Eric Kumerow
{{Short description|American football player (born 1965)}}
{{Use American English|date=April 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Eric Kumerow
| image = Ohio State Buckeyes versus the Colorado Buffaloes football game - DPLA - 1284eea9d14033021ee0ee3d7979c783.jpg
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption = Kumerow (#14) playing for the Ohio State Buckeyes in 1986
| number = 90, 70
| position = Linebacker
Defensive end
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1965|4|17}}
| birth_place = Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| high_school = Oak Park (IL) River Forest
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 7
| weight_lbs = 264
| college = Ohio State
| draftyear = 1988
| draftround = 1
| draftpick = 16
| pastteams =
- Miami Dolphins ({{NFL Year|1988}}–{{NFL Year|1990}})
- Chicago Bears ({{NFL Year|1991}})
| highlights =
- Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year (1986)
- 2× First-team All-Big Ten (1986, 1987)
- Second-team All-Big Ten (1985)
| statlabel1 = Sacks
| statvalue1 = 5.0
| statlabel2 = Interceptions
| statvalue2 = 1
| pfr = KumeEr20
}}
Eric Palmer Kumerow ({{né}} Pyle; born April 17, 1965) is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker for three seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes, and was selected in the first round of the 1988 NFL draft by the Miami Dolphins. He did not perform as well as expected and was considered to be a draft bust. After three seasons with the Dolphins, Kumerow signed with the Chicago Bears, but tore his Achilles tendon before his fourth season started and subsequently retired.
Early life
Eric Kumerow was born on April 17, 1965, in Chicago. His parents were NFL star Palmer Pyle and Marie Accardo, daughter of Chicago Outfit boss Tony Accardo.{{cite journal |journal=Sports Illustrated |date=April 22, 2019 |url=https://vault.si.com/vault/2019/04/22/great-grandfather |title=The Great-Grandfather |access-date=August 28, 2023}} After their divorce, Marie married Ernest Kumerow, a minor league baseball player and later official of the Laborers' International Union of North America,{{cite web |title=Ernest Kumerow Minor Leagues Statistics |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=kumero001ern |website=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=August 29, 2023 |language=en}}{{cite news |last1=Grotto |first1=Jason |title=Head of Chicago pension fund tried to collect an unearned union pension |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-met-pensions-capasso-20111012-story.html |access-date=August 29, 2023 |work=Chicago Tribune |date=October 12, 2011}} whose surname Eric and his sister, Cheryl, took.{{cite web |last1=Schalter |first1=Ty |title=Chasing a Family Legacy, Jake Kumerow's NFL Draft Dream Comes Full Circle |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2415369-chasing-a-family-legacy-jake-kumerows-nfl-draft-dream-comes-full-circle |website=Bleacher Report |access-date=August 29, 2023 |language=en}}
At Oak Park and River Forest High School, Kumerow played quarterback and defensive back, and was named a 1982 USA Today High School All-American for the defensive back position. He won numerous other awards in football and basketball, receiving The Tribune Athlete of the Month Award in December 1982, and being added to The Tribune All-State, the Associated Press and the United Press International All-State teams during the football season of 1982.{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75933518/chicago-tribune/|title=Seasons change, not Kumerow|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|via=Newspapers.com|date=January 9, 1983|first=Rich|last=Storm}} In addition to football, Kumerow was a standout basketball player. His basketball coach, Bob Parker, said, "Eric's the best athlete I've ever coached."
College career
Kumerow played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes. He started his career as a quarterback, which he played in high school, but switched to defense after spending his first season "on the bench."{{cite news|via=Newspapers.com|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75933975/chicago-tribune/|title=Kumerow adopts defensive posture|date=April 25, 1984|first=Mike|last=Conklin|work=Chicago Tribune |page=42 |access-date=April 17, 2021}} When Kumerow went to Ohio State, he focused more on football and did not play basketball. In college, he played linebacker, and was named Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the year in 1986. Kumerow played alongside future pro bowl linebacker Chris Spielman while at Ohio State. In 1986, when he won Defensive Lineman of the Year honors, he had 66 tackles (nine for a total loss of 62 yards), had an interception, and six passes defended.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75933612/the-akron-beacon-journal/|newspaper=The Akron Beacon Journal|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=April 17, 2021|title=Kumerow gives Buckeyes ideal linebacker tandem|first=Jack|last=Patterson|date=September 4, 1987}} Kumerow's best game of the season came against the Iowa Hawkeyes, in which he had eight tackles, a sack, and a pass defended to earn Associated Press Lineman of the Week honors. He was named team captain in 1987 and was named First-team All Big Ten.{{Cite web|date=2018-08-18|title=99 Warriors: No. 14, Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year and All-Conference Selection Eric Kumerow|url=https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio-state-football/99-warriors/2018/08/95349/99-warriors-no-14-eric-kumerow|access-date=2021-04-17|website=Eleven Warriors|language=en}} Kumerow finished his college career with 23 sacks, which ranks sixth among all Ohio State players. He was 6-7 and 250 pounds during his college career.{{Cite web|url=http://collegefootballcrazy.com/tag/eric-kumerow-family/|title=eric kumerow family | College Football Crazy|date=January 22, 2015 }} He was also an Honorable Mention All-American in his senior year.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75932812/south-florida-sun-sentinel/|date=April 25, 1988|title=Eric Kumerow|via=Newspapers.com|newspaper=South Florida Sun Sentinel}}
