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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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Tennessee football
Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images /

Years in NFL: 12. 3. player. 839. Pick Analysis. 1960-1961. Mike Lucci. Scouting Report

Teams played for:

  • Cleveland Browns; 1962-1964
  • Detroit Lions; 1965-1973

After one year with the Pittsburgh Panthers, Mike Lucci left his Western Pennsylvania life and joined Tennessee football in 1960. He spent two years as a positive force in Bowden Wyatt’s sliding program. During this time, he was a coverage linebacker, and he had four interceptions, three of which came his senior year and two of which were returned for touchdowns.

Lucci’s play resulted in him being taken by the Cleveland Browns in the fifth round of the 1962 NFL Draft. At 6’2″ 230 pounds, the Ambridge, Pa. native started every game as a rookie but then became a reserve his final two years in Cleveland and then his first year in Detroit.

Finally, in 1966, Lucci was able to settle in as the starting middle linebacker for Detroit. When fellow Vol Paul Naumoff joined him a year later, Detroit became a haven for elite UT linebackers, and both managed to stand out as stars.

As for Lucci, he was more of a coverage linebacker, and he came away with 21 interceptions while returning four of them for touchdowns for his career. His play earned him team Defensive MVP from 1969 through 1971, All NFL in 1969, All-NFC in 1970 and 1971 and a Pro Bowl appearance in 1971. So he managed to stand out in more ways than one.

Becoming a hero for his ability to play through numerous injuries throughout his career, Lucci’s last season in the pros was 1973. He appeared in 154 games and started in 123 of them, consistently producing at a high level.

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