
Jim Youngblood
Jimmy Lee Youngblood is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League for the Los Angeles Rams and Washington Redskins...
to its roster, so from that time on, both Youngbloods had the unique distinction of having their entire name on the back of their jerseys, the given name appearing above the family name. The following year, 1974, the Rams again led the NFL in rushing defense and Youngblood led the Rams with 15 sacks while being voted a consensus First-team All-Pro. The Rams advanced to the NFC Championship game, losing 14-10 to the Minnesota Vikings.
Youngblood was honored as the NFC Defensive Player of the Year
UPI NFC Player of the Year
From 1970 to 1996, the United Press International awarded the NFC Player of the Year to players from the NFL's National Football Conference .-NFC Offensive Player of the Year:-See also:*UPI AFL-AFC Player of the Year...
by 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...
in 1975 and Pro Football Weekly
Pro Football Weekly
Pro Football Weekly is an American sports magazine, founded in 1967, that covers the National Football League...
named Youngblood the NFL defensive lineman of the year. For the third consecutive season Youngblood led the Rams in sacks (15) and was a consensus All-pro again, repeating his 1974 honor. In a December, 1975, 35-23 playoff win over the St. Louis Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Youngblood pass-rushed Cardinals offensive lineman Dan Dierdorf
Dan Dierdorf
Daniel Lee "Dan" Dierdorf is a former American football player and current television sportscaster. He played 13 NFL seasons and has worked for ABC's Monday Night Football and CBS as a color commentator since retiring from football....
, penetrated into the backfield, then tipped and intercepted a pass by Jim Hart, returning the interception 47 yards for a touchdown. Later in the game, Youngblood forced a fumble that was recovered by teammate Fred Dryer
Fred Dryer
John Frederick "Fred" Dryer is an American actor and former football defensive end in the National Football League . Dryer played 13 years in the NFL, playing 176 games, starting 166, and recording 104 career sacks with the New York Giants and Los Angeles Rams...
, blocked an extra point attempt, and sacked Hart to stop a Cardinals drive.
Youngblood repeated his NFC Defensive Player of the Year Award in 1976 while co-leading the Rams in sacks with 14½ and being a consensus First-team All-pro for the third straight season. The following year, 1977, Youngblood was voted to his fifth consecutive Pro Bowl and a consensus All-NFC selection and Second-team All-pro while leading the Rams in sacks for the fifth straight season. In 1978 the Rams led the NFL in total defense and Youngblood was a consensus First-team All-Pro for the fourth time in five years.
One of the athletic feats for which Youngblood is best known, is that of playing the entire 1979 playoffs
NFL playoffs, 1979-80
The NFL playoffs following the 1979 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XIV.Note: As per the rules of the NFL playoffs prior to the 1990 season , the Dallas Cowboys did not play the Philadelphia Eagles in the Divisional playoff round because both teams were in the same division.-AFC: Houston Oilers 13,...
, including 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...
, with a fractured left fibula. He also played in the 1980 Pro Bowl
1980 Pro Bowl
The 1980 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on January 27, 1980 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The final Score was NFC 37, AFC 27. Chuck Muncie of the New Orleans Saints was the game's MVP. It was the first game of 30 consecutive Pro Bowls played in Honolulu. It also marked a return to the game...
with the injured leg, a week after the Super Bowl. In the playoffs, Youngblood sacked 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...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Roger Staubach
Roger Staubach
Roger Thomas Staubach is a businessman, Heisman Trophy winner and legendary Hall of Fame former quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys from 1969 until 1979. Staubach was instrumental in developing the Cowboys into becoming one of the best teams of the 1970s and led the team to nine of the Cowboys'...
near the sideline in the waning moments of the divisional playoff game versus the Cowboys. Playing with the fractured leg was noted by Sports Illustrated in their Top 10 list of athletes playing in pain. For that and other achievements Jack was dubbed the “John Wayne of football” by Jim Hanifan and echoed by Hall of Fame coach John Madden
John Madden (American football)
John Earl Madden is a former American professional football player in the National Football League, a former Super Bowl-winning head coach with the Oakland Raiders in the American Football League and later the NFL, and a former color commentator for NFL telecasts. In 2006, he was inducted into...
. The NFL Network
NFL Network
NFL Network is an American television specialty channel owned and operated by the National Football League . It was launched November 4, 2003, only eight months after the league's 32 team owners voted unanimously to approve its formation...
series NFL Top 10
NFL Top 10
NFL Top 10 is a documentary program produced by NFL Films for airing on the NFL Network. The host and narrator is Derrin Horton.The program counts down 10 items directly related to the players, coaches, and events of the National Football League, with former players, NFL Network personalities, and...
selected Youngblood's performance in the 1979 playoffs as top on its list of the “Gutsiest Performances″ of all-time.
For the 1979 season Youngblood had a career-high 18 sacks and was a consensus First-team All-pro for the fifth time. He was voted to his seventh consecutive Pro Bowl. In 1980 he was Second-team All-pro and First-team All-NFC while leading the Rams with 11½ sacks. In 1981 Jack led the Rams with 12½ sacks and was the Rams outstanding defensive lineman. In the off-season, prior to the 1981 season, Jack had emergency surgery to remove a hot-dog sized blood clot from under his left arm. It was a result of repeated trauma to a nerve in his arm that blocked the flow of blood. Despite the broken leg and numerous other injuries, Youngblood played in 201 consecutive games, a Rams team record; and only missed 1 game in his 14-year NFL career. He played in seven straight Pro Bowls, 5 NFC Championships, and one Super Bowl. He was also the Rams defensive captain from 1977 through 1984 and was voted the Dan Reeves
Dan Reeves
Daniel Edward Reeves is a former American football player and head coach. He has participated in more Super Bowls as player/assistant coach/Head Coach than anyone else...
award 3 times, which is awarded to the team's MVP. He had 151½ career sacks and led the Rams in sacks nine times despite playing first in assistant Coach Ray Malavasi's stop-the-run-first defensive scheme and then in his final two seasons in Defensive Coordinator Fritz Shurmer's 3-4 two-gap scheme which limited some pass rush opportunities to make sure the opponent's running game was handled.
