An example of this was a 1985 NFL game in which William Perry, wearing number 72 and normally a defensive lineman, was made an eligible receiver on an offensive play, and successfully caught a touchdown pass attempt.

These consecutive championship teams featured 1976 NFL Most Valuable Player Bert Jones at quarterback and an outstanding defensive line, nicknamed the " Sack Pack.

Interestingly, Shula got his first NFL coaching job from then-Detroit Head Coach George Wilson, who hired him as the defensive coordinator.

Since 2006, the Vikings have been known especially for their strong run defense (# 1 in the NFL in 2006, 2007, and 2008 ; they are the first NFL team to accomplish this since the AFL – NFL merger in 1970 ), anchored by the Williams Wall consisting of defensive tackle Kevin Williams and nose tackle Pat Williams ( no relation ).

During this period in their history, standout players included defensive end Michael Strahan, who set the NFL single season record in sacks in 2001, and running back Tiki Barber, who set a team record for rushing yards in a season in 2005.

The Bears " 46 defense " also had the following impact players: On the defensive line, Pro Bowler and hall of famer Richard Dent led the NFL in sacks for the second year in a row with 17, while Pro Bowler and future hall of famer Dan Hampton recorded 6. 5 sacks, and nose tackle Steve McMichael compiled 8.

Chicago then drove to the 3-yard line, but had to settle for another field goal from Butler after rookie defensive lineman William " Refrigerator " Perry was tackled for a 1-yard loss while trying to throw his first NFL pass on a halfback option play.

Their defense, considered the most intimidating in the NFL, was anchored by a defensive line nicknamed the " Purple People Eaters ", consisting of defensive tackles Gary Larsen and Alan Page, and defensive ends Carl Eller and Jim Marshall.

Noll rebuilt the Steelers through the NFL draft, selecting defensive tackle Joe Greene in his first season as head coach.

The voters actually wanted to name the entire 11-man starting defensive lineup as co-MVPs, and asked the NFL if this was acceptable.

Although the 49ers had 3 rookies starting as defensive backs, they all were major defensive threats: Carlton Williamson recorded 4 interceptions, Eric Wright had 3, and Ronnie Lott recorded 7 interceptions and tied an NFL record by returning 3 of them for touchdowns.

Despite their defensive flaws, the Dolphins ' powerful offense led the NFL in scoring ( 513 points ) and total yards gained ( 7, 064 ), and helped the team reach an AFC best 14-2 regular season record.

The Giants ' defensive leader was Hall of Fame outside linebacker Lawrence Taylor who led the league with 20½ sacks during the regular season, won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award for the third time in his career, and became just the second defensive player to ever win the NFL Most Valuable Player Award.

One week after losing to the division rival Philadelphia Eagles, 31 – 13, the 10 – 1 Giants were defeated on Monday Night Football in a 7 – 3 defensive battle with the 10 – 1 San Francisco 49ers, who had won the previous two Super Bowls and ultimately finished the regular season with an NFL best 14 – 2 record.

Their defense was led by defensive end Bruce Smith, who recorded 19 sacks and won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award.

Washington's defense, which ranked third in the NFL in fewest yards allowed ( 4, 638 ), was led by all-pro defensive back Darrell Green, who was one of the fastest players in the NFL, and Pro Bowl linebacker Wilber Marshall.

The inaugural season featured many of the players who would lead Jacksonville into the playoffs in the team's next four seasons, including quarterback Mark Brunell ( acquired in a draft day trade from Green Bay ), offensive lineman Tony Boselli ( drafted with the 2nd pick overall in the 1995 NFL Draft ) running back James Stewart ( also drafted in 1995 ), and wide receiver Jimmy Smith ( signed as a free agent ).

During the 2012 NFL Draft, the team selected USC lineman Matt Kalil with the 4th overall pick after a trade with the Cleveland Browns, and Notre Dame safety Harrison Smith in the first round.

