Pete Retzlaff

Last updated

Pete Retzlaff
Pete Retzlaff.jpg
Retzlaff with the Eagles
No. 25, 44
Position: Halfback
Split end
Tight end
Personal information
Born:(1931-08-21)August 21, 1931
Ellendale, North Dakota, U.S.
Died:April 10, 2020(2020-04-10) (aged 88)
Pottstown, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Career information
High school:Ellendale
College: South Dakota State
NFL Draft: 1953  / Round: 22 / Pick: 265
Career history
As a player:
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
As an executive:
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Receptions:452
Receiving yards:7,412
Touchdowns:47
Player stats at NFL.com  ·  PFR

Palmer Edward Retzlaff (August 21, 1931 – April 10, 2020), known as Pete Retzlaff and nicknamed "Pistol Pete" and "The Baron", was an American professional football player and general manager in the National Football League (NFL).

Contents

Early life

Retzlaff played football at Ellendale High School in Ellendale, North Dakota, and starred in track and field and football at South Dakota State College. In 1952, he rushed for 1,016 yards, a school record. He was later inducted into the school's athletic Hall of Fame. [1]

Football career

Retzlaff was selected in the 1953 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions of the National Football League but he did not make the team. After two years in the U.S. Army he was sold to the Philadelphia Eagles, where he played running back, wide receiver and tight end for 11 seasons, having converted from fullback in the start of his career. In 1958, despite having never caught a pass in college, he led the NFL with 56 pass receptions. He went to the Pro Bowl five times, and he won the Bert Bell Award for NFL player of the year in 1965, when he caught 66 passes including ten touchdowns. He was president of the NFL Players Association. He averaged 16.4 yards per catch and lost only four fumbles in his career. [2]

In 2005, he was named to the Professional Football Researchers Association Hall of Very Good in the association's third HOVG class. [3]

Post football career

From 1969 to 1972, he was the Eagles' vice president and general manager. In 1973 and 1974, he worked as a color analyst for NFL coverage on CBS television.

Retzlaff's number 44 jersey has been retired by the Eagles. When he retired, he was the alltime leader for receptions and receiving yards for Philadelphia (on his death in 2020, he was still third in receptions and second in yards, having been passed in both by Harold Carmichael). [4]

Personal life

Retzlaff married his wife Patty in 1954, having four children.

Retzlaff died on April 10, 2020, in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, at the age of 88. [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Art Monk</span> American football player (born 1957)

James Arthur Monk is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for the Washington Redskins, New York Jets, and the Philadelphia Eagles. He is considered by many NFL players, coaches and analysts to be one of the greatest wide receivers of all time. Monk was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2008.

Sterling Sharpe is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the South Carolina Gamecocks, and played in the NFL from 1988 to 1994 with the Packers in a career shortened by a neck injury. He became an analyst for the NFL Network. He is the older brother of Pro Football Hall of Fame tight end Shannon Sharpe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dallas Clark</span> American football player (born 1979)

Dallas Dean Clark is an American former professional football player who was a tight end for 11 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Iowa, earned unanimous All-American honors, and was recognized as the top college tight end in the nation. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft and he was a member of their Super Bowl XLI championship team against the Chicago Bears. He also played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Baltimore Ravens.

Brent Michael Jones is an American former professional football player, business executive, businessman, coach, and sports analyst. As a player, he was a tight end for the San Francisco 49ers during his entire 11-year career in the National Football League (NFL) from 1987 to 1997. Jones is listed among the top players in franchise history, and helped revolutionize the concept of the pass-catching tight end.

David John Casper nicknamed "the Ghost", is an American former professional football player who was a tight end in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the Oakland Raiders. Casper has been inducted into both the College Football Hall of Fame (2012) and the Pro Football Hall of Fame (2002).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pete Pihos</span> American football player and coach (1923–2011)

Peter Louis Pihos was an American football player and coach.

