Craig Hertwig
{{Short description|American football player (1952–2012)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Craig Hertwig
| image = Craig Hertwig.jpg
| number = 71
| position = Offensive tackle
| birth_date = {{birth date|1952|1|15}}
| birth_place = Columbus, Georgia, U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|2012|5|30|1952|1|15}}
| death_place = Athens, Georgia, U.S.
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 8
| weight_lbs = 270
| high_school = Mark Smith (Macon, Georgia)
| college = Georgia (1971–1974)
| draftyear = 1975
| draftround = 4
| draftpick = 94
| pastteams = * Detroit Lions ({{NFL Year|1975}}–{{NFL Year|1977}})
- Buffalo Bills ({{NFL Year|1978}})
| highlights = * First-team All-American (1974)
| pfr = H/HertCr20
}}
John Craig "Sky" Hertwig (January 15, 1952 – May 30, 2012) was an American professional football offensive tackle who played three seasons with the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Lions in the fourth round of the 1975 NFL draft after playing college football at the University of Georgia. Hertwig was also a member of the Buffalo Bills.
Early life and college
John Craig Hertwig was born on January 15, 1952, in Columbus, Georgia.{{cite web | url=http://www.profootballarchives.com/players/h/hert00400.html | title=CRAIG HERTWIG | publisher=Pro Football Archives | accessdate=6 January 2025}} He attended Mark Smith High School in Macon, Georgia.
Hertwig was a member of the Georgia Bulldogs from 1971 to 1974 and a three-year letterman from 1972 to 1974. As a senior in 1974, he was named a first-team All-American by the Associated Press (AP) and a second-team All-American by the Newspaper Enterprise Association.{{cite news|title=USC Star All-America 3rd Time; 3 SWC Players Named On Defense|newspaper=The Corpus Christi Times|date=December 6, 1974|page=10B|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4489865/usc_star_allamerican_3rd_time/}}{{cite news|title=1974 NEA All-America|newspaper=Delaware County Daily Times|date=December 6, 1974|page=22|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4490556/1974_nea_all_america/}} He earned AP and United Press International first-team All-SEC honors that year as well.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1817&dat=19741203&id=8Hc0AAAAIBAJ&sjid=Ep0EAAAAIBAJ&pg=3185,830202&hl=en|work=The Tuscaloosa News|title=All-SEC squad|accessdate=June 5, 2015|via=Google news archive|page=15|date=December 3, 1974}} {{Open access}}{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/2561488/kingsport_times/|title=Vols' Morgan, Marvin Make All-SEC First Team|work=Kingsport Times|date=November 26, 1974|page=6|accessdate=June 6, 2015|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}
Professional career
Hertwig was selected by the Detroit Lions in the fourth round, with the 94th overall pick, of the 1975 NFL draft.{{cite web | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HertCr20.htm | title=Craig Hertwig | publisher=Pro Football Reference | accessdate=6 January 2025}} He played in nine games, starting one, for the team during the 1975 season. He appeared in all 14 games, starting eight, in 1976 and recovered one fumble. Hertwig started all 14 games for the Lions in 1977. The Lions finished the season with a 6–8 record.{{cite web | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/det/1977.htm | title=1977 Detroit Lions Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees | publisher=Pro Football Reference | accessdate=6 January 2025}} He was released on August 29, 1978.
Hertwig signed with the Buffalo Bills on December 13, 1978. He was released on August 21, 1979.{{cite web | url=http://www.profootballarchives.com/transactions/h/hert00400.html | title=Craig Hertwig NFL Transactions | publisher=Pro Football Archives | accessdate=6 January 2025}}
Personal life
Hertwig died of heart failure on May 30, 2012, in Athens, Georgia. He owned a bar for 32 years in Athens up to his death.{{cite web | url=http://onlineathens.com/local-news/2012-05-31/longtime-athens-bar-owner-sky-hertwig-dies | title=Longtime Athens bar owner Sky Hertwig dies | publisher=onlineathens.com | date=May 31, 2012 | accessdate=November 14, 2014}} Hertwig was nicknamed "Sky" in reference to his height.{{cite web | url=http://www.georgiadogs.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/053112aaa.html | title=Former Bulldog Football Player Craig Hertwig Dies | publisher=georgiadogs.com | date=May 31, 2012 | accessdate=November 14, 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208120249/http://www.georgiadogs.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/053112aaa.html | archive-date=December 8, 2015 | url-status=dead }}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Lions1975DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hertwig, Craig}}
Category:Players of American football from Columbus, Georgia
Category:American football offensive tackles
Category:Georgia Bulldogs football players
Category:Detroit Lions players
Category:Buffalo Bills players