Earl Leggett

{{Short description|American football player and coach (1933–2008)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}

{{Infobox NFL biography

| name = Earl Leggett

| image =

| number = 71, 72

| position = Defensive tackle, defensive end

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1933|3|5}}

| birth_place = Palatka, Florida, U.S.

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2008|5|15|1933|3|5}}

| death_place = Raymond, Mississippi, U.S.

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 3

| weight_lbs = 265

| high_school = Jacksonville (FL) Lee

| college = LSU

| draftyear = 1957

| draftround = 1

| draftpick = 13

| pastteams =

• Chicago Bears (1957–1965)
• Los Angeles Rams (1966)
• New Orleans Saints (1967–1968)

| pastcoaching =

• Seattle Seahawks (1976–1977) (DL)
• San Francisco 49ers (1978) (DL)
• Oakland / Los Angeles Raiders (1980–1988) (DL)
• Denver Broncos (1989–1990) (DL)
• Los Angeles Raiders (1991–1992) (DL)
• New York Giants (1993–1996) (DL)
• Washington Redskins (1997–1999) (DL)

| highlights =

• NFL champion (1963)
• 2× Super Bowl champion (XV, XVIII)

| pfr =

}}

Earl Franklin Leggett (March 5, 1933 – May 15, 2008) was an American professional football defensive lineman in the National Football League (NFL) for the Chicago Bears, Los Angeles Rams, and New Orleans Saints. He played college football at Louisiana State University (LSU). He was also an assistant coach for various teams.{{cite web|title=Earl Leggett NFL Football Statistics|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/L/LeggEa20.htm|website=Pro-Football-Reference|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|access-date=April 5, 2016}}

Leggett's career in professional football began as a first-round draft pick of the Bears in 1957 and spanned 11 years from 1957 to 1968. He is recorded as having played in 132 games in the NFL.

His career lasted from 1957 to 1965 with Chicago, where he played at both defensive tackle and defensive end positions. He was part of the famed "Monsters of the Midway" defense that led the Bears to the 1963 NFL championship. He was traded to the Los Angeles Rams in 1966, where he played in 10 regular season games with the Rams' "Fearsome Foursome" defense.

Toward the end of his career, journeyman Leggett played 20 games in 1967 and 1968 for the expansion New Orleans Saints franchise. While statistics on sacks were not recorded back then, www.pro-football-reference.com credits Leggett with 16 fumble recoveries, 1 safety and 1 interception.

Leggett did outstanding community service in Mississippi and the Gulf Coast region. He first played college football at Hinds Jr. College (today known as Hinds Community College) which was the only school that would give him a chance due to academic circumstances. He started playing for them at 16 (which was then legal) and was able to raise his academic standing to get into LSU. Leggett became an All-Southeastern Conference player at LSU.

Leggett had four children and 14 grandchildren.