:Ben McGee
{{Short description|American football player and coach (born 1939)}}
{{For|the Arkansas politician|Ben McGee (politician)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Use American English|date=June 2023}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| image =
| caption =
| position = Defensive end, defensive tackle
| number = 60
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 3
| weight_lbs = 250
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1939|1|26}}
| birth_place = Starkville, Mississippi, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| draftyear = 1964
| draftround = 4
| draftpick = 51
| high_school = Henderson (Starkville)
| college = Jackson State
| teams =
- Pittsburgh Steelers (1964–1972)
| pastcoaching =
- Jackson State (1973–1975) (assistant)
- Arkansas–Pine Bluff (1976–1977) (assistant)
- Mississippi Valley State (1978–1979) (assistant)
- Arkansas–Pine Bluff (1980–1983) (head coach)
| pastadmin =
| highlights =
| pfr = M/McGeBe00
}}
Benjamin McGee Jr. (born January 26, 1939) is an American former professional football player and college coach. He played as a defensive end for nine seasons in the National Football League (NFL) with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played college football at Jackson State University. McGee served as head football coach at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff for four seasons, from 1980 to 1983, compiling a record of 17–22–4.{{Cite web
|last=DeLassus
|first=David
|title=Arkansas-Pine Bluff Coaching Records
|publisher=College Football Data Warehouse
|url=http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/div_iaa/southwestern/arkansas_pine_bluff/coaching_records.php
|accessdate=December 15, 2013
|url-status=dead
|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131216051507/http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/div_iaa/southwestern/arkansas_pine_bluff/coaching_records.php
|archivedate=December 16, 2013
}}
Early life
McGee was born on January 26, 1939, in Starkville, Mississippi. He attended Henderson High School in Starkville.{{Cite web |title=Ben McGee Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/M/McGeBe00.htm |access-date=2025-02-19 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} Henderson was segregated during the years he attended.{{Cite web |last=Altman |first=Isabelle |date=2017-02-24 |title=Trailblazers of integration: African Americans in area remember trials, triumphs of tumultuous process |url=https://cdispatch.com/news/trailblazers-of-integration-african-americans-in-area-remember-trials-triumphs-of-tumultuous-process/ |access-date=2025-02-19 |website=The Dispatch |language=en-US}}
College football
McGee attended Jackson State College (now Jackson State University).{{Cite web |last=Rutter |first=Joe |date=2020-07-02 |title='Burgh's Best to Wear It, No. 60: Ben McGee arrived too soon to enjoy Steelers' super success |url=https://triblive.com/sports/burghs-best-to-wear-it-no-60-ben-mcgee-arrived-too-soon-to-enjoy-steelers-super-success/ |access-date=2025-02-19 |website=TribLIVE.com |language=en-US}} Nearly 100 Jackson State players have gone on to play professional football, including his Jackson State teammates Willie Richardson, Verlon Biggs, and future Pittsburgh Steeler teammate Frank Molden.{{Cite web |title=Jackson St. Players/Alumni |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/schools/jacksonst/ |access-date=2025-02-19 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}{{Cite journal |last=Maule |first=Tex |last2=Sharnik |first2=Morton H. |date=September 13, 1965 |title=PITTSBURGH STEELERS |journal=Sports Illustrated |volume=23 |issue=11}} He was named to the Pittsburgh Courier's Black College All-America teams at tackle in 1962 and 1963.{{Cite web |last=Michael |first=Jackson |date=2024-11-18 |title=1960s Black All-American Football Teams - HBCU Football |url=https://www.hbcufootball.org/1960s-black-all-american-football-teams/ |access-date=2025-02-19 |website=www.hbcufootball.org |language=en-US}} Time picked McGee as an All American in 1962, his junior year, describing him as already having the instincts of a professional player.{{Cite journal |date=November 30, 1962 |title=Picked by the Pros |journal=Time Magazine |volume=80 |issue=22}}
