Ben Needham (American football)

Last updated

Ben Needham
No. 83, 97, 59
Position: Linebacker
Personal information
Born: (1958-11-19) November 19, 1958 (age 65) [1]
Groveport, Ohio
Height:6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Weight:210 lb (95 kg)
Career information
High school: Groveport Madison (OH)
College: Michigan
NFL draft: 1982  / Round: 7 / Pick: 194
(By the Cincinnati Bengals)
Career history
Career highlights and awards
  • USFL All-League (1983)

Bennett Lee Needham (born November 19, 1958) is a former American football linebacker. He played college football for the University of Michigan from 1978 to 1979 and in 1981 and professional football in the United States Football League (USFL) for the Boston/New Orleans/Portland Breakers from 1983 to 1985. He was selected by the Sporting News as a first-team USFL All-League player in 1983.

Contents

Early years

Needham was born on November 19, 1958, in Groveport, Ohio. He attended Groveport Madison High School, [2] [3] graduating in 1977. [4]

University of Michigan

Needham enrolled at the University of Michigan in 1977 and played college football as a linebacker for head coach Bo Schembechler's Michigan Wolverines football teams from 1978 to 1979 and in 1981. [2] In 1978, he started two games at outside linebacker and one at inside linebacker and registered 23 tackles. [5] In 1979, he started 11 games at outside linebacker for Michigan, [6] registering 46 tackles with one pass breakup and one fumble recovery. [7] He was suspended from the team in March 1980. [8] In 1981, he returned to the team and started 10 games at outside linebacker, [9] totaling 71 tackles, two pass breakups, one interception and one fumble recovery. [7]

Professional football

Needham was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the seventh round of the 1982 NFL draft. [3] He was released by the Bengals in the final round of cuts prior to the start of the 1983 NFL season. [10] He played professional football in the United States Football League (USFL) for the Boston Breakers in 1983, the New Orleans Breakers in 1984 and the Portland Breakers in 1985. [3] In March 1983, he returned a blocked field goal 68 yards for a touchdown against the Denver Gold. [11] He was selected by the Sporting News as a first-team All-League player in 1983. [12] In 1984, he registered 131 tackles and five quarterback sacks. [3]

Later years

Needham later served as the head football coach at his alma mater, Groveport Madison High School, from 1993 to 1998. He compiled a record of 12–36 as head coach. [13]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Portland Breakers</span> Former American football team based out of New Orleans, Louisiana and Portland, Oregon

The Portland Breakers were an American football team that played in the United States Football League (USFL) in the mid-1980s. Before moving to Portland, Oregon, the franchise was previously in Boston, Massachusetts as the Boston Breakers and New Orleans, Louisiana as the New Orleans Breakers.

Samuel Davis Mills Jr. was an American professional football player who was a linebacker for 12 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) for the New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers. He also played for three seasons for the Philadelphia / Baltimore Stars of the United States Football League (USFL), where he won two championships in 1984 and 1985. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2022.

Sam Lee-Arthur Sword is a former American football player.

Roger John Anderson is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons from 1978 to 1989.

James Herrmann is an American football coach and former player. He is currently head coach of the Raiders Tirol in the European League of Football. Prior to that, he was linebackers coach for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL) and the Bowling Green Falcons football team. He played college football at the University of Michigan from 1980 to 1982 and served as an assistant football coach at Michigan from 1985 to 2005, including nine years as defensive coordinator from 1997 to 2005. After the 1997 Michigan Wolverines football team won the national championship, Herrmann received the Frank Broyles Award as the top assistant coach in the nation. He also served as the New York Jets' linebackers coach from 2006 to 2008. He was Defensive Coordinator for the New York Guardians and for the San Antonio Brahmas of the XFL.

Michael Lee Kenn is an American former professional football player who spent his entire 17-year career as an offensive tackle for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL) from 1978 to 1994. He played college football for the Michigan Wolverines and was selected by the Falcons in the first round of the 1978 NFL draft with the 13th overall pick. Standing 6'7" and 277 lb, Kenn started all 251 NFL games in which he played. He holds the Falcons' franchise record for games started and games played. He was selected as a first-team All-Pro player in 1980, 1983 and 1991 and was invited to play in the Pro Bowl five consecutive years from 1980 to 1984.

Erick Scott Anderson is a former American football player.

Jon William Giesler is an American former professional football player for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). He played 10 seasons, principally at the offensive left tackle position, for the Dolphins from 1979 to 1988. He played college football at the University of Michigan from 1975 to 1978.

Mel Tyrae Owens is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker for nine seasons with the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at the University of Michigan from 1977 to 1980. He was selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the first round of the 1981 NFL draft. He compiled 26.5 quarterback sacks.

Carlton S. Rose was an American football player. He played college football as a linebacker at the University of Michigan from 1980 to 1983. He played professional football as a linebacker in the United States Football League (USFL) in 1984 and 1985 and in the National Football League (NFL) for the Washington Redskins as a linebacker and during the 1987 NFL strike.

