Merlin Olsen

Merlin Jay Olsen

Position: DT
Height: 6-5 Weight: 270 lbs.

Born: September 15, 1940 in Logan, UT
College: Utah St. (school history)
Drafted by the Denver Broncos in the 1st round (2nd overall) of the 1962 AFL Draft.
Drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the 1st round (3rd overall) of the 1962 NFL Draft.

Weighted Career AV (100-95-...): 132 (21st overall since 1950)
14-time Pro Bowler & 5-time First-Team All-Pro (fine print)
Inducted into Hall of Fame in 1982

74 74

Let people know you like this site. Sponsor this page for $45. Your message will replace this ad.

Hall of Fame

Fan EloRater

Fine Details · Last updated Nov 9, 2011 3:32PM

All-Time Rank: #34. Night Train Lane… #35. Paul Warfield… #36. Bobby Layne… #37. MERLIN OLSEN… #38. Bruce Matthews… #39. Joe Greene… #40. Randy Moss…

All-Time Rank: #34. Night Train Lane… #35. Paul Warfield… #36. Bobby Layne… #37. MERLIN OLSEN… #38. Bruce Matthews… #39. Joe Greene… #40. Randy Moss…

Defense & Fumbles

								Def Interceptions					Fumbles					Tackles
Year	Age	Tm	Pos	No.	G	GS	Sk	Int	Yds	TD	Lng	PD	FF	Fmb	FR	Yds	TD	Tkl	Ast	Sfty	AV
1962*	22	RAM	LDT	74	12	12		1	20	1	20	0	0	0	2	0	0				10
1963*	23	RAM	LDT	74	14	0							0	1	0	0	0				10
1964*	24	RAM	LDT	74	14	0															8
1965*	25	RAM	LDT	74	14	0							0	0	1	59	0				9
1966*+	26	RAM	LDT	74	14	0							0	1	2	9	0				16
1967*+	27	RAM	LDT	74	14	0							0	0	1	0	0				17
1968*+	28	RAM	LDT	74	14	14							0	0	1	0	0				17
1969*+	29	RAM	LDT	74	14	14															13
1970*+	30	RAM	LDT	74	14	14															16
1971*	31	RAM	LDT	74	14	14															10
1972*	32	RAM	LDT	74	14	14															10
1973*	33	RAM	RDT	74	14	14															14
1974*	34	RAM	RDT	74	14	14															11
1975*	35	RAM	RDT	74	14	14							0	0	1	0	0				14
1976	36	RAM	RDT	74	14	14							0	0	1	0	0				10
Career					208	138		1	20	1	20	0	0	2	9	68	0				185

Kick & Punt Returns

							Punt Returns					Kick Returns
Year	Age	Tm	Pos	No.	G	GS	Ret	Yds	TD	Lng	Y/R	Rt	Yds	TD	Lng	Y/Rt	APYd
1963*	23	RAM	LDT	74	14	0						1	0	0	0	0.0	0
Career					208	138						1	0	0	0	0.0	0

Scoring Summary

Year	Age	Tm	Pos	No.	G	GS	RshTD	RecTD	PR TD	KR TD	FblTD	IntTD	OthTD	AllTD	2PM	XPM	FGM	Sfty	Pts
1962*	22	RAM	LDT	74	12	12						1		1					6
Career					208	138						1		1					6

Similar Players

What does "similar" mean?

