Jack Youngblood

Infobox NFLretired


caption=Youngblood giving his Pro Football Hall of Fame induction speech.
position=Defensive End
number=85
birthdate=birth date and age|1950|1|26
Jacksonville, Florida
Height_ft=6
Height_in=4
Weight_lbs=245
debutyear=1971
finalyear=1984
draftyear=1971
draftround=1
draftpick=20
college=Florida
teams=
* Los Angeles Rams (1971-1984)
stat1label=Sacks
stat1value=151.5
stat2label=Games
stat2value=202
stat3label=Safeties
stat3value=2
nfl=YOU728550
highlights=
* 7x Pro Bowl selection (1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979)
* 9x All-Pro selection (1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1984)
* 9x All-NFC (1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1984)
* 1975 NFL Defensive Lineman of the Year
* 1975 NFC Defensive Player of the Year
* 1976 NFC Defensive Player of the Year
* 3x Rams MVP (1975, 1976, 1979)
* NFL 1970s All-Decade Team
* 1970 All-American
* St. Louis Rams Ring of Fame
* St. Louis Rams #85 retired
* Gator Football Ring of Honor
Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams Records:
* 201 Consecutive Games Played
* 8.5 Career Sacks in the Playoffs
* 17 Playoff Starts
* 2 Career safeties (tied)
* 2nd Most Career Sacks with 151.5
* 2nd most Career Blocked Kicks with 8
HOF=237
CollegeHOF=60041

Herbert Jackson Youngblood III (born January 26, 1950 in Jacksonville, Florida) is a former American football defensive end who played for 14 years for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League. Inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2001.

After retiring from the NFL in 1985 he was a member of the front office for the Rams until 1991.Fact|date=June 2008 In 1992, he joined the staff of the Sacramento Surge and then the administration of the Sacramento Gold Miners in 1993. He was a vice-president, then president of the Orlando Predators from 1994 until 1999. From 1999 through 2002 he served as the National Football League liaison for the Arena Football League. [cite web |url= http://www.cantonrep.com/index.php?Category=27&ID=2151&r=0&subCategoryID= |title= Youngblood contributes to arena league success|accessdate=2008-08-21 |last= Popvich|first= Mike|coauthors= |date= |work=CantonRep.com |publisher=]

Early years

The son of Herbert J. and Kay Youngblood, Jack had two sisters, Paula and Lynn. Youngblood attended Monticello-Jefferson County High School in Monticello, Florida, graduating in 1967. As an offensive lineman and linebacker, he was a starter on offense and defense and team captain of the state champion Tigers, earning All-State honors in 1966.cite web |url= http://www.fhsaa.org/news/2007/1212.htm|title= FHSAA announces 33-member All-Century football team
accessdate=2008-08-21 |last= |first= |coauthors= |date= 2007-12-12|work= fhsaa.org|publisher=Florida High School Athletic Association] He was also All-Big Bend, All-Conference and the Big Bend Linemen of the Year and the Outstanding Lineman for the Tigers that season while leading a defense that shutout seven opponents and allowed ten touchdowns in 12 games, including the state playoffs. He is a brother of the Florida Alpha Omega Chapter of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity. [cite web |url= http://www.ato.org/av/gi_famous.shtml |title= Famous Alumni|accessdate=2008-08-21 |last= |first= |coauthors= |date= |work= ato.org|publisher=Alpha Tau Omega]

Youngblood was named to Florida's All-Time High school football team by "Sports Illustrated" in 1989. In November 2007, he was voted to the Florida High School Athletic Association's All-Century High School football team.

College career

1967-68 seasons

At the University of Florida, Youngblood earned a degree in finance and was a three-year varsity letterman.cite web |url= http://www.secsportsfan.com/top-all-time-sec-defensive-football-player.html|title= Top All-Time SEC Defensive Football Player|accessdate=2008-08-21 |last= |first= |coauthors= |date= |work= secsportsfan.com|publisher=SEC Sports Fan] As a sophomore in 1968, Youngblood played defensive end and defensive tackle while also handling the kicking chores for the Gators, kicking a career-long 42-yard field goal to provide the three point winning margin in his first collegiate game which was against Air Force.Fact|date=June 2008

1969 season

In 1969 Youngblood was part of a 9-1-1 Gator team that upset the University of Tennessee Volunteers in the Gator Bowl in Ray Graves's final game as coach at Florida. Youngblood first gained national attention after an October 4, 1969, 5-sack performance 21-6 win versus instate rival Florida State University.Fact|date=June 2008 He set a school record for sacks (14) in 1969 and finished his Gator career with 29 quarterback sacks.Fact|date=June 2008

