Pro Football Hall of Fame 2016: Guard Dick Stanfel
For the second consecutive year, the Pro Football Hall of Fame will welcome eight new members. Here we take a look at veteran guard Dick Stanfel.
The first weekend in August is always a special time for football fans. Training camps are in full swing, the preseason kicks off Sunday and there’s hope for all 32 NFL teams.
There is also this little event called the Pro Football Hall of Fame ceremony. It celebrates the accomplishments of the men who have made this a great game, be it as a player, coach or administrator.
Related Story: Pro Football Hall of Fame 2016: Quarterback Brett Favre
For the second straight year, there are eight legends in the class. The proud city of Canton, Ohio welcomes owner Edward DeBartolo, Jr., coach Tony Dungy, quarterback Brett Favre, linebacker/defensive end Kevin Greene, wide receiver Marvin Harrison, tackle Orlando Pace, quarterback Ken Stabler and guard Dick Stanfel.
We will take a look at the magnificent careers of each of these men as each receives the ultimate honor when it comes to their place in football history.
We have already delved into the careers of DeBartolo, Dungy, Favre, Greene, Harrison, Pace and Stabler. Now it’s time to look back at sturdy guard Dick Stanfel, who played only seven seasons with the Detroit Lions (1952-55) and then the Washington Redskins (1956-58). But the standout performer was named to four Pro Bowls and was a member of the 1950s All-Decade Team.
A second-round pick by the Lions in 1951, he missed his rookie season due to injury. But he would return and was a member of those Detroit teams that we’re winning NFL titles in 1950s. He finished his career with the Redskins and all told, was voted All-Pro five times in seven seasons.
But as good as Stanfel was on the field, he also made a significant impact on the sidelines as an offensive line coach. He served in that role for 39 years with various teams, including the Super Bowl XX champion Chicago Bears in 1985.
“He blew me away with how well he taught,” said Hall of Fame coach Marv Levy via a recent conference call (via Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle. “I recall one instance when he wasn’t happy with how a guard was pulling and trapping an outside linebacker, so he stepped in – no pads, no helmet – to demonstrate, and I’ve never seen anybody do it better than he did.”
Stanfel died just over a year ago at the age of 87. His son Rich Stanfel and his two brothers couldn’t be happier, however…
“It’s bittersweet that he’s not here for this,” said Stanfel. “But that’s the way my dad was. He was sort of a lunch-box kind of guy, went to work hard every day whether he was playing or coaching. And he just did things the right way.”
“When he didn’t make it in 2012, he paused – I frankly was more devastated than he was for a moment – but he paused and said, ‘Well, what are we doing for dinner?’” And life went on. That was Dad.”
More nfl spin zone: Pro Football Hall of Fame 2016: Kevin Greene
The impact that Stanfel had on the game and the players he taught could be considered his greatest monument. Now he has a matching bust in Canton, Ohio.
Additional bio link courtesy of the Pro Football Hall of Fame website