Youngblood faced a challenge in 1983 when the Rams adopted Shurmer's 3-4 defense. Critics thought Youngblood might be too small to play that position, yet he performed in it well (recording 10½ sacks in 1983 and 9½ sacks in 1984 while Rams were among the NFL's best defenses at stopping the run) despite being considered undersized. Among the standout games in Youngblood's final two seasons were the opening game of the 1983 season, against the New York Giants in which Youngblood recorded two sacks; and the 1983 season finale against the New Orleans Saints. In the Saints game Youngblood recorded 10 tackles, two sacks, recorded a safety and was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year by Pro Football Weekly
Pro Football Weekly
Pro Football Weekly is an American sports magazine, founded in 1967, that covers the National Football League...
for the effort. In Week 5 of 1984 against the New York Giants, Youngblood recorded two sacks, drew three holding calls and was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week by the NFL. Then, in Week 10, against the St. Louis Cardinals, Jack dominated the game sacking Neil Lomax three times and drawing three holding calls, and blocking a potential game-tying field goal on the game's final play to preserve a 16-13 Rams win.
His streak of consecutive games played ended in Week 15 of the 1984
1984 Los Angeles Rams season
The 1984 Los Angeles Rams season was the team's 47th year with the National Football League and the 39th season in Los Angeles. During this season second-year running back Eric Dickerson set the NFL record for most rushing yards in a season, with 2,105 yards....
season, when Youngblood had to sit out his first football game since being a collegiate player in 1970. He had suffered a ruptured disc in his lower back two weeks earlier. Despite the injury, he returned for the season finale against the 49ers and the playoffs. He attributed his ability to play to a series of back adjustments that allowed him more freedom of movement, even though team doctors told Youngblood he was out for the season and needed surgery. He was voted the Rams' recipient of the 1984 Ed Block Courage Award
Ed Block Courage Award
The Ed Block Courage Award is an annual award presented to selected players in the National Football League , who are voted by their teammates as role models of inspiration, sportsmanship, and courage. Named in memory of Ed Block, a well-liked humanitarian and trainer for the Baltimore Colts, the...
by “representing everything that is positive about professional football and serving as an inspiration in their locker rooms being a positive role model in his communities”.
Seasonal Sack Totals: 1971 (3), 1972 (6), 1973 (16½), 1974 (15), 1975 (15), 1976 (14½), 1977 (8½), 1978 (7), 1979 (18), 1980 (11⅓), 1981 (12½), 1982 (4), 1983 (10½), 1984 (9½), Career Total (151½)
Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams Records
- Most Consecutive Games Played (201)
- Most Career Sacks in the Playoffs (8.5)
- Most Playoff Starts (17)
- Most Career Safeties—tied (2)
- 2nd Most Career Sacks (151.5)
- 2nd most Career Blocked Kicks (8)
Acting and broadcasting
Youngblood appeared in two television movies: C.A.T. Squad in 1986 and C.A.T. Squad: Python Wolf in 1988. In the telefilms Youngblood played a Secret Service agent in the "Counter Assault Technical Squad" named John Sommers who was the “best weapons and munitions man in the business″ and who was a fine secret service agent but hated big cities like Washington D.C. and New York and was thus banished to Alaska. In the plot-line of the movies "John Sommers" was a member of the Air Force Reserve who piloted SR-71 spyplane. In these films Youngblood starred along with Joe Cortese, Steve JamesSteve James (actor)
Steve James was an American actor, stuntman and martial artist. He starred mostly in action films such as the American Ninja series, The Delta Force , The Exterminator , and Enter the Game of Death...
, and Deborah Van Valkenburgh
Deborah Van Valkenburgh
Deborah Gaye Van Valkenburgh is an American actress. She is most widely known as Ted Knight's daughter in the role of Jackie Rush on the ABC television situation comedy Too Close for Comfort.-Movies:*Backwoods...
. For "Python Wolf" he was nominated for an Emmy for 'Best Supporting Actor'.
Both films were directed by William Friedkin
William Friedkin
William Friedkin is an American film director, producer and screenwriter best known for directing The French Connection in 1971 and The Exorcist in 1973; for the former, he won the Academy Award for Best Director...
who is most noted for directing The Exorcist
The Exorcist (film)
The Exorcist is a 1973 American horror film directed by William Friedkin, adapted from the 1971 novel of the same name by William Peter Blatty and based on the exorcism case of Robbie Mannheim, dealing with the demonic possession of a young girl and her mother’s desperate attempts to win back her...
, The French Connection
The French Connection (film)
This article is about the 1971 film. For the British fashion label, see French Connection .The French Connection is a 1971 American crime film directed by William Friedkin. The film was adapted and fictionalized by Ernest Tidyman from the non-fiction book by Robin Moore...
, and The Boys in the Band
The Boys in the Band
The Boys in the Band is a 1970 American drama film directed by William Friedkin. The screenplay by Mart Crowley is based on his Off Broadway play of the same title, Crowley penned a sequel to the play years later entitled The Men From The Boys...
.
