Otto Broke my cheekbone, and my zygomatic arch bone here, and detached the retina in my left eye, which I was blind for six months in my left eye. And you couldn't remember. Few occupations can provide the riches and fame, yet simultaneously the danger, of pro football. Bavaro's play inspired the Giants, who went on to win the game, and the Super Bowl. Jim Otto 4. Injuries and operations. Otto's body was punished greatly during his NFL career, resulting in nearly 74 operations, including 28 on his knee (nine of them during his playing career) and multiple joint replacements. His joints became riddled with arthritis, and he developed debilitating back and neck problems. He dragged Ronnie Lott twenty yards. They all have the crab-like walk, and its hard to believe they were once these feared gladiators. Jerry Kramer, Guard & Kicker, Green Bay Packers (1958-1968), Kramer endured 23 operations and required over 500 stitches in his NFL career, including a colostomy, which he described as a horror movie that hasn't been made yet., 26. Gold Jacket Spotlight: Jim Otto's Pain & Glory - pfhof And they'll come up with some answers. Even as the surgeries mounted and routine elements of daily living became more and more challenging Waking up is the best part of my day, he wrote Jim has repeated in many interviews since his retirement that we wouldnt change history. Well, when that tackler -- in so many cases, if you watch the television, you watch the film, you see that tackler coming in with his head and his shoulders, which he's been taught to use to tackle his whole life. I never went out of the game. And it's a good hit. ), At Willie Nelson 90, country, rock and rap stars pay tribute, but Willie and Trigger steal the show, Kentucky Derby storylines: Training death puts early pall over Churchill Downs, Dodgers vs. Philadelphia Phillies: How to watch, start times and betting odds, Elliott: Pissed off Kings must improve in key areas to break Oilers playoff stranglehold, Shohei Ohtanis seventh home run of the season helps Angels avoid sweep, Florida Panthers upset record-setting Boston Bruins in Game 7 OT thriller. Doctors can pressure players who dont think they will ever get hurt or the ones who think they have only a few years left to make money.. I said why isn't there somebody taking care of him? And then being in that position to hit the ball, the runner drops his head, the quarterback drops his head or whatever it might be, and you have head-to-head contact. WebJim Otto This article was written by Rich Shmelter For 15 seasons, the 00 on Jim Ottos uniform stood out like a beacon. They are similar to those experienced by rape victims and soldiers returning from combat. and ankle injuries during his three years with the Hurricanes. Now, nobody in America knows that, like they know about the guy who had a concussion, like the guy who is in class-action suits, suing the National Football League because they had a concussion. The site navigation utilizes arrow, enter, escape, and space bar key commands. Is Jim Otto in the Hall of Fame? But a knee injury that was treated with repeated shots of cortisone and steroids forced him to end a 15-year playing career after 1973. The impact and velocity of some collisions, normal Americans cant appreciate because they are not on the field, said John Lopez, head of Towson Sports Medicine and former trainer with the Baltimore Colts. Otto went down with a torn ACL. 35. 22. The Baltimore Ravens placed a bounty on Ward, to which the former Super Bowl MVP responded, Bring it on. He was voted the smartest offensive player in the NFL (non-quarterbacks) and is considered the best blocking receiver in the NFL. There's the toughness of getting the snot knocked out of you, and the can't-be-intimidated, never-quit kind of tough. No. Some things couldnt be measured, however, like Jims self-motivation, commitment and pride. The Rock Island fans were so angered that a rock-throwing mob chased him from the field. Jim Otto Now, the amnesia one, that was before the NFL, is that right? I walked by Frank, and he was laid out. George Trafton, Center, Chicago Bears (1920-1921, 1923-1932). ISIS is in Afghanistan, But Who Are They Really? Former offensive lineman Steve Courson, who played eight seasons for the Steelers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, has blamed alcohol and steroids for his dilated cardiomyopathy, a weakened heart muscle. 