Jerry Sherk

Jerry Sherk is a former American football defensive tackle who played for the Cleveland Browns of the NFL from 1970 until 1981 (12 seasons). He made the Pro Bowl lineup for four straight years between 1973 and 1976.

College

Sherk attended Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, OK. He was a two-sport star, excelling both in football and wresting in both his junior and senior season. He was an All-Big Eight selection on the gridiron in 1969 and an All-American as a Cowboy grappler in 1969. He was inducted to the Oklahoma State Hall of Honor in 2000.

NFL career

Became a starter right away for the Cleveland Browns. Became noted for having knack for getting to the quarterback even though Sherk did not possess great speed (5.4 in the 40-yard dash). He compsenstated, according to coaches, with quickness. Considered by most as the best Browns defensive lineman of the 1970s[1]. Part of an AFC Central Division in which each team boasted All-Pro quality defensive tackles. The Pittsburgh Steelers featured Joe Greene, the Cincinnati Bengals featured Mike Reid, and the Houston Oilers had nose tackle Curley Culp. It was a running joke that it was harder to make All-AFC Central than All-Pro since so many of the great tackles were in one division.

Part of a 10-4 Browns team that advanced to the playoffs, losing to the undefeated Miami Dolphins. Sherk led the Browns in sacks with 10-1/2 sacks and led team's defensive linemen in tackles with 91, after totaling 3 sacks and 83 tackles in 1970 and 84 tackles with 4-1/2 sacks in 1971.

The following year Sherk played in his first AFC-NFC Pro Bowl after sacking opposing quarterbacks 5-1/2 times and making 100 tackles, most by any Brown defensive lineman that season. In 1974 Sherk made his second Pro Bowl and led the Browns with 10 sacks to go with his 94 tackles.

In 1975 Sherk made his third consecutive Pro Bowl and was named All-AFC. He matched his own career-hig of 100 tackles and recorded 6 sacks. In 1976 Sherk recorded 12 sacks and 92 tackles and was voted the George S. Halas Trophy from the NEA, which is given the the NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Sherk was a consensus All-Pro, making the AP, PFRW, NEA teams as well as being consensus All-AFC for the second consecutive year. November 14, 1976 he set club record with 4 sacks in one game. He capped the season off by playing in his fourth consecutive Pro Bowl.

In 1977 an injured knee felled Sherk and amassed only 39 tackles and 3 sacks in a half-season's work. He came back in 1978 recording a new career-high in tackles with 105 but only dropped opposing quarterbacks 3 times.

Sherk was off to great start in 1979 and recorded 12 sacks and 64 tackles even though he caught a staph infection in his leg and missed the last six games of the season. The injury was problematic and prevented him from recovering for a healthy 1980 season. He played in only 1 game and recorded only 1 tackle.

He spent his final season as a designated pass rusher, coming in to play defensive tackle when the Browns switched from a 3-4 defense to a four down lineman nickle defense. In that limited role he recorded 12 tackles and 3 sacks.

In all, Sherk totaled 864 career tackles and 69-1/2 sacks. He also blocked 6 kicks along the way and intercepted three passes and recovered ten fumbles.

Post NFL career

Sherk worked as a sports photographer, even doing a feature for Pro! Magazine that featured his teammates in training camp. In 1991 Sherk returned to college, earning a master’s degree in counseling psychology. He began counseling various vulnerable populations, becoming especially interested in working with at-risk children. Along the way he created a school-based group mentoring program that uses sports to teach young people how to reach goals in academics and life.

Sherk resides in Encinitas, CA, near San Diego, where he runs Mentor Management Systems[[2]], a business that purports to provide technical assistance for organizations that are developing youth and ex-offender mentoring programs.

External links

Jerry Sherk homepage