Jimmy Ridlon

Last updated

Jimmy Ridlon
Ridlon-James-1961.jpg
Ridlon in 1961
No. 42
Position: Safety
Personal information
Born: (1934-07-11) July 11, 1934 (age 90)
Nanuet, New York, U.S.
Height:6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight:181 lb (82 kg)
Career information
High school: Nyack (Nyack, New York)
College: Syracuse
NFL draft: 1957  / round: 4 / pick: 39
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Games played:89
Starts:35
Interceptions:9
Player stats at PFR

James Arthur Ridlon Sr. (born July 11, 1934) is a former American football safety in the National Football League (NFL) for the San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys. He played college football and college lacrosse at Syracuse University. After football he became a sports painter and sculptor.

Contents

Early life

Ridlon had to learn how to manage dyslexia and a stutter throughout his first years of school. He attended Nyack High School, where he received All-County recognition as a quarterback in football and a guard in basketball.

He accepted a football scholarship from Syracuse University. He played offensive end as a sophomore. The next year, he was moved to halfback in the same backfield with Jim Brown, registering a school record 3 touchdown receptions in one game.

As a senior in a game against Holy Cross, he scored in three different ways (reception, run and interception). He posted 6 interceptions in the season. He finished his college career with 103 carries for 391 yards, 3 rushing touchdowns, 17 receptions for 357 yards, 3 receiving touchdowns, 6-of-11 completions for 139 yards, 2 passing touchdowns and one interception.

He received a bachelor's degree from the College of Visual and Performing Arts in 1957 and a masters degree from VPA in 1961. [1]

In 1990, he was inducted into the Syracuse University Sports Hall of Fame. [2]

Professional career

San Francisco 49ers

Ridlon was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the fourth round (39th overall) of the 1957 NFL draft. In his second season, he was a starter at safety, registering 4 interceptions and 2 fumble recoveries. He would mostly have a reserve role in the following seasons.

In 1962, he appeared in 9 games (6 starts), posting one interception and one fumble recovery. He suffered 2 broken vertebrae in the 24-17 win against the Los Angeles Rams during the tenth game, missing the rest of the season.

On April 30, 1963, he was traded to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for linebacker Mike Dowdle, who was a former 49ers draft choice. [3]

Dallas Cowboys

In 1963, head coach Tom Landry traded for him because he considered Ridlon one of the smartest players in the NFL. [4] He was mostly a backup until Cornell Green was moved to cornerback, appearing in 7 games with 4 starts.

In 1964, he intercepted 4 passes and received All-NFL honors in some publications. He returned an interception for a 74-yard touchdown and a fumble for a 63-yard touchdown, becoming the first player in franchise history to score 2 defensive touchdowns in the same season. On April 16, 1965, he announced his retirement to become a faculty member and assistant football coach at Syracuse University.

Artistic career

After his football career, he became a sports painter and sculptor. In 1988, he was commissioned to design and sculpt the Outland Trophy, which has become one of college football's most prestigious awards.

Personal life

In 1965, he returned to Syracuse University to teach art classes and double as a backfield coach for the football team under Ben Schwartzwalder for 6 years. He was a professor of painting, sculpture and design in Syracuse's College of Arts and Sciences between 1965 and 2000. [5] He also wrote a novel and worked as a color commentator on the Syracuse University football radio broadcasts for over 20 years.

In 2015, he received the Tom Osborne Legacy Award by the Rotary Club of Omaha and the Greater Omaha Sports Committee. [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Super Bowl XVI</span> 1982 Edition of the Super Bowl

Super Bowl XVI was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion San Francisco 49ers and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Cincinnati Bengals to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 1981 season. The 49ers defeated the Bengals by the score of 26–21 to win their first Super Bowl.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Super Bowl XXIV</span> 1990 Edition of the Super Bowl

Super Bowl XXIV was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion San Francisco 49ers and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Denver Broncos to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 1989 season. The game was played on January 28, 1990, at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The 49ers defeated the Broncos by the score of 55–10, winning their second consecutive Super Bowl, and their fourth overall, tying the Pittsburgh Steelers for the most Super Bowl wins at that time. San Francisco also became the first team to win back-to-back Super Bowls with two different head coaches; rookie head coach George Seifert took over after Bill Walsh retired following the previous season's Super Bowl.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Super Bowl XXVIII</span> 1994 edition of the Super Bowl

Super Bowl XXVIII was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Dallas Cowboys and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Buffalo Bills to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 1993 season. The Cowboys defeated the Bills, for the second straight year, by a score of 30–13, winning their fourth Super Bowl in team history, tying the Pittsburgh Steelers and the San Francisco 49ers for most Super Bowl wins. The Buffalo Bills became the only team to both play and lose four consecutive Super Bowls for a 0-4 franchise Super Bowl record, and as of 2023, remains the team's most recent Super Bowl appearance. This is also the most recent consecutive Super Bowl rematch. The game was played on January 30, 1994, at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. Since the 1993 regular season was conducted over 18 weeks, the traditional bye week between the conference championship games and the Super Bowl was not employed; the last time this had happened was before Super Bowl XXV.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Floyd Little</span> American football player (1942–2021)

