Andy Dorris

Last updated

Andy Dorris
No. 69, 88
Position: Defensive end
Personal information
Born: (1951-08-11) August 11, 1951 (age 73)
Bellaire, Ohio, U.S.
Height:6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Weight:278 lb (126 kg)
Career information
High school: Bellaire (Ohio)
College: New Mexico State
NFL draft: 1973  / round: 4 / pick: 93
Career history
Career NFL statistics
Sacks:32.0
Fumble recoveries:6
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Andy Dorris (born August 11, 1951) is an American former professional football player. He was born in Bellaire, Ohio and attended college at New Mexico State University. [1] Dorris played in the National Football League (NFL) for 10 seasons. [2] He spent most of his professional career with the New Orleans Saints and the Houston Oilers. [2] [1] Dorris is currently a sales representative for Forterra in Houston, Texas. [3] [2]

Contents

Professional career

The Cleveland Browns drafted Andy Dorris with the 93rd pick in the 1973 NFL Draft. [4] [5] He initially signed a three-year contract with the team. [5] Before the season began, Cleveland traded Dorris to the St. Louis Cardinals. [6] He played in four games for St. Louis in his first season as a professional. [1] In October 1973, St. Louis traded Dorris to the New Orleans Saints in exchange for a draft choice. [7]

Dorris spent three full seasons with the Saints. [1] In a game against the Atlanta Falcons in 1976, Dorris sacked Falcons quarterback Steve Bartkowski. [8] Bartkowski left the game with a knee injury. [8]

At the beginning of the 1977 NFL season, the Seattle Seahawks acquired Dorris from New Orleans. [9] Dorris played four games for the Seahawks. [9] [10] [1] The Seahawks placed him on waivers in October 1977. [11] As a free agent, Dorris participated in tryouts for two teams, but he was rejected both times. [12]

In November 1977, the Houston Oilers' Elvin Bethea broke his arm during a game. Coach "Bum" Philips replaced him with Andy Dorris. [12] In Houston, Dorris was part of a team that came to be known as "Bum's boys." [12] [13] Under Bum's relaxed leadership style, Dorris bulked up and became a formidable defensive lineman. [12]

In 1979, Dorris was the starting left defensive end for the Oilers. [14] He recorded three sacks in a December matchup against the Denver Broncos. [15] Dorris signed a new contract with the Oilers in 1980. [16]

1979 and 1980 were two of the most successful seasons for the Houston Oilers franchise. In both seasons, the team finished the season with 11 wins and 5 losses but failed to make the Super Bowl. [17] [18]

Dorris was known as a locker-room prankster. He and a teammate once put blue dye in a shower head, turning a teammate's skin blue. [19]

Houston placed Dorris on the injured reserve list at the beginning of the 1982 season, but he had already played his last game as a professional. [20] [1]

In 1990, he attended a reunion luncheon of many former Oilers players at the Southern Plantation Restaurant. [21]

Dorris also had a pet lion cub.

Later career

Dorris works as a sales representative for Thompson Pipe Group in Dallas, TX. [3] The company produces pipes and precast concrete forms for a variety of commercial and industrial purposes. [22]

Awards and recognition

In his last year at New Mexico State, Dorris was named outstanding senior athlete. [5]

In 2006, the Missouri Valley Conference announced its football "All-Centennial Team." [23] Conference officials selected Andy Dorris as one of the 14 players representing the decade of the 1970s. [23] Dorris was all-MVC at New Mexico State in 1972. [23]

In 2007, Coach Philips and many of his former players, including Dorris, held a reunion during halftime of a Houston Texans game. [24]

Dorris attended a New Mexico State Aggies football reunion in April 2012. [25] [26] The event consisted of a gathering of former players on Friday, April 27. [25]

Personal life

Dorris and his wife, Mary, have three children: Meredith, Sam, and Zach. [2] He has nine grandchildren. [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sid Gillman</span> American football player and coach (1911–2003)

Sidney Gillman was an American football player, coach and executive. Gillman's insistence on stretching the football field by throwing deep downfield passes, instead of short passes to running backs or wide receivers at the sides of the line of scrimmage, was instrumental in making football into the modern game that it is today. He was inducted as a coach into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1983, and the College Football Hall of Fame in 1989.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Warren Moon</span> American gridiron football player (born 1956)

Harold Warren Moon is an American former football quarterback who played professionally for 23 seasons. He spent the majority of his career with the Houston Oilers of the National Football League (NFL) and the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League (CFL). Moon also played for the NFL's Minnesota Vikings, Seattle Seahawks, and Kansas City Chiefs. He is considered one of the greatest undrafted players in NFL history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bum Phillips</span> American football coach (1923–2013)

