Randy White (American football)
Encyclopedia
Randall Lee "Randy" White (born January 15, 1953) is a former American football
defensive lineman and linebacker
. He attended the University of Maryland
from 1971 to 1974, and played professionally for the Dallas Cowboys
from 1975 to 1988. He is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame
, the Pro Football Hall of Fame
and the Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame
. White is a spokesperson for Smokey Mountain Chew, which is a tobacco- and nicotine-free smokeless tobacco alternative
.
in Wilmington, Delaware
and played as a fullback
during his freshman year. While Maryland finished the year with only 2 wins, White did little worth noting during that year. During his sophomore season, new head coach
Jerry Claiborne
moved Randy to defensive end
, noting that he had the skill to be "one of the best five linemen in the U.S." The move was a natural fit, as by his senior year, he was, as Claiborne put it, "as fast as some of the offensive backs I had coached." In that senior year (1974), he won numerous awards and honors, including the Outland Trophy
, the Lombardi Award
, and the Atlantic Coast Conference
Player of the Year. Though Maryland lost in the Liberty Bowl
that season to Tennessee
, Randy was named the game's Most Valuable Player. In 1994, he was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame and in 2000 was named to ABC
sports All-time All-America
Team.
, he was moved to middle linebacker, where he was a backup to Cowboy legend Lee Roy Jordan
, playing mostly on special teams his first two seasons, including his rookie season when Dallas lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers
in Super Bowl X
. Jordan retired following the 1976 season, and his slot was filled by Bob Breunig
, who held the position the next nine seasons. During his third season (1977), White was moved to right defensive tackle, the same position formerly occupied by "Mr. Cowboy", Bob Lilly
, from 1961 through 1974, a move which in turn allowed veteran Larry Cole
to return to his natural defensive end position.
That year would prove to be his breakout year; he was named to his first All-Pro
team, his first Pro Bowl
, and (on his 25th birthday) was named co-MVP
of Super Bowl XII
with teammate Harvey Martin
, making him one of only seven defensive players to win that honor. He would continue that success, being named to nine consecutive All-Pro and Pro Bowl teams. He would retire in 1988 (coincidentally, also the last season on the sidelines for original Cowboys coach Tom Landry
), having played 209 games in 14 seasons, only missing one game during that span. At the time of his retirement, he had played the second most of any Dallas Cowboy in history. During those 14 years, he played in three Super Bowl
s, six NFC Championship Game
s, and accumlated 1,104 tackles (701 solo) and 111 sacks
. His highest single season sack total was 16 in 1978. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1994.
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...
defensive lineman and 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...
. He attended 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...
from 1971 to 1974, and played professionally for 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...
from 1975 to 1988. He is a member of 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...
, 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...
and the Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame
Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame
The Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame is a membership-based organization founded in 1976. The organization runs a museum with exhibits at Daniel S...
. White is a spokesperson for Smokey Mountain Chew, which is a tobacco- and nicotine-free smokeless tobacco alternative
Herbal smokeless tobacco
Herbal smokeless tobacco is a term used to describe a variety of products which imitate types of smokeless tobacco, but do not contain tobacco or nicotine...
.
College career
Randy was recruited by Maryland out of Thomas McKean High SchoolThomas McKean High School
Thomas McKean High School is a comprehensive public high school located on 301 McKennan's Church Road in Wilmington, Delaware. The school opened in December, 1966, and graduated its first class in June 1967.- Traditions :...
in Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley...
and played as a fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
during his freshman year. While Maryland finished the year with only 2 wins, White did little worth noting during that year. During his sophomore season, new head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
Jerry Claiborne
Jerry Claiborne
Jerry Claiborne was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Virginia Tech , the University of Maryland, College Park , and his alma mater, the University of Kentucky , compiling a career college football record of 179–122–8...
moved Randy to 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...
, noting that he had the skill to be "one of the best five linemen in the U.S." The move was a natural fit, as by his senior year, he was, as Claiborne put it, "as fast as some of the offensive backs I had coached." In that senior year (1974), he won numerous awards and honors, including 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...
