DETROIT — Joe Schmidt, the Corridor of Fame linebacker who helped the Detroit Lions win NFL championships in 1953 and 1957 and later coached the crew, has died. He was 92.
The Lions mentioned household knowledgeable the crew Schmidt died Wednesday. A explanation for loss of life was not supplied.
Considered one of professional soccer’s first nice center linebackers, Schmidt performed his complete NFL profession with the Lions from 1953 to ’65. An eight-time All-Professional, he was enshrined within the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame in 1973 and the School Soccer Corridor of Fame in 2000.
We’re saddened to listen to of the passing of Joe Schmidt.
Our ideas and prayers are together with his spouse, Marilyn, and the whole Schmidt household as all of us mourn his passing.
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) September 12, 2024
“Joe likes to say that at one level in his profession, he was 6-3, however he had tackled so many fullbacks that it drove his neck into his shoulders and now he’s 6-foot,” mentioned the late Lions proprietor William Clay Ford, Schmidt’s presenter at his Corridor of Fame induction in 1973. “At any price, he was listed at 6-feet and as I say was marginal for that place. There are, nonetheless, qualities that definitely scouts or anyone who’s drafting a ballplayer can’t measure.”
Born in Pittsburgh, Schmidt performed school soccer in his hometown at Pitt, starting his stint there as a fullback and a guard earlier than coach Len Casanova switched him to linebacker.
“Pitt supplied me with the chance to do what I’ve needed to do, and additional myself by my athletic talents,” Schmidt mentioned. “Every thing I’ve stemmed from that chance.”
Schmidt handled accidents all through his school profession and was drafted by the Lions within the seventh spherical in 1953. As defenses developed in that period, Schmidt’s velocity, savvy and tackling skill made him a helpful a part of among the franchise’s biggest groups.
Schmidt was elected to the Professional Bowl 10 straight years from 1955 to ’64, and after his arrival, the Lions gained the final two of their three NFL titles within the Fifties. In each these championship seasons, Schmidt was named the NFL’s defensive MVP.
In a 1957 playoff sport at San Francisco, the Lions trailed 27-7 within the third quarter earlier than rallying to win 31-27. That was the NFL’s largest comeback in postseason historical past till Buffalo rallied from a 32-point deficit to beat Houston in 1993.
“We simply determined to go after them, blitz them virtually each down,” Schmidt recalled. “We had nothing to lose. If you’re up towards it, you let each barrels fly.”
Schmidt grew to become an assistant coach after wrapping up his profession as a participant. He was Detroit’s head coach from 1967 to ’72, going 43-35-7.
Schmidt was a part of the NFL’s All-Time Workforce revealed in 2019 to have a good time the league’s centennial season, becoming a member of fellow Corridor of Famers Dick Butkus, Jack Lambert, Willie Lanier, Ray Lewis and Junior Seau amongst inside linebackers.
His No. 56 is retired by the Lions and his No. 65 by Pitt.
Not unhealthy for an undersized seventh-round draft choose.
“It was a dream of mine to play soccer,” Schmidt advised the Detroit Free Press in 2017. “I had so many individuals inform me that I used to be too small. That I could not play. I had so many detrimental individuals say detrimental issues about me … that it makes you are feeling good inside. I mentioned, ‘OK, I will show it to you.'”
The Related Press contributed to this report.
