Larry Wilson (American football) facts for kids
Wilson displayed on a Topps football card, 1970
|
|||||||||||||||
| No. 8 | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Free safety | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
| Born: | March 24, 1938 Rigby, Idaho, U.S. |
||||||||||||||
| Died: | September 17, 2020 (aged 82) Scottsdale, Arizona, U.S. |
||||||||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 190 lb (86 kg) | ||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||
| High school: | Rigby (Rigby, ID) |
||||||||||||||
| College: | Utah | ||||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1960 / Round: 7 / Pick: 74 | ||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||
| As player: | |||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||
| As coach: | |||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||
| As executive: | |||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||
| Head coaching record | |||||||||||||||
| Career: | 2–1 (.667) | ||||||||||||||
| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||||||
| Coaching stats at PFR | |||||||||||||||
|
Pro Football Hall of Fame
|
|||||||||||||||
Larry Frank Wilson (born March 24, 1938 – died September 17, 2020) was an American professional football player. He was a free safety for the St. Louis Cardinals in the National Football League (NFL). A safety is a defensive player who helps stop long passes and runs. Larry Wilson was chosen for the Pro Bowl eight times. He played his entire 13-year career with the Cardinals. He even stayed with the team after they moved to Arizona in 1988, working for them until 2003.
Larry Wilson was honored by being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1978. This was the first year he was eligible. He was also named to the National Football League 75th Anniversary All-Time Team in 1994 and the National Football League 100th Anniversary All-Time Team in 2019. These teams recognize the best players in NFL history.
Contents
Larry Wilson's Early Life and College Football
Larry Wilson was born and grew up in Rigby, Idaho. He went to Rigby High School, where there is now a special plaque to remember his achievements. After finishing high school in 1956, he played college football at the University of Utah. For the Utes, he was a key player on both offense and defense. He played as a halfback (running back) and a cornerback (defensive back).
Larry Wilson: A Star Player in the NFL
Even though Larry Wilson was very skilled, he was considered a bit small for an NFL player at six feet tall. Because of this, he was not picked until the 7th round of the 1960 NFL draft. He was drafted by the Chicago Cardinals. The draft happened in November 1959. Before the 1960 season began, the team moved to St. Louis and became the St. Louis Cardinals.
The "Wildcat" Blitz: A Game-Changing Play
Before Wilson joined the team, the Cardinals' defensive coordinator, Chuck Drulis, created a new play. This play involved the free safety rushing the quarterback, which is called a blitz. The play was named "Wildcat." Drulis didn't think he had a player athletic enough to run it until Larry Wilson arrived. Wilson impressed Drulis so much that he convinced the Cardinals to make Wilson their free safety.
When the Cardinals first used the safety blitz, it was very effective. Most teams did not expect a defensive back to rush the quarterback. This single play helped change how defenses work in football today, where a blitz can come from anywhere. Larry Wilson became so famous for this play that "Wildcat" became his nickname.
Wilson's Amazing Career Highlights
Larry Wilson was named an All-Pro player six times during his career. He also represented the Cardinals in eight Pro Bowl games. In 1966, he caught at least one interception in seven games in a row. He finished that season with 10 interceptions, which led the league. An interception is when a defensive player catches a pass meant for an offensive player.
Jerry Kramer, a player for the Green Bay Packers, called Wilson "the finest football player in the NFL." Kramer said that Wilson's energy was contagious and inspired his whole team. Wilson is also famous for playing and even intercepting a pass while having casts on both of his hands because of broken wrists! He showed incredible toughness.
Larry Wilson finished his career with 52 interceptions, which he returned for a total of 800 yards. He also scored five touchdowns from these interceptions. He recovered 14 fumbles, returning them for 173 yards and two more scores. A fumble is when a player drops the ball.
Wilson retired after the 1972 season. He is one of the few players who played in the NFL for at least 10 years but never played in an official playoff game. The closest he came was in 1964, when the Cardinals won the Playoff Bowl. This was a special game for third place after the season. It was one of only five winning seasons the Cardinals had during his 13 years with the team.
Larry Wilson's Role as an Executive
After he stopped playing, Larry Wilson continued to work for the Cardinals. He became the secondary coach and director of scouting. In 1977, he was named the general manager. He held this important leadership role for the next 17 years. He also served as the interim head coach for a short time in 1979. When the team moved to Arizona in 1988, he became a vice president. He stepped down as general manager in 1993 but remained a vice president until he fully retired after the 2002 season.
Honors and Legacy
Larry Wilson was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1978. This means he is recognized as one of the greatest football players of all time. He is one of only four Hall of Famers who never played in a postseason game. In 1999, The Sporting News ranked him number 43 on their list of the 100 Greatest Football Players. This made him the highest-ranked player who spent most of his career with the Cardinals.
The Arizona Cardinals have also retired his uniform number 8. This means no other player on the team will ever wear that number again. In 2007, NFL Network ranked him ninth on their list of the "Top 10 Draft Steals" in NFL history. This shows how valuable he was, especially since he was drafted in a later round. Wilson was also named to the NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team in 1994 and the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team in 2019, cementing his place among the NFL's all-time greats.
Personal Life
Larry Wilson was married to Nancy Wilson for over forty years. They had two children together. He passed away on September 17, 2020, in Scottsdale, Arizona.
