George Lilja

Last updated
George Lilja
No. 59, 61, 62, 64
Position: Center
Personal information
Born: (1958-03-03) March 3, 1958 (age 64)
Evergreen Park, Illinois
Height:6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Weight:264 lb (120 kg)
Career information
High school: Carl Sandburg
(Orland Park, Illinois)
College: Michigan
NFL Draft: 1981  / Round: 4 / Pick: 104
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Games Played:54
Player stats at NFL.com  ·  PFR

George Vincent Lilja (born March 3, 1958) is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League for the Los Angeles Rams, New York Jets, Cleveland Browns and Dallas Cowboys. He played college football at the University of Michigan.

Contents

Early years

Lilja and the 1980 Big Ten Champions appeared in the Rose Bowl. 2008-1226-Pasadena-008-RoseBowl.jpg
Lilja and the 1980 Big Ten Champions appeared in the Rose Bowl.

Lilja attended Carl Sandburg High School in Orland Park, Illinois, where he was both a football and baseball standout. As a senior, he received All-Chicago honors as a center and defensive tackle.

He accepted a football scholarship from the University of Michigan. [1] Lilja wore #59 for four years as a varsity player from 1977-1980. [2] In 1976, he redshirted as a junior varsity player.

As a junior in 1979, he was named the starter at Center, for a team that played in the Gator Bowl.

As a senior in 1980, Lilja received numerous awards and honors, including being named the team's co-captain (with Anthony Carter), receiving the University's Myer Morton Award (given by the M Club of Chicago for the football player who shows the greatest development and most promise as a result of spring practice), and being named third-team All-American by the Associated Press. He was named second-team All-American and All-Big Ten by different sports news organizations. [1] He started 24 straight games at center during his junior and senior seasons and is one of eleven centers to become an All-American for Michigan football. [3]

During the 1980 Purdue game, Lilja's jersey was ripped to the point where he could not go back out and play. When the equipment staff could not locate his backup jersey, they took the jersey of freshman center Doug James, put it on Lilja, and sent him back into the game. After the game, James got calls from friends expressing surprise that the freshman had gotten playing time in a big game. [4]

As the 1980 Big Ten Conference Champions, the team played in the 1981 Rose Bowl, [5] which marked the first bowl game victory for head coach Bo Schembechler. [6] It was also Lilja's last game for Michigan, which the Wolverines won 23–6, over Washington. [7] Teammate Brad Bates later recalled: "I was walking off the field with George Lilja, and he said, 'Let's turn around for a Kodak moment,' . . . 'You could see that big orange backdrop against the mountains. This was Bo's first bowl victory.". [8]

Professional career

Los Angeles Rams

Lilja was selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the fourth round (104th overall) of the 1981 NFL Draft. As a rookie, he suffered an ankle injury and spent the entire year on the injured reserve list. [1] In 1982, he played in all nine games of the shortened strike season, mostly on special teams. He was waived in August 1983.

New York Jets

On September 27, 1983, he was signed by the New York Jets. [9] He played as a backup offensive tackle, before being released on November 15, 1984. [10]

Cleveland Browns

On November 21, 1984, he was signed as a free agent by the Cleveland Browns, to play under interim head coach Marty Schottenheimer. [11] He started in the last game against the Houston Oilers.

In 1985, he was named the starter at left guard over Robert Jackson. [12] He contributed to both Earnest Byner and Kevin Mack rushing for over 1,000 yards, [13] becoming just the third running back tandem on the same team to achieve that feat in one regular season. [14]

In 1986, he was a backup playing mostly on special teams, on a team with a 12–4 record, that advanced to the American Football Conference championship game against the Denver Broncos in the 1986 NFL Playoffs. [15] Their playoff run included back-to-back overtime (the first being double overtime) home playoff games decided by 23-20 scores. [16] [17] The latter game is known for The Drive. [18] He was released on September 7, 1987. [19]

Dallas Cowboys

On October 14, 1987, he was signed as a free agent by the Dallas Cowboys to provide depth at center. In November, he began sharing snaps with starter Tom Rafferty, with Lilja playing on running downs and Rafferty replacing him in passing situations. In 1988, he was competing with Rafferty for the starting position, until suffering a broken left middle finger. He was released on September 27. [20]

Los Angeles Raiders

In 1989, he was signed by the Los Angeles Raiders as a free agent. He was cut on July 22. [21]

Atlanta Falcons

In July 1989, he was signed by the Atlanta Falcons. He was released on September 4. [22] In his career he appeared in 54 games with 17 starts.

Personal life

As of November 2013, Lilja worked at Warren General Hospital and served as a volunteer high school football coach at Warren Area High School, in Warren, Pennsylvania.