30. And then you have a guy like Junior Seau come along this last year. Deacon perfected the head slap, a move that would be eventually banned by the NFL because it was too effective., 29. But I'm still going at my age, and --. As a rookie in 1920, he angered the Rock Island Independents so bad that they sent four players into the game on a mission to destroy Trafton. I saw the bone. With the Cowboys and Giants fighting for the NFC East and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, Emmitt played the entire game with a sprained and separated right shoulder. They've asked for my brain. He only called timeout one time and that was to reset his broken nose. Lewis's toughness peaked when he dislocated his elbow so seriously that a teammate was forced to help him put on his jewelry. Bleier's story is one of the greatest in the history of sports. When asked why he played through the pain, instead of watching from the sidelines, Smith calmly responded, This is why they pay me., 19. The psychological high and its addiction is parallel to people who become addicted to cocaine or a smoker who has a dependency on cigarettes. Unitas could intimidate without being one of the physical players. WebJim Otto, Mr. And if you cant take the injuries, get the hell out. Was there anybody that helped Mike Webster go through rehab at that time? But when you say you don't want to make that connection, it's because you just don't want to believe that there is that connection? I know he was a great football player. Did you ever have that happen to you? I used to watch you play when I was a kid --. WebAs a result of injuries sustained during his playing career, he has endured more than 70 surgeries, including nearly 30 knee operations. NAPA, Calif. -- Hall of Fame center Jim Otto recently had his right leg amputated and is recovering in a hospital in Utah. Could someone please explain to me why Jim Marshall is not in the Hall of Fame? Dick Plasman, Wide Receiver, Chicago Bears & Chicago Cardinals (1937-1947). Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis made the announcement Wednesday as part of a wide-ranging news conference touching on the state of the team, the recent death of Bill Walsh and pensions for former NFL players. Injuries; Super Bowl LVII; Coaches; Football Power The Cowboys won the game, earned home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, and captured the Super Bowl title. Yeah, but you didn't know about -- I mean, the concussions. He rushed for over 100 yards, caught several passes, and helped the Cowboys continue their path to the Super Bowl. We invariably would attack a bunker from where the enemy is shooting machine guns. Well, during my career, I had a lot of hits to the head. Up and Down arrows will open main level menus and toggle through sub tier links. Then there's the toughness a person has, an aura, that he can intimidate other people by his play or his toughness.. And yet I'd be playing, you know? Bill Romanowski, Linebacker, San Francisco 49ers & Philadelphia Eagles & Denver Broncos & Oakland Raiders (1988-2003). The first time in high school, I can't really remember anything other than coming out of amnesia and thinking, where have I been? He led the Eagles to championships in 1949 and 1960. Going across the middle against Dick Butkus was considered attempted suicide. Dick Butkus, Linebacker, Chicago Bears (1965-1973), Dick Butkus was the angriest, most ferocious, menacing, and yes, toughest player to ever play the game of football. As he approached me on the sideline, he shook his head and said, That last guy really gave me a good lick, coach.' I've had 74 surgeries all told throughout my body, all over my body. But a number of former players, including receiver Al Toon of the New York Jets and running back Vic Washington of the 49ers, developed post-traumatic stress disorder. Over the course of his career, Jim It's more retirement I think than anything else. It came from the game. I don't like concussions. We were at the Polo Grounds when I first ran up against him. Forty-year-old players are having the same problems as 80-year-old men., Wherever there is repeated trauma to certain areas, wherever joints and ligaments have been injured, arthritis and other degenerative diseases, well, its going to happen, said Dr. Stan Lavine, team physician of the Washington Redskins from 1975 through 1985. We'd go hunting together; we did a lot of different things together, Dave and I. Do you feel like those injuries that they suffered, those hits that they took on the line, like you took, contributed to their illnesses? In Otto's final year, 1974, Oakland scored 355 points (25.4 points/game), leading the NFL, and then avenging their loss to the Dolphins during 1974-75 NFL playoffs before losing to the Steelers again. I wanted to play well every week, no matter what, but in this game, we started out with Jim Carter in the middle. Football has given me so many memories that money cant buy, he said. And sure, this hurts, but, you know -- and it can hurt somebody, but I don't think a guy should get fined for doing something he was taught to do all through