Professional football
The Steelers selected McGee in the fourth round of the 1964 NFL draft, 51st oveall.{{Cite web |title=1964 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1964/draft.htm |access-date=2025-02-19 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} The New York Jets selected him in the fifth round of the 1964 AFL draft, 35th overall.{{Cite web |title=1964 AFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1964_AFL/draft.htm |access-date=2025-02-19 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} He played nine years for the Steelers (1964–72), the first seven at defensive end and the last two at defensive tackle. He started every game in his rookie season and every game in his final season, and was a regular starter every season except 1967 and 1971.{{Cite journal |date=September 12, 1966 |title=PITTSBURGH STEELERS |journal=Sports Illustrated |volume=25 |issue=11}} He was 6 ft 3 in (1.9 m), and played at 250 lb (113 kg) or 260 lb (118 kg), and was considered enormously strong.{{Cite journal |last=Maule |first=Tex |last2=Shrake |first2=Edwin |date=September 16, 1968 |title=CENTURY DIVISION |journal=Sports Illustrated |volume=29 |issue=12}}
In 1965, coach Buddy Parker told team vice-president and general manager Dan Rooney (son of owner Art Rooney) that he wanted to trade McGee or lineman Chuck Hinton for King Hill. Rooney responded "'Why weaken the defensive line for a second-string quarterback?'", while leaving the final decision to Parker. Parker did not make the trade.{{Cite journal |last=Maule |first=Tex |date=October 10, 1966 |title=NOT A PERFECT FRIENDSHIP |journal=Sports Illustrated |volume=25 |issue=15}} (Ten years earlier, Rooney had unsuccessfully (and now famously) pleaded with his father and coach Walt Kiesling not to cut Johnny Unitas, whom the younger Rooney had drafted.{{Cite web |title=Steeler Nation: Pittsburgh Steelers News, Rumors, & More |url=https://www.steelernation.com/why-the-pittsburgh-steelers-cut-johnny-unitas |access-date=2025-02-19 |website=steelernation.com |language=en}})
In his rookie season, McGee had a career high 8.5 quarterback sacks. In 1966, he had 6.5 sacks and made the Pro Bowl for the first time, as a defensive end. The Sporting News also named him first team All-Conference.{{Cite web |title=1966 NFL Pro Bowlers |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1966/probowl.htm |access-date=2025-02-19 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} He made the Pro Bowl for his second and last time in 1968, again at defensive end.{{Cite web |title=1968 NFL Pro Bowlers |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1968/probowl.htm |access-date=2025-02-19 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} He finished his career with 34.5 sacks, nine fumble recoveries and an interception.
In 1971, McGee was moved to defensive tackle to make room for skilled pass rusher L. C. Greenwood at defensive end.{{Cite journal |date=September 20, 1971 |title=AMERICAN CENTRAL |journal=Sports Illustrated |volume=35 |issue=12}} McGee only started four games, with Lloyd Voss starting the majority of games at right tackle next to future hall of famer Joe Greene at left tackle.{{Cite web |title=Lloyd Voss Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/V/VossLl20.htm |access-date=2025-02-19 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=1972 Pittsburgh Steelers Roster & Players |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/pit/1972_roster.htm |access-date=2025-02-19 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Joe Greene {{!}} Pro Football Hall of Fame |url=https://www.profootballhof.com/players/joe-greene/ |access-date=2025-02-19 |website=pfhof |language=en}}
