Lee Roy Jordan (born April 27, 1941) is a retired American football linebacker. After attending the University of Alabama, playing under head coach Paul "Bear" Bryant, he spent 14 years in the National Football League playing for the Dallas Cowboys between 1963–1976. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1983.
[edit] Career
[edit] Alabama
Between 1960–1962, Jordan was a standout for the Alabama Crimson Tide football team under legendary head coach Paul "Bear" Bryant. He played as both a linebacker and center for the team. In his sophomore season of 1960, he helped the Crimson Tide finish with an 8–2–1 record. In the Bluebonnet Bowl, versus the Texas Longhorns, he was named the game's MVP in a 3–3 tie.[1]
The following year, Jordan was again an important part of the team as Alabama finished with an 11–0 record, a SEC Championship, and a National Championship. The season included six shutouts, which included a 34–0 blowout of rival Auburn. Alabama wrapped up the season with a 10–3 victory over Arkansas in the Sugar Bowl.
In his senior season, the Crimson Tide fell short of another National Championship with a 10–1 record. In his final game for the Tide, Jordan recorded 31 tackles in a 17–0 victory over Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl.[2] For his performance, he received his second MVP award in a bowl game. At the end of his senior year, he received unanimous All-American status.[3]
During his career for Alabama, Jordan received high praises from coach Bear Bryant. Bryant stated, "He was one of the finest football players the world has ever seen. If runners stayed between the sidelines, he tackled them. He never had a bad day, he was 100 percent every day in practice and in the games."[3]
[edit] Professional
He was drafted by the Cowboys in 1963. He became the franchise's all-time leader in solo tackles (743) in his 14 seasons with the Cowboys. He was a two-time All-Pro and a five-time Pro Bowler. He also helped the Cowboys to three Super Bowls and five NFC Championship games.
Jordan was somewhat small for his position at only 6"1 and 215 pounds, but his competitiveness and drive made up for his lack of size. Head coach Tom Landry said of Jordan, "He was a great competitor. He was not big for a middle linebacker, but because of his competitiveness, he was able to play the game and play it well. His leadership was there and he demanded a lot out of the people around him as he did of himself."[4]
He teamed up with Chuck Howley and Dave Edwards, to form one of the greatest linebacking corps in NFL history.
His teammates nicknamed him "Killer". Jordan was team captain for the defense and ran Landry's "Flex" defense on the field with unmatched intensity. He watched game film endlessly, his contract included a projector for his home.
On Sept. 26, 1971, he had a team-record 21 tackles against Philadelphia.[5]
On Oct. 28, 1973, he had 14 solo tackles against Philadelphia, which ranks him tied for third on the club's all-time list.
On November 4, 1973, Jordan intercepted three passes in the first quarter from the Cincinnati Bengals' Ken Anderson within the span of five minutes, returning one 31 yards for a touchdown. The picks were collectively named one of the ten most memorable moments in the history of Texas Stadium by ESPN in 2008.[6]
Not only was Jordan an able defender against the run and pass, he also had a penchant for recovering loose footballs. He remains tied for second in club history with 16 career fumble recoveries.
In his 14 NFL seasons, Jordan intercepted 32 passes (tied for third-most all-time by linebackers), returning them for 472 yards and three touchdowns. He also recovered 18 fumbles, returning them for 37 yards.
More than 25 years after his retirement, Jordan still ranks second in Cowboys' history in career solo tackles with 743, second in career assisted tackles with 493 and second in combined total tackles with 1,236. Jordan still holds the third and fourth highest totals of solo tackles in a single season with 100 in 1975 and 97 in 1968.
[edit] Personal life
In 1983, Jordan became a member of the College Football Hall of Fame. In 1989, he became the seventh member of the Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor at Texas Stadium. He was the first member inducted by Jerry Jones.
Jordan currently heads the Lee Roy Jordan Lumber Company, headquartered in Dallas, Texas.
