Merlin Olsen dies; NFL Hall of Famer became football analyst, TV actor
Merlin Olsen, 69, a Hall of Fame defensive tackle with the Los Angeles Rams who became equally well known after his playing days as a football broadcaster, television actor and commercial pitchman, died March 11 at a hospital in Duarte, Calif., outside Los Angeles. He had mesothelioma,
wicker basketa rare form of cancer often related to exposure to asbestos.
Mr. Olsen was the anchor of the Rams' defensive line known as the "Fearsome Foursome," an intimidating front wall that captured the imagination of fans in the 1960s and helped make defensive play in football as exciting and innovative as the offense. After his playing career, he was a TV football analyst for 16 years, had leading roles in the wholesome frontier dramas "Little House on the Prairie" and "Father Murphy" and was the longtime spokesman for FTD florists.
In his 15 seasons with the Rams from 1962 to 1976, Mr. Olsen never missed a game and was named to 14 consecutive Pro Bowl teams, a record later matched by offensive lineman Bruce Matthews. He won the NFL's most valuable player award in 1974 and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1982, the first year he was eligible. His jersey number, 74, was retired by the Rams, and he still holds the all-time team record for tackles, with 915.
"He had as much to do as any other individual with glamorizing defensive football in the NFL," his official biography at the Pro Football Hall of Fame states.
Mr. Olsen played left tackle in the Rams' legendary front four, with David "Deacon" Jones at left end, Roosevelt "Rosey" Grier at right tackle and Lamar Lundy at right end. The "Fearsome Foursome" were together only four years (1963-66), but in that time they revolutionized defensive line play with "stunting" and "looping" techniques, in which they crossed paths or slanted across the line to rush the passer. Jones, who lined up to Mr. Olsen's left, coined the term "sack" to describe tackling the opposing quarterback behind the line of scrimmage.
Jones and Mr. Olsen are both in the Hall of Fame, making them, in the words of sports columnist Steve Bisheff, "the finest side-by-side pairing of defensive linemen in the history of the sport."
Besides extraordinary strength, the 6-foot-5, 275-pound Mr. Olsen had remarkable balance, quickness and durability,and he was equally adept at rushing the passer and stopping the running game.
wicker basket He was an exceptionally cerebral player who prepared for his games -- as a player and later as an analyst -- as if studying for an exam.