In his final year, McGee started every game at right tackle on a defensive line that included Dwight White (right defensive end), Joe Greene (left tackle), and L.C. Greenwood (left defensive end).{{Cite web |title=1972 Pittsburgh Steelers Roster & Players |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/pit/1972_roster.htm |access-date=2025-02-19 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} That 1972 Steelers defense allowed the second fewest points in the NFL (175) and the eighth fewest total yards.{{Cite web |title=1972 NFL Opposition & Defensive Statistics |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1972/opp.htm |access-date=2025-02-19 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} McGee had two sacks that year. The team finished with an 11–3 record, and went to the American Football Conference championship game where they lost to the undefeated Miami Dolphins, 21–17.{{Cite web |title=1972 Miami Dolphins Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/mia/1972.htm |access-date=2025-02-19 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} In 1973, Ernie Holmes took over for McGee at right tackle, and that foursome would be known as the "Steel Curtain".{{Cite web |last=Garner |first=Joe |last2=Costas |first2=Bob |date=November 21, 2011 |title=Excerpt: '100 Yards of Glory' on Steelers |url=https://www.espn.com/espn/page2/story/_/id/7266060/excerpt-100-yards-glory-discusses-1970s-steelers-dynasty |access-date=2025-02-19 |website=ESPN.com}}
Coaching
McGee served as head football coach for the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Golden Lions for four seasons, from 1980 to 1983, compiling a record of 17–22–4. The team was 2–8 the year before McGee became coach,{{Cite journal |date=1980 |title=Sports Quarterly, Football Roundup, Southwest (p. 126) |url=https://uapblionsroar.com/news/2013/9/29/FB_0929130017 |journal=Sports Quarterly}} and improved to 5–6 his first year. McGee had been an assistant coach under Golden Lion head coach James E. Shaw in 1977.{{Cite web |title=1977 Football Prairie View A&M University Media Guide (p. 43) |url=https://core.ac.uk/download/389313223.pdf}} McGee's former linemate L.C. Greenwood had played for the Golden Lions in the 1960s.{{Cite web |date=2013-09-29 |title=FOOTBALL: Former Golden Lions Legend L.C. Greenwood Passes Away |url=https://uapblionsroar.com/news/2013/9/29/FB_0929130017 |access-date=2025-02-19 |website=UA Pine Bluff Athletics |language=en}}
Head coaching record
{{CFB Yearly Record Start | type = coach | team = | conf = | bowl = | poll = no }}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
| name = Arkansas–Pine Bluff Golden Lions
| conf = NCAA Division II independent
| startyear = 1980
| endyear = 1982
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1980
| name = Arkansas–Pine Bluff
| overall = 5–6
| conference =
| confstanding =
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1981
| name = Arkansas–Pine Bluff
| overall = 5–4–2
| conference =
| confstanding =
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1982
| name = Arkansas–Pine Bluff
| overall = 5–5–1
| conference =
| confstanding =
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
| name = Arkansas–Pine Bluff Golden Lions
| conf = NAIA Division I independent
| startyear = 1983
| endyear = single
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1983
| name = Arkansas–Pine Bluff
| overall = 2–7–1
| conference =
| confstanding =
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Arkansas–Pine Bluff
| overall = 17–22–4
| confrecord =
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record End
| overall = 17–22–4
| bowls = no
| poll = no
| polltype =
| legend = no
}}
Personal life
McGee's son, Ben McGee Jr., also played football at Jackson State as a defensive lineman.{{Cite news |last=Nance |first=Roscoe |date=September 18, 1984 |title=Tigers' Ben McGee returns just in time |work=Clarion-Ledger (Jackson, Mississippi) |pages=31}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Footballstats |nfl=ben-mcgee |espn= |cbs= |yahoo= |si= |pfr=M/McGeBe00 |rotoworld= }}
{{Arkansas–Pine Bluff Golden Lions football coach navbox}}
{{Steelers1964DraftPicks}}
{{Pittsburgh Steelers Legends team}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:McGee, Ben}}
Category:American football defensive ends
Category:American football defensive tackles
Category:Arkansas–Pine Bluff Golden Lions football coaches
Category:Jackson State Tigers football coaches
Category:Jackson State Tigers football players
Category:Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils football coaches
Category:Pittsburgh Steelers players
Category:Eastern Conference Pro Bowl players
Category:Players of American football from Starkville, Mississippi
Category:Coaches of American football from Mississippi
Category:African-American coaches of American football