Pro Football Hall of Famer Merlin Olsen dies at 69

[kwame k]

SALT LAKE CITY – Pro Football Hall of Famer and former television actor Merlin Olsen has died. He was 69.

Utah State University assistant athletic media relations director Zach Fisher says Olsen died Wednesday night at a Los Angeles hospital.

He was diagnosed with mesothelioma last year.

Olsen was an All-American at Utah State and a first-round draft pick of the Los Angles Rams in 1962.

The burley giant from northern Utah joined Deacon Jones, Lamar Lundy and Rosey Grier on the Rams' storied "Fearsome Foursome" defensive line known for either stopping or knocking backward whatever offenses it faced. The Rams set an NFL record for the fewest yards allowed during a 14-game season in 1968.

Olsen was rookie of the year for the Rams in 1962 and is still the Rams' all-time leader in career tackles with 915. He was named to 14 consecutive Pro Bowls, a string that started his rookie year.

Olsen was also an established television actor with a role on "Little House on the Prairie," then starring in his own series, "Father Murphy," from 1981 to 1983 and the short-lived "Aaron's Way" in 1988.

Olsen was a consensus All-American at Utah State and won the 1961 Outland Trophy as the nation's best interior lineman. The Rams drafted Olsen third overall in 1962 and he spent the next 15 years with the team before retiring in 1976.

Utah State honored Olsen in December by naming the football field at Romney Stadium "Merlin Olsen Field." Because of his illness, Olsen's alma mater didn't want to wait until football season and made the announcement during halftime of a basketball game.

Olsen was well enough to attend, but did not speak at the event. He stood and smiled as he waved to fans during a standing ovation and chants of "Merlin Olsen!" and "Aggie Legend!"

Utah State is also planning a statue of Olsen at the southeast corner of the stadium.

The Rams also honored Olsen during a game Dec. 20, with a video tribute narrated by Dick Enberg, Olsen's longtime broadcast partner. Olsen did not attend because of his health. His name was already part of the Ring of Fame inside the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis along with other franchise standouts.

He was voted NFC defensive lineman of the year in 1973 and the NFL MVP in 1974, and was voted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1982.

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[kwame k]

Great player and I remember watching him on Little Outhouse on The Prairie!

RIP

[PETE'S BROTHER]

shiity. good actor, great player.

[chefcraig]

The Fearsome Foursome were nothing short of awesome. I know that word gets handed around quite often these days, but think about it: You had Rosie Grier, Deacon Jones, Lamar Lundy and Merlin Olsen charging at the offensive line. Look at it this way, Dick Butkus thought they were the best defensive line in the history of football.

The thing is, Olsen would never clobber an defenseless quarterback or take the cheap shot. Even so, the guy went to the Pro Bowl 14 times in his career, making it in every year he played except his final season.

RIP, Mr. Olsen.

[MAX]

I had the pleasure of meeting Merlin about seven years ago. Nice fucking guy. I gave him shit about his Shindig appearance with the Fearsome Foursome and his inability to dance. He said he stood out like a sore thumb doing his whiteman overbite dance. lmao

Seriously, what a stellar player, awesome fellow native of Utah and an all around great guy.

God Bless and R.I.P. Merlin.

[sadaist]

OH NOES!

Poor guy. He seemed like a really nice guy. What a bummer.

[High Life Man]

Now who will Ron Burgandy hang out with?

[Nitro Express]

He worked for my dad's cousins construction business years ago in Logan, Utah.