Professional career
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 6
| height in = 7
| weight = 257
| dash =
| ten split =
| twenty split =
| shuttle =
| cone drill =
| vertical =
| broad ft =
| broad in =
| bench =
| arm span =
| hand span = 9 3/4
| wonderlic =
| note = All values from NFL Combine{{Cite web |url=https://nflcombineresults.com/playerpage.php?f=Eric&l=Kumerow&i=26081 |title=Eric Kumerow, Combine Results, DE - Ohio State |website=nflcombineresults.com |access-date=October 5, 2022}}
}}
In the 1988 NFL draft, Kumerow was selected in the first round by the Miami Dolphins with the 16th overall pick.{{Cite web |title=1988 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1988/draft.htm |access-date=2023-09-24 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75933546/fort-lauderdale-news/|newspaper=Fort Lauderdale News|via=Newspapers.com|title=A 'foggy' Kumerow has ally in practice|first=Bob|last=Hill|date=May 8, 1988}} It was one year after they drafted his brother-in-law John Bosa with the same pick.{{Cite web|url=https://fansided.com/2020/05/28/ohio-state-football-overrated-players-nfl-busts/4/|title=Ohio State football: 5 great players who didn't live up to the NFL hype|date=May 28, 2020}} His drafting received negative response from Dolphins fans because he was predicted to be drafted much later in the draft.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75932793/south-florida-sun-sentinel/|title=Many thought Kumerow would go much later|date=April 25, 1988|via=Newspapers.com|newspaper=South Florida Sun Sentinel}}{{cite news|title=Consensus of Dolphans: anger over "wasted pick"|date=April 25, 1988|via=Newspapers.com|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75932914/the-miami-herald/|newspaper=The Miami Herald}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/sfl-doldraft88-story.html|title=1988: Kumerow the surprise pick|via=Newspapers.com|newspaper=South Florida Sun Sentinel|first=Bob|last=Hill|date=April 25, 1988}} According to some sources, the pick even surprised Kumerow.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75932777/south-florida-sun-sentinel/|title=Dolphins' first selection even surprises Kumerow|date=April 25, 1988|first=Bob|last=Hill|via=Newspapers.com|newspaper=South Florida Sun Sentinel}}
=Miami Dolphins=
Kumerow was switched from linebacker to defensive end in his second week of training camp.{{cite news|first=Dan|last=Moffett|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75933025/the-palm-beach-post/|newspaper=The Palm Beach Post|via=Newspapers.com|title=It's just a hunch, but Kumerow has a long way to go|date=August 20, 1988}} His first game was played against the Chicago Bears, a team he would later play for.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/K/KumeEr20.htm|title=Eric Kumerow 1988 Game Log|website=Pro-Football-Reference.com}} In his first season, Kumerow played 14 games, had 13 tackles{{cite news|first=Craig|last=Dolch|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75933236/the-palm-beach-post/|newspaper=The Palm Beach Post|title=Kumerow better prepared for dual role|date=May 2, 1989|access-date=April 17, 2021|via=Newspapers.com}} and three sacks.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/K/KumeEr20.htm|title=Eric Kumerow Stats|website=Pro-Football-Reference.com}} He played 12 games in 1989 and all 16 in 1990. Kumerow had two sacks in 1989 but none in 1990. He had his only career interception in 1990, which he returned for five yards. Kumerow did not start in any games in a Dolphins uniform.
=Chicago Bears=
In 1991, Kumerow was signed by the Chicago Bears, who originally wanted to draft him.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75933204/the-miami-herald/|newspaper=The Miami Herald|via=Newspapers.com|date=April 26, 1988|title=Bears eyed Kumerow to replace Marshall}}{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75933588/the-miami-herald/|via=Newspapers.com|date=July 25, 1991|title=It's a new team but the same Eric Kumerow|newspaper=The Miami Herald}} He later tore his Achilles tendon and retired afterwards. Kumerow finished his career with 42 games played and five sacks.
Personal life
Kumerow is married to his wife Tammi, with whom he has four children, including his son Jake.{{cite web|url=https://www.oakpark.com/2012/08/17/kumerow-to-have-jersey-number-retired/|title=Kumerow to have jersey number retired|work=Wednesday Journal of Oak Park and River Forest|first=Brad|last=Spencer|date=August 17, 2012|access-date=April 23, 2025}} Other NFL players related to Kumerow are his uncle Mike Pyle, his brother-in-law John Bosa, and Bosa's sons, Joey and Nick Bosa.{{cite news |last1=Wertheim |first1=Jon |title=Nick Bosa and the 2019 Draft's Oddest Note |url=https://www.si.com/nfl/2019/05/02/tony-accardo-mobster-greatgrandfather-nick-joey-bosa |access-date=May 4, 2019 |work=Sports Illustrated |date=May 2, 2019}}
{{As of|2018}}, Kumerow lived in the Chicago suburb of Bartlett, Illinois.
References
{{Reflist}}
{{1988 NFL Draft}}
{{Miami Dolphins First Round Picks}}
{{Dolphins1988DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kumerow, Eric}}
Category:Players of American football from Chicago
Category:American football linebackers
Category:Ohio State Buckeyes football players