Jack Youngblood

At 74 years old, Jack Youngblood has this physical status:

Herbert Jackson Youngblood III (born January 26, 1950) is an American former professional football player who appeared for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons during the 1970s and 1980s.

He was a five-time consensus All-Pro and a seven-time Pro Bowl pick, and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Youngblood played college football for the University of Florida before being named an All-American.

He is one of the best players Florida has ever produced, as a member of the College Football Hall of Fame and one of only six Florida Gators to be voted to the Gator Football Ring of Honor. Youngblood worked in the Rams' front office until 1991 after retiring as a player in 1985.

He has served in the front office of the Sacramento Surge of the World League from 1992 to 1993, as well as the administration of the Sacramento Gold Miners from 1993 to 1994.

He served as vice president, then president, of the Orlando Predators from 1995 to 1999.

Youngblood has ventured into television broadcasting (both radio and television), acting, and company, and even written an autobiography.

He was a well-known brand ambassador for various products, and he has been active in charity work, beginning in college and continuing into his NFL career, and now as a leader.

Youngblood also serves on the NFL Mackey-White Traumatic Brain Injury Committee, which opens in Orlando, Florida, and promises to treat the effects of traumatic brain injury and provide medical assistance to patients in the hopes of returning to normal brain function.

"The bonus with this therapy is that the time invested is minimal," Youngblood said, although the results are remarkable."

Early years

Jack Youngblood was born in Jacksonville, Florida, and the son of Herbert J. and Kay Youngblood. Paula and Lynn are his two sisters. Youngblood attended Monticello-Jefferson County High School in Monticello, Florida, graduating in 1967. He was a starter on offense and defense, as well as a team captain of the state champion Tigers, winning All-State honors in 1966 after posting 70 tackles. He was also the All-Big Bend, All-Conference, and the Outstanding Lineman for the Tigers that season, as well as a defense that shut down seven opponents and allowed ten touchdowns in 12 games, including the state playoffs. He was a four-year letterman in football, as well as being involved in 4-H, Student Council, and Key Club International.

Sports Illustrated announced Youngblood in 1989 that he was recruited to Florida's All-Time High School football team. When he was elected to the Florida High School Athletic Association's All-Century High School football team in November 2007, he was named one of the state's top three all-time best high school football players.

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College career

Youngblood, brother of Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity (Alpha Omega Chapter), was a three-year varsity letterman for coach Ray Graves and coach Doug Dickey's Florida Gators football teams from 1968 to 1970. Youngblood gained 195 pounds and lost ten pounds a year through weightlifting, finishing at 245 pounds. Youngblood and his colleagues were involved in the testing for what became Gatorade, a drink made by doctors Robert Cade and Dana Shires, aimed at Gator athletes who had to train and play in Central Florida heat. "Dr. Cade, Said Youngblood, started testing with Gatorade my freshman year," Said Youngblood said.

He tried to kill us all!

That first stuff was lethal!

It was thick, like syrup, and had an aftertaste. Then, it started to look like milk."

Youngblood, who wore number 52 on the Gator freshman team, played defensive end as a freshman. It was his first time on the defensive line after playing linebacker in high school. Youngblood played defensive end and defensive tackle (recording 24 tackles and four sacks) while also handling the Gators' kicking duties, kickin a career-long 42-yard field goal to give the three-point winning margin in his first collegiate game against the Air Force.

Youngblood was a member of the Tennessee Volunteers upset the Tennessee Volunteers in the Gator Bowl in 1969, during coach Ray Graves' last game as coach at Florida. Youngblood was instrumental in the Gator Bowl's record of nine tackles and prompting a fumble. Youngblood gained national recognition after defeating instate rival Florida State University in October 4, 1969, five-sack victory 21–6. In 1969, he set a school record for sacks (14) and led the teams' defensive linemen with 66 tackles.

Youngblood was named as a first-team All-American in 1970, despite his 58 tackles and leading the team with ten sacks to end his Gator career with 29 quarterback sacks. In addition, he was a finalist for the Outland Trophy following the 1970 season and was named the year's best lineman of the year. Youngblood was also named to the SEC All-Conference team in 1970, which culminated in three winning seasons while at Florida. He was also the 1970 recipient of the Fergie Ferguson Award in Florida, which is given to the senior who demonstrates outstanding leadership, character, and courage. His success in the Georgia-Florida war earned him a spot in the Florida-Georgia Game Hall of Fame. In the 1970 version of the game, Florida trailed Georgia by seven points, and the Georgia offense had led to the Georgia's one-yard line, forcing him to fumble and then restore the loose ball that started the winning streak that culminated in a come-from-behind 24–17 victory.