NumYrs	Players whose career was of similar quality and shape
3	Joe Greene, Wally Chambers, Ernie Stautner, Carlton Massey, Dan Hampton*, Corey Simon, Tom Sestak, Mario Williams, Dana Stubblefield, Jim Duncan
4	Ernie Stautner, Corey Simon, Mario Williams, Tom Sestak, Verlon Biggs, Otis Sistrunk, Bob Baumhower, Sherman White, Wally Chambers, Dan Hampton
5	Andy Robustelli, Dana Stubblefield, Fred Smerlas, Ernie Stautner, Tommie Harris, Otis Sistrunk, Bob Baumhower, Dwight White, Ray Krouse, John Henderson
6	Roger Brown, Andy Robustelli, Bill Stanfill, Joe Greene, Charlie Johnson, Dan Hampton*, Warren Sapp, Bob Baumhower, Kevin Williams, Bryant Young
7	Joe Greene, Cortez Kennedy, Bob Baumhower, Andy Robustelli, Buck Buchanan, Roger Brown, Warren Sapp, Dan Hampton, Bill Stanfill, Kevin Williams
8	Joe Greene, Andy Robustelli, Dan Hampton, Bob Baumhower, Deacon Jones, Cortez Kennedy, Roger Brown, Warren Sapp, Jason Taylor, Bob Lilly*
9	Joe Greene, Andy Robustelli, Warren Sapp, Deacon Jones, Bob Lilly, Ernie Stautner, Randy White, Cortez Kennedy, Jason Taylor, Bob Baumhower
10	Joe Greene, Andy Robustelli, Jason Taylor, Dan Hampton, Randy White, Deacon Jones, Bob Lilly, Ernie Stautner*, Warren Sapp, Cortez Kennedy
11	Joe Greene, Andy Robustelli, Jason Taylor, Michael Strahan, Randy White, Ernie Stautner, Bob Lilly, Deacon Jones, Willie Davis*, Warren Sapp
12	Andy Robustelli, Joe Greene, Randy White, Bob Lilly, Ernie Stautner, Alex Karras, Warren Sapp, Jason Taylor, Deacon Jones, Michael Strahan
13	Andy Robustelli, Joe Greene, Randy White, Bob Lilly, Michael Strahan, Gino Marchetti, Alex Karras, Ernie Stautner, Warren Sapp, Jason Taylor
14	Andy Robustelli, Bob Lilly, Randy White, Joe Greene, Bruce Smith, Michael Strahan, Gino Marchetti, Jack Youngblood, Alex Karras, Ernie Stautner
15	Andy Robustelli, Bob Lilly, Bruce Smith, Randy White, Joe Greene, Michael Strahan, Gino Marchetti, Alan Page, Jack Youngblood, Alex Karras
Career	Andy Robustelli, Bob Lilly, Randy White, Joe Greene, Michael Strahan, Bruce Smith, Gino Marchetti, Jack Youngblood, Alex Karras, Ernie Stautner

Appearances on Leader Boards, Awards, and Honors

Stats are Year Lg Value (Rank/All-Time)

Awards 1974 NFL Bert Bell Award (Player of the Year)	Pro Bowls 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975	First-Team All-Pro 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970	Approximate Value 1967 NFL 17 (4) 1968 NFL 17 (7) 1970 NFL 16 (8) Career 185 (17)
Approximate Value (Weighted) Career 132 (21)	Non-Offensive TDs 1962 NFL 1 (8)	Games Career 208 (179)	Fumble Return Yds 1965 NFL 59 (5)
Intercept. Ret. TD 1962 NFL 1 (1)

All-Pro Teams

Year	Team	Level	Voters
1963	2nd Team	All-NFL	Associated Press
1963	2nd Team	All-NFL	Newspaper Ent. Assoc.
1963	2nd Team	All-NFL	NY Daily News
1963	2nd Team	All-NFL	UPI
1964	1st Team	All-Conf.	Sporting News
1964	2nd Team	All-NFL	Associated Press
1964	1st Team	All-NFL	Newspaper Ent. Assoc.
1964	2nd Team	All-NFL	NY Daily News
1964	2nd Team	All-NFL	UPI
1965	1st Team	All-Conf.	Sporting News
1965	2nd Team	All-NFL	Associated Press
1965	2nd Team	All-NFL	NY Daily News
1965	2nd Team	All-NFL	UPI
1966	1st Team	All-Conf.	Sporting News
1966	1st Team	All-NFL	Associated Press
1966	1st Team	All-NFL	Pro Football Writers
1966	1st Team	All-NFL	Newspaper Ent. Assoc.
1966	1st Team	All-NFL	NY Daily News
1966	1st Team	All-NFL	UPI
1967	1st Team	All-Conf.	Sporting News
1967	1st Team	All-NFL	Associated Press
1967	1st Team	All-NFL	Newspaper Ent. Assoc.
1967	1st Team	All-NFL	NY Daily News
1967	1st Team	All-NFL	UPI
1968	1st Team	All-NFL/AFL	Pro Football Weekly
1968	1st Team	All-Conf.	Sporting News
1968	1st Team	All-NFL	Associated Press
1968	1st Team	All-NFL	Pro Football Writers
1968	1st Team	All-NFL	Newspaper Ent. Assoc.
1968	1st Team	All-NFL	NY Daily News
1968	1st Team	All-NFL	Pro Football Weekly
1968	1st Team	All-NFL	UPI
1969	1st Team	All-NFL	Associated Press
1969	1st Team	All-NFL	Pro Football Writers
1969	1st Team	All-NFL	Hall of Fame
1969	1st Team	All-NFL	Newspaper Ent. Assoc.
1969	1st Team	All-NFL	NY Daily News
1969	1st Team	All-NFL	Pro Football Weekly
1969	1st Team	All-NFL	Sporting News
1969	1st Team	All-NFL	UPI
1970	1st Team	All-Conf.	Associated Press
1970	1st Team	All-Conf.	Pro Football Weekly
1970	1st Team	All-Conf.	Sporting News
1970	1st Team	All-Conf.	UPI
1970	1st Team	All-NFL	Associated Press
1970	1st Team	All-NFL	Pro Football Writers
1970	1st Team	All-NFL	Newspaper Ent. Assoc.
1970	1st Team	All-NFL	Pro Football Weekly
1971	2nd Team	All-Conf.	UPI
1972	2nd Team	All-Conf.	UPI
1973	1st Team	All-Conf.	Associated Press
1973	1st Team	All-Conf.	Pro Football Weekly
1973	1st Team	All-Conf.	Sporting News
1973	1st Team	All-Conf.	UPI
1973	2nd Team	All-NFL	Associated Press
1974	2nd Team	All-Conf.	UPI
1974	2nd Team	All-NFL	Pro Football Writers
1975	2nd Team	All-Conf.	UPI

