Unless you’re over 42 or 43, you may not recall Merlin Olsen, who died last week. As a football star, famous in Utah, Olsen, by his own words, was raised in a strict Mormon home. He was a huge star with the Utah State Aggies. He won the Outland Trophy, was an All-American twice and led the Aggies to a couple of bowl games.
He spent 15 seasons with the Rams, never made it to the Super Bowl but never missed a game. He was a Pro-bowler for 14 consecutive years — a feat only matched by one other player. He logged 915 tackles for the Rams, a team record.
Olsen, who was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 1982, was a very intelligent man, and his wisdom showed on the field. He, along with teammates “Deacon” Jones, Lamar Lundy and “Rosey” Grier, were called the Rams’ “Fearsome Foursome” on defense. They modernized the once-staid game of football with defensive stunts and loops that involved diagonal rushes and crossing each other to reach a rusher or quarterback.
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