high school, in college and now in the pros. In his book, "The Pain of Glory" Otto described near-death experiences from medical procedures, including fighting off three life-threatening infections due to complications from his artificial joints I think so. There have been problems with steroids. He said, Football is tough. The FRONTLINE Interview: Jim Otto | League of Denial: The NFL's Every game. He finally returned after a three-year absence. Perhaps the most painful of Jim Ottos 23 surgeries occurred five years ago. There is also a tremendous fear perpetuated by management that younger guys are a threat if you cant perform.. I don't think it's hogwash. Butkus's opponents claimed that Butkus was like an odor that you could feel or sense on the field. He was middle linebacker for the Packers. He would come and help me put up hay for my horses and stuff like that. According to Yaras-Davis, a knee injury forced former Chicago Bears defensive lineman Roger Stillwell to get special devices to pull himself out of bed. It's incredibly debatable, but here is my attempt to rank them in order for toughness. I look at Dave Dalby, because he used to tell me he wanted to follow me in my footsteps. As a rookie, he was notorious for threatening veterans and starting fights in training camp. Otto eventually had to have his right leg amputated on August 1, 2007. Well, in some cases guys are heroes, and all of a sudden they're not heroes. I got upset. Its an orthopedics surgeons dream. Jim Otto Jim Otto was a Raiders ironman - Las Vegas Review-Journal My first thoughts were, I got sick. He recorded three sacks and forced two fumbles with a severely torn pectoral muscle. He has had two major back surgeries, 16 knee operations and five artificial knees. I thought he killed Frank. Maybe probably more so in my life is the pain that I'm going through. Jim Otto Jim Otto Jim Otto Gary Fencik: I had the displeasure of tackling, by accident, Walter only once in my 12-year career. And it bothers me. But you're talking about a different kind, the much more common, everyday, every play? That is my complete and honest feeling. Grasping lifes highs and lows for Jim Otto his excellence on the football field and the lifelong physical toll achieving that excellence extracted requires little more than reading the first few pages of his aptly titled autobiography, The Pain of Glory.. Today, Otto is handicapped, but he says he wouldn't change a thing if given the opportunity to do it over again. His head still down, Nagurski ran full speed into the brick outfield wall there at Wrigley Field. 1 seed for Division 1 baseball playoffs, High school tennis: Southern Section playoff pairings, High school baseball: Southern Section playoff pairings, Dig this: Long Beach States Mason Briggs could be next big thing at libero. He suffered a cracked vertebra, a concussion, and crushed intestines during a car crash before his senior year of college. That's number one. That crackling thud can mean a broken bone or a torn cartilage--and a redefined life. NAPA, Calif. -- Hall of Fame center Jim Otto recently had his right leg amputated and is recovering in a hospital in Utah. Flat-out refusedthat is, until the league made him. Players were not allowed to get medical second opinions until 1982, according to the NFLPA. Davis.". In the 1970 regular season (1st year of the NFL-AFL merger), Oakland scored 300 points (21.4 points/game), 9th of 26 teams in the NFL, beating the Miami Dolphins in the 1970-71 NFL playoffs before losing to the Colts. I wanted people to respect me.. It has come upon people and hurt people for periods of time, you know? Thats why I think Id come back and do it again.. Jim Otto: The Pain of Glory by Jim Otto | Goodreads The origin of the since-outlawed helmet-to-helmet hit is sometimes traced to Brown. And when he drops his head, he drops his head right to the spot where the tackler is coming in with his head and shoulders. 11. James Edwin Otto (born January 5, 1938 in Wausau, Wisconsin) is a former center for the Oakland Raiders of the American Football League. Now, when you're telling, I guess it was maybe in your book, that you talked about the hit that you took from Ray Nitschke, when you -- I guess it was your nose. I didn't bite his nose, he said. But I'll tell you whathe had more knockouts than any of us. Brown fractured the face of an Eagles running back, broke another players vertebrae, and knocked a Steelers running backs eye out of its socket. American Football Wiki is a FANDOM Lifestyle Community. Ten years of lawsuits against the 49ers left him with a $1 million settlement in 1989 and plenty of bitterness. But no, amnesia, it's a serious thing. Doesn't show it to anybody. As the size increases, so does the force of the collisions. He