Pro Football Hall of Famer Olsen dies
March 11, 2010
SALT LAKE CITY (AP)—Pro Football Hall of Famer and former television actorMerlin Olsen has died. He was 69.
Utah State, Olsen’s alma mater, said he died outside of Los Angeles earlyThursday after battling cancer. He was diagnosed with mesothelioma, a cancer ofthe lung lining, last year.
“This was the voice of a man who not only became one of our country’s mostdecorated athletes, but also one of the most accomplished and respected peopleever to hail from the state of Utah,” said Stan Albrecht, president of UtahState.
Olsen was an All-American at Utah State and a first-round draft pick of theLos Angles Rams in 1962.
The burley giant from northern Utah joined Deacon Jones, Lamar Lundy andRosey Grier on the Rams’ storied “Fearsome Foursome” defensive line known foreither stopping or knocking backward whatever offenses it faced. The Rams set anNFL record for the fewest yards allowed during a 14-game season in 1968.
Olsen was rookie of the year for the Rams in 1962 and is still the Rams’all-time leader in career tackles with 915. He was named to 14 consecutive ProBowls, a string that started his rookie year.
Olsen was also an established television actor with a role on “Little Houseon the Prairie,” then starring in his own series, “Father Murphy,” from 1981to 1983 and the short-lived “Aaron’s Way” in 1988.
Olsen was a consensus All-American at Utah State and won the 1961 OutlandTrophy as the nation’s best interior lineman. The Rams drafted Olsen thirdoverall in 1962 and he spent the next 15 years with the team before retiring in1976.
Utah State honored Olsen in December by naming the football field at RomneyStadium “Merlin Olsen Field.” Because of his illness, Olsen’s alma materdidn’t want to wait until football season and made the announcement duringhalftime of a basketball game.
Olsen was well enough to attend, but did not speak at the event. He stoodand smiled as he waved to fans during a standing ovation and chants of “MerlinOlsen!” and “Aggie Legend!”
Utah State is also planning a statue of Olsen at the southeast corner of thestadium.
The Rams also honored Olsen during a game Dec. 20, with a video tributenarrated by Dick Enberg, Olsen’s longtime broadcast partner. Olsen did notattend because of his health. His name was already part of the Ring of Fameinside the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis along with other franchise standouts.
He was voted NFC defensive lineman of the year in 1973 and the NFL MVP in1974, and was voted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1982.
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