Youngblood, who was deemed as the best defensive lineman in Gators history as well as one of the top five players in the University of Florida's football program, was regarded as one of the best defensive lineman in Gators history by several analysts. Youngblood was chosen by Time magazine for their 1970 All-America Team: "Deceptively fast for his height, he reads screens and swing passes so adroitly that he robs quarterbacks by his mere presence." "He's impossible to move when you run at him," Doug Dickey's coach told The Sporting News, "he has the speed and agility to pursue down the line of scrimmage, and the ability and quickness to rush the passer." Youngblood was ranked No. 129 in one of a series of articles published for The Gainesville Sun in 2006. The Florida Gators' 5 all-time greatest player.

In 1972, Youngblood received a bachelor's degree in finance from the University of Florida.

NFL career

In the first round of the 1971 NFL Draft, Youngblood was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams. He was the 20th overall pick in that draft and agreed to a three-year deal with a $30,000 signing bonus. When Jones was sidelined with a severely sprained arch, he backed up Deacon Jones at the left defensive end and started four games. Jones was named All-Rookie by Football Digest, and after the season Jones was traded to the San Diego Chargers, he was named All-Rookie. In 1972, the left defensive end position was Youngblood as he led the Rams defensive linemen in tackles with 70, and started 11 of the 14 games he played, totaling six sacks.

Youngblood made his All-Pro selection in 1973 and went to the first of his seven Pro Bowls as a result of his first visit to the Rams with 16.5 sacks. In the fewest yards allowed and the fewest rushing yards, the Ram defense led the NFL in fewest yards allowed and fewest rushing yards. The Rams Alumni Association named him as the Rams defensive lineman of the year. Beginning in the 1973 season, the Rams added Jim Youngblood to their roster, so the Youngbloods had the distinct distinction of having their entire name on the back of their jerseys, with the given name appearing above the family name. The Rams led the NFL in rushing defense in 1974, and Youngblood led the Rams with 15 sacks after being named as a consensus First-team All-Pro and his second Pro Bowl. The Rams lost 14-10 to the Minnesota Vikings in a NFC Championship game.

Youngblood was named as the NFC Defensive Player of the Year by United Press International in 1975, and Pro Football Week named Youngblood as the year's best defensive lineman. Youngblood led the Rams in sacks (15) for the third straight season, with one named to the Pro Bowl and another named as a consensus All-pro for the third time since 1974, repeating his 1974 accolades. Dan Dierdorf, a youngblood pass rusher with the St. Louis Cardinals, burst into the backfield and intercepted a pass by Jim Hart, who returned the interception 47 yards for a touchdown. Youngblood sacked Hart later in the game after a fumble was recovered by teammate Fred Dryer, blocked an extra point attempt, and stopped a Cardinals drive.

Youngblood earned his NFC Defensive Player of the Year Award in 1976 while co-leading the Rams in sacks of 14.5, his fourth straight Pro Bowl appearance and being named as a consensus first-team All-Pro for the third straight season. Youngblood was voted to his fifth consecutive Pro Bowl selection and second-team All-Pro in 1977, the Rams' fifth straight season. For the fourth time in five years, the Rams led the NFL in total defense and Youngblood was named to his sixth straight Pro Bowl, while Youngblood was named to his sixth Pro Bowl.

One of Youngblood's most notable feats is his appearance in the 1979 playoffs, including Super Bowl XIV, with a fractured left fibula. The injury suffered leg also played in the 1980 Pro Bowl, a week before the Super Bowl. Youngblood fired Dallas Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach near the sideline in the waning moments of the divisional playoff game against the Cowboys. Sports Illustrated included a player with a fractured leg in their Top ten list of athletes playing in pain. Jack was dubbed "John Wayne of football" by Jim Hanifan, which was echoed by Hall of Fame coach John Madden for that and other accomplishments. Youngblood's success in the 1979 playoffs ranked him as the top on the NFL Network's list of the "Guest Performances" of all time.

