NFL History: 30 players fans loved to loathe: 8. Jack Tatum
In no way shape or form would Jack Tatum be allowed anywhere near the NFL today. There was a reason why Tatum was nicknamed “The Assassin” he was always going for the kill shot. During a preseason game in the 1970s, he took things overboard.
With the New England Patriots attempting to get things right before the regular season kicked off, Tatum and his Oakland Raiders strolled into town. Tatum was known for going full speed at all times and opposing fan bases hated seeing him on the field because more times than not, their favorite wide receiver wasn’t going to make it through the entire game. On this particular day, Tatum changed the life of wide receiver Darryl Stingley.
Tatum dropped the boom on Stingley and left him paralyzed for the rest of his life. Needless to say, fans weren’t too pleased and whenever he got on the field, they booed him like no tomorrow. Tatum was a tough and physical player but everyone, including the fans and players around the league, believed his hits were unnecessary and violent. While he was hated way before ending the career of Stingley, the hatred for him since then went to another level soon after.