[lex24]

Was watching Dallas- Wash. receiver went across middle, Short cross.  Caught it, defender coming from other direction goes low. Receiver breaks tackle. Runs for about 30 more. Aikman  mentioned how that was one of the brobdingnagian changes in the game from when he played. In his day the defensive back would’ve absolutely blown up the wide receiver. Think Ronnie Lott.  Aikman mentioned as a quarterback then you had to be aware of that so your receivers didn’t get killed. I don’t think he actually used that word but you get my drift. Not so much today. Really has been one of the major changes leading to what are essentially pinball numbers for quarterbacks.

[lex24]

Was watching Dallas- Wash. receiver went across middle, Short cross.  Caught it, defender coming from other direction goes low. Receiver breaks tackle. Runs for about 30 more. Aikman  mentioned how that was one of the brobdingnagian changes in the game from when he played. In his day the defensive back would’ve absolutely blown up the wide receiver. Think Ronnie Lott.  Aikman mentioned as a quarterback then you had to be aware of that so your receivers didn’t get killed. I don’t think he actually used that word but you get my drift. Not so much today. Really has been one of the major changes leading to what are essentially pinball numbers for quarterbacks.

[ca245]

I started watching football around the time of the first Super Bowl and one of the KC Chiefs DB's was Fred "The Hammer" Williamson whose nickname derived from his habit of "tackling" wide receivers by delivering a karate chop to their heads. Needless to say, such practice would not pass muster today.

[ca245]

I started watching football around the time of the first Super Bowl and one of the KC Chiefs DB's was Fred "The Hammer" Williamson whose nickname derived from his habit of "tackling" wide receivers by delivering a karate chop to their heads. Needless to say, such practice would not pass muster today.

[BobK]

Phogge and I started with Hardy Brown of the 49ers. Forearm to the face throat in the pre face mask era

---

And Brown’s shoulder to the head tackle

[BobK]

Phogge and I started with Hardy Brown of the 49ers. Forearm to the face throat in the pre face mask era

---

And Brown’s shoulder to the head tackle

[Phogge]

Ed Sprinkle of the Bears another mentally ill DE who had a habit of beating the crap out of Frankie Albert.

[Phogge]

Ed Sprinkle of the Bears another mentally ill DE who had a habit of beating the crap out of Frankie Albert.

[lex24]

How bout Deacon Jones and his forearm head slap.

[lex24]

How bout Deacon Jones and his forearm head slap.

[winflop]

A Stanford angle to this - Tank Williams and John Lynch.

I grew up with Doug Plank and Gary Fencik of the 80s Bears - greatest defense ever and those two safeties were vicious

It was also an era where QBs would get clocked too. I remember watching Otis Wilson go horizontal and knock Danny White unconscious.

[winflop]

A Stanford angle to this - Tank Williams and John Lynch.

I grew up with Doug Plank and Gary Fencik of the 80s Bears - greatest defense ever and those two safeties were vicious

It was also an era where QBs would get clocked too. I remember watching Otis Wilson go horizontal and knock Danny White unconscious.

[Mick]

Here's a take on the Top 15 hardest hitters of all time.  Three of them had long careers with the 49ers (Romanowski, Lott, Willis).

https://www.sportscasting.com/nfl-hardes...-all-time/

[Mick]

Here's a take on the Top 15 hardest hitters of all time.  Three of them had long careers with the 49ers (Romanowski, Lott, Willis).

https://www.sportscasting.com/nfl-hardes...-all-time/

[qwerty49]

Here's a take on the Top 15 hardest hitters of all time.  Three of them had long careers with the 49ers (Romanowski, Lott, Willis).

https://www.sportscasting.com/nfl-hardes...-all-time/

Great article, thanks for sharing.  The Lott story that says it all is when his pinkie finger wouldn't heal properly, and to avoid the long recovery time from surgery, he had it amputated.  (Either that, or he joined the Yakuza.)