Youngblood also had a career-high 18 sacks and was a consensus first-team All-Pro for the fifth time in 1979. He was elected to his seventh straight Pro Bowl appearance. While leading the Rams with 11+12 sacks in 1980, he was second-team All-Pro and first-team All-NFC. Youngblood was the Rams' outstanding defensive lineman in 1981 and 1981. Jack underwent emergency surgery to remove a hot-dog-sized blood clot from under his left arm in the off-season. It was a result of repeated injury to a nerve in his arm that blocked the flow of blood. Despite the broken leg and several other injuries, Youngblood played in 201 games in a row, a Rams team record; he only missed one game in his 14-year NFL career. He appeared in seven straight Pro Bowls, five NFC Championships, and one Super Bowl. He served as the Rams' defensive captain from 1977 to 1984, and was named the Dan Reeves Award three times, which is given to the team's MVP. Despite being first in assistant coach Ray Malavasi's stop-the-run-first defensive scheme and then in his final two seasons with Defensive Coordinator Fritz Shurmur's 3-4 two-gap policy, he had 151.112 career sacks and led the Rams in sacking nine times, but he didn't have any pass rush opportunities to make sure the opponent's running game was handled.

When the Rams adopted Shurmur's 3-4 defense, Youngblood faced a challenge in 1983. Youngblood was considered too small to play in this role, but the Rams were one of the NFL's best defenses against stopping the running, as he was under pressure. Among Youngblood's memorable games were the opening game of the 1983 season against the New York Giants, which Youngblood sacked twice; and the 1983 season finale against the New Orleans Saints. Youngblood made a safety and was named as the NFL Defensive Player of the Year by Pro Football Weekly in the Saints game. Youngblood played two sacks, drew three holding calls, and was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week by the NFL in Week 5 of 1984 against the New York Giants. In Week 10, the Rams dominated the game, sacking Neil Lomax three times and drawing three holding calls, as well as blocking a potential game-tying field goal on the game's last play to prevent a 16-13 loss.

Youngblood's streak of consecutive games came to an end in Week 15 of the 1984 season, when the youngbloods had to miss his first football game since being a student. Two weeks earlier, he had ruptured his disc in his lower back. Despite the injury, he returned to the 49ers and the playoffs for the season finale. Even though team doctors told Youngblood that he was out for the season and needed surgery, he attributed his ability to play to a sequence of back shifts that gave him more freedom of movement. "representing all that is positive about professional football and inspiring others in their locker rooms as a positive role model in their communities," Rams' recipient of the 1984 Ed Block Courage Award. Despite the fact that he missed his game, Youngblood still holds the most consecutive starts in the NFL by a strong-side defensive finish with 184.

Youngblood died on August 27, 1985, when he wished his career would be remembered for "dignity, integrity, admiration, and pride."

Seasoned Output: sack totals: 1971 (3), 1972 (6), 1973 (16+1), 1975 (14+12), 1976 (11+12), 1980 (11+12), 1979 (10+12), 1981 (9+12), 1980 (1991–2), 1984 (9+12), 1970 (9+12), 1971 (51+12), 1970 (1972)

Post-NFL career

Youngblood appeared in two television films: C.A.T. Squads in 1986 and C.A.T. Squad: Python Wolf was born in 1988. Youngblood starred in these television films as a "best weapons and munitions agent" and who was a top secret service agent in the company, but he was banned from Alaska and Washington, D.C. In the plotline of the films "John Sommers" was a pilot of the Air Force Reserve who piloted the SR-71 spy plane. Youngblood appeared in these films alongside Joe Cortese, Steve James, and Deborah Van Valkenburgh. For his work in C.A.T., he was nominated for an Emmy for Best Supporting Actor. Python Wolf Squad: Python Wolf.

Both films were directed by William Friedkin, who is best known for his filming The Exorcist, The French Connection, and The Boys in the Band.

In 1985 and 1986, Youngblood served as a reporter and co-host for ESPN's NFL GameDay show alongside Chris Berman, and was succeeded by co-host Tom Jackson in 1987. He auditioned for football on CBS's NFL Today in 1988, alongside Dick Butkus, Lyle Alzado, and Gary Fencik, with Butkus being hired to fill the co-host slot. Youngblood has also appeared on ESPN's Star-Shot (1988), Sportslook (1984, 1988), and Great Outdoors (1989) (1989) programs.