Floyd Douglas Little was an American professional football player who was a halfback for the Denver Broncos, initially in the American Football League (AFL) and later the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Syracuse Orangemen, twice earning All-American honors. Little was the sixth overall selection of the 1967 NFL/AFL draft, the first common draft. He was the first first-round draft pick to sign with the AFL's Broncos, where he was known as "the Franchise". Little was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1983 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roger Craig (American football)</span> American football player (born 1960)

Roger Timothy Craig is an American former football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Raiders and Minnesota Vikings. Craig went to four Pro Bowls and won three Super Bowls with the 49ers. Craig was the first NFL player to have 1,000 yards rushing and receiving in the same season. Marshall Faulk and Christian McCaffrey are the only other players to have accomplished that feat. He currently works as the VP of Business Development at TIBCO Software.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carlos Rogers (American football)</span> American football player (born 1981)

Carlos Cornelius Rogers is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Auburn Tigers, earning consensus All-American honors. Rogers was selected by the Washington Redskins with the ninth overall pick in the 2005 NFL draft. He also played for the San Francisco 49ers and Oakland Raiders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frank Gore</span> American football player (born 1983)

Franklin Gore Sr. is an American former professional football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons. A member of the San Francisco 49ers during most of his career, he ranks third in NFL career rushing yards. His career was noted for its longevity, rare for his position, and he holds the league record for games played by a running back.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Henry Johnson</span> American gridiron football player (1929–2011)

John Henry Johnson was an American professional football player who was a running back. He was known for his excellence at the fullback position as both a runner and a blocker. His first professional stint was in Canada in the Western Interprovincial Football Union for one season with the Calgary Stampeders. He then played in the National Football League (NFL) for the San Francisco 49ers, Detroit Lions, and Pittsburgh Steelers before spending his final season in the American Football League (AFL) with the Houston Oilers. Commonly referred to as simply John Henry, an allusion to the folk hero of the same name, Johnson was a tough and tenacious player who performed at a high level well into the tail end of his career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Troy Smith</span> American gridiron football player (born 1984)

Troy James Smith is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes, earning unanimous All-American honors and winning the Heisman Trophy in 2006. He was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL draft, and also played for the San Francisco 49ers, the Omaha Nighthawks of the United Football League (UFL), and the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League (CFL).

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

Dwight Hicks is an American former professional football player who was a safety in the National Football League (NFL), primarily for the San Francisco 49ers. He won two Super Bowls with the 49ers while earning four Pro Bowl selections.

Victor Arnold Washington was an American professional football player who was a running back and kick returner in the Canadian Football League (CFL) and National Football League (NFL). After attending the University of Wyoming, he played nine professional seasons, three in the CFL and six in the NFL.

Robert Dean Boyd was an American professional football player in the National Football League (NFL). Boyd spent his entire nine-year career as a cornerback for the Baltimore Colts from 1960 to 1968. He played college football for the Oklahoma Sooners.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">J. D. Smith (fullback, born 1932)</span> American football player (1932–2015)

J. D. Smith Jr. — the initials stand for nothing — was an American football running back in the National Football League (NFL) for the Chicago Bears, San Francisco 49ers, and Dallas Cowboys. He was a second team All-Pro in 1959 and was twice a member of the NFL Pro Bowl team.

Lloyd Leroy Folkins is an American former professional football player who was a tight end in the National Football League (NFL) for the Green Bay Packers, Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers. He played college football for the Washington Huskies.

James Francis Whalen, Jr. was a professional American football tight end.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christian McCaffrey</span> American football player (born 1996)

Christian Jackson McCaffrey, known by the initials CMC, is an American professional football running back for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Stanford Cardinal and was selected by the Carolina Panthers eighth overall in the 2017 NFL draft. As a sophomore in 2015, McCaffrey was named AP College Football Player of the Year and was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy. He holds the NCAA record for most all-purpose yards in a season (3,864).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matt Breida</span> American football player (born 1995)

Matthew John Breida is an American professional football running back who is a free agent. He played college football at Georgia Southern and signed with the 49ers as an undrafted free agent in 2017. Breida has also played for the Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills, and New York Giants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deebo Samuel</span> American football player (born 1996)

Tyshun Raequan "Deebo" Samuel Sr. is an American professional football wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the South Carolina Gamecocks and was selected by the 49ers in the second round of the 2019 NFL draft. In 2021, he was selected to the Pro Bowl and received first-team All-Pro honors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CeeDee Lamb</span> American football player (born 1999)

Cedarian DeLeon "CeeDee" Lamb is an American professional football wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Oklahoma Sooners where he was a consensus All-American in 2019, and was selected by the Cowboys in the first round of the 2020 NFL draft.

References

  1. ↑ Schmuckler, Carol (April 1, 1995). "The Bond of a Lifetime". Syracuse University Magazine. 11 (3): 41. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  2. ↑ "Greater Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame bio" . Retrieved February 3, 2018.
  3. ↑ "Jim Ridon Traded" . Retrieved February 3, 2018.
  4. ↑ "Jim Ridlon takes his talents from the football field to the art studio" . Retrieved February 3, 2018.
  5. ↑ "Former Syracuse football player will receive 'Tom Osborne Legacy Award'". January 15, 2016. Retrieved February 3, 2018.
  6. ↑ "Jim Ridlon to Receive Tom Osborne Legacy Award" . Retrieved February 3, 2018.
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.