San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers selected Rock in the second round of the 1963 NFL draft, 21st overall. [21] He was also selected in the second round of the American Football League (AFL) draft by the Kansas City Chiefs, 16th overall. [22] He immediately signed with San Francisco after the selection was announced. [23] He signed for a $13,000 salary and $6,000 bonus. [5]
As a rookie in 1963, Rock was assigned to play defensive end as a reserve, and to play on special teams. During a punt return in a game against the Minnesota Vikings in September 1963, Rock was hit with a "teeth-rattling" block from the aptly name Steve Stonebreaker to free returner Bill Butler for a touchdown. Rock played in only seven games on the season, however, due to a knee injury that required surgery and ended his season. [24] [25] [26] [27] [3]
In 1964, Rock became the 49ers' starting right offensive tackle when future Pro Football Hall of Famer Bob St. Clair was injured in training camp, ending his NFL career. [3] [28] [29] [30] Rock started all 14 games in 1964 at right tackle. He did so again in 1965 and was selected to the 1965 Pro Bowl. [3] [31]
Rock signed a two-year contract in 1966, subject to the NFL's option clause. He started all 14 games at right tackle for the 49ers in both 1966 and 1967. In 1967, the 49ers flew him home to Arlington, Virginia two days a week to work in his family’s garage door installation business in nearby Washington, D.C. He did not report to the 49ers training camp in 1968, seeking to be traded to the Baltimore Colts or Washington Redskins where he could be closer to his family's business. He had no problems with the 49ers, but the "'press of business'" made it impossible for him to stay in San Francisco. Rock believed the 49ers knew about his situation in 1966 when he signed his contract and promised to trade him when the contract ended. Two years later, however, the 49ers told Rock that Washington was only offering "'trash'" for Rock, while Washington's general manager Otto Graham said the 49ers were demanding too much for Rock. [3] [32] [33] [34] [5]
Even though he was only 26, he said he would retire if necessary. Under then current NFL practices, players who sought to play for another team after playing out their contracts, subject to an option clause, were still limited by Commissioner Pete Rozelle's ability to require that the new team compensate the original team with players or draft picks of equal value. In Rock's case, Rozelle determined he was worth a No. 1 draft pick. Rock was eventually traded to Washington in September 1968 for a 1970 first round draft pick. [32] [33] [34] [35] [36]
Washington Redskins
Rock started 10 games at left tackle for Washington in 1968, with Jim Snowden at starting right tackle, under head coach Otto Graham. Graham already was in the Hall of Fame as a quarterback by that time, and was later selected as one of the NFL's 100 greatest players. After a 5–9 season, Graham was replaced by coaching legend Vince Lombardi, who would enter the Hall of Fame as a coach, and be selected as one of the greatest coaches in NFL history. Lombardi made Rock the starting right tackle and Snowden the starting left tackle. Rock played in only 12 games, starting all of them at right tackle. Washington's record improved to 7–5–2 in 1969. [3] [37] [38] [39] [40] [41] [42]
Lombardi died less than one year later, [43] and Rock started 13 games at right tackle under head coach Bill Austin in 1970, with the team falling to 6–8. [3] [44] In 1971, future Hall of Fame coach George Allen took over as Washington's head coach. [45] Rock started all 14 games at right tackle under Allen in both 1971 and 1972. [3] The team finished 9–4–1 in 1971. [46] In 1971, the line of Rock, Snowden, guards Ray Schoenke and John Wilbur and center Len Hauss permitted only 17 quarterback sacks, second best in the NFL. [47] [48] [49]
Washington finished 11–3 in 1972, first in the NFC's East Division. [50] The offensive line, with Terry Hermeling and Paul Laaveg replacing Snowden and Schoenke, was again second best in the NFL in giving up only 11 sacks. [51] [52] Washington defeated the Dallas Cowboys in the 1972 National Football Conference championship game, 26–3, [53] but lost to the undefeated Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl VII, 14–7. [54]
Allen’s teams in Washington were known as “The Over The Hill Gang” because of his penchant to trade draft picks for veteran players. However, the 1972 team’s average age of 28.8 years was only 1.2 years over the league average; and the majority of his starting players, like the recently turned 31-year old Rock, were already on the team when he arrived in 1971. [55]
In 1973, Rock suffered injuries and only played in seven games. [56] [57] [58] [3] Washington coach George Allen waived Rock before the 1974 season. Rock was bitter over the manner in which Allen released him, saying Allen had lied to him. He called professional football "'a backstabbing business'". [59]
Rock did not talk to opposing defensive linemen during the games. [9]
