Pat Fischer
Encyclopedia
Patrick Fischer is a former American football
cornerback
in the National Football League
for the St. Louis Cardinals
from 1961
to 1967
, and the Washington Redskins
from 1968
to 1977
.
Fischer attended Westside High School
in Omaha
and the University of Nebraska–Lincoln
. Fischer joined the NFL
as the 17th-round draft choice of St. Louis in the 1961 NFL Draft
. He then signed with Washington as a free agent in 1968. He was a 1969 Pro Bowl
er. In 1972, the Redskins won the NFC championship game of the 1972-73 NFL playoffs against the Dallas Cowboys
, when they limited Roger Staubach
, their quarterback, to only 9 completions in 20 attempts for 98 passing yards and 3 allowed sacks, Fischer and Mike Bass
, the other cornerback, being particularly successful in shutting down their wide receivers. But though the Redskin defense allowed only 69 net passing yards, it could not stop the Miami Dolphins
's running game (184 rushing yards) in losing Super Bowl VII
.
He finished his 17-year career with 56 interceptions, and ranks seventh all-time in Redskins career interceptions with 27 and fourth all-time with 412 career interception return yards. At the time of his retirement, Fischer had played in 213 NFL games, then a record for a cornerback. He was well known for his strong tackling skills despite his diminutive size. Some of Fischer's most memorable defensive match-ups occurred against Philadelphia Eagles
receiver Harold Carmichael
who stood eleven inches taller than Fischer. Fischer's mantra "get a leg up and you own him" is used today to motivate and teach smaller defensive backs how to defend taller wide receivers.
In the late 1980s, NFL Films
named Fischer as the Redskins All-Time Neutralizer sponsored by Tums
. After retiring from the Redskins, Fischer worked as a stockbroker and owned a successful real estate business.
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...
cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
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...
for 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...
from 1961
1961 NFL season
The 1961 NFL season was the 42nd regular season of the National Football League. The league expanded to 14 teams with the addition of the Minnesota Vikings, after the team's owners declined to be charter members of the new American Football League. The schedule was also expanded from 12 games per...
to 1967
1967 NFL season
The 1967 NFL season was the 48th regular season of the National Football League. The league expanded to 16 teams with the addition of the New Orleans Saints. The league's teams were realigned into four divisions: the Capitol and Century Divisions in the Eastern Conference, and the Central and...
, and 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 1968
1968 Washington Redskins season
The 1968 Washington Redskins began with the team trying to improve on their 5-6-3 record from 1967.-Schedule:-Standings:...
to 1977
1977 Washington Redskins season
The 1977 Washington Redskins began with the team trying to improve on their 10-4 record from 1976.-NFL Draft:-Schedule:-Standings:-References:...
.
Fischer attended Westside High School
Westside High School (Omaha)
Westside High School is the high school of the Westside Community Schools district of Omaha, Nebraska. This school has provided education in the Westside Community for 50 years.-Modular schedule system:...
in Omaha
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
and the University of Nebraska–Lincoln
University of Nebraska–Lincoln
The University of Nebraska–Lincoln is a public research university located in the city of Lincoln in the U.S. state of Nebraska...
. Fischer joined the NFL
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...
as the 17th-round draft choice of St. Louis in the 1961 NFL Draft
1961 NFL Draft
The 1961 National Football League Draft took place on December 27–28, 1960. The league would later hold an expansion draft for the Minnesota Vikings expansion franchise, and the Vikings were also awarded the first selection position in this draft. This draft was also the first regular draft for...
. He then signed with Washington as a free agent in 1968. He was a 1969 Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
er. In 1972, the Redskins won the NFC championship game of the 1972-73 NFL playoffs against the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
, when they limited 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'...
, their quarterback, to only 9 completions in 20 attempts for 98 passing yards and 3 allowed sacks, Fischer and Mike Bass
Mike Bass
Michael Thomas Bass is a former professional American football player who played defensive back for the Detroit Lions and the Washington Redskins...
, the other cornerback, being particularly successful in shutting down their wide receivers. But though the Redskin defense allowed only 69 net passing yards, it could not stop 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...
's running game (184 rushing yards) in losing Super Bowl VII
Super Bowl VII
Super Bowl VII was an American football game played on January 14, 1973, at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California, to decide the National Football League champion following the 1972 regular season...
.
He finished his 17-year career with 56 interceptions, and ranks seventh all-time in Redskins career interceptions with 27 and fourth all-time with 412 career interception return yards. At the time of his retirement, Fischer had played in 213 NFL games, then a record for a cornerback. He was well known for his strong tackling skills despite his diminutive size. Some of Fischer's most memorable defensive match-ups occurred against Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
receiver Harold Carmichael
Harold Carmichael
Lee Harold Carmichael is a retired American football wide receiver in the National Football League. He played 13 seasons for the Philadelphia Eagles , and one season for the Dallas Cowboys . He played college football at Southern University...
who stood eleven inches taller than Fischer. Fischer's mantra "get a leg up and you own him" is used today to motivate and teach smaller defensive backs how to defend taller wide receivers.
In the late 1980s, 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 Fischer as the Redskins All-Time Neutralizer sponsored by Tums
Tums
TUMS is an antacid made of sucrose and calcium carbonate manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline in St.Louis, Missouri, USA. It is a non-prescription drug and available at many retail stores, including drug stores, grocery stores and mass merchandisers. It provides relief from acid indigestion, heartburn,...
. After retiring from the Redskins, Fischer worked as a stockbroker and owned a successful real estate business.