Neal Olkewicz
Encyclopedia
Neal T. Olkewicz is a former American football
linebacker
who played his entire eleven year career with the Washington Redskins
from 1979 to 1989 in the National Football League
.
Olkewicz, nicknamed “Olky”, played college football
at the University of Maryland
where he was team captain and MVP. He signed with the Redskins as a free agent in 1979. He played 150 games in his career, all with the Washington Redskins and finished his career with six interceptions for 76 yards, one touchdown and 12 sacks.
Olkewicz won two Super Bowl
Championships with victories over the Miami Dolphins
(1982) and the Denver Broncos
(1987). He was named the Redskins’ Defensive MVP in 1988. He is one of only five players in NFL history to play in a Super Bowl on their birthday (Super Bowl XVII
).
Olkewicz retired in 1989 following the Redskins victory over the Seattle Seahawks
in the season finale. Since retirement, he has owned a vending business in Rockville, Maryland
called Olkewicz Vending serving the Washington metropolitan area.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
who played his entire eleven year career with the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
from 1979 to 1989 in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
.
Olkewicz, nicknamed “Olky”, 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...
at the University of Maryland
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
where he was team captain and MVP. He signed with the Redskins as a free agent in 1979. He played 150 games in his career, all with the Washington Redskins and finished his career with six interceptions for 76 yards, one touchdown and 12 sacks.
Olkewicz won two Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
Championships with victories over the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
(1982) and the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
(1987). He was named the Redskins’ Defensive MVP in 1988. He is one of only five players in NFL history to play in a Super Bowl on their birthday (Super Bowl XVII
Super Bowl XVII
Super Bowl XVII was an American football game played on January 30, 1983 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the strike-shortened 1982 regular season...
).
Olkewicz retired in 1989 following the Redskins victory over the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
in the season finale. Since retirement, he has owned a vending business in Rockville, Maryland
Rockville, Maryland
Rockville is the county seat of Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. It is a major incorporated city in the central part of Montgomery County and forms part of the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. The 2010 U.S...
called Olkewicz Vending serving the Washington metropolitan area.