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Merlin Olsen

Merlin Jay Olsen

Position: DT
Height: 6-5    Weight: 270 lbs.
Born: September 15, 1940 in Logan, UT
College: Utah State

Career AV: 139 (11th overall since 1950)

Inducted into Hall of Fame in 1982

14-time Pro Bowler & 5-time First-Team All-Pro (fine print)

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.

74 74

Defense & Fumbles

Glossary · CSV · PRE · Game Log · Splits · TD Log
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 2 0 0 11
1963* 23 RAM LDT 74 14 0 1 0 0 0 11
1964* 24 RAM LDT 74 14 0 11
1965* 25 RAM LDT 74 14 0 0 1 59 0 11
1966*+ 26 RAM LDT 74 14 0 1 2 9 0 17
1967*+ 27 RAM LDT 74 14 0 0 1 0 0 19
1968*+ 28 RAM LDT 74 14 14 0 1 0 0 18
1969*+ 29 RAM LDT 74 14 14 14
1970*+ 30 RAM LDT 74 14 14 17
1971* 31 RAM LDT 74 14 14 11
1972* 32 RAM LDT 74 14 14 10
1973* 33 RAM RDT 74 14 14 15
1974* 34 RAM RDT 74 14 14 11
1975* 35 RAM RDT 74 14 14 0 1 0 0 14
1976 36 RAM RDT 74 14 14 0 1 0 0 10
Career 208 138 1 20 1 20 2 9 68 0 200

Kick & Punt Returns

Glossary · CSV · PRE
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

Glossary · CSV · PRE
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

Glossary · What does "similar" mean? · CSV · PRE
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, Tom Sestak, Verlon Biggs, Otis Sistrunk, Bob Baumhower, Sherman White, Wally Chambers, Dan Hampton*, Dana Stubblefield
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, Jason Taylor
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, Henry Jordan*
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

Glossary

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

Non-Offensive TDs

1962 NFL 1 (8)

Games

Career 208 (159)

Fumble Return Yds

1965 NFL 59 (5)

Intercept. Ret. TD

1962 NFL 1 (1)

 
Stats are Year Lg Value (Rank Season/Rank in Top 100 All-Time Seasons)

All-Pro Teams

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