Kevin Craig Brooks is an American former professional football player who was a defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions. He played college football for the Michigan Wolverines. He was selected by the Cowboys in the first round of the 1985 NFL draft.

Ronald Bernard Simpkins is a former American football player. He played college football at the University of Michigan as a linebacker from 1976 to 1979. He became Michigan's all-time career tackle leader in 1979 and was a consensus first-team selection for the 1979 College Football All-America Team. He later played professional football in the National Football League (NFL) for the Cincinnati Bengals and the Green Bay Packers (1988).

Michael L. Boren is a former American football player. A native of Columbus, Ohio, he played college football as a linebacker at the University of Michigan from 1980 to 1983. He was Michigan's leading tackler as a sophomore and junior during the 1981 and 1982 seasons. He suffered a knee injury in the fourth game of the 1983 season that ended his playing career. He still ranks among Michigan's all-time career leaders in tackles.

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

Thomas Dorn Stincic was a former American football linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints. He played college football, principally as a linebacker, at the University of Michigan from 1966 to 1968.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1979 Michigan Wolverines football team</span> American college football season

The 1979 Michigan Wolverines football team was an American football team that represented the University of Michigan in the 1979 Big Ten Conference football season. In its 100th season of intercollegiate football, the 11th under head coach Bo Schembechler, Michigan compiled an 8–4 record, lost to North Carolina in the 1979 Gator Bowl, was ranked No. 18 in the final AP Poll, and outscored opponents by a total of 312 to 151.

Paul Girgash is a retired American football linebacker. He played for the University of Michigan from 1979 to 1982. He started 36 consecutive games at inside linebacker for Michigan from 1980 to 1982, played in the 1981 and 1983 Rose Bowls, and was selected as a first-team All-Big Ten player by both the Associated Press and the United Press International in 1982. Girgash later played professional football in the USFL for the Michigan Panthers in 1984.

Andrew J. Cannavino is a former American football linebacker. He played for the University of Michigan from 1977 to 1980. He became one of the leading tacklers in Michigan history, played in the 1981 Rose Bowl and was the only unanimous selection as a first-team player on the 1980 Associated Press All-Big Ten football team. He later played professional football in the USFL from 1983 to 1984 for the Michigan Panthers and Chicago Blitz.

William Oliver Roe II was a former American football linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints. He also was a member of the Boston Breakers, Memphis Showboats and Birmingham Stallions in the United States Football League (USFL). He played college football at the University of Colorado.

Matt Bradley was an American football linebacker who played one season in the United States Football League (USFL) with the Philadelphia Stars and Boston Breakers. He was drafted by the Houston Oilers in the ninth round of the 1982 NFL draft. He played college football at Penn State University.

Frank Toto'a Manumaleuna was an American football linebacker who played three seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Chiefs in the fourth round of the 1979 NFL draft. He first enrolled at the University of California, Los Angeles before transferring to De Anza College and lastly San José State University. Manumaleuna attended Phineas Banning High School in Los Angeles, California. He was also a member of the Oakland Invaders and Portland Breakers of the United States Football League (USFL). Manumaleuna died on June 1, 2022, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

References

  1. ↑ "Ben Needham USFL Stats and Bio". profootballarchives.com. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  2. 1 2 "Michigan Football Roster Database". University of Michigan, Bentley Historical Library. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Steve Peloquin (July 9, 2014). "New Orleans Breakers Flashback: Ben Needham". KPEL ESPN 1420 AM.
  4. ↑ "Groveport Madison High School Alumni". Groveport Madison High School alumni. Retrieved April 16, 2015.
  5. ↑ "1978 Football Team". University of Michigan, Bentley Historical Library. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
  6. ↑ "1979 Football Team". University of Michigan, Bentley Historical Library. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
  7. 1 2 "Michigan Football Statistic Archive Query Page". University of Michigan. Archived from the original on November 12, 2007. Retrieved April 15, 2015.(to retrieve Needham's college statistics, enter "needham" in the box for the player's last name)
  8. ↑ "Drug Use Cited: 5 UM Gridders Are Suspended". Toldedo Blade. March 13, 1980. p. 33.
  9. ↑ "1981 Football Team". University of Michigan, Bentley Historical Library. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
  10. ↑ "Needham tries to break into NFL". The Michigan Daily. November 20, 1982. p. 7.
  11. ↑ "'Coachable' Breakers tarnish Gold's record". The Bulletin. UPI. March 14, 1983. p. D2.
  12. ↑ "USFL Awards and All-League Selections". Awesome80s.com. Archived from the original on October 26, 2006. Retrieved April 16, 2015.
  13. ↑ "Groveport-Madison Football Coach History". MaxPreps.com. Retrieved April 16, 2015.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.