Youngblood was a reporter and co-host for ESPN's NFL GameDay
Sunday NFL Countdown
NFL GameDay redirects here. For the video games series, see NFL GameDay Sunday NFL Countdown is a pregame show of all the NFL action for that week. The official name is Sunday NFL Countdown presented by IBM. The show airs on ESPN, ESPN HD, TSN and TSN HD from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Eastern time every...
show in 1985 and 1986, alongside Chris Berman and was succeeded by current co-host, Tom Jackson
Tom Jackson (American football)
Thomas Louie "Tom" Jackson, also referred to as "TJ" or "Tommy", is an NFL analyst for ESPN and a former Pro Bowl linebacker for the Denver Broncos.-College:...
in 1987. In 1988 he auditioned for the NFL on CBS
NFL on CBS
The NFL on CBS is the brand name of the CBS television network's coverage of the National Football League's American Football Conference games, produced by CBS Sports.-Market coverage and television policies:...
's NFL Today along with Dick Butkus
Dick Butkus
Richard Marvin "Dick" Butkus is a former American football player for the Chicago Bears. He was drafted in 1965 and he is also widely regarded as one of the best and most durable linebackers of all time. Butkus starred as a football player for the University of Illinois and the Chicago Bears. He...
, Lyle Alzado
Lyle Alzado
Lyle Martin Alzado was a professional American football defensive lineman of the National Football League famous for his intense and intimidating style of play....
, and Gary Fencik
Gary Fencik
John Gary Fencik is a former professional American-football free safety and currently an executive with Adams Street Partners. Fencik played twelve seasons with the Chicago Bears and is their all-time leader in interceptions and total tackles. He was the team's defensive captain through the 1980s...
, with Butkus being hired to fill the co-host slot. Youngblood was also a regular guest on ESPN programs Star-Shot (1988), Sportslook (1984, 1986, 1988) and Great Outdoors (1989) programs.
Youngblood was a radio analyst for the Los Angeles Rams from 1987–1991, the Sacramento Surge
Sacramento Surge
The Sacramento Surge was a professional American football team that played in the World League of American Football in 1991 and 1992. The team played its first season at Hughes Stadium in Sacramento, and the second season in Hornet Stadium on the Sacramento State University campus. It was owned...
in 1992, and a television analyst for the Sacramento Gold Miners
Sacramento Gold Miners
The Sacramento Gold Miners were a Canadian football team based in Sacramento, California. The franchise was the first American team in the Canadian Football League. The Gold Miners were originally the "descendants" of the Sacramento Surge from the defunct World League of American Football...
in 1993.
In 2000, Youngblood was hired as the co-host for Wal-Mart's Great Outdoors (with Bert Jones
Bert Jones
Bertram Hays "Bert" Jones is a former LSU and NFL quarterback who played for the then Baltimore Colts and, briefly, the Los Angeles Rams. At Ruston High School, he was given the nickname, "The Ruston Rifle"...
) and served in that capacity through 2003. Wal-Mart's Great Outdoors was telecast 52 weeks a year and was a mainstay on ESPN's popular Saturday morning outdoors programming block, drawing impressive ratings throughout its 10-year history.
Autobiography
In 1988, Youngblood authored (with Joel Engel) his autobiography, Blood. The book outlined Youngblood's drive and passion for professional football and reviewed his career, his injuries, his successes, and his failures on the football field. The book recounts when, between the 1973 and 1974 seasons, Youngblood traveled to Logan, Utah, to help Rams teammates Merlin and Phil Olsen with their summer football camp. An altercation in the parking lot of a local pub resulted in Youngblood having a .44 pistol stuck in his eye and the trigger pulled and fortunately the chamber was empty, although other chambers were not. A cut eyelid was the only injury he sustained. After initially pleading innocent, the assailant later pled guilty and received a one-year suspended sentence. The book was favorably reviewed by Publishers WeeklyPublishers Weekly
Publishers Weekly, aka PW, is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers and literary agents...
as “an unusual sports book″.
Football administration
After his retirement, Youngblood worked in player relations and marketing for the Rams from 1985–90 and served as the Rams' color analyst for the Rams Radio Network from 1986-1991. Youngblood moved to the World League of American FootballWorld League of American Football
The World League of American Football was founded in 1990 with support from the National Football League to play professional American football in North America, Europe and later possibly Asia...
as the Director of Marketing for the Sacramento Surge
Sacramento Surge
The Sacramento Surge was a professional American football team that played in the World League of American Football in 1991 and 1992. The team played its first season at Hughes Stadium in Sacramento, and the second season in Hornet Stadium on the Sacramento State University campus. It was owned...
in 1991 (although he remained as Rams color announcer for the 1991 season), during which time the Surge won the 1992 World Bowl
World Bowl
The World Bowl was the American football Championship game of NFL Europe, similar to the Super Bowl of the National Football League.The World Bowl trophy itself was a globe made of glass measuring 35.5 cm in diameter and weighing 18.6 kg .-World League of American Football:When NFL Europe was...
. He moved to the Sacramento Gold Miners
Sacramento Gold Miners
The Sacramento Gold Miners were a Canadian football team based in Sacramento, California. The franchise was the first American team in the Canadian Football League. The Gold Miners were originally the "descendants" of the Sacramento Surge from the defunct World League of American Football...
of the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
in 1993. He also served as a color analyst for the both the Surge and the Gold Miners radio networks and hosted a sports radio talk show at KHTK
KHTK
KHTK is located in the Sacramento, California, area and broadcasts at 1140 AM. This Sports/Talk station is the flagship station of the Sacramento Kings. KHTK also broadcasts UC Davis football games , Sacramento Mountain Lions of the UFL,and the Oakland Raiders of the NFL. KHTK broadcasts at 50,000...
