David Jon Herman (September 3, 1941 – October 19, 2022) was an American professional football player who played offensive guard for ten seasons in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL). He played for the New York Jets from 1964 to 1973, having earlier played college football for Michigan State University.
| No. 67 | |
|---|---|
| Position: | Guard |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | September 3, 1941 Bryan, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died: | October 19, 2022 (aged 81) Valhalla, New York, U.S. |
| Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
| Weight: | 255 lb (116 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Edon (OH) |
| College: | Michigan State |
| NFL draft: | 1963 / Round: 8 / Pick: 110 |
| AFL draft: | 1963 / Round: 27 / Pick: 211 |
| Career history | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Career NFL statistics | |
| Player stats at NFL.com · PFR | |
Early life edit
Herman was born in Bryan, Ohio, on September 3, 1941.[1] He was raised on a chicken farm in nearby Edon, Ohio,[2] where he attended Edon High School.[1] He then studied at Michigan State University, where he played football for the Spartans. He was selected by the New York Giants in the eighth round (110th overall) of the 1963 NFL Draft, but did not sign. He was also selected by the New York Jets in the 27th round (211th overall) of the 1964 AFL draft.[1][3] He later revealed that he chose the Jets because they offered him $100 more than the Giants.[4]
Professional career edit
During his 1964 rookie season, Herman played in five games,[1] but missed the rest of the year due to an ankle injury.[5] From 1965 to 1968, he started all 14 of the Jets' regular season games.[1] He was named to the AFL All-Star team in 1968 and 1969.[1][3]
Herman was the starting right guard for the franchise during the 1968 season. His fellow starting offensive linemen that year included left tackle Winston Hill, left guard Randy Rasmussen, center John Schmidt, and right tackle Sam Walton.[6] In preparation for Super Bowl III, Jets coach Weeb Ewbank moved Herman from right guard to right tackle to defend against Baltimore Colts' defensive lineman Bubba Smith. Bob Talamini replaced Herman at right guard and Sam Walton, a rookie, was benched. Herman's ability to neutralize the pass rush of Bubba Smith enabled Joe Namath to enjoy a solid game passing, hitting on 17 of 28 passes.[7][8] It also helped open the running lanes for Jet fullback Matt Snell, who rushed for 121 yards as the Jets beat the heavily-favored Baltimore Colts 16–7.[7][9]
The AFL merged with the NFL before the 1970 season.[3] Herman again started all 14 games for the Jets in 1970 and 1971.[1] He announced his retirement in April 1974.[10]
Later life edit
After retiring from professional football, Herman was employed as an account executive for Blair Television Company. He also worked in radio sports programming, partnering with Marty Glickman to announce Jets games on WOR Radio Network from 1974 to 1978.[3] He later became a financial planner in New York City.[11]
Herman was diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy in 2014.[12][13] He died on October 19, 2022, in Valhalla, Westchester County, New York. He was 81 years old.[3][14]
References edit
- ^ a b c d e f g "Dave Herman Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 20, 2022.
- ^ Baker, Al (November 28, 1993). "Super Jets: 25 Years Ago They Were Soaring". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. p. 4F. ProQuest 303678841. Retrieved October 21, 2022 – via ProQuest.
- ^ a b c d e Lange, Randy (October 20, 2022). "Super Bowl Standout Dave Herman, Jets' Versatile O-Lineman, 'Great Teammate,' Dies at 81". National Football League. Retrieved October 20, 2022.
- ^ Liebson, Richard (January 22, 2011). "Jets Super Bowl vet Dave Herman shares title tales, likes this team's chances". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. p. A1. ProQuest 846779431. Retrieved October 21, 2022 – via ProQuest.
- ^ "DeLuca and Herman Sign 1966 Contracts With Jets". The New York Times. June 1, 1966. p. 55. ProQuest 116868236. Retrieved October 21, 2022 – via ProQuest.
- ^ Anderson, Dave (January 9, 1969). "Jets' Offensive Line Proud to Be Namath Bodyguard: But 'One Breakdown' Could Be Costly to Passer, They Fear". The New York Times. p. 25. ProQuest 118652164. Retrieved October 21, 2022 – via ProQuest.
- ^ a b Rubino, Robert (January 12, 2003). "Good Time for Super Bowl III MVP Revision". The Press Democrat. Santa Rosa, California. p. C2. ProQuest 280951650. Retrieved October 21, 2022 – via ProQuest.
- ^ Gergen, Joe (December 2, 1997). "History Says It Can Be Tackled". Newsday. Melville, New York. p. A69. ProQuest 279131469. Retrieved October 21, 2022 – via ProQuest.
- ^ "Super Bowl III – New York Jets vs. Baltimore Colts". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. January 12, 1969. Retrieved October 21, 2022.
- ^ Amdur, Neil (April 2, 1974). "Herman of Jets Quits". The New York Times. p. 49. Retrieved October 21, 2022.
- ^ "Pro Football – Farewell to Ewbank: Vignettes of a True Coach and Friend". The New York Times. November 19, 1998. ProQuest 2235461700. Retrieved October 21, 2022 – via ProQuest.
- ^ Carroll, Linda (October 5, 2014). "Blocked: 1969 Super Bowl Star Dave Herman Diagnosed with CTE". NBC News. Retrieved October 20, 2022.
- ^ Hruby, Patrick (September 2, 2020). "Damage Assessment". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 21, 2022.
- ^ "Obituary for David Jon Herman". Hawthorne Funeral Home. October 18, 2022. Retrieved October 20, 2022.