He is married to his wife Meg, and they have four children, Danielle, David, Bethany, and George III, and one granddaughter, Eloise. [23] Lilja is not related to Ryan Lilja. [24] Lilja's parents raised him in a Christian manner with his five brothers and two sisters. [23]

Lilja has long been part of Christian athlete groups and writes and speaks about his Christian faith. [23] [25] He espouses the biblical quote:

Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well - Matthew 6:33

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earnest Byner</span> American football player and coach (born 1962)

Earnest Alexander Byner is a former American football running back in the National Football League. He is now the running back coach of Out-of-Door Academy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kevin Mack</span> American football player (born 1962)

James Kevin Mack is a former professional American football player who played fullback.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Len Ford</span> American football player (1926–1972)

Leonard Guy Ford Jr. was an American football player who played at the offensive and defensive end positions from 1948 to 1958. He played college football for the University of Michigan and professional football for the Los Angeles Dons, Cleveland Browns and Green Bay Packers. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1976 and the University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor in 1996.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marty Schottenheimer</span> American football player and coach (1943–2021)

Martin Edward Schottenheimer was an American football linebacker and coach who served as a head coach in the National Football League (NFL) from 1984 to 2006. He was the head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs for 10 seasons, the Cleveland Browns and the San Diego Chargers for five each, and the Washington Redskins for one. Eighth in career wins at 205 and seventh in regular season wins at 200, Schottenheimer has the most wins of an NFL head coach to not win a championship. After coaching in the NFL, he won a 2011 championship in his one season with the Virginia Destroyers of the United Football League (UFL). He was inducted to the Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Fame in 2010.

Andre Previn Rison is a former American football wide receiver who played professionally for the National Football League's Indianapolis Colts, Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars, Green Bay Packers, Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, and the Canadian Football League's Toronto Argonauts. Rison was selected to the Pro Bowl five times, from 1990 to 1993 and once again in 1997.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Fumble</span> Notable NFL play in 1987

In American football, The Fumble is a play that occurred during the 1987 AFC Championship Game between the Cleveland Browns and Denver Broncos on January 17, 1988, at Mile High Stadium in Denver, Colorado. The fumble occurred late in the fourth quarter of the game and cost the Browns a chance to tie the contest; the Broncos went on to win the game and the AFC Championship, advancing to Super Bowl XXII.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1987–88 NFL playoffs</span> NFL seasonal playoff games

The National Football League playoffs for the 1987 season began on January 3, 1988. The postseason tournament concluded with the Washington Redskins defeating the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXII, 42–10, on January 31, at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football</span> Football team in Delaware

The Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team represents the University of Delaware in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) college football. The team is currently led by head coach Ryan Carty and plays on Tubby Raymond Field at 22,000-seat Delaware Stadium located in Newark, Delaware. The Fightin' Blue Hens have won six national titles in their 117-year history – 1946, 1963, 1971, 1972, 1979, and 2003. They returned to the FCS National Championship game in 2007 and 2010. The program has produced NFL quarterbacks Rich Gannon, Joe Flacco, Jeff Komlo, Pat Devlin and Scott Brunner. The Blue Hens are recognized as a perennial power in FCS football and Delaware was the only FCS program to average more than 20,000 fans per regular-season home game for each season from 1999 to 2010.

William Keith Bostic is a former professional American football player who played for seven seasons in the National Football League (NFL). During his career he played safety for the Houston Oilers and the Cleveland Browns. Bostic served as the Oiler defensive captain under Jerry Glanville. He 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thom Darden</span> Former American football player (born 1950)

Thomas Vincent Darden is a former American football safety and punt returner who played for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). In the NFL, he was a three-time All-Pro free safety. He earned a Pro Bowl selection in 1978. He holds most Cleveland Browns franchise interception records. He was an All-American defensive back for the Michigan Wolverines football team and made one of the more memorable interceptions in college football history. After retiring from football, Darden pursued careers as a sports agent, security provider and business consultant.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of the Cleveland Browns</span> Sports team history

The history of the Cleveland Browns American football team began in 1944 when taxi-cab magnate Arthur B. "Mickey" McBride secured a Cleveland, Ohio franchise in the newly formed All-America Football Conference (AAFC). Paul Brown, who coach Bill Walsh once called the "father of modern football", was the team's namesake and first coach. From the beginning of play in 1946 at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, the Browns were a great success. Cleveland won each of the AAFC's four championship games before the league dissolved in 1949. The team then moved to the more established National Football League (NFL), where it continued to dominate. Between 1950 and 1955, Cleveland reached the NFL championship game every year, winning three times.

Michael Vincent Clark was an American football placekicker in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, Dallas Cowboys and Buffalo Bills. He played college football at Texas A&M University.

Todd Robert Bowles is an American football coach and former player who is the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the head coach of the New York Jets. He played eight seasons in the NFL as a safety, mainly for the Washington Redskins, and started in Super Bowl XXII.

The 1985 Cleveland Browns season was the team's 36th season with the National Football League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1987 Cleveland Browns season</span> NFL team season

The 1987 Cleveland Browns season was the team's 38th season in the National Football League.