1970 season

In 1970, Youngblood was voted All-American, [cite web |url= http://www.gatorzone.com/football/media/2006/pdf/128-135.pdf|title= Florida All-Americans|accessdate=2008-01-05 |format= pdf|work= gatorzone.com|publisher= University of Florida] while leading the team with 10 sacks. Additionally, he was a finalist for the Outland Trophy following the 1970 season [cite web |url= http://www.gatorzone.com/football/media/2006/pdf/143-146.pdf|title= 100 Years of Gator Football|accessdate=2008-01-05 |format= pdf|work= gatorzone.com|publisher=University of Florida] and was voted the 1970 SEC lineman of the year. Some regard Youngblood, who was considered to be a good pass rusher, [cite web |url= http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,944277-3,00.html|title= TIME'S All-America Team: Prime Prospects For the Pros|accessdate=2008-06-19 |work= time.com|date= 1970-12-28|publisher= Time] [cite web |url= http://www.gatorcountry.com/football/article/countdown_gators_by_the_numbers_70_79/ |title= Countdown: Gators by the Numbers 70-79 |accessdate=2008-06-19 |work= Florida Gators Country|date= 2006-07-28] as the best defensive lineman in Gators history as well as one of the top five players in the University of Florida's football program.cite web |url= http://blogs.tampabay.com/gators/2006/12/greatest_gator_.html|title= Who's the greatest Gator of them all?|accessdate=2008-01-05 |format= |work= Gator Report]

Youngblood was named to the SEC All-Conference team in 1970, which ended three winning seasons while at Florida. He entered the school at 195 pounds and put on 10 pounds a year through weight-lifting, finishing around 245 pounds.Fact|date=June 2008 He was also the 1970 recipient of Florida's Forrest K. (Fergie) Ferguson Award, which goes the senior who displays outstanding leadership, character, and courage. [cite web |url= http://www.gatorzone.com/football/media/2006/pdf/143-146.pdf|title=2006 Gator Football Media Guide|accessdate= |work= Gator Report|date= ] .

His performance in the Florida/University of Georgia rivalry earned him a spot in the Florida-Georgia game Hall of Fame as well. In the 1970 edition of the game, when Florida trailed Georgia by seven points and the Georgia offense had driven to Florida's 1-yard line, Youngblood stopped a Georgia running back short of the goal line and forced him to fumble and then recovered the loose ball beginning a rally that gained a come-from-behind 24-17 victory in what is known as "The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party".cite web |url= http://gatorzone.com/facilities/?venue=swamp&page=ringofhonor&sport=footb|title= Florida Football Ring of Honor|accessdate=2008-06-19 |work= |date= ]

Awards and honors

In 2000, "Sports Illustrated" ranked Youngblood as #4 in its list of the greatest pass rushers of all-time, behind only Deacon Jones, Reggie White and Lawrence Taylor. [ [http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/magazine/passrushers.flashback/ CNNSI.com] ]

Youngblood's style of play and perceived ability to play hurt brought many notations in NFL lore. In 1996 NFL Films named him to their list of the 100 Toughest Players of All-Time and in 2006 NFL writer Neil Reynolds featured Youngblood in his 2006 book "Pain Gang," [ [http://www.amazon.com/dp/1597970131 "ibid"] [http://www.nfluk.com/features-display.php?id=2112 "ibid"] ] in which Reynolds names Youngblood as one of the 50 Toughest players of All-Time. In addition, "Blitz" magazine, The "Sporting News", "Football Digest", and "Sport" magazine along with others have singled Youngblood out as one of the toughest and/or one of the hardest hitting players of all-time.

Post-NFL career

Broadcasting career

Youngblood was a reporter and co-host for ESPN's "Game Day" show in 1985 and 1986, alongside Chris Berman and was succeeded by current co-host, Tom Jackson in 1987.Fact|date=June 2008 In 1988 he auditioned for the NFL on CBS's NFL Today along with Dick Butkus, Lyle Alzado, and Gary Fencik, with Butkus being hired to fill the co-host slot.Fact|date=June 2008 Youngblood was also a regular guest on ESPN programs "Star-Shot" (1988), "Sportslook" (1984, 1986, 1988) and "Great Outdoors" (1989) programs.Fact|date=June 2008

In 2000, Youngblood was hired as the co-host for "Wall-Mart's Great Outdoors" (with Bert Jones) and served in that capacity through 2003.Fact|date=June 2008

Football administrative career

After his retirement, Youngblood worked in player relations and marketing for the Rams from 1985-91 and served as the Rams' color analyst for the Rams Radio Network from 1987-1991.Fact|date=June 2008 Youngblood moved to the World League of American Football as the Director of Marketing for the Sacramento Surge in 1992, during which time the Surge won the World Bowl.Fact|date=June 2008 He moved to the Sacramento Gold Miners of the Canadian Football League in 1993. He also served as a color analyst for the both the Surge and the Gold Miners radio networks and hosted a sports radio talk show from Sacramento, California.Fact|date=June 2008