Automatic Player Linking / Statistical Sharing Tool / Basic Player Linking

Most data provided by 24-7 Baseball, creators of the ESPN Pro Football Encyclopedia.

A Sports Reference Site: About PFR | Found a bug or have a suggestion?
Privacy Statement | Conditions & Terms of Service | Use of Data

Partner With: FantasyPlayers.com. Part of the USA TODAY Sports Media Group.

NumYrs	Players whose career was of similar quality and shape
3	Joe Greene, Wally Chambers, Ernie Stautner, Carlton Massey, Dan Hampton*, Corey Simon, Tom Sestak, Mario Williams, Dana Stubblefield, Jim Duncan
4	Ernie Stautner, Corey Simon, Mario Williams, Tom Sestak, Verlon Biggs, Otis Sistrunk, Bob Baumhower, Sherman White, Wally Chambers, Dan Hampton
5	Andy Robustelli, Dana Stubblefield, Fred Smerlas, Ernie Stautner, Tommie Harris, Otis Sistrunk, Bob Baumhower, Dwight White, Ray Krouse, John Henderson
6	Roger Brown, Andy Robustelli, Bill Stanfill, Joe Greene, Charlie Johnson, Dan Hampton*, Warren Sapp, Bob Baumhower, Kevin Williams, Bryant Young
7	Joe Greene, Cortez Kennedy, Bob Baumhower, Andy Robustelli, Buck Buchanan, Roger Brown, Warren Sapp, Dan Hampton, Bill Stanfill, Kevin Williams
8	Joe Greene, Andy Robustelli, Dan Hampton, Bob Baumhower, Deacon Jones, Cortez Kennedy, Roger Brown, Warren Sapp, Jason Taylor, Bob Lilly*
9	Joe Greene, Andy Robustelli, Warren Sapp, Deacon Jones, Bob Lilly, Ernie Stautner, Randy White, Cortez Kennedy, Jason Taylor, Bob Baumhower
10	Joe Greene, Andy Robustelli, Jason Taylor, Dan Hampton, Randy White, Deacon Jones, Bob Lilly, Ernie Stautner*, Warren Sapp, Cortez Kennedy
11	Joe Greene, Andy Robustelli, Jason Taylor, Michael Strahan, Randy White, Ernie Stautner, Bob Lilly, Deacon Jones, Willie Davis*, Warren Sapp
12	Andy Robustelli, Joe Greene, Randy White, Bob Lilly, Ernie Stautner, Alex Karras, Warren Sapp, Jason Taylor, Deacon Jones, Michael Strahan
13	Andy Robustelli, Joe Greene, Randy White, Bob Lilly, Michael Strahan, Gino Marchetti, Alex Karras, Ernie Stautner, Warren Sapp, Jason Taylor
14	Andy Robustelli, Bob Lilly, Randy White, Joe Greene, Bruce Smith, Michael Strahan, Gino Marchetti, Jack Youngblood, Alex Karras, Ernie Stautner
15	Andy Robustelli, Bob Lilly, Bruce Smith, Randy White, Joe Greene, Michael Strahan, Gino Marchetti, Alan Page, Jack Youngblood, Alex Karras
Career	Andy Robustelli, Bob Lilly, Randy White, Joe Greene, Michael Strahan, Bruce Smith, Gino Marchetti, Jack Youngblood, Alex Karras, Ernie Stautner