The Cleveland sports curse was a sports superstition involving the city of Cleveland, Ohio, and its major league professional sports teams, centered on the failure to win a championship in any major league sport for 52 years, from 1964 to 2016. Three major league teams based in Cleveland contributed to belief in the curse: the Browns of the National Football League (NFL); the Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association (NBA); and the Indians of Major League Baseball (MLB).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Ptacek</span> American gridiron football player (born 1937)

Robert J. Ptacek, Jr. is a former professional American and Canadian football player. He played college football at the halfback and quarterback positions for the University of Michigan from 1956 to 1958. He later played professional football in the National Football League (NFL) for the Cleveland Browns in 1959 and in the Canadian Football League (CFL) for the Saskatchewan Roughriders from 1960 to 1965. He was a CFL All-Star in 1964 as a defensive back and an All-Western Conference linebacker in 1961.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1980 Michigan Wolverines football team</span> American college football season

The 1980 Michigan Wolverines football team was an American football team that represented the University of Michigan in the 1980 Big Ten Conference football season. In their 12th season under head coach Bo Schembechler, the Wolverines compiled a 10–2 record, won the Big Ten Conference championship, defeated Washington in the 1981 Rose Bowl, and outscored all opponents by a total of 322 to 129. The Rose Bowl victory was Schembechler's first in a bowl game, following seven bowl games losses. After falling out of the rankings for four weeks, the 1980 Wolverines ended up being ranked No. 4 in both the AP and UPI polls.

Jeffrey Lee Francis is a former American football quarterback. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Raiders in the 1989 NFL Draft and also played for the Cleveland Browns. He played college football at Tennessee.

The Case Western Reserve Spartans football team is the varsity intercollegiate football team representing the Case Western Reserve University, located in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. They compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division III level and hold dual membership in both the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) and the University Athletic Association (UAA). They are coached by Greg Debeljak. Home games are played at DiSanto Field. The team in its current form was created in 1970 after the federation of Western Reserve University and Case Institute of Technology.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "George Lilja - #61 - T - Michigan - Profile". New York Jets. Archived from the original on 2007-11-30. Retrieved 2007-11-26.
  2. ↑ "Bentley Historical Library -- -- U of M Football Rosters: Lilja". The Regents of the University of Michigan. 2003-08-25. Archived from the original on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2007-11-26.
  3. ↑ "University of Michigan Football All-American, 1980, Team Co-Captain, 1980: George Lilja". The Regents of the University of Michigan. 2007-02-10. Retrieved 2007-11-26.
  4. ↑ Brandstatter, Jim (2002). Tales from Michigan Stadium . Sports Publishing. pp.  73. ISBN   1-59670-015-7.
  5. ↑ "Michigan's Bowl History" (PDF). University of Michigan & Host Interactive. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-05-30. Retrieved 2007-12-31.
  6. ↑ "Woolfolk totes Wolverines: Butch: Biggest game? You bet". Pacific Stars and Stripes. 1981-01-04.
  7. ↑ "Pasadena Tournament of Roses: Past Game Scores". Tournament of Roses. 2007. Archived from the original on 2007-10-20. Retrieved 2007-11-26.
  8. ↑ Cnockaert, Jim (2004). Michigan: Where Have You Gone? . Sports Publishing. pp.  8–9. ISBN   1-58261-771-6.
  9. ↑ "Transactions" . Retrieved July 3, 2018.
  10. ↑ "Transactions" . Retrieved July 3, 2018.
  11. ↑ "Transactions" . Retrieved July 3, 2018.
  12. ↑ "Veteran guard Robert Jackson, lauded by Cleveland Browns owner" . Retrieved July 3, 2018.
  13. ↑ "1985 Cleveland Browns". databaseSports.com. Archived from the original on 2006-08-29. Retrieved 2010-03-19.
  14. ↑ "Browns' 1,000-yard backs: Mack and Byner". Pro Football Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2010-03-19.
  15. ↑ "1986 Cleveland Browns". databaseFootball.com. databaseSports.com. Archived from the original on 2007-12-23. Retrieved 2007-11-26.
  16. ↑ "AFC Divisional Playoff (box score)". databaseFootball.com. databaseSports.com. Archived from the original on 2007-02-11. Retrieved 2007-11-26.
  17. ↑ "AFC Championship (box score)". databaseFootball.com. databaseSports.com. Archived from the original on 2010-02-19. Retrieved 2007-11-26.
  18. ↑ "The Drive". Pro Football Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2007-11-26.
  19. ↑ "Monday's Sports Transactions" . Retrieved July 3, 2018.
  20. ↑ "The Dallas Cowboys Tuesday waived seventh-year center George Lilja" . Retrieved July 3, 2018.
  21. ↑ "Wisniewski Signs Contract, Works Out With Raiders; Kelley and Lilja Released" . Retrieved July 3, 2018.
  22. ↑ "Transactions" . Retrieved July 3, 2018.
  23. 1 2 3 Stefanovsky, Londa. "George Lilja: Where is the Former Browns Offensive Lineman today?". connectionmagazine.org. Archived from the original on 2008-09-05. Retrieved 2007-11-26.
  24. ↑ Tony (2007-06-03). "The Plain Dealer: Everything Cleveland". The Plain Dealer. Retrieved 2007-11-26.[ permanent dead link ]
  25. ↑ "George Lilja: "Is there anything more important in life than playing football?"". thegoal.com. Retrieved 2007-11-26.
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.