Larry Stephens (football player)
Encyclopedia
Lawrence Clifton Stephens (born September 24, 1938) was an American football
defensive lineman who played eight seasons in the National Football League
.
. In his senior year he was named High School All-American in football
. He was an outstanding all-around athlete who also excelled in basketball
, baseball
, and track
. He later married Jane Stephens and had 5 children. Mark, Susan, Jeff, Shannon, and Walter.
He was widely recruited and committed to play football
at the University of Texas which was then coached by Darrell Royal
. He was a key contributor to the Longhorn's
successes in the late 1950s which included an SWC Championship and appearances in both the Sugar Bowl
and Cotton Bowl Classic. In his senior year he was named to the All-Southwest Conference team. While at Texas he also pitched
for the Texas Longhorns baseball
team.
selected him in the second round of the 1960 NFL Draft
. He played for the Browns in 1960
and 1961
. While with the Browns he scored his only NFL touchdown
on a 38 yard interception
return against the Dallas Cowboys
.
where he started at defensive tackle alongside NFL notables Merlin Olson, Lamar Lundy
, and Deacon Jones
.
he was traded to the Dallas Cowboys
where he played defensive end
for the original "Doomsday Defense". He was a starter
from 1963
through 1966
when he was slowed by a knee injury and was replaced by Willie Townes
.
While he was with the Cowboys, the team made the transition from mediocrity to championship contention. He played in two NFL championship games including the 1967 NFL Championship Game
against the Green Bay Packers
, commonly known as the Ice Bowl.
in the 1980s. He worked as a special education teacher for the Lockhart Independent School District in Lockhart, Texas
during the 1990s. He was an active supporter of Special Olympics
.
Larry Stephens died on March 28, 1998.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
defensive lineman who played eight seasons in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
.
Early years
He was a 1956 graduate of Angleton High SchoolAngleton High School
Angleton High School is part of the Angleton Independent School District located in Angleton, Texas, USA. Several previous school locations were destroyed by hurricanes. The high school was once located in what is now Central Elementary, as well as what is now the former Angleton Intermediate...
. In his senior year he was named High School All-American in football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
. He was an outstanding all-around athlete who also excelled in basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, and track
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
. He later married Jane Stephens and had 5 children. Mark, Susan, Jeff, Shannon, and Walter.
He was widely recruited and committed to play football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at the University of Texas which was then coached by Darrell Royal
Darrell Royal
Darrell K Royal is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Mississippi State University , the University of Washington , and the University of Texas at Austin , compiling a career college football record of 184–60–5...
. He was a key contributor to the Longhorn's
Texas Longhorns football
The Texas Longhorns football program is the intercollegiate football team representing The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas. The team currently competes in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big 12 Conference which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National...
successes in the late 1950s which included an SWC Championship and appearances in both the Sugar Bowl
Sugar Bowl
The Sugar Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Sugar Bowl has been played annually since January 1, 1935, and celebrated its 75th anniversary on January 2, 2009...
and Cotton Bowl Classic. In his senior year he was named to the All-Southwest Conference team. While at Texas he also pitched
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
for the Texas Longhorns baseball
Texas Longhorns baseball
The Texas Longhorns baseball team represents The University of Texas at Austin and competes in the Big 12 Conference of NCAA Division I.The Texas Longhorns are the winningest program in college baseball history in terms of win percentage with .740 and ranks second all-time in total wins to the...
team.
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland BrownsCleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
selected him in the second round of the 1960 NFL Draft
1960 NFL Draft
The 1960 National Football League Draft Annual Player Selection Meeting in which NFL teams take turns selecting amateur college American football players and other first-time eligible players, was held in secret in order to fend off increased competition for college players from the American...
. He played for the Browns in 1960
1960 NFL season
The 1960 NFL season was the 41st regular season of the National Football League. Before the season, Pete Rozelle was elected NFL commissioner as a compromise choice on the twenty-third ballot. Meanwhile, the league expanded to 13 teams with the addition of the Dallas Cowboys. Also, the Cardinals...
and 1961
1961 NFL season
The 1961 NFL season was the 42nd regular season of the National Football League. The league expanded to 14 teams with the addition of the Minnesota Vikings, after the team's owners declined to be charter members of the new American Football League. The schedule was also expanded from 12 games per...