He now resides in Point Clear, Alabama.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
[edit] External links
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Offense: QB Joe Namath, Alabama, 1965 | RB Walter Payton, Jackson State, 1975 | RB Bo Jackson, Auburn, 1986 | RB Franco Harris, Penn State, 1972 | WR Lynn Swann, Southern Cal, 1974 | WR Steve Largent, Tulsa, 1976 | FL Art Monk Syracuse, 1980| TE Ozzie Newsome, Alabama, 1978
OL Gene Upshaw, Texas A&I, 1967 | OL Jerry Kramer, Idaho, 1958] | OL Randall McDaniel, Arizona State, 1988 | G Tom Banks, Auburn, 1970 | C Mike Webster, Wisconsin, 1973
Defense: DE Jack Youngblood, Florida, 1971 | DE Ed Jones, Tennessee State, 1974 | DT Bubba Smith, Michigan State, 1967 | DT Joe Greene, North Texas State, 1969 | OLB Ted Hendricks, Miami, 1969 | OLB Derrick Thomas, Alabama, 1989 | MLB Ray Nitschke, Illinois, 1958 | MLB Lee Roy Jordan, Alabama, 1963
CB Roger Wehrli, Missouri, 1969 | CB Dale Carter, Tennessee, 1992 | FS Paul Krause, Iowa, 1964 | SS Albert Lewis, Grambling, 1983
Special Teams P Ray Guy, So. Miss 1972 | PK Morten Andersen, Michigan State, 1982 | KR Greg Pruitt, Oklahoma 1974
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1988Charter Class Joe Greene, Lee Roy Jordan, Steve Largent, Joe Namath, Walter Payton, Pat Sullivan, Jim Taylor, Travis Tidwell • 1989 Gene Upshaw, Ed Jones, Ozzie Newsome, John Stallworth, Jack Youngblood • 1990 Paul Brown, Tucker Frederickson, Jerry Kramer, Neil Lomax, Wellington Mara, Finley McRae, Jack Pardee, Rea Scheussler • 1991 Morten Andersen, James Brooks, Dave Butz, Weeb Ewbank, Doug Williams• 1992 Franco Harris, Mike Holovak, Sam Huff, Dan Marino, Don Shula, Pat Swilling • 1993 Cornelius Bennett, Paul "Bear" Bryant, Ralph "Shug" Jordan, Tom Landry, Lynn Swann, Marty Schottenheimer • 1994 Robert Brazile, Rickey Jackson, Mark Rypien, Jim Simpson • 1995 Bob Baumhower, Pat Dye, Bo Jackson, Gene Washington • 1996 James Lofton, Kellen Winslow, Dick Steinberg • 1997 Bob Hayes, Sterling Sharpe, Doak Walker • 1998 Ray Nitschke, Jim McMahon, Thurman Thomas • 1999 Tom Banks, Dale Carter, Paul Krause, Albert Lewis, Randall McDaniel, Art Monk, E.B. Peebles, Jr., Derrick Thomas, Roger Wehrli • 2000 Hanford Dixon, Brett Favre, Chuck Howley • 2001 William Andrews, Ron Jaworski, Eddie Robinson • 2002 Todd Christensen, Bert Jones, Steve McNair • 2003 Terry Beasley, Jeremiah Castille, Ted Hendricks • 2004 Derrick Brooks, Christian Okoye, Richard Todd • 2005 Larry Allen, Al Del Greco, Ray Perkins • 2006 Curtis Martin, Tony Nathan, Michael Strahan • 2007 E.J. Junior, Jake Plummer, Hines Ward • 2008 Kevin Mawae, Brian Urlacher, Dean Kleinschmidt • 2009 Shaun Alexander, Jason Taylor •
2010 Larry Johnson, Terrell Owens
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Offense: QB Archie Manning, Ole Miss | RB Charley Trippi Georgia | RB Billy Cannon, LSU | RB Herschel Walker, Georgia | WR Don Hutson, Alabama| WR Terry Beasley, Auburn | TE Ozzie Newsome, Alabama
OL John Hannah, Alabama | OL Bruiser Kinard, Ole Miss | OL Bob Suffridge, Tennessee | G Billy Neighbors, Alabama | C Dwight Stephenson, Alabama
Defense: DE Jack Youngblood, Florida | DE Doug Atkins, Tennessee | DT Bill Stanfill, Georgia | DT Lou Michaels, Kentucky | DL Gaynell Tinsley, LSU | LB Jack Reynolds, Tennessee | LB D. D. Lewis, Miss. State | MLB Lee Roy Jordan, Alabama | DB Tucker Frederickson, Auburn| DB Jake Scott, Georgia | DB Tommy Casanova, LSU | DB Don McNeal, Alabama | DB Jimmy Patton, Ole Miss
Special Teams PK Fuad Reveiz, Tennessee | P Craig Colquitt, Tennessee
Coach Bear Bryant, Alabama, Kentucky
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Jordan, Lee Roy |
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April 27, 1941 |
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