Oail Andrew "Bum" Phillips Jr. was an American football coach at the high school, college and professional levels. He served as head coach in the National Football League (NFL) for the Houston Oilers from 1975 to 1980 and the New Orleans Saints from 1981 to 1985.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earl Campbell</span> American football player (born 1955)

Earl Christian Campbell, nicknamed "the Tyler Rose", is an American former professional football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons, primarily with the Houston Oilers. Known for his aggressive, punishing running style and ability to break tackles, Campbell gained recognition as one of the best power running backs in NFL history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Bartkowski</span> American football player (born 1952)

Steven Joseph Bartkowski is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Atlanta Falcons (1975–1985), Washington Redskins (1985) and the Los Angeles Rams (1986). He was a two-time Pro Bowl selection. Bartkowski played college football for the California Golden Bears, earning consensus All-American honors as a senior in 1974. He was selected by the Falcons with the first overall pick of the 1975 NFL draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elvin Bethea</span> American football player (born 1946)

Elvin Lamont Bethea is an American former professional football player who spent his entire career as a defensive end with the Houston Oilers of the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the North Carolina A&T Aggies and was the first player from the school to be elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, having been inducted in 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1981 NFL season</span> 1981 National Football League season

The 1981 NFL season was the 62nd regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XVI when the San Francisco 49ers defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 26–21 at the Pontiac Silverdome in Michigan.

William Keith Bostic is an American former professional football player who was a safety for seven seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the Houston Oilers and the Cleveland Browns, serving as the Oilers' defensive captain under coach Jerry Glanville. Bostic earned one Pro Bowl selection and missed another based on a tiebreaker for the last safety chosen. In his Pro Bowl season, he led the American Football Conference in interceptions.

Albert Patterson Peppler was an American football coach and executive who worked for teams that won five National Football League (NFL) titles. He may be best remembered for serving as head coach of the NFL's Atlanta Falcons during the final nine games of the 1976 NFL season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roy Gerela</span> Canadian gridiron football player (born 1948)

Carl Roy Gerela is a Canadian former professional football player who was a placekicker in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL). He won three Super Bowls with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Jeffrey Allan Kemp is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, and Philadelphia Eagles. He played college football for the Dartmouth Big Green in the Ivy League, and was not selected in the 1981 NFL draft. In 1984, Kemp led the Rams with thirteen touchdown passes and a trip to the playoffs. As a back-up to the injured Joe Montana in 1986, he threw eleven touchdown passes for the 49ers.

Leon Gray was an American professional football player who was an offensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL) for the New England Patriots, Houston Oilers, and the New Orleans Saints. Gray played college football for the Jackson State Tigers.

Samuel Lee Green is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker for five seasons in the National Football League (NFL) during the 1970s and early 1980s. He played college football for the Florida Gators, receiving consensus All-American honors in 1975. A second-round pick in the 1976 NFL draft, Green in the NFL for the Seattle Seahawks and the Houston Oilers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Utah State Aggies football</span> Utah State University football team

The Utah State Aggies football team is a college football team that competes in the Mountain West Conference (MWC) of the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of NCAA Division I, representing Utah State University. The Utah State college football program began in 1892 and has played home games at Merlin Olsen Field at Maverik Stadium since 1968. They have won thirteen conference championships in four different conferences during their history, most recently in 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1979 Houston Oilers season</span> NFL team season

The 1979 Houston Oilers season was the franchise's 20th overall and the tenth in the National Football League. The franchise scored 362 points while the defense gave up 331 points. Their record of 11 wins and 5 losses resulted in a second-place finish in the AFC Central Division. The Oilers appeared once on Monday Night Football on December 10, 1979 where the sports promotion Luv ya Blue was launched and returned to the AFC Championship Game for the second consecutive year. Earl Campbell would lead the NFL in rushing for the second consecutive year and set a franchise record for most touchdowns in a season with 19. The Oilers would make the playoffs again as a wild card. In the wild card game, they beat the Denver Broncos 13–7, and then defeated the San Diego Chargers 17–14 in San Diego to reach their second straight AFC Championship game. The Oilers then played the Pittsburgh Steelers, who a year earlier had eliminated them 34–5 in the previous AFC Championship game. The Oilers lost the game 27–13. The game included a controversial moment in which wide receiver Mike Renfro had a touchdown called back after the referees of the game took a long time to decide the ruling on the field. The call went down as one of the most controversial calls in NFL history.