, the Lombardi Award
Lombardi Award
The Rotary Lombardi Award is awarded annually to the best college football lineman or linebacker. The Lombardi Award program was approved by the Rotary Club in Houston in 1970 shortly after the death of Vince Lombardi. The committee outlined the criteria for eligibility for the award, which...
, and the Atlantic Coast Conference
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
Player of the Year. Though Maryland lost in the Liberty Bowl
Liberty Bowl
The Liberty Bowl is an annual U.S. American college football bowl game played in December of each year from 1959 to 2007 and in January in 2009 and 2010. The Liberty Bowl was sponsored by AXA Financial and was known as the AXA Liberty Bowl from 1997 to 2003...
that season to Tennessee
Tennessee Volunteers football
The Tennessee Volunteers football team are an American college football team at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville . The NCAA Division I team is also a member of the Southeastern Conference ....
, Randy was named the game's Most Valuable Player. In 1994, he was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame and in 2000 was named to ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
sports All-time 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...
Team.
Professional career
Drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in 19751975 NFL Draft
The 1975 National Football League Draft was held on January 28–29, 1975.-Player selections:-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:-Round eight:-Round nine:-Round ten:...
, he was moved to middle linebacker, where he was a backup to Cowboy legend Lee Roy Jordan
Lee Roy Jordan
Lee Roy Jordan is a retired American football linebacker. After attending the University of Alabama, playing under head coach Paul "Bear" Bryant, he spent 14 years in the National Football League playing for the Dallas Cowboys between 1963–1976...
, playing mostly on special teams his first two seasons, including his rookie season when Dallas lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
in Super Bowl X
Super Bowl X
Super Bowl X was an American football game played on January 18, 1976 at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1975 regular season....
. Jordan retired following the 1976 season, and his slot was filled by Bob Breunig
Bob Breunig
Robert Paul Breunig is a former American football linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League from 1975 to 1984...
, who held the position the next nine seasons. During his third season (1977), White was moved to right defensive tackle, the same position formerly occupied by "Mr. Cowboy", Bob Lilly
Bob Lilly
Robert Lewis Lilly is a former American football defensive tackle in the National Football League and photographer. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1980.-College career:...
, from 1961 through 1974, a move which in turn allowed veteran Larry Cole
Larry Cole
Larry Rudolph Cole is a former American football defensive lineman in the National Football League who played his entire professional career with the Dallas Cowboys. He played in five Super Bowls, winning Super Bowl VI and XII...
to return to his natural defensive end position.
That year would prove to be his breakout year; he was named to his first 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...
team, his first 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...
, and (on his 25th birthday) was named co-MVP
Super Bowl MVP
The Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Award, or Super Bowl MVP, is an award presented annually to the most valuable player of the Super Bowl, the National Football League's championship game. The winner is chosen by a fan vote during the game and by a panel of 16 American football writers and...
of Super Bowl XII
Super Bowl XII
Super Bowl XII was an American football game played on January 15, 1978 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1977 regular season...
with teammate Harvey Martin
Harvey Martin
Harvey Banks Martin was an American football defensive end in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys from 1973 until 1983. He started playing football in high school, only because he overheard his father tell his mother that he was ashamed that his son did not play like his friends'...
, making him one of only seven defensive players to win that honor. He would continue that success, being named to nine consecutive All-Pro and Pro Bowl teams. He would retire in 1988 (coincidentally, also the last season on the sidelines for original Cowboys coach Tom Landry
Tom Landry
Thomas Wade "Tom" Landry was an American football player and coach. He is ranked as one of the greatest and most innovative coaches in National Football League history, creating many new formations and methods...
), having played 209 games in 14 seasons, only missing one game during that span. At the time of his retirement, he had played the second most of any Dallas Cowboy in history. During those 14 years, he played in three 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...
s, six NFC Championship Game
NFC Championship Game
The National Football Conference Championship Game is one of the two semi-final playoff matches of the National Football League, the largest professional American football league in the United States. The game is played on the penultimate Sunday in January and determines the champion of the...
s, and accumlated 1,104 tackles (701 solo) and 111 sacks
Quarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
. His highest single season sack total was 16 in 1978. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1994.
