RIP Jack Tatum

What I remember his best for.

 

I remember Lynn Swann cowering going across the middle against Tatum and Atkinson.

 

Much like finishthehat, I grew up across the Passaic River from Tatum, who is from Passaic. He was a year ahead of me in high school and was one of the most devastating high school players -- as a running back and linebacker -- who ever played in New Jersey.
He was honored by Passaic High School on Thanksgiving Day 2008, gave an inspirational speech to the team before the game, and the next day I saw him at another high school game watching his nephew play RB for a private school power in our area.

RIP Jack.

 

I always maintain that if Tatum had just broken down and form-tackled Fuqua after he caught the ball instead of needlessly trying to take his head off, there would have been no Immaculate Reception.

But the guy could play. Has there ever been a better secondary than Tatum, Atkinson, Thomas and Brown? (mid-80s 49ers, who once had four Pro Bowlers in the same year, maybe come close)

 

Tatum's reaction to the Stingley tragedy, which was not Tatum's fault, but football's fault, makes it impossible for me to have much sympathy for his premature death. To his family, my condolences. To him, karma, dude.

 

It was a much different era, but the Lions had Lane (HOF) LeBeau (HOf), Yale Lary (HOf) and Gary Lowe in the early 1960s. Also, I think the Steelers put all of their dbacks in the Pro Bowl one year in the 1970s.

 

Steelers had a great group in Mel Blount/ Glenn Edwards/ Mike Wagner/ JT Thomas.

Also the Dolphins - Jake Scott/ Dick Anderson/ Tim Foley/ Curtis Johnson

Also 1967 Packers - Jeter / Wood/ Adderly/ Hart

 

It was 1976 when the four steelers went to the pro bowl. Donnie Shell was the back-up, and Dave Brown, who

The Cowboys had a good unit with Waters, Harris, Renfro and Green in the early 1970s. and the group Sneak was talking about in SanFran was Lott, Williamson, Wright, and Hicks, who I didn't realize were together from 1981 through 1985. For some reason, I though Dwight Hicks was gone more quickly.

 

I knew this was going to come up. It was a legal hit. Tragic, definitely. There was no penalty. Stingley eventually forgave Tatum.

 

Clearly a legal hit at the time.

 

How there are not more players paralyzed is beyond me. I'm probably forgetting someone, but was Utley the last one? The special teamer from Buffalo recovered, right?

 

Dennis Byrd was paralyzed in '93, but eventually recovered and walked.