had a game-winning tackle of future Hall of Fame running back Jim Taylor in the closing seconds of the Eagles 17-13 win in 1960. Family Life He married a woman named Sally and has a daughter named Jennifer. Jim Otto, center for the Oakland Raiders, poses on Aug. 15, 1970. These guys constantly live on the edge, and the same behavior they once used to achieve notoriety on the field they exhibit off the field.. For the next fifteen years, Otto became a fixture at center for the Raiders, never missing a single game due to injury. Former Raiders internist Dr. And everything is actually true to my heart, to my mind. Jack Youngblood, Defensive End, Los Angeles Rams (1971-1984). He liked to think that his best hits border on felonious assault., 14. When I retired I was down. Why? Told by doctors that he would never play football again, Bleier, recipient of the Purple Heart and Bronze Star, spent two full years attempting to return to the NFL. It's like cutting their leg off, let's say. He defined toughness as, more of a mental aspect than a physical power, saying, Toughness doesn't necessarily mean physical prowess; it's more mental., 3. The only first-team All-AFL center in the leagues 10-year history, Jim helped the Raiders rise from a 9-33 start in their first three years of existence to a team that won seven division titles and an AFL title and made a Super Bowl appearance before he retired. His joints became riddled with arthritis, and he developed debilitating back and neck problems. Jim Otto: The Pain of Glory is the story about a man who fought through numerous injuries, frequent surgeries, and a myriad of other maladies. I think some of these below-the-waist blocks as well, sure, you stand to hurt a knee or stand to hurt something. When you have nobody helping you in a situation like that, I would imagine it's a pretty empty feeling to be going through life with that problem and nobody is coming to help you. Not one. I don't want anybody to be hurt from football. Bleier eventually played on four Super Bowl championships and earned a reputation as both a fearsome blocker and a powerful runner. He thanked me for continuing the column for so long and was grateful that so many of us were still sentient enough to read it. Players are bigger now. It just -- you know, maybe I choked a little bit and thought, oh, boy, I used to do that. Hitting harder than anyone else was very important to us. And I think if you were to evaluate Mike Webster, it was a matter of pride. I'm going to meet you someplace in there, and maybe one of us is going to lose a leg. Minor injuries, therefore minor distractions, he called them. Giants lineman Al DeRogatis once accused Kilroy of biting him on the nose. Let's play football. In one game, he was knocked unconscious by a 49er defender. Counting preseason, postseason and Pro Bowl games, that number swells to 308 consecutive games played, with rarely a missed practice, either. You're the tackler, and you get fined. WebJim Otto is generally recognized as one of the greatest and most durable centers the game of football has ever seen. Do you feel like that's associated with football, too? Mike Webster is doing this every play. Let me ask you. Why isn't there somebody that can help him? I realize that. Favre has started 287 consecutive games, including the postseason, an all-time record for a quarterback. WebLatest on C Jim Otto including news, stats, videos, highlights and more on NFL.com Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis made the announcement Wednesday as part of a wide-ranging news conference touching on the state of the team, the recent death of Bill Walsh and pensions for former NFL players. It would become so embarrassing that I stopped going out in public, said Otto, who had his knees drained and injected with painkillers four times a week during his last three playing years. Enter and space open menus and escape closes them as well. Hall of Fame center Jim Otto recently had his right leg amputated and is recovering in a hospital in Utah. Jim Otto. In 14 seasons of play for the Oakland Raiders, Jim Otto played had a punishing history of injuries. He needed 74 surgeries for his football injuries, including the amputation of one of his legs. This interview was conducted by FRONTLINEs Tom Jennings on Dec. 22, 2012. Then we go back in. Back then, owners would do anything to maximize their payrolls to win the war games. The symptoms are nightmares and cold sweats. He was once the leagues iron man, but Ottos body is now a combination of plastic joints, flesh and screws. He spit in the face of Eagles safety Bill Bradley as he lay injured on the ground. Now, the NFL average is about 300, and increasing. Longtime Raiders team doctor Robert Rosenfield, who died last January of