[qwerty49]

Here's a take on the Top 15 hardest hitters of all time.  Three of them had long careers with the 49ers (Romanowski, Lott, Willis).

https://www.sportscasting.com/nfl-hardes...-all-time/

Great article, thanks for sharing.  The Lott story that says it all is when his pinkie finger wouldn't heal properly, and to avoid the long recovery time from surgery, he had it amputated.  (Either that, or he joined the Yakuza.)

[BobK]

I met Lott at Stanford and the first thing I did was glance at his hand.
Couldn’t help it.

---

Hardy Brown. You be the judge

https://youtu.be/TeJFEf7JfUA

[BobK]

I met Lott at Stanford and the first thing I did was glance at his hand.
Couldn’t help it.

---

Hardy Brown. You be the judge

https://youtu.be/TeJFEf7JfUA

[81alum]

I remember watching Dick Butkus when I was a kid.  In particular, I remember one hit (which I did not see on the highlight reels) where a receiver over the middle jumped to highpoint a pass.  Butkus hit him in the back of his legs when he was at the highest point of the catch and pushed through, pinwheeling the receiver so he landed on his head.  I don't remember if the receiver held on or not.  Probably the only reason Butkus is not at the top of every one of those lists is that he played for the losing Bears.

There was a time when some fans watched football waiting for those vicious hits, a little like auto racing where some go hoping to see a crash.  Maybe the growth of professional wrestling has provided a different outlet for those folks.  But if football is to survive it is going to have to find a way to draw fans to a less and less violent game.

[81alum]

I remember watching Dick Butkus when I was a kid.  In particular, I remember one hit (which I did not see on the highlight reels) where a receiver over the middle jumped to highpoint a pass.  Butkus hit him in the back of his legs when he was at the highest point of the catch and pushed through, pinwheeling the receiver so he landed on his head.  I don't remember if the receiver held on or not.  Probably the only reason Butkus is not at the top of every one of those lists is that he played for the losing Bears.

There was a time when some fans watched football waiting for those vicious hits, a little like auto racing where some go hoping to see a crash.  Maybe the growth of professional wrestling has provided a different outlet for those folks.  But if football is to survive it is going to have to find a way to draw fans to a less and less violent game.

[martyup]

I used to sponsor the "Hit Man" award at my HS.  It would be awarded to the hardest hitter on the team.  The prize was a plaque that I had laser etched with the Bad Boy clothing logo.

[martyup]

I used to sponsor the "Hit Man" award at my HS.  It would be awarded to the hardest hitter on the team.  The prize was a plaque that I had laser etched with the Bad Boy clothing logo.

[Nan3cy]

In a long-ago interview, Ronnie Lott said he tried for at least one “woo-hit” a game. That was where everybody watching said “Woo!”

[Nan3cy]

In a long-ago interview, Ronnie Lott said he tried for at least one “woo-hit” a game. That was where everybody watching said “Woo!”

[cardcrimson]

Grew up a Raiders fan, watching Tatum and Atkinson lay people out. Was there for the Stingley hit; it happened pretty much in front of us. Clean, yet vicious. Side story iirc, was that Madden was the first to visit him in the hospital as the Patriots had already flown home. . . .

[cardcrimson]

Grew up a Raiders fan, watching Tatum and Atkinson lay people out. Was there for the Stingley hit; it happened pretty much in front of us. Clean, yet vicious. Side story iirc, was that Madden was the first to visit him in the hospital as the Patriots had already flown home. . . .

[CowboyIndian]

No mention of Chuck Badnarik vs Frank Gifford?

https://images.app.goo.gl/C2fBwYXZoGrvQdrP9

https://images.app.goo.gl/Yb9FV8XeeqEbr8Fh9

[CowboyIndian]

No mention of Chuck Badnarik vs Frank Gifford?

https://images.app.goo.gl/C2fBwYXZoGrvQdrP9

https://images.app.goo.gl/Yb9FV8XeeqEbr8Fh9

[BobK]

Thinking of that in CI. Good one

[BobK]

Thinking of that in CI. Good one