Best NFL Players of All Time: Ted Hendricks. Ranking the Top Players in History. Place a bet on an NFL football game now.
Best NFL Players of All Time: Ted Hendricks
One of the biggest upsets in Super Bowl history occurred at the end. With a 12–4 record, the Los Angeles Raiders had won the AFC West and were a strong team in 1983. They qualified for Super Bowl XVIII against the Washington Redskins by defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks.
The Redskins were not only the reigning Super Bowl champions, but they also finished with a 14-2 record, defeated the Los Angeles Rams in the divisional round of the playoffs, and held off the San Francisco 49ers to win the NFC championship.
A planned and promoted procession path led most people to believe that the Redskins would easily win a second straight championship, but the Raiders outplayed them from start to finish, winning 38–9. The cameras followed Marcus Allen, the MVP of the Super Bowl, and Ted Hendricks, one of his teammates, after the game.
With his size, agility, and natural sense of instincts, Hendricks had dominated the linebacker position since joining the NFL in 1969. At the conclusion of the 1983 season, he made the decision to retire his career, and the surprise victory over the Redskins marked the final game of his career.
The Oakland Raiders were where Hendricks played much of his career. After a fantastic debut season in Baltimore, he was moved to the Green Bay Packers for the 1974 campaign. Following that, in 1975, he relocated to Oakland as a free agent, where he played with the Raiders until the conclusion of his career.
For each team he played for, Hendricks left his own mark. He played a significant role in the Baltimore Colts’ 1970 Super Bowl V winning team. In 1971, he had one of his best seasons ever, recording five interceptions and demonstrating his ability to block kicks—a maneuver that would become one of his trademarks throughout his career. In a game against the Cleveland Browns, he stopped a punt; two weeks later, against the New York Jets, he stopped an extra point that would have sealed a 14–13 victory for Baltimore.
Hendricks was a superb kick blocker thanks to his special talents. He had very large arms and stood six feet seven. He did not have the traditional football player’s build since he was extremely thin, having played the majority of his career at less than 220 pounds. Since he was a three-time All-American at the University of Miami, he was known by the nickname “遢e Mad Stork,” which followed him into the NFL.
During his time in college, Hendricks had pleased the scouts.
He was too skinny to play in the NFL, which raised some eyebrows, but after watching him tackle O. J. Simpson during a game against USC, they were impressed that Simpson did not get away from him. To capitalize on his tackling prowess, the Colts switched him from defensive end to linebacker.
Despite not being the perfect weight, Hendricks thought he would succeed in the NFL. Hendricks said, “Maybe I wasn’t the prototype, but once I got the playing experience, I knew I could play in the big league.” Even though I might be losing some speed, I can make up for it with my range and my greater leverage. Too much programming in the coaches was one of the NFL’s issues. Since no one else was playing linebacker at 214 [pounds], they didn’t think I could play the position. That is, in fact, extremely ridiculous. You are good if you are good.
Following his trade from the Colts to the Packers, Hendricks recorded five interceptions, seven kick blockers, and one safety in his lone season with Green Bay. Nevertheless, Hendricks signed a free-agent contract with the Raiders, so the Packers let him go after just one season. The Raiders gave the Packers two first-round draft selections in exchange for the player, but it was a small price to pay for one of the greatest linebackers in NFL history.
Hendricks didn’t have much of an opportunity to play frequently with the Raiders in 1975, and Oakland head coach John Madden wasn’t initially impressed with him. Madden said, “Well, we got him in some special situations and some game situations.” But we have to admit, we were wrong. He was required inside, and that was that.
As a free agent most of his career, Hendricks had deceived Madden and the other Raiders coaches. From his outside linebacker position, he would read the play and respond. He was nearly never out of position when he had the chance to make a play.
Over the course of his 15-year career, Hendricks blocked 25 field goals or extra points, easily setting an unofficial league record. He intercepted 26 passes, recovered 16 opponent fumbles, and returned 26 of them for 332 yards. Along with recording scores on an interception, fumble return, and blocked punt, he also scored a record-tying four safeties.
Hendricks stated, “I like to think of myself as a complete football player.” “I was not an expert. I could cover receivers and rush the passer. I like playing on special teams and made plays against the run. How many linebackers would do that in the modern era? But we played that way back then, and I believe I performed my part.
He was an eight-time Pro Bowler and an All-Pro four times. Hendricks’s induction into the Hall of Fame in 1990 was evidence that he had done a good job.
Best NFL Players of All Time: Ted Hendricks Stats
Regular Season
Year | Age | Tm | Pos | No. | G | GS | Int | Yds | TD | Lng | Fmb | FR | Yds | TD | Sk | Sfty | AV |
1969 | 22 | BAL | RLB | 83 | 14 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 4 | ||||||||
1970 | 23 | BAL | RLB | 83 | 14 | 14 | 1 | 31 | 0 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 9 | |
1971*+ | 24 | BAL | RLB | 83 | 14 | 14 | 5 | 70 | 0 | 40 | 0 | 1 | 31 | 1 | 5 | 21 | |
1972* | 25 | BAL | LLB | 83 | 14 | 14 | 2 | 13 | 0 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 11 | |
1973* | 26 | BAL | LLB | 83 | 14 | 14 | 3 | 33 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 9 | |
1974*+ | 27 | GNB | LLB | 56 | 14 | 14 | 5 | 74 | 0 | 44 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 14 |
1975 | 28 | OAK | RLB | 83 | 14 | 5 | 2 | 40 | 0 | 33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 5 |
1976 | 29 | OAK | ROLB | 83 | 14 | 14 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 10 |
1977 | 30 | OAK | ROLB | 83 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 8 | ||||
1978 | 31 | OAK | LOLB | 83 | 16 | 16 | 3 | 29 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 9 | |
1979 | 32 | OAK | LOLB | 83 | 16 | 16 | 1 | 23 | 1 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 3 | 7 | |
1980*+ | 33 | OAK | LOLB | 83 | 16 | 16 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 8.5 | 1 | 15 |
1981* | 34 | OAK | LOLB | 83 | 16 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2.5 | 9 | ||||
1982*+ | 35 | RAI | LOLB | 83 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 14 | ||||
1983* | 36 | RAI | LOLB | 83 | 16 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 9 | ||||
Career | 215 | 200 | 26 | 332 | 1 | 44 | 1 | 16 | 53 | 1 | 61 | 4 | 154 | ||||
9 yrs | OAK-RAI | 131 | 122 | 10 | 111 | 1 | 33 | 0 | 10 | 22 | 0 | 42 | 3 | 86 | |||
5 yrs | BAL | 70 | 64 | 11 | 147 | 0 | 40 | 1 | 5 | 31 | 1 | 18 | 54 | ||||
1 yr | GNB | 14 | 14 | 5 | 74 | 0 | 44 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 14 |
Playoffs
Year | Age | Tm | Pos | G | GS | FR | Yds | TD | Sk |
1970 | 23 | BAL | RLB | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
1971*+ | 24 | BAL | RLB | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1975 | 28 | OAK | RLB | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
1976 | 29 | OAK | ROLB | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1977 | 30 | OAK | ROLB | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
1980*+ | 33 | OAK | LOLB | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
1982*+ | 35 | RAI | LOLB | 2 | 2 | 2 | 12 | 0 | 2 |
1983* | 36 | RAI | LOLB | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Career | 21 | 21 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 10 | |||
6 yrs | OAK-RAI | 16 | 16 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 9 | ||
2 yrs | BAL | 5 | 5 | 0 | 1 |
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