cancer, diagnosed it as strained ligaments. Before his death in 1992, Raiders defensive lineman Lyle Alzado said long-term steroid use was the cause of the brain tumor that eventually killed him. Players rarely give much thought to life after football. Otto punished his body greatly during his NFL career, resulting in nearly 40 surgeries, including 28 knee operations (nine of them during his playing career Lewis missed two games, returned wearing a heavy brace, and registered 11 tackles against Pittsburgh. And Nitschke, it was right toward the end of his career, and he was I guess letting Carter get some time in there. Within 12 plays, Trafton had knocked each player out of the game, sending one of them to the hospital with a broken hand and an 11-inch cut across the forehead. It was the first injury that he had suffered and he would never participate in another snap. This is FRONTLINE's old website. 15. To this day, Otto embodies the toughness and determination the Raiders began to ferment in the mid-1960s, after Al Davis took control of the team and later hired John Madden as head coach. But in the final five years he began to suffer There's a tear near the break, and his bone is sticking out. In the 1969 regular season, Oakland scored 377 points (26.9 points/game), once again leading the AFL, beating the Houston Oilers in the divisional round before losing to the Chiefs. In 1997, Otto's daughter, Jennifer, a 39-year-old mother of four, died from a blood clot. He played the game like it was supposed to be played, with pain and passion., 5. And Baltimore Colts Hall of Fame quarterback John Unitas once-golden right arm has a restructured right hand. What about when you heard about Mike Webster's decline afterward, you know? I'm not complaining about it. Csonka is also the only player in the history of the NFL to be penalized while carrying the balla forearm shot/right cross that knocked a safety unconscious. Almost no one leaves this game unscarred either physically or mentally.. PBS Privacy Policy With a broken jaw wired shut, McDonald could only drink milkshakes and watched his weight plummet from 175 to 143. In a playoff game in 1970, Garrison broke three ribs in the first quarter and continued playing after he was carried off the field. Right. Thats one of the major reasons why so many of these guys walk with limps.. During his first 10 years he suffered the usual injuries such as broken noses, fingers and ribs, and he played through it all. Jim Otto was elected into the Hall of Fame as a Player in 1980. He then went on to play collegiate football at Miami. It came from the relations with the game, yes. No one ever has been suspended for a second or third time. Jim Otto He was a football and ice hockey star at Wausau High and had no knee trouble, although he says he did play a season on a severely injured ankle. Prep Rally is devoted to the SoCal high school sports experience, bringing you scores, stories and a behind-the-scenes look at what makes prep sports so popular. Csonka also broke his nose 10 times in his career, causing it to be permanently deformed, and would remain in the game despite blood pouring out of it. Football is a contact sport, and injuries are a part of the game. He endured torn-up knees, broken hands, broken ribs, and an acutely-painful hamstring tear but never missed a game. Don Meredith, Quarterback, Dallas Cowboys (1960-1968), Meredith was really tough. Doesn't say anything. And I think it's very unfair. He was called the John Wayne of Football by John Madden. Here's the last question. Jim Otto | American Football Wiki | Fandom I guess I hit someone pretty hard, and we didn't have any masks, and I got hit in the face. He wasted little time eliminating one other problem his size. This interview was conducted by FRONTLINEs Tom Jennings on Dec. 22, 2012. I was depressed because I wasn't running out on the field anymore, when they announced "At center, Jim Otto." Major funding for FRONTLINE is provided by John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. I would say that suicide has been in the past one of the least spoken about things among players, among owners, among the NFL of anything. And that's what I'm doing. Is there something about Wisconsin, or is it something about how you just approached that position itself, the center? Nobody is giving me any special help. The highly educated are hiring counselors to advise them on masking agents and certain other breakdown products. I was hitting him with such force, and he was coming at me with such force that this is what happened. When you have a blow like that, it's a concussion; there's no doubt about it. FactSnippet No. He considered the 20-some broken noses as more nuisance than hindrance, along with a hip pointer, broken