. While with the Browns he scored his only NFL touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
on a 38 yard interception
Interception (football)
An interception, intercept or pick is a move in many forms of football, including Canadian and American football, as well as rugby league, rugby union, Australian rules football and Gaelic football, which involves a pass, either by foot or hand, being caught by an opposition player, who usually...
return against the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
.
Los Angeles Rams
He was traded to the Los Angeles Rams for the 1962 season1962 Los Angeles Rams season
The 1962 Los Angeles Rams season was the team's 25th year with the National Football League and the 17th season in Los Angeles. Eventual Hall of Famer Bob Waterfield, the team's head coach for the past two seasons, came back and coached the Rams to a 1-7 record before being fired...
where he started at defensive tackle alongside NFL notables Merlin Olson, Lamar Lundy
Lamar Lundy
Lamar J. Lundy, Jr. was an American defensive end with the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League for 13 seasons, from 1957 to 1969. Along with Deacon Jones, Merlin Olsen, and Rosey Grier, Lundy was a member of the Fearsome Foursome, often considered one of the best defensive lines in...
, and Deacon Jones
Deacon Jones
David D. "Deacon" Jones is a former American football defensive end in the National Football League for the Los Angeles Rams, San Diego Chargers, and the Washington Redskins. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1980.Jones specialized in quarterback sacks, a term attributed to him...
.
Dallas Cowboys
In 19631963 NFL season
The 1963 NFL season was the 44th regular season of the National Football League. On April 17, NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle indefinitely suspended Green Bay Packers running back Paul Hornung and Detroit Lions defensive tackle Alex Karras for gambling on their own teams, as well as other NFL games;...
he was traded to the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
where he played defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
for the original "Doomsday Defense". He was a starter
Starting lineup
A starting lineup in sports is an official list of the set of players who will actively participate in the event when the game begins. The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes or bench players.The starters are commonly the best...
from 1963
1963 NFL season
The 1963 NFL season was the 44th regular season of the National Football League. On April 17, NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle indefinitely suspended Green Bay Packers running back Paul Hornung and Detroit Lions defensive tackle Alex Karras for gambling on their own teams, as well as other NFL games;...
through 1966
1966 NFL season
The 1966 NFL season was the 47th regular season of the National Football League, and the season after which was played Super Bowl I, though it was called the AFL-NFL World Championship Game. The league expanded to 15 teams with the addition of the Atlanta Falcons, thus an odd number of teams...
when he was slowed by a knee injury and was replaced by Willie Townes
Willie Townes
Willie Carroll Townes is a former professional American football defensive end in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the second round of the 1966 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Tulsa.-Early years:Willie Townes was born on July 21, 1943...
.
While he was with the Cowboys, the team made the transition from mediocrity to championship contention. He played in two NFL championship games including the 1967 NFL Championship Game
NFL Championship Game, 1967
The 1967 National Football League Championship Game between the Western Conference champion Green Bay Packers and the Eastern Conference champion Dallas Cowboys was the 35th championship game in NFL history. The game was held at Lambeau Field on December 31, 1967. The winner of the game was...
against the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
, commonly known as the Ice Bowl.
After the NFL
Larry taught American History and coached football at Magnolia Junior High School in Magnolia, TexasMagnolia, Texas
Magnolia is a city in southwestern Montgomery County, Texas, United States outside Houston and right next to The Woodlands. The population was 1,111 at the 2000 census. Settled in the late 1840s, the town has gone by several names including "Mink's Prairie" and "Mink".-Geography:Magnolia is located...
in the 1980s. He worked as a special education teacher for the Lockhart Independent School District in Lockhart, Texas
Lockhart, Texas
-External links:* *...
during the 1990s. He was an active supporter of Special Olympics
Special Olympics
Special Olympics is the world's largest sports organization for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, providing year-round training and competitions to more than 3.1 million athletes in 175 countries....
.
Larry Stephens died on March 28, 1998.