" We figured we could win if our offense didn't put us into too many holes ", said 35-year old Colts lineman Billy Ray Smith, who was playing in his last NFL game, " Let me put it this way, they didn't put us into any holes we couldn't get out of "

The defense did have a few good contributors such as Hall of Fame lineman Bruce Smith ( 14 sacks, 1 fumble recovery ), Pro Bowl linebacker Cornelius Bennett ( 5 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries ), along with linebacker Darryl Talley ( 101 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries, 3 interceptions ) and cornerback Nate Odomes, who led the NFL with 9 interceptions and recorded 1 fumble recovery.

* Shane Dronett, NFL defensive lineman ( Denver Broncos and Atlanta Falcons )

* John Watson ( American football ) ( born 1949 ), former NFL offensive lineman

William Anthony Perry ( born December 16, 1962 ) is a former American college and professional football player who was a defensive lineman in the National Football League ( NFL ) for ten seasons during the 1980s and 1990s.

Wilson, NFL defensive lineman for Tampa Bay Buccaneers

* Leonard Davis, NFL offensive lineman for the Dallas Cowboys who grew up in Wortham.

* Atlas Herrion, American football offensive lineman of several NFL teams who currently plays for the Arizona Rattlers of Arena Football 1.

* Cortez Kennedy, Former NFL defensive lineman, Pro Football Hall of Fame ( Class of 2012 )

* Warren Sapp, All-Pro NFL defensive lineman

* Todd Fordham, Former NFL offensive lineman

* Clay Shiver, Former NFL offensive lineman

* Kyle Burkhart, NFL offensive lineman, currently a free agent

* Derrel Gofourth, NFL offensive lineman

* Irv Pankey, Aberdeen High School, 2 time wrestling state champion ( 1975 – 1976 ); Penn State offensive lineman ( 1976 – 1980 ); NFL: Los Angeles Rams ( 1980 – 1990 ) Indianapolis Colts ( 1991 – 1992 )

* Rudy Rosatti, NFL lineman ( Packers and Giants )

* Adam Kieft, lineman with the Cincinnati Bengals of the NFL

* Marty Conrad, offensive lineman in the NFL for the Toledo Maroons ( 1922 – 1923 ), the Kenosha Maroons ( 1924 ), and the Akron Pros ( 1925 ).

* Max Lane Former NFL offensive lineman, New England Patriots

* Chris Dishman, NFL lineman

This was days after NFL Players Association director Gene Upshaw advised the Saints players not to renew their leases on their homes in San Antonio because the league planned to order them to return to their home facilities in Metairie.

The play is still disputed by those involved, particularly by living personnel from the Raiders and their fans, who insist the Raiders should have won ( in an NFL Films production about the play years later, Raider guard Gene Upshaw theorized that the real purpose of Swearingen's phone conversation was to see if there were enough police on hand to ensure the players ' safety if the play was ruled incomplete, and was then called in the Steelers ' favor out of fear ).

While Gene Upshaw, head of the National Football League Players ' Association, also criticized the field citing a 2006 survey of NFL players that ranked Heinz Field as the second worst field in the league.

National Football League Players Association president Gene Upshaw, unaware that his comments could be heard by anyone viewing through a direct satellite uplink, once commented during an NFL Live!

The university holds the record as the Division II school with the most professional athletes signed by teams in the NFL, including Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees Gene Upshaw, Darrell Green, and John Randle.

* Gene Upshaw, NFL Hall of Famer, former Executive Director of the National Football League Players Association, deceased

Joe had an argument with Gene Upshaw, the head of the Players Union, about retired NFL player's pensions up until Upshaw's death in August 2008.

Eugene Thurman Upshaw, Jr. ( August 15, 1945 – August 20, 2008 ), also known as " Uptown Gene ", was an American football player for the Oakland Raiders of the American Football League and later the NFL, later the executive director of the National Football League Players ' Association ( NFLPA ).

On the August 15, 2006 episode of Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel, Gumbel made the following remarks about former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue and National Football League Players Association president Gene Upshaw and directed these comments to new commissioner Roger Goodell:

Upshaw is the cousin of NFL Hall of Famer Gene Upshaw and former NFL player Marvin Upshaw.