-AM 1140 in Sacramento
Sacramento
Sacramento is the capital of the state of California, in the United States of America.Sacramento may also refer to:- United States :*Sacramento County, California*Sacramento, Kentucky*Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, when that station became a sports format station in 1994.
In 1995, he returned to his native Florida as Vice President and General Manager, then later as President, of the Orlando Predators
Orlando Predators
The Orlando Predators are an Arena Football League team based in Orlando, Florida that was founded in 1991. Their playoff streak is currently 19 seasons in a row, as of the season, becoming the ArenaBowl champions in 1998 and 2000...
of the Arena Football League. One of his major projects with the Predators was taking the team a publicly traded company on the NASDAQ
NASDAQ
The NASDAQ Stock Market, also known as the NASDAQ, is an American stock exchange. "NASDAQ" originally stood for "National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations". It is the second-largest stock exchange by market capitalization in the world, after the New York Stock Exchange. As of...
stock exchange. In 1998, Youngblood's final year with the team, the club won its first Arena League championship
ArenaBowl XII
Arena Bowl XII was the Arena Football League's twelfth Arena Bowl. In this match-up, it pitted the #4 Orlando Predators of the National Conference against the #1 Tampa Bay Storm , also of the National Conference. This would be the second and final ArenaBowl to have the "War On I-4" rivalry on...
, defeating the favored Tampa Bay Storm
Tampa Bay Storm
The Tampa Bay Storm are an Arena Football League team based in the Tampa Bay Area of Florida. They play their home games in the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa....
. In 1999 he began to work for the AFL office as a liaison to the National Football League and served as a special consultant to the Arena Football League and arenafootball2.
Business
Youngblood was a division president of Dave Liles Ethanol Fuels, which produces a fuel additive that purports to boost octane, clean fuel systems, and help the environment by reducing engine emissions and being completely biodegradable. He also owns and maintains a farm in his native North Florida, in which he currently raises pine trees and where he raised cattle until 2002.During his NFL career Youngblood partnered with L.A. Rams teammate Larry Brooks
Larry Brooks
Lawrence Lee Brooks, Sr. , is a former American Football defensive tackle for the Los Angeles Rams eleven seasons from 1972 to 1982 in the National Football League...
to open "The Wild Bunch" in 1980, a western clothing store that featured high-end western wear, including cowboy boots, cowboy hats, silver belt buckles, jeans, and all else country. Additionally, while still active with the Rams Youngblood worked with BankAmericard, in a public relations capacity. He also owned and operated the South Coast Club in Huntington Beach, California, during his career.
Additionally, some of the sponsorships and advertising ventures Youngblood was involved with were a Miller Lite
Miller Lite
Miller Lite is a 4.2% abv pale lager brand sold by MillerCoors of Chicago, Illinois, United States. Sibling beers include Miller Genuine Draft and Miller High Life.-History:...
TV commercial in 1985 and Honda
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
Power machines in 1985. He also had print ads for Pro Tron Weights, regional ad, 1984, Dan Post Handcrafted Boots, national print-ad 1986, Cal-Gym, national print-ad, 1986, and was a national spokesman for Protatonin in 2001.
In the mid-1980s he also modeled Munsingwear briefs in a series of magazine and billboard ads. In the mid-1970s Jack did television commercials and print-ads for In-N-Out Burger
In-N-Out Burger
In-N-Out Burger is a regional chain of fast food restaurants with locations in the western United States. Founded in 1948 by Harry Snyder and his wife Esther, establishing the first In-N-Out burger in Baldwin Park and headquartered in Irvine, California, In-N-Out Burger has since expanded outside...
, a California-based fast food chain.
Continuing popularity
During his career Youngblood gained a loyal following which seems to continue through today. In July, 2006, a game-used Jack Youngblood jersey sold for $6565 in an online auction. Fox News' Mike Straka listed Youngblood as having one of the NFL's “Great names″.In 2007 Sports Illustrated named Youngblood the greatest professional athlete to wear the uniform number 85. Youngblood was also given the same honor in the 2004 book Right on the Numbers by Nino Frostino, and the Best Athletes by the Number blog. One of Youngblood's biggest fans, David G. Lewber, died on June 28, 2007. Mr. Lewber was buried in his autographed Jack Youngblood jersey a week later on July 3, 2007.
In October, 2011, D.W. Cooper released "Because It Was Sunday" a biography about Youngblood's playing career.
Collegiate
Youngblood was an All-AmericaAll-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
selection in 1970, as well as being the SEC Lineman of the Year, All-SEC, and a finalist for the Outland Trophy. After his college career, Youngblood played in the Senior Bowl
Senior Bowl
The Senior Bowl is a post-season college football exhibition game played in Mobile, Alabama which showcases the best NFL Draft prospects of those collegiate players who have completed their eligibility. First played in 1950 in Jacksonville, Florida, the game moved to Mobile's Ladd Peebles Stadium...
and recorded four sacks. He was named the Outstanding Lineman of the Game and in 1989 he was voted into the Senior Bowl Hall of Fame. Additionally he was voted a member of the 50th Anniversary Senior Bowl All-Time Team in 1999.
For his achievements he was selected to the All-Time SEC team in 1983. He was also voted to the All-SEC Quarter-Century Team (1950–74) as well as being voted to the 25-year All-SEC teams which spanned from the 1961 through the 1985 seasons. He was also voted best Defensive end in SEC for the years 1960-85. Additionally, he was voted to the SEC All-Decade team for the 1970s. In 1995, Youngblood was voted one of the SEC Football Legends
SEC Football Legends
-East Division:-West Division:-References:...
and was presented at the SEC championship game in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
.
