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Merlin Olsen passes
Type: Latest News
12 March 2010 9:47 AM - Henry Hodgson
Hall of Fame Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Merlin Olsen died on Thursday after a battle with cancer at the age of 69. Olsen formed part of the famous ‘Fearsome Foursome' defensive line of the Rams that dominated the sport in the 1970's.
Olsen's deep, rich voice and sincerity made him a success both as an actor and in the broadcast booth, where he offered insights to the game he played so well for so long.
"He was ferocious and fearless on the football field and then the other probably more important aspect of his personality was he was a true gentleman," said fellow Hall of Famer Jack Youngblood, Olsen's teammate with the Rams in Los Angeles. "We all know what a wonderful, tremendous football player he was, but he was so much more than that."
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell issued a statement lauding Olsen as an "extraordinary person, friend and football player."
"He cared deeply about people, especially those that shared the game of football with him," Goodell said. "Merlin was a larger-than-life person, literally and figuratively, and leaves an enormously positive legacy."
Olsen was an All-American at Utah State and a first-round draft pick of the Los Angeles Rams in 1962. He joined Deacon Jones, Lamar Lundy and Rosey Grier on the Rams' storied "Fearsome Foursome" defensive line, known for either stopping or knocking backward whatever offenses it faced. The Rams set an NFL record for the fewest yards allowed during a 14-game season in 1968.
Youngblood joined the Rams as a rookie in 1971, backing up Jones as Olsen continued to anchor the other side of the line. Youngblood remembered Olsen telling him as a young player to push to be great not just on every play but with "every heartbeat."
"When you stop and think of Merlin on the field, he accomplished things that will never be accomplished again," Youngblood said. "If it hadn't been for Merlin Olsen, I wouldn't have turned out to be the football player that he helped mold and make."
Former Green Bay Packers offensive lineman Jerry Kramer remembered in his 1968 book "Instant Replay," co-written with late sportswriter and broadcaster Dick Schaap, dreading going up against Olsen.
"I'll be facing Merlin Olsen, and that's definitely work, not fun," Kramer wrote. "Merlin never lets up. He'll run right over you no matter what the score is."
Olsen was rookie of the year for the Rams in 1962 and remains the franchise's all-time leader in career tackles with 915. He was named to 14 consecutive Pro Bowls, a string that started his rookie year.
"Merlin Olsen is one of the best players in the history of the NFL," Rams general manager Billy Devaney said in a statement released by the team Thursday afternoon. "His passing is a tremendous loss for the Rams. He will always be remembered as an ambassador for the organization as well as the National Football League."
After football, Olsen played the role of Jonathan Garvey, friend to Michael Landon's Charles Ingalls, on "Little House." Olsen later starred in his own series, "Father Murphy," from 1981 to 1983 and the short-lived "Aaron's Way" in 1988.
Olsen also stayed in the game as a broadcaster. He wasn't just some former player who knew football and would weave tales of his playing days into the broadcast. He was well-spoken and smart. The son of a former school teacher, Olsen graduated summa cum laude at Utah State with a degree in economics and earned a master's in economics in between his 15 NFL seasons.
Olsen was voted NFC defensive lineman of the year in 1973 and the league MVP in 1974, and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1982. Brothers Phil and Orrin also played in the NFL.
Olsen is survived by his wife, Susan, and three children.
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