Jack Maylon Simpson was an American collegiate and professional football linebacker. He played at the University of Mississippi and in the American Football League (AFL) for the Denver Broncos and the Oakland Raiders. He was drafted in 1958 by the NFL Washington Redskins, but did not play. He signed as a free agent with the AFL's Broncos in 1961. He was the defensive coordinator of the Houston Oilers in 1972

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Houston Oilers</span> Former American football club in Houston, Texas, USA, from 1960 to 1996

The Houston Oilers were a professional American football team that played in Houston, Texas from its founding in 1960 to 1996. The Houston Oilers began play as a charter member of the American Football League (AFL) and won two AFL championships before joining the NFL in the AFL–NFL merger of the late 1960s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Germain Ifedi</span> American football player (born 1994)

Germain Ifedi is an American professional football offensive tackle for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Texas A&M and was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the first round of the 2016 NFL draft.

Andre Deshon Anderson is a former professional gridiron football defensive lineman who played for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL). In 1978, he played four regular season games for the Lions. Anderson was selected in the ninth round of the 1978 NFL draft by the Los Angeles Rams. Prior to his professional career, Anderson played college football at New Mexico State University where he studied business administration.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Andy Dorris NFL profile". National Football League. Retrieved September 17, 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Where are we now?" (PDF). NM State Sports. January 2007. Retrieved September 17, 2012.[ permanent dead link ]
  3. 1 2 "West Region Contacts". Hanson Pipe and Precast. Retrieved September 17, 2012.
  4. "New Mexico State NFL Draft Choices". The Red Zone. Retrieved September 17, 2012.
  5. 1 2 3 "Dorris to play for Celeveland". St. Joseph News-Press. May 30, 1973. Retrieved September 16, 2012.
  6. "Pro Transactions". The Milwaukee Sentinel. August 11, 1973. Retrieved September 16, 2012.
  7. "Jets Give Van Galder Trial". The Milwaukee Journal. October 11, 1973. Retrieved September 17, 2012.
  8. 1 2 "Six NFL quarterbacks knocked out of action". The Miami News. October 11, 1976. Retrieved September 16, 2012.
  9. 1 2 "It looks like end of the line for Mike Curtis". The Miami News. September 7, 1977. Retrieved September 17, 2012.
  10. Daryl Gadbow (September 7, 1977). "Curtis among 'Hawk cuts". Ellensburg Daily Record. Retrieved September 16, 2012.
  11. "Seahawks sign Horace Jones". The Tuscaloosa News. October 10, 1977. Retrieved September 16, 2012.
  12. 1 2 3 4 Curry Kirkpatrick (October 27, 1980). "Hallelujah. He's. Uh. Bum". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on November 30, 2010. Retrieved September 17, 2012.
  13. "Highlights of the Luv Ya Blue era" (June 21, 1991). Houston Chronicle, 2.
  14. "Sunday Scouting Report". The Palm Beach Post. October 27, 1979. Retrieved September 16, 2012.
  15. "Three offensive regulars injured, defense does job for Oilers, 13-7". The Telegraph Herald. December 24, 1979. Retrieved September 16, 2012.
  16. "Dorris Signs Oiler Contract". The Palm Beach Post. July 29, 1980. Retrieved September 16, 2012.
  17. "1979 Houston Oilers". FanBase. Archived from the original on January 17, 2013. Retrieved September 17, 2012.
  18. "1980 Houston Oilers". FanBase. Archived from the original on January 17, 2013. Retrieved September 17, 2012.
  19. "The Pranks". Herald-Journal. July 16, 1995. Retrieved September 16, 2012.
  20. "Monday's National Football League Transactions". Toledo Blade. September 7, 1982. Retrieved September 16, 2012.
  21. McClain, John and Rich Burk (October 26, 1990). "Oilers/Jets notes". Houston Chronicle, 9.
  22. "Hanson Pipe and Precast Official Site". Hansonpipeandprecast.com. Retrieved September 17, 2012.
  23. 1 2 3 "Missouri Valley Conference Announces Football All-Centinnial Team" (PDF). MVC-Sports.com. December 5, 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 13, 2012. Retrieved September 17, 2012.
  24. McClain, John (December 10, 2007). "Reunited, and it feels so good; Elated Oilers saluted at half, so happy together. Houston Chronicle, 7.
  25. 1 2 "Aggies reunion BBQ rounding into form" (April 19, 2012). Las Cruces Sun-News.
  26. "Former Aggies gather following spring game" (April 28, 2012). Las Cruces Sun-News.