Awards and honors
- Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee - 1994
- College Football Hall of Fame inductee - 1994
- Super Bowl Co-Most Valuable Player - 1978
- Outland TrophyOutland TrophyThe 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...
- 1974 - Lombardi AwardLombardi AwardThe Rotary Lombardi Award is awarded annually to the best college football lineman or linebacker. The Lombardi Award program was approved by the Rotary Club in Houston in 1970 shortly after the death of Vince Lombardi. The committee outlined the criteria for eligibility for the award, which...
- 1974 - UPI Lineman of the YearUPI Lineman of the Year (College)The United Press International college football lineman of the year award was among the first and most recognized college football awards. With the demise of UPI in 1997 the award was discontinued. Offensive and defensive linemen were eligible, including offensive ends, with one, Howard Twilley,...
- 1974 - NFCNational Football ConferenceThe National Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the American Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL.-Current teams:Since 2002, the NFC has comprised 16 teams,...
Defensive Player of the Year - 1978 - All-Pro team - 19771977 All-Pro TeamThe following is a list of players that were named to the Associated Press All-Pro Team, the Newspaper Enterprise Association All-Pro team and the Pro Football Writers Association, and Pro Football Weekly All-Pro teams in 1977. Both first- and second- teams are listed for the AP and NEA teams...
, 19781978 All-Pro TeamThe following is a list of players that were named to the Associated Press All-Pro Team, the Newspaper Enterprise Association All-Pro team and the Pro Football Writers Association and Pro Football Weekly All-Pro teams in 1978. Both first- and second- teams are listed for the AP and NEA teams...
, 19791979 All-Pro TeamThe following is a list of players that were named to the Associated Press All-Pro Team, the Newspaper Enterprise Association All-Pro team and the Pro Football Writers Association, and Pro Football Weekly All-Pro teams in 1979. Both first- and second- teams are listed for the AP and NEA teams...
, 19801980 All-Pro TeamThe 1980 All-Pro Team is composed of the National Football League players that were named to the Associated Press, Newspaper Enterprise Association, Pro Football Writers Association, Pro Football Weekly, and The Sporting News All-Pro Teams in 1980. Both first- and second- teams are listed for the...
, 19811981 All-Pro TeamThe 1981 All-Pro Team is composed of the National Football League players that were named to the Associated Press, Newspaper Enterprise Association, Pro Football Writers Association, Pro Football Weekly, and The Sporting News All-Pro Teams in 1981. Both first- and second- teams are listed for the...
, 19821982 All-Pro TeamThe 1982 All-Pro Team is composed of the National Football League players that were named to the Associated Press, Newspaper Enterprise Association, Pro Football Writers Association, and Pro Football Weekly in 1982. Both first- and second- teams are listed for the AP and NEA teams...
, 19831983 All-Pro TeamThe 1983 All-Pro Team is composed of the National Football League players that were named to the Associated Press, Newspaper Enterprise Association, Pro Football Writers Association, Pro Football Weekly, and The Sporting News in 1983. Both first- and second- teams are listed for the AP and NEA teams...
, 19841984 All-Pro TeamThe 1984 All-Pro Team is composed of the National Football League players that were named to the Associated Press, Newspaper Enterprise Association, Pro Football Writers Association, Pro Football Weekly, and The Sporting News in 1984. Both first- and second- teams are listed for the AP and NEA...
, 19851985 All-Pro TeamThe 1985 All-Pro Team is composed of the National Football League players that were named to the Associated Press, Newspaper Enterprise Association, Pro Football Writers Association, and The Sporting News in 1985. Both first- and second- teams are listed for the AP and NEA teams... - Pro Bowl selection - 19771978 Pro BowlThe 1978 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on January 23, 1978 at Tampa Stadium in Tampa Bay, Florida. The final score was NFC 14, AFC 13. Walter Payton of the Chicago Bears was the game's MVP....
