Tennessee football’s top 10 NFL DEs ever
Steve DeLong. 7. player. 839. 1962-1964. Years in NFL: 8. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis
Teams played for:
- San Diego Chargers, 1965-1971
- Chicago Bears, 1972
Yes, we go back to the 1960s for this one. Steve DeLong was Tennessee football’s first Outland Trophy winner, earning it in 1964 as a middle guard for the Vols. Unfortunately for him, his years at UT were marked by turmoil. Bowden Wyatt’s last year was his first year, he then played one year under Jim McDonald, and his senior year was Doug Dickey’s first year.
Dickey’s system would not take off until the next season with his players, so DeLong was just a rare standout that one year. Well, he was able to capitalize off that success and become a first-round NFL and AFL Draft pick, choosing to go with the AFL team, the San Diego Chargers.
Since this was a year before the Super Bowl, we can actually say DeLong spent the first five years of his career, which was the majority of it, not playing in the NFL. However, he only spent one year in the league before the Super Bowl and only two before the leagues merged their drafts. So his production still counts.
Anyway, DeLong emerged as a starting defensive tackle in his second season, but at 6’2″ 252 pounds, he moved over to starting defensive end in 1967, where he would remain for his career. In 1969, he earned a spot on the AFL All-Star team when he set what was then a team record with 17 sacks.
After seven years in San Diego, DeLong spent one year with the Chicago Bears and started every game then as well. Over an eight-year career, he played in 103 games and started in 89 of them. He passed away in 2010, but it’s clear he had a successful pro tenure.