First, can you tell us what you’ve done with yourself after football?
I started a business in 1974- while I was still playing. My wife’s uncle had a sporting goods business and he talked to me about how good of an opportunity it was and thought it would be good for me. So I had an Athlete’s Foot franchise store – I did that for 20-to-25 years before I sold it.
I got my MBA at Miami too – I tried to be prepared for things in life before they came up – I knew I couldn’t play forever. And no one made big money then – I made an average of $40,000 over my 11-year career.
You were one of two players on that 1972 team that was there when the franchise started in 1966 correct?
Honestly we didn’t think about it a lot. Norm Evans and I were the only two – and Norm was traded to Seattle later on.
At what stage during your season did you all start thinking about the possibility of going undefeated?
I don’t know if a big deal was ever made of it. Our goal was – well, we were embarrassed in Super Bowl VI by Dallas. Our goal was to get back to the Super Bowl and win it this time.
We had some close calls, but we never went in saying we wanted to remain undefeated. When we won that last game of the regular season versus the Giants, then we knew we had to go undefeated to win a Super Bowl. But it was about the Super Bowl, not going undefeated, if you know what I mean.
You had to play Pittsburgh in the playoffs to get there – what do you remember about that game that stands out to you?
Our first game was against the Browns in Miami. You didn’t get home field advantage then though for having the best record – so even though we went undefeated we had to play in Pittsburgh the following week. That’s just how they did it then.
What stands out to me about that game is that people in life have to be able to make critical decisions based on how things are going at the time. Don Shula was always able to do that. The decision to replace Earl Morrall with Bob Griese in that game was huge. Morrall if you remember was an All Pro quarterback in 1972 – he started after Griese got hurt early in the season versus San Diego and played very well.
Earl was a great guy and person too. Shula pulled Earl at halftime, and Earl didn’t make a big deal out of it. We had more of a team attitude then – I’m not sure how players would take that decision today. But we were more of a team attitude – no one made a big stink about things. Except maybe Jake Scott – he could be difficult!
How did the team react to the decision?
We were behind at halftime – the defense had played well and kept us in the game. The decision I think gave us a spark – one of the first plays in the second half, Griese threw to Paul Warfield on a slant and he ran all the way inside the Steelers 15, and we scored on that drive.
Earl just wasn’t inspiring the team then. He was playing ok, but not well enough to win. Griese gave us the spark we needed,
The other spark was Larry Seiple, if you remember him. He was our punter, and he noticed that when Pittsburgh was in punt formation, they never rushed him. They turned their backs to him to form a wall for the punt return. Larry told Shula that and asked if he should try to run for a first down if they did it again. Shula said yes, but he better make it if he did! Of course he ran down the right sideline all the way inside the Steelers’ 10, and we scored. That was a big play.
What do you remember about your own performance that game?
I didn’t have an outstanding game – I think I had one pass thrown to me that was knocked away. I blocked mostly – I was a willing and decent blocker. I always wanted to ensure I found a way to contribute, and if that was by blocking guys, then that was fine. I didn’t make mistakes – that’s why they had me out there. But there were a lot of big people o the Pittsburgh team to block!
Did you notice teams starting to target you and that unbeaten season more and more as the season progressed?
We heard it a lot. The Giants in the last game – their fans had banners saying 15-1! A lot of things like that. The Steelers fans had banners like that too. That’s fans being fans – that was fine. It never bothered us.
Larry Little roomed with Bob Kuechenberg and I remember them talking once about the streak. Larry told Bob to stop talking about it – that it would jinx the team! But honestly, we really cared more about winning the Super Bowl than we did anything else.
What was it like once you won the Super Bowl?
I don’t know if you remember, but Garo Yepremian tried to kick a field goal with two minutes left that would have made it 17-0. But he kicked it into the center’s butt and then tried to throw it – it was intercepted and returned for a touchdown. The defense overwhelmed Washington after that. But if he made the field goal it would have been 17-0 – which would have matched our record for the season. It would have been a fun coincidence.
Do you still relish being the only team to have gone undefeated?
How does anyone feel about being the only one to accomplish something – it feels special certainly. But it’s not really that important. Winning World War II – that was important. Lots of things are more important. But I was 28 then and didn’t think of things that way.
I think back on that season. Do you know what the price of a ticket to Super Bowl VI was? $12.50. The game has changed! The Steelers – they are good people and if we have to share being undefeated with them, then so be it. Of course we want to be the only team to ever go undefeated – to be the only ones to accomplish something. That’s just human nature.
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