Keith Jerome Jackson is an American former professional football player who was a tight end in the National Football League (NFL) for the Philadelphia Eagles (1988–1991), Miami Dolphins (1992–1994), and Green Bay Packers (1995–1996).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harold Carmichael</span> American football player and administrator (born 1949)

Lee Harold Carmichael is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for thirteen seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles (1971–1983) and one season for the Dallas Cowboys (1984). Carmichael was the Director of Player Development and Alumni for the Eagles from 1998 to 2014, and a Fan Engagement Liaison from 2014 to 2015, before retiring again in 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bill Hewitt (American football)</span> American football player (1909–1947)

William Ernest Hewitt was an American professional football player who was a defensive end and end in the National Football League (NFL). He played five seasons for the Chicago Bears (1932–1936), three for the Philadelphia Eagles (1937–1939), and one for the Phil-Pitt Steagles (1943). He is remembered for his refusal to wear a helmet as one of the last NFL players not to wear one.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Trumpy</span> American football player (born 1945)

Robert Theodore Trumpy Jr. is an American former professional football player who was a tight end for the Cincinnati Bengals in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL) from 1968 through 1977. He was a two-time NFL Pro Bowler and a two-time AFL All-Star. Following his playing career he spent many years as a broadcast color analyst, calling four Super Bowls. He was given the Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award by the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2014.

John Stephen Spagnola is a former American football tight end in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles, Seattle Seahawks, and the Green Bay Packers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Butler (American football)</span> American football player (1927–2013)

John Bradshaw Butler was an American professional football player who was a cornerback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). In 2012, he was elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DeSean Jackson</span> American football player (born 1986)

DeSean William Jackson is an American football wide receiver who is a free agent. He played college football for the California Golden Bears, where he was recognized as a consensus All-American in 2006 and 2007. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft, and has also played for the Washington Redskins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Los Angeles Rams. Jackson has been selected to the Pro Bowl three times, and was the first player selected to the Pro Bowl at two different positions in the same year when he was named to the 2010 Pro Bowl as a wide receiver and return specialist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brent Celek</span> American football player and executive (born 1985)

Brent Steven Celek is an American football executive and former tight end for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Cincinnati and was drafted by the Eagles in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played his entire 11 season career with the Eagles. Celek helped the Eagles win Super Bowl LII over the New England Patriots during the 2017 season; he subsequently retired that offseason.

Peter Clark Mitchell is an American former professional football player who was a tight end in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons. He played college football for the Boston College Eagles, and was a two-time All-American. He played professionally for the Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Giants and Detroit Lions of the NFL.

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

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clay Harbor</span> American football player (born 1987)

Clayton Lee Harbor is a former American football tight end and current television personality. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football at Missouri State. He has also been a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars, New England Patriots, Detroit Lions and New Orleans Saints.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zach Ertz</span> American football player (born 1990)

Zachary Adam Ertz is an American football tight end for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round of the 2013 NFL draft and later won Super Bowl LII with the team. He played college football at Stanford, where he was recognized as a unanimous All-American.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Travis Kelce</span> American football player (born 1989)

Travis Michael Kelce is an American football tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Chiefs in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft and later won Super Bowls LIV and LVII with the team. He played college football at Cincinnati.

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

Dallas Clayton Goedert is an American football tight end for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at South Dakota State, and was drafted by the Eagles in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft.

References

  1. ↑ Crazy Canton cuts Pete Retzlaff
  2. ↑ Hall of Fame Pete Retzlaff passed away Sports Illustrated
  3. ↑ "Hall of Very Good" . Retrieved July 14, 2016.
  4. ↑ "Eagles mourn death of Pete Retzlaff, Hall of Fame tight end and leader of 1960 NFL championship team".
  5. ↑ McPherson, Chris (April 10, 2020). "Eagles mourn the passing of Hall of Famer Pete Retzlaff". Philadelphia Eagles. Retrieved April 10, 2020.
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.