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Tennessee football’s 10 DTs with best NFL careers

By Caleb Calhoun

The Titans Albert Haynesworth (92) leaves the field after the game. The Tennessee Titans defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 31 to 13 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on November 19, 2006. (Photo by Joseph Labolito/NFLPhotoLibrary)
The Titans Albert Haynesworth (92) leaves the field after the game. The Tennessee Titans defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 31 to 13 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on November 19, 2006. (Photo by Joseph Labolito/NFLPhotoLibrary) /
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Photo by Joe Murphy/Getty Images
Photo by Joe Murphy/Getty Images /

player. 839. Scouting Report. Dick Evey. Years in NFL: 8. 6. Pick Analysis. 1961-1963

Teams played for:

  • Chicago Bears, 1964-1969
  • Los Angeles Rams, 1970
  • Detroit Lions, 1971

When Dick Evey played for Tennessee football in the early 1960s, he was part of a program falling apart under Bowden Wyatt and then Jim McDonald. Perhaps a reason it was coming apart was the fact that he was an offensive lineman for the team, and once he went to the pros, it became clear he should have been a defensive lineman all along.

Evey was taken by the Chicago Bears in the first round of the 1964 NFL Draft. Immediately, he was moved to defensive end, joining fellow Vol NFL superstar Doug Atkins on the Line. After starting 25 of 28 games during those two years, Evey was moved to defensive tackle in 1966 given his 6’4″ 245-pound frame, which was big at the time.

Over the next four years, Evey became a major impact player as a starting defensive tackle in Chicago, staying with the franchise through the Super Bowl and up to the AFL/NFL merger. When the merger happened, he went and joined the Los Angeles Rams as a reserve in 1970. The next year, he joined the Detroit Lions, where he played his final season.

After eight years in the league, Evey appeared in 102 games and started in 83 of them. He finished his career with two interceptions and six fumble recoveries, as tackles were not factored in the way they are now. Still, it’s clear Evey was a valuable talent, and his longevity easily puts him on this list.

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