NHT: For you youngsters, this used to be football.

[Palatine]

Compared to 2024, it was brutal and it was legal. I lived in Chicago when Doug Plank was a safety with the Bears. He was a human missile that led with his head. Yep, it is much safer now and that's a good thing. But back in the day, it was pure Darwinism.

For the older dudes, enjoy the stroll down memory lane.

 

[Bubba1957]

Fencik, from Yale played next to him and was only slightly less crazy.

 

[traitor71]

It was truly crazy in the old days.

 

[JohnFSilver]

Taylor use to kill QBs and RBs.

 

[KryHavok]

He played before my time, but growing up I remember watching footage of Frank "The Hammer" Williamson.

 

[Palatine]

He played before my time, but growing up I remember watching footage of Frank "The Hammer" Williamson.

It was Fred. But "the Hammer" he was something crazy on then field.

 

[freescooter]

They didn’t protect the quarterback in those days I guess. When they first proposed a rule to protect the quarterback, I think it was “in the grasp” but not sure, Jack Ham suggested that they just have quarterbacks wear dresses.

 

[Palatine]

They didn’t protect the quarterback in those days I guess. When they first proposed a rule to protect the quarterback, I think it was “in the grasp” but not sure, Jack Ham suggested that they just have quarterbacks wear dresses.

I'm really old but remember this stuff. It was Jack but Lambert not Ham.

 

[storrsroars]

As a Jets fan in the 60s, I really didn't like Ben Davidson...

 

[Tyler2Rings]

Have to remember the difference in physiques back then. These were big strong guys for sure but nothing close to the scientifically optimized athleticism we see today.

Players got too strong and too fast for this old style to remain tenable

 

[CL82]

Compared to 2024, it was brutal and it was legal. I lived in Chicago when Doug Plank was a safety with the Bears. He was a human missile that led with his head. Yep, it is much safer now and that's a good thing. But back in the day, it was pure Darwinism.

For the older dudes, enjoy the stroll down memory lane.

I don't know that he led with his head. A whole lot of those hits were shoulder pads. Now, they were shoulder pads to the head of the sometimes defenseless receiver, but we're still shoulder pads.

Thanks for posting the video. It was a stroll down memory lane.

 

[freescooter]

I'm really old but remember this stuff. It was Jack but Lambert not Ham.

Your right. Both were part of the steel curtain.