Youngblood, who is regarded by some as the best defensive end in Gators history, was named to the All-time Florida Gators teams both in 1983 and in 1999 as well as the 100-year Anniversary Gator Team in 2006. In 1975, Youngblood was voted to the Florida Sports Hall of Fame
Florida Sports Hall of Fame
The Florida Sports Hall of Fame is an association dedicated to honoring athletes with outstanding achievement in sports in Florida. It has expanded its goals to include encouraging physical fitness among Florida's citizens through the example of its honorees.The FSHOF was founded by the Florida...
which features great athletes who played college or professional athletics and have a Florida connection. In 2001, he was elected to the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame. Five years later, in 2006, Youngblood was among the first four Gator legends to be inducted into the Florida Football Ring of Honor
Gator Football Ring of Honor
The Gator Football Ring of Honor is the University of Florida's alternative to retiring a player's number and pays homage to the greatest former players and coaches. Physically, it is a ring displayed on the North Endzone façade of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, displaying the names of the players and...
, alongside Steve Spurrier
Steve Spurrier
Stephen Orr Spurrier is an American college football coach and player. Spurrier is the current head coach of the University of South Carolina's Gamecocks football team. He is also a former professional player and coach...
, Danny Wuerffel
Danny Wuerffel
Daniel Carl "Danny" Wuerffel is a former American college and professional football player who won the 1996 Heisman Trophy and the 1996 national football championship while playing college football for the University of Florida. After graduating from Florida, he played for four National Football...
, and Emmitt Smith
Emmitt Smith
Emmitt James Smith, III is a retired American football player who was a running back in the National Football League for fifteen seasons during the 1990s and 2000s. Smith played college football for the University of Florida, where he was an All-American; thereafter, he played professionally for...
.
In 1992, Youngblood was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
. He was also selected to the FWAA 1969-1994 All-America Team with players like Lawrence Taylor
Lawrence Taylor
Lawrence Julius Taylor , nicknamed "L.T.", is a Hall of Fame former American football player. Taylor played his entire professional career as a linebacker for the New York Giants in the National Football League...
, Jerry Rice
Jerry Rice
Jerry Lee Rice is a retired American football wide receiver. He is generally regarded as the greatest wide receiver of all time and one of the greatest players in National Football League history...
, John Elway
John Elway
John Albert Elway, Jr. is a former American football quarterback and currently is the executive vice president of football operations for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He played college football at Stanford and his entire professional career with the Denver Broncos...
, Tony Dorsett
Tony Dorsett
Anthony "Tony" Drew Dorsett is a former American football running back in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos.-Early years:...
, Ronnie Lott
Ronnie Lott
Ronald Mandel "Ronnie" Lott is a former American football player who starred as a cornerback, free safety, and strong safety in college football and the NFL. He is most well known for his crushing hits on opposing players...
, and Jack Tatum
Jack Tatum
John David Tatum was an American football defensive back who played ten seasons from 1971 through 1980 for the Oakland Raiders and Houston Oilers in the National Football League...
. In 1999, he was named to the Sports Illustrated NCAA Football All-Century Team as one of only six defensive ends named to the squad.
He was named by one SEC publication as the Top All-Time SEC Defensive of All-Time. Youngblood was also named by the Birmingham News as one of the Top 10 defensive lineman in SEC history, ranking with SEC greats as Reggie White
Reggie White
Reginald Howard "Reggie" White was a professional American football player. He played 15 seasons as a defensive end in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers and Carolina Panthers, becoming one of the most decorated players in NFL history...
, Doug Atkins
Doug Atkins
Douglas Leon Atkins is a former American football defensive end who played for the Cleveland Browns, Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints in the National Football League. He played college football at the University of Tennessee under legendary head coach Robert Neyland...
, and Bill Stanfill
Bill Stanfill
William Thomas Stanfill is a former defensive end for the Miami Dolphins of the American Football League and then the NFL after the AFL-NFL merger of 1970.-High school years:...
. In addition, he is one of the three the top defensive lineman in history of the SEC, making the 75th Anniversary All-SEC Team in 2007 as determinded by votes of SEC fans.
National Football League
Youngblood was elected to NFL All-Pro teams five times (19741974 Los Angeles Rams season
The 1974 Los Angeles Rams season was the team's 37th year with the National Football League and the 29th season in Los Angeles.-NFL Draft:-Schedule:-Playoffs:-Standings:-References:...
, 1975
1975 Los Angeles Rams season
The 1975 Los Angeles Rams season was the team's 38th year with the National Football League and the 30th season in Los Angeles.-NFL Draft:-Schedule:-Week 1: Dallas Cowboys:-Playoffs:-Standings:-References:*...
, 1976
1976 Los Angeles Rams season
The 1976 Los Angeles Rams season was the team's 39th year with the National Football League and the 31st season in Los Angeles.-NFL Draft:-Schedule:-Playoffs:-Standings:-References:...
, 1978
1978 Los Angeles Rams season
The 1978 Los Angeles Rams season was the team's 41st year with the National Football League and the 33rd season in Los Angeles.-NFL Draft:-Schedule:-Standings:-NFC Divisional Playoff:*Los Angeles Rams 34, Minnesota Vikings 10...
, 1979
1979 Los Angeles Rams season
The 1979 Los Angeles Rams season was the team's 42nd year with the National Football League and the 34th season in Los Angeles. It was the final season for the franchise in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, as owner Carroll Rosenbloom previously announced the Rams would move to Anaheim Stadium for...
) during his 14 years with the Rams and was an All-NFC selection seven times (1974–80). In addition, Youngblood was a second-team All-Pro in 1973
1973 Los Angeles Rams season
The 1973 Los Angeles Rams season was the team's 36th year with the National Football League and the 28th season in Los Angeles. The Rams were 7-0 at home for the first time since 1945. On the road, the Rams were 5-2.-NFL Draft:-Schedule:-Week 6: vs...
