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Top 10 NFL careers of Tennessee football LBs

By Caleb Calhoun

31 Oct 1999: Al Wilson #56 of the Denver Broncos celebrates on the field during the game against the Minnesota Vikings at the Mile High Stadium in Denver, Colorado. The Vikings defeated the Broncos 23-20. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bahr /Allsport
31 Oct 1999: Al Wilson #56 of the Denver Broncos celebrates on the field during the game against the Minnesota Vikings at the Mile High Stadium in Denver, Colorado. The Vikings defeated the Broncos 23-20. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bahr /Allsport /
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Photo by Joe Murphy/Getty Images
Photo by Joe Murphy/Getty Images /

Pick Analysis. Years in NFL: 12. player. Scouting Report. 1964-1966. Paul Naumoff. 6. 839

Teams played for:

  • Detroit Lions; 1967-1978

One of the first standout players for Doug Dickey, Paul Naumoff helped Tennessee football returned to the national stage with its new identity in the mid-1960s. Occasionally playing on both sides of the ball during his three years on Rocky Top, Naumoff helped the Vols to a top 10 finish in 1965 and then earned All-SEC and All-American honors in 1966.

At 6’1″ 215 pounds, the Columbus, Ohio native was taken in the third round of the 1967 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions. It was the year after the first Super Bowl was played, although it wasn’t called that, and just as the NFL and AFL were coming together, a process made complete with the 1970 merger, Naumoff managed to stand out as a star linebacker in Detroit.

After appearing in every game in 1967 and only starting in three of them, Naumoff stepped into a full-time starting role in 1968. He would hold that position for the rest of this 12-year career. His accomplishments included making a Pro Bowl appearance in 1970, playing in 142 consecutive games and being voted the Lions’ defensive MVP by his teammates in 1975.

Over his 12-year career, Naumoff, who passed away in 2018, only missed two games. He appeared in 168 of them and started 152 times. A mark of his tenure included six interceptions and seven fumble recoveries. However, he retired at the end of the 1978 season due to an injury. Still, a Pro Bowl linebacker who started for a decade-plus clearly belongs on this list.

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