In 1995, he returned to his native Florida as Vice President and General Manager, then later as President, of the Orlando Predators of the Arena Football League.Fact|date=June 2008 One of his major projects with the Predators was taking the team a publicly traded company on the NASDAQ stock exchange.Fact|date=June 2008 In 1998, Youngblood's final year with the team, the club won its first Arena League championship, defeating the favored Tampa Bay Storm. In 1999 he began to work for the AFL office as a liaison to the National Football League and served as a special consultant to the Arena Football League and arenafootball2.Fact|date=June 2008

Acting career

Youngblood appeared in two television movies: "C.A.T. Squad" in 1986 and "C.A.T. Squad: Python Wolf" in 1988.Fact|date=June 2008 Youngblood played a Secret Service agent in the "Counter Assault Technical Squad" named John Sommers who was the "best weapons and munitions man in the business" and who was a fine secret service agent but hated big cities like Washington and New York and thus was banished to Alaska. In the plot line of the movies "John Sommers" also was a member of the Air Force Reserve who piloted SR-71 spyplane. [ [http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN0786413956&id=IRog-mvSMR8C&pg=PA47&lpg=PA47&ots=dr9K5y_kDW&dq=%22Jack+Youngblood%22&sig=EdBXCmkXrQxIXBaIW49t5B0IXIc#PPA47,M1 Crime Fighting Heroes of Television, by Vincent Terrace] ] Youngblood was nominated for an Emmy award for best supporting actor for his work in "Python Wolf". In these films Youngblood starred along with Joe Cortese, [ [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0181288/IMDB.com Joe Cortese] ] Steve James, [ [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0416944/ IMDB.com Steve James] ] and Deborah Van Valkenburgh. [ [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0888154/ IMDB.com Deborah Van Valkenburgh] ] Both movies were directed by William Friedkin who is most noted for directing "The Exorcist", "The French Connection", and the "Boys in the Band".Jack Youngblood owns

Autobiograhy

In 1988, Youngblood authored (with Joel Engle) his autobiography entitled, "Blood". The book outlined Youngblood's drive and passion for professional football and reviewed his career, his injuries, his successes and failures on the football field. It was favorably reviewed by Publishers Weekly as "an unusual sports book." [ [http://www.amazon.com/dp/0809245884 Amazon.com] ]

Charitable activities

Youngblood was involved in the 1974 NFL-USO tour to Vietnam and Southeast Asia.Fact|date=June 2008 In 1977, Youngblood was the chairman of the Los Angeles-area "Right to Read" program and active in the Muscular Dystrophy Foundation.Fact|date=June 2008 The same year, he was the United Way spokesman for the Rams and was the club's Man of the Year nominee in 1975 and 1983.Fact|date=June 2008 In April 2007, Youngblood was inducted into the National Football League Alumni Association’s prestigious Order of the Leather Helmet, which is the highest award for the NFL Alumni given to those "who make a lasting impression on the game".Fact|date=June 2008.

In his final 13 years (1979-1991) in Los Angeles, Youngblood sponsored a celebrity golf tournament for the John Tracy Clinic for Deaf Children, [ [http://www.johntracyclinic.org John Tracy Clinic.org] ] and was active with programs at the Children's Hospital for Orange County. He was named the Orange County "Sportsman of the Year" by the hospital in 1987.

Since 2001, Youngblood has been the St. Louis Rams' host for the "Taste of the NFL" charity event, [ [http://www.tasteofthenfl.com/alumni.asp Taste of the NFL.com] ] a dinner held annually at the Super Bowl to raise funds for America's Second Harvest-The Nation's Foodbank Network. [ [http://www.secondharvest.org/ Nature's Second Harvest.org] ]

Youngblood is also a division president of [http://www.lilesoilco.com/ Dave Liles Ethanol Fuels] , [ [http://www.lilesoilco.com/manteam.html David Liles Ethanol Fuels - Questions & Answers ] ] which produces a fuel additive that purports to boost octane, clean fuel systems, and help the environment by reducing engine emissions and being completely biodegradable. [ [http://www.lilesoilco.com/index_ben.html "ibid"] ]

References

External links

*"Pro Football Hall of Fame:" [http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.jsp?player_id=237 Member profile]
*"College Football Hall of Fame:" [http://www.collegefootball.org/famersearch.php?id=60041 Member profile]
* [http://www.profootballhof.com/history/release.jsp?release_id=1161 Photos of Jack Youngblood]
* [http://www.profootballhof.com/history/release.jsp?release_id=627 Q&A with Jack Youngblood]
* [http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/j/jack_youngblood.html Quotes by Jack Youngblood]
* [http://www.nfl.com/videos?videoId=09000d5d801303fd NFL Films about Jack Youngblood]

Persondata
NAME = Youngblood, Jack
ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
SHORT DESCRIPTION = Former National Football League athlete
DATE OF BIRTH = January 26, 1950
PLACE OF BIRTH = Jacksonville, Florida
DATE OF DEATH =
PLACE OF DEATH =