, 1977
1977 Los Angeles Rams season
The 1977 Los Angeles Rams season was the team's 40th year with the National Football League and the 32nd season in Los Angeles. Hobbled by chronic knee woes, Joe Namath was waived by the New York Jets, who were unable to trade him. Namath signed with the L.A. Rams in May 1977...
, and 1980
1980 Los Angeles Rams season
The 1980 Los Angeles Rams season was the team's 43rd year with the National Football League, the 35th season in Los Angeles, and the first season at Anaheim Stadium. The 1980 Los Angeles Rams ended thir season with a record of 11 wins and 5 losses.-NFL Draft:...
and was second-team All-NFC in 1973 and 1984. He was also named to seven Pro Bowls and was a first alternate to the game in 1984, his final season. Youngblood was also on the 1984 All-Madden team and was chosen by John Madden
John Madden (American football)
John Earl Madden is a former American professional football player in the National Football League, a former Super Bowl-winning head coach with the Oakland Raiders in the American Football League and later the NFL, and a former color commentator for NFL telecasts. In 2006, he was inducted into...
as the player who most exemplified the All-Madden team.
Youngblood is also a member of the Los Angeles Rams' 50th Anniversary Team (1985), and the Rams All-Century Team chosen after the 1999 season. In October 2001 he was honored in the St. Louis Rams Ring of Fame, along with Jackie Slater. Youngblood was voted the Rams' Outstanding Defensive Linemen by the Rams' Alumni nine times (1973, 1975–76, 1978–81, and 1983–84).
Youngblood, in 1987, was voted to the Orange County (California) Sports Hall of Fame along with Pat McCormick, Ann Meyers
Ann Meyers
Ann Meyers Drysdale is a retired American basketball player and sportscaster. She was a standout player in high school, college, the Olympic Games, international tournaments, and the professional levels.Meyers was the first player to be part of the U.S. national team while still in high school...
and Cap Sheue. Four years earlier Youngblood was recognized as the 1983 Orange County Sportsman of the Year by the Orange County Youth Sports Foundation. Other notable honorees have been Jim Nantz
Jim Nantz
James William Nantz, III is an American sportscaster, known primarily for his work with CBS Sports television.-Early life:...
, Peter Ueberroth
Peter Ueberroth
Peter Victor Ueberroth is an American executive. He served as the sixth Commissioner of Major League Baseball from 1984 to 1989. He was recently the chairman of the United States Olympic Committee; he was replaced by Larry Probst in October 2008....
, John McKay, Bill Walsh, and Pete Carroll
Pete Carroll
Peter Clay Carroll is the head coach and executive Vice-President of the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. He is a former head coach of the New York Jets, New England Patriots and the University of Southern California Trojans football team.-Early life:Carroll attended Redwood High...
.
Youngblood played in 201 consecutive games, a Rams team record; he only missed one game in his 14-year NFL career. He was also the Rams' defensive captain from 1977 through 1984 and was voted the recipient Dan Reeves
Dan Reeves
Daniel Edward Reeves is a former American football player and head coach. He has participated in more Super Bowls as player/assistant coach/Head Coach than anyone else...
award three times, which is awarded to the team's most valuable player. He had 151.5 career sacks and led the Rams in sacks nine times despite playing first in assistant coach Ray Malavasi's stop-the-run-first defensive scheme and then in his final two seasons in defensive coordinator Fritz Shurmer's 3-4 two-gap scheme which limited some pass rush opportunities to make sure the opponent's running game was handled. His highest single-season sack total was 18 in 1979.
He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2001 along with Ron Yary
Ron Yary
Anthony Ronald "Ron" Yary is a former professional American football offensive tackle, playing primarily for the Minnesota Vikings and also for the Los Angeles Rams. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2001...
, Lynn Swann
Lynn Swann
-Collegiate:Swann attended the University of Southern California, where he was an All-American on the Trojans football team. He played under legendary coach John McKay, including the 1972 undefeated and national championship season. McKay said of Swann, "He has speed, soft hands, and grace." He...
, Jackie Slater, Mike Munchak
Mike Munchak
Michael Anthony Munchak is the head coach of the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League. He played college football as a offensive lineman for Penn State University from 1978 to 1981. After his career at Penn State, He was drafted in the first round of the 1982 NFL Draft by the Houston...
, Marv Levy
Marv Levy
Marvin Daniel Levy is a former American and Canadian football coach, front office executive and author.He is a former professional football coach, in the CFL as head coach of the Montreal Alouettes , and in the NFL as head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills , coaching the Bills...
, and Nick Buoniconti
Nick Buoniconti
Nicholas Anthony Buoniconti is a former American Football League and NFL Hall of Fame middle linebacker, who played for the Boston Patriots and Miami Dolphins....
and inducted in August in Canton, Ohio. Youngblood echoed his post-retirement sentiments in his Hall of Fame acceptance speech by stating, “I didn't sack the quarterback every time I rushed the passer. I didn't make every tackle for a loss. I guess — no one could. But, it wasn't because I didn't have the passion to, the desire to. I hope that showed”.