fingers, broken ribs, a broken jaw, neck stingers, numerous concussions, kicked-in teeth and a bout of double pneumonia. That's the way football is, and if you don't want to play it that way, we can get you playing some girls' games. And he told me that so many times: "Pops, I'm going to be just like you. 8. In 1951 alone, he knocked out 21 players. Thats when doctors operated on his back for 11 1/2 hours to remove scar tissue and He has a compound fracture of the thumb. In order to foster a civil and literate discussion that respects all participants, FRONTLINE has the following guidelines for commentary. In 1990, four players were suspended. The 2003 NFL MVP, McNair has never missed a playoff start and led the Titans to the Super Bowl in 1999. I think, why am I thinking this? If they enjoy hitting somebody, let them hit people; let them play football. Editors note: Sadly, Class of 52 correspondent Joan Boffa Gaul passed away on April 11, 2023.This column, her final one, was written in February. However, they came back stronger in 1972, scoring 365 points (26.1 points/game), 3rd of 26 teams in the NFL, but lost 13-7 to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the divisional round of the 1972-73 NFL playoffs, the infamous and outrageous (from Oakland's point of view) Immaculate Reception game. Jim Strub wrote from a mountainside in Colorado. And I wanted to be a help to David. He needed 74 surgeries for his football injuries, including the amputation of one of his legs. That was the most important thing to me. If I had a graph I could show you it. Get hit in the head so hard your eyes were crossed? When the Minneapolis contigent decided to move forward with an NFL franchise, Jim Ottos rights defauted to the AFLs Oakland Raiders. I think that everything that has caused my body to be a problem has been from football, you know? They would worry about the consequences later., Huizenga said: I would say most of the doctors are first-rate professionals, but they can fall into a trap from the huge pressures of owners and the millions of dollars involved, especially in big games. Contact FRONTLINE Since then, only three players have been suspended for the minimum four weeks for a first offense. I am really sore, and I'm trying to figure out the best way to take care of that. What were your first thoughts when you started hearing those stories after his retirement? Anything loosea knee pad, a shoe, a chin strapwould be ripped off by a Butkus tackle. And that's the way we played. Trafton played before the NFL enforced late-hit, roughing, or unsportsmanlike conduct penalties. He was not a great linebacker. According to several experts, the emphasis on size in the mid-1980s led to a peak use of steroids, which increase strength, muscle definition and aggressiveness. Theyre still in that state of denial. I think I'm just kind of touchy about thinking that my body is going to be separated from something and probably not in the same grave, maybe that's what I'm thinking of. There was recently a Washington Redskins player who got cut and shot his bed full of bullet holes, said Yaras-Davis, who declined to name the player. He proudly stated that he played football because it was the only way he could hit someone and get away with it. His joints are riddled with arthritis, and he has debilitating back and neck problems. It becomes quite a shock.. OK, you started by saying that suicide is not something that people talk about in the NFL, or have [not] until fairly recently anyhow. But a lot of guys no longer get the "Hey, Joe, how you doing. " Conrad Dobler, Guard, St. Louis Cardinals & New Orleans Saints & Buffalo Bills (1972-1981). You got your nose broken, right? Jim Otto starred for the Oakland Raiders, but his roots were in Wausau, Wisconsin. Jim Otto played before my time as a fan but I know his name and looked forward to reading his story. And that is the bad thing. Jim Otto When Lotts finger didnt heal properly, he told the doctors to cut it off, and they amputated his pinkie at the third knuckle. About FRONTLINE And I went, "Yay." Jim Otto had his right leg amputated on August 1, 2007.[2]. Oftentimes you'll see the contact where a tackler will tackle a runner or the quarterback, and right away they flag him, and it's going to cost them $20,000, $50,000, whatever it is for that hit. And even in soccer, you have problems with your head hitting the ball, two heads coming together or whatever. Coaches had a way of making you feel less manly if you didnt play. Kilroy denied the charge. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1980, the first year he was eligible.
Taylor Hill Obituary Newark, Nj, Subway Tile With Black Grout Bathroom, Birmingham Gold Makers' Marks, How Do You Make Clay In Little Alchemy 2, Articles J