Youngblood was a radio analyst for the Los Angeles Rams from 1987-1991, the Sacramento Surge in 1992, and a television analyst for the Sacramento Gold Miners in 1993.

Youngblood was hired as the co-host for Wal-Mart's Great Outdoors in 2000 (with Bert Jones) and spent in that role until 2003. Great Outdoors, a Wal-Mart product, lasted 52 weeks a year and was a mainstay on ESPN's burgeoning Saturday morning outdoors programming block, attracting record-breaking ratings during its 10-year existence.

Youngblood coauthored Blood, his autobiography, in 1988 (with Joel Engel). Youngblood's passion for professional football was chronicled in the book, as well as his football career, his injuries, his triumphs, and his failures on the football field. Youngblood traveled to Logan, Utah, to assist Rams teammates Merlin and Phil Olsen with their summer football camp. The book chronicles when between the 1973 and 1974 seasons. Youngblood was shot and killed in the parking lot of a local pub, causing him to have a.44 pistol stuck in his eye, the trigger pulled, and the chamber was thankfully empty, although other chambers were not. He suffered only from a cut eyelid. The assassination attempt was first dismissed after being accused of pleaded guilty and received a one-year suspended sentence. Publishers Weekly praised the book as "an unusual sports book."

Youngblood worked in player relations and marketing for the Rams from 1985 to 1990, and was the Rams' color analyst for the Rams Radio Network from 1986–1991. Youngblood played for the Sacramento Surge in 1991 (though he remained as the Rams color announcer for the 1991 season), during which the Surge won the 1992 World Bowl. In 1993, he joined the Sacramento Gold Miners of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He has worked as a color analyst for both the Surge and the Gold Miners radio networks, as well as hosting a sports radio talk show at KHTK-AM 1140 in Sacramento, California, when the station became a sports format station in 1994.

In 1995, he returned to Florida as vice president and general manager, then president of the Orlando Predators of the Arena Football League. One of the Predators' most notable initiatives was making the team a publicly traded company on the NASDAQ stock exchange. Youngblood's last year with the club, 1998, the club captured its first Arena League championship after defeating the favored Tampa Bay Storm. In 1999, he began working for the AFL as a liaison to the National Football League and as a special advisor to the Arena Football League and arenafootball2.

Youngblood was a division president of Dave Liles Ethanol Fuels, which manufactures a fuel additive that purports to improve octane, clean fuel systems, and help the environment by lowering engine emissions and being 100% biodegradable. He also owns and operates a farm in North Florida, where he currently raises pine trees and raises cattle until 2002.

Youngblood collaborated with Los Angeles Rams teammate Larry Brooks to open "The Wild Bunch" in 1980, a western clothing store that sold high-end western clothing, cowboy boots, silver belt buckles, jeans, and other country clothing during his NFL career. Youngblood also worked with BankAmericard in a public relations role while being on the Rams as a student. During his time, he owned and operated the South Coast Club in Huntington Beach, California.

In addition, a Miller Lite TV commercial in 1985 and Honda Power machines in 1985, which Youngblood was involved in were also involved in sponsorships and advertising ventures. Pro Tron Weights, regional ad, 1984, Dan Post Handmade Boots, national print-ad, 1986, Cal-Gym, national print-ad, 1986, Pro Tron Weights, and was a national spokesperson for Pro Tron Weights in 2001. In a series of magazine and billboard commercials, he modeled Munsingwear briefs in the mid-1980s. Jack's In-N-Out Burger, a California-based fast food franchise, ran television commercials and print ads in the mid-1970s.

Youngblood developed a strong fanbase during his career, which continues to flourish today. In July, a game-used Jack Youngblood jersey went for $6,565 in an online auction. Youngblood was named as having one of the NFL's "great names," according to Fox News' Mike Straka.

Youngblood was named the best professional celebrity to wear the uniform number 85 in 2007, according to Sports Illustrated. Youngblood was honoured in Nino Frostino's book Right on the Numbers and the Best Athletes by the Number blog in 2004. David G. Lewber, one of Youngblood's most avid followers, died on June 28, 2007. Mr. Lewber was buried in his autographed Jack Youngblood jacket a week later on July 3, 2007.

D.W. Cooper, a writer about Youngblood's playing career, was released in October 2011.

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