Youngblood's style of play and perceived ability to play hurt brought many notations in NFL lore. In 1996 NFL Films
NFL Films
NFL Films is a Mount Laurel, New Jersey-based company devoted to producing commercials, television programs, feature films, and documentaries on the National Football League, as well as other unrelated major events and awards shows...
named him to their list of the 100 Toughest Players of All-Time and in 2006 NFL writer Neil Reynolds featured Youngblood in his 2006 book "Pain Gang," in which Reynolds names Youngblood as one of the 50 Toughest players of All-Time. In addition, Blitz magazine, The Sporting News, Football Digest, and Sport magazine have singled Youngblood out as one of the toughest and one of the hardest hitting players of all-time. He was named by Yahoo! writer Charles Robinson as the best-ever player taken in the 20th slot of the 1st round of the NFL draft calling Youngblood “the essence of today's defensive end——a mixture of strength, toughness and speed that few ends boasted in the 1970s.” In 2000, Sports Illustrated ranked Youngblood as #4 in its list of the greatest pass rushers of all-time, behind only Deacon Jones
Deacon Jones
David D. "Deacon" Jones is a former American football defensive end in the National Football League for the Los Angeles Rams, San Diego Chargers, and the Washington Redskins. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1980.Jones specialized in quarterback sacks, a term attributed to him...
, Reggie White
Reggie White
Reginald Howard "Reggie" White was a professional American football player. He played 15 seasons as a defensive end in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers and Carolina Panthers, becoming one of the most decorated players in NFL history...
and Lawrence Taylor
Lawrence Taylor
Lawrence Julius Taylor , nicknamed "L.T.", is a Hall of Fame former American football player. Taylor played his entire professional career as a linebacker for the New York Giants in the National Football League...
.
During his career, Jack won the respect of both teammates and opponents. Dan Dierdorf
Dan Dierdorf
Daniel Lee "Dan" Dierdorf is a former American football player and current television sportscaster. He played 13 NFL seasons and has worked for ABC's Monday Night Football and CBS as a color commentator since retiring from football....
, a Hall of Fame tackle, said that Youngblood was “by far the toughest opponent I faced in my career”, a thought echoed by Viking Hall of Fame tackle Ron Yary
Ron Yary
Anthony Ronald "Ron" Yary is a former professional American football offensive tackle, playing primarily for the Minnesota Vikings and also for the Los Angeles Rams. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2001...
who said, “There wasn't anybody who was tougher to block than Jack”. Other NFL greats such as Hall of Fame tackles Bob Brown and Rayfield Wright
Rayfield Wright
Larry Rayfield Wright is a former American football offensive tackle for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.-High school and college years:...
, rank Jack among the top players they faced. Opposing quarterbacks also ranked Youngblood highly, with two of them, Fran Tarkenton
Fran Tarkenton
Francis Asbury "Fran" Tarkenton is a former professional football player, TV personality, and computer software executive....
and Roger Staubach
Roger Staubach
Roger Thomas Staubach is a businessman, Heisman Trophy winner and legendary Hall of Fame former quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys from 1969 until 1979. Staubach was instrumental in developing the Cowboys into becoming one of the best teams of the 1970s and led the team to nine of the Cowboys'...
, stating that Jack was the top defensive lineman they faced in their careers. Hall of Fame defensive tackle Merlin Olsen
Merlin Olsen
Merlin Jay Olsen was an American football player in the National Football League, NFL commentator, and actor. He played his entire 15-year career with the Los Angeles Rams and was elected to the Pro Bowl in 14 of those seasons, a current record shared with Bruce Matthews...
paid Youngblood the highest compliment by stating that Jack was the “perfect defensive end″. Running backs also entered the chorus, “I remember bouncing off Jack Youngblood and it was just like a pillar of strength over there on the defense,” Rocky Bleier recalled. “Jack played hurt, he played tough, and he was a great opponent.”
To all the praise, Youngblood responded, “I don't consider myself tough, I consider myself a nut for some of the things I did”. Youngblood concluded, “I wasn’t the biggest guy, I certainly wasn’t the strongest and I wasn’t the fastest either. But I think one of my biggest assets was that I had an undeniable determination to be the best that has ever put his hand on the ground, I had a genuine desire to be great.”
Charitable activities
While at the University of Florida, Youngblood was involved in the Fellowship of Christian AthletesFellowship of Christian Athletes
The Fellowship of Christian Athletes is a non-profit interdenominational Christian organization founded in 1954 and that has been based in Kansas City, Missouri since 1956. It falls within the tradition of Muscular Christianity. Although established by evangelical Protestants, the concept has...
while also speaking to youth groups and raising funds for needy children—one such event was a 57-mile bicycle ride he organized which intended to send disadvantaged youth to a summer camp. Youngblood was involved in the 1974 NFL-USO
United Service Organizations
The United Service Organizations Inc. is a private, nonprofit organization that provides morale and recreational services to members of the U.S. military, with programs in 160 centers worldwide. Since 1941, it has worked in partnership with the Department of Defense , and has provided support and...
tour to Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
and Southeast Asia. In 1977, Youngblood was the chairman of the Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
-area "Right to Read" program and active in the Muscular Dystrophy
Muscular dystrophy
Muscular dystrophy is a group of muscle diseases that weaken the musculoskeletal system and hamper locomotion. Muscular dystrophies are characterized by progressive skeletal muscle weakness, defects in muscle proteins, and the death of muscle cells and tissue.In the 1860s, descriptions of boys who...
Foundation. The same year, he was the United Way spokesman for the Rams and was the club's Man of the Year nominee in 1975 and 1983. In 1986 He participated the Hands Across America
Hands Across America
Hands Across America was a benefit event and publicity campaign staged on Sunday May 25, 1986 in which approximately 6.5 million people held hands in a human chain for fifteen minutes along a path across the continental United States...
, an event to end hunger in the United States. Other NFL stars including Walter Payton and Tony Dorsett were also in the nation-wide hand-holding line. In his final 13 years (1979–1991) in Los Angeles, Youngblood sponsored a celebrity golf tournament for the John Tracy Clinic for Deaf Children, and was active with programs at the Children's Hospital for Orange County. He was named the Orange County "Sportsman of the Year" by the hospital in 1987.
