Otis Sistrunk facts for kids
Otis Sistrunk in January, 2005
|
|||
| No. 60 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Defensive tackle, Defensive end | ||
| Personal information | |||
| Born: | September 18, 1946 Columbus, Georgia, U.S. |
||
| Height: | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | ||
| Weight: | 265 lb (120 kg) | ||
| Career information | |||
| High school: | Spencer (Columbus) | ||
| College: | None | ||
| Undrafted: | 1972 | ||
| Career history | |||
|
|||
| Career highlights and awards | |||
|
|||
| Career NFL statistics | |||
|
|||
| Player stats at PFR | |||
Otis Sistrunk (born September 18, 1946) is a former American football player. He played his whole seven-year career as a defensive lineman for the Oakland Raiders in the National Football League (NFL). This was from 1972 to 1978. After football, Sistrunk also became a professional wrestler for a short time in 1981.
Contents
Playing Professional Football
Otis Sistrunk was born in Columbus, Georgia. He was one of the few NFL players of his time who did not play college football. Instead, he went straight from William H. Spencer High School to the United States Marines.
From Military to Football
After leaving the military, Sistrunk, who was 21 years old, worked at a meat-packing plant in Milwaukee. He also played semi-pro football for two years with the West Allis Racers. In 1969, he joined the Norfolk Neptunes team.
Sistrunk played for the Neptunes for three years. In 1971, a scout from the Los Angeles Rams saw him play. The scout believed Sistrunk could play in the NFL. Representatives from the Oakland Raiders then saw him during a team practice. They brought Sistrunk to their team in 1972.
Otis Sistrunk was honored in the American Football Association's Semi Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1982.
The "University of Mars" Story
.jpg)
During a "Monday Night Football" TV show, a camera showed Otis Sistrunk on the sideline. His bald head was steaming, which means it looked like steam was coming off it. The Raiders team program listed his education as "U.S. Mars." This was short for United States Marine Corps.
Because of his unique look and the "U.S. Mars" listing, a TV commentator named Alex Karras joked about it. He suggested that Sistrunk's school was the "University of Mars."
Super Bowl Champion
Sistrunk was chosen for the Pro Bowl in 1974. In 1976, he played for coach John Madden. Sistrunk was part of the Raiders team that won Super Bowl XI. They played against the Minnesota Vikings.
He stopped playing football after the 1978 season. In his career, he played 98 games. He recovered seven fumbles and made three interceptions.
Wrestling Career
After his football career, Sistrunk had a short time as a professional wrestler. He joined the National Wrestling Alliance. In 1981, he teamed up with Michael Hayes.
Together, they won the NWA Georgia Tag Team Championship on September 27, 1981. They defeated Jimmy Snuka and Terry Gordy. However, Sistrunk soon decided he did not enjoy wrestling. He retired, and the championship title was left empty in late 1981.
Life After Sports
After leaving football, Sistrunk worked as a beer salesman for two years. Then, he was asked to work for the Army as a civilian employee. He worked at Fort Benning, Georgia, for twelve years.
Today, Sistrunk manages Cowan Memorial Stadium at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington. He also helps with athletic training programs there.
He also appeared in a couple of movies. He was a short-order cook in Car Wash (1976).
His nephew, Caesar Rayford, also played as a defensive end for the Dallas Cowboys. Otis Sistrunk is also a distant cousin to former NFL player Manny Sistrunk.
In 2022, the street where Sistrunk lives in Columbus, Georgia, was honorarily named after him.
See also
- List of gridiron football players who became professional wrestlers