, 19781979 Pro BowlThe 1979 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on January 29, 1979 at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. The final Score was NFC 13, AFC 7. Ahmad Rashad of the Minnesota Vikings was the game's MVP. As of 2011, this was the last Pro Bowl to be played on a Monday, and the last one to be...
, 19791980 Pro BowlThe 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...
, 19801981 Pro BowlThe 1981 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on February 1, 1981 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The final score was NFC 21, AFC 7. Eddie Murray of the Detroit Lions was the game's MVP. The game was the first NFL game ever played in the month of February....
, 19811982 Pro BowlThe 1982 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on January 31, 1982 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The final score was AFC 16, NFC 13. Kellen Winslow of the San Diego Chargers and Lee Roy Selmon of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were the game's MVPs. The referee was Red Cashion....
, 19821983 Pro BowlThe 1983 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on February 6, 1983 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The final score was NFC 20, AFC 19. Dan Fouts of the San Diego Chargers and John Jefferson of the Green Bay Packers were the game's MVPs. A late touchdown pass from Danny White of the Dallas Cowboys to...
, 19831984 Pro BowlThe 1984 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on January 29, 1984 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The final Score was NFC 45, AFC 3. Joe Theismann of the Washington Redskins was the game's MVP. The referee was Jerry Seeman....
, 19841985 Pro BowlThe 1985 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on January 27, 1985 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The final Score was AFC 22, NFC 14. Mark Gastineau of the New York Jets was the game's MVP. The referee was Chuck Heberling....
, 19851986 Pro BowlThe 1986 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on February 2, 1986 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The final Score was NFC 28, AFC 24. Phil Simms of the New York Giants was the game's MVP. The referee was Bob McElwee.... - ACC Player of the Year - 1974
- Dallas Cowboys Ring of HonorDallas Cowboys Ring of HonorThe Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor was a ring around Texas Stadium in Irving, Texas and currently around Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas which honors former players, coaches and club officials who made outstanding contributions to the Dallas Cowboys football organization. The Ring of Honor began...
inductee - 1994 - 51st best player on The Sporting NewsThe Sporting NewsSporting 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"...
list of the 100 Greatest Football Players - 1999 - ABC sports All-time All-America Team. - 2000
- Associated PressAssociated PressThe Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
All-America team - 19731973 College Football All-America TeamThe 1973 College Football All-America team is composed of various organizations that choose College All-America teams that season. The organizations that chose the teams were Associated Press, United Press International, Newspaper Enterprise Association, Football Writers Association of America,...
, 19741974 College Football All-America TeamThe 1974 College Football All-America team is composed of various organizations that choose College All-America teams that season. The organizations that chose the teams were Associated Press, United Press International, Newspaper Enterprise Association, Football Writers Association of America,... - Liberty Bowl Most Valuable PlayerMost Valuable PlayerIn sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
- 1975 - Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of FameDelaware Sports Museum and Hall of FameThe Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame is a membership-based organization founded in 1976. The organization runs a museum with exhibits at Daniel S...
- 1994 - State of DelawareDelawareDelaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
Athlete of the Year - 1974 - Amateur Athlete of the Year (Philadelphia sports writers) - 1974
Personal
- Nicknamed "The Manster", half man, half monster.
- He studied Thai BoxingMuay ThaiMuay Thai is a combat sport from Thailand that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques. It is similar to other Indochinese kickboxing systems, namely pradal serey from Cambodia, tomoi from Malaysia, lethwei from Myanmar and muay Lao from Laos...
under Chai SirisuteChai SirisuteAjarn Surachai Sirisute , commonly known as Chai Sirisute, is a martial arts Instructor who is the founder and President of the Thai Boxing Association of the USA and responsible for introducing Muay Thai to the United States...
, the founder of the Thai Boxing Association of the USA. White's round kickRoundhouse kickA roundhouse kick is a kick in which the attacker swings his leg around in a semicircular motion, striking with the front of the leg or foot. This type of kick is utilized in many different martial arts and is popular in both non-contact and full-contact martial arts competitions...
reportedly registered 400 psi on a gauge after two months of training.
External links
- Blue Star Boys Entry for Randy White
- Randy White's Hall of Fame Barbeque