Since 2001, Youngblood has been the St. Louis Rams' host for the Taste of the NFL charity event, a dinner held annually at the Super Bowl to raise funds for Feeding America-The Nation's Foodbank Network. In April, 2007, Youngblood was inducted into the National Football League Alumni
National Football League Alumni
The NFL Alumni is a 501 charity that is composed of former NFL players and associate members who work voluntarily to raise funds for youth-oriented causes and engage in hands-on service to foster the development of "youth through sports and sports through youth." The NFL Alumni advances its motto...
Association’s prestigious Order of the Leather Helmet, which is the highest award for the NFL Alumni given to those “who make a lasting impression on the game”.
Throughout his NFL career and after Youngblood has been a skilled public speaker being sought after by corporate, athletic, and Christian groups due to his activity and success in those arenas. He also attends hunting, fishing and golf outings when associated with a good cause. He also is active in the Orlando chapter of Young Life
Young Life
YoungLife is a worldwide, non-profit, Evangelical Christian organization. YoungLife consists of many branches of ministry , but most commonly the name "YoungLife" refers to the outreach arm of the organization directed toward high school students...
, a nationwide organization whose goals include attempting to mentor young men and women in the Christian faith. Jack's wife, Barbara Youngblood, serves on the Executive Committee for Young Life for the Orlando Chapter.
Youngblood serves on the Honorary Advisory Board of the St. Louis Rams along with notables like Bill Cosby
Bill Cosby
William Henry "Bill" Cosby, Jr. is an American comedian, actor, author, television producer, educator, musician and activist. A veteran stand-up performer, he got his start at various clubs, then landed a starring role in the 1960s action show, I Spy. He later starred in his own series, the...
, August A. Busch III, Jonathan Winters
Jonathan Winters
-Early life:Winters was born in Bellbrook, Ohio, the son of Alice Kilgore , a radio personality, and Jonathan Harshman Winters II, an investment broker. He is a descendant of Valentine Winters, founder of the Winters National Bank in Dayton, Ohio...
, Dick Gephardt
Dick Gephardt
Richard Andrew "Dick" Gephardt is a lobbyist and former prominent American politician of the Democratic Party. Gephardt served as a U.S. Representative from Missouri from January 3, 1977, until January 3, 2005, serving as House Majority Leader from 1989 to 1995, and as Minority Leader from 1995 to...
, Jackie Joyner-Kersee
Jackie Joyner-Kersee
Jacqueline "Jackie" Joyner-Kersee is a retired American athlete, ranked among the all-time greatest athletes in the women's heptathlon as well as in the women's long jump. She won three gold, one silver, and two bronze Olympic medals, in those four different events...
, and Stan Musial
Stan Musial
Stanley Frank "Stan" Musial is a retired professional baseball player who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball for the St. Louis Cardinals . Nicknamed "Stan the Man", Musial was a record 24-time All-Star selection , and is widely considered to be one of the greatest hitters in baseball...
, Maxine Waters
Maxine Waters
Maxine Waters is the U.S. Representative for , and previously the 29th district, serving since 1991. She is a member of the Democratic Party....
, Dr. Toby Freedman, et al. Former members of the Rams Advisory Board, created in 1981, include, Lord David Westbury, former Ram and Evangelist Rosey Grier
Rosey Grier
Roosevelt "Rosey" Grier is an American actor, singer, Christian minister, and former professional American football player. He was a notable college football player for Pennsylvania State University who earned a retrospective place in the National Collegiate Athletic Association 100th anniversary...
, Maureen Reagan
Maureen Reagan
Maureen Elizabeth Reagan was the first child of former President Ronald Reagan and his first wife, Jane Wyman...
, Henry Mancini
Henry Mancini
Henry Mancini was an American composer, conductor and arranger, best remembered for his film and television scores. He won a record number of Grammy Awards , plus a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award posthumously in 1995...
, Bob Hope
Bob Hope
Bob Hope, KBE, KCSG, KSS was a British-born American comedian and actor who appeared in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in radio, television and movies. He was also noted for his work with the US Armed Forces and his numerous USO shows entertaining American military personnel...
, Danny Thomas
Danny Thomas
Danny Thomas was an American nightclub comedian and television and film actor, best known for starring in the television sitcom Make Room for Daddy . He was also the founder of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital...
, Jane Upton Bell, former President Gerald Ford
Gerald Ford
Gerald Rudolph "Jerry" Ford, Jr. was the 38th President of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977, and the 40th Vice President of the United States serving from 1973 to 1974...
among others.
Youngblood is also involved in helping former NFL players in need by supporting the Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund (GGAF). The Gridiron Greats sponsors golf tournaments, autograph signings, memorabilia auctions, clay pigeon shoots and dinners to raise funds for retired players.
See also
- 1970 College Football All-America Team1970 College Football All-America TeamThe 1970 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, Central Press Association, Football Writers...
- Florida GatorsFlorida GatorsThe Florida Gators are the intercollegiate sports teams that represent the University of Florida located in Gainesville, Florida. The "Lady Gators" is an alternative nickname sometimes used by the Gators women's teams...
- Florida Gators football, 1960–1969
- Florida Gators football, 1970–1979
- List of Alpha Tau Omega brothers
- List of College Football Hall of Fame inductees (players, A–K)
- List of College Football Hall of Fame inductees (players, L–Z)
- List of Florida Gators football players
- List of Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees
- List of St. Louis Rams awards
- List of St. Louis Rams first-round draft picks
- List of St. Louis Rams players
- List of University of Florida alumni