Paul Seal
{{Short description|American football player (born 1952)}}
{{distinguish|Paul Seale}}
{{Use American English|date=September 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Paul Seal
| image = Paul Seal.png
| caption = Seal from 1974 Michiganensian
| number = 84, 85
| position = Tight end
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1952|2|27}}
| birth_place = Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
| death_date =
| height_ft = 6
| weight_lb = 222
| height_in = 4
| high_school = Pershing (MI)
| college = Michigan
| draftyear = 1974
| draftround = 2
| draftpick = 36
| teams =
- New Orleans Saints ({{NFL Year|1974}}–{{NFL Year|1976}})
- San Francisco 49ers ({{NFL Year|1977}}–{{NFL Year|1979}})
| highlights =
- PFWA NFL All-Rookie Team (1974)
- Second-team All-American (1973)
- Second-team All-Big Ten (1973)
| statlabel1 = Receptions
| statvalue1 = 106
| statlabel2 = Receiving yards
| statvalue2 = 1,586
| statlabel3 = Total TDs
| statvalue3 = 8
| pfr = SealPa00
}}
Paul Nathan Seal (born February 27, 1952) is an American former professional football player. He played college football as a tight end for the University of Michigan from 1971 to 1973 and professional football as a tight end in the National Football League (NFL) for the New Orleans Saints from 1974 to 1976 and for the San Francisco 49ers from 1977 to 1979. In his six-year NFL career, Seal totaled 106 receptions, 1,586 receiving yards and seven touchdowns.
Early life
College career
Seal enrolled at the University of Michigan in 1970 and played college football as a tight end for Bo Schembechler's Michigan Wolverines football teams from 1971 to 1973.{{cite web|title=All-Time Football Roster Database|publisher=University of Michigan, Bentley Historical Library|accessdate=March 26, 2015|url=https://bentley.umich.edu/athdept/rosters/football.php}}
As a junior, Seal started all 12 games at tight end for the 1972 Michigan Wolverines football team that compiled a 10-1 record, outscored opponents 264-57, and finished the season ranked #6 in the final AP Poll.{{cite web|title=1972 Football Team|publisher=University of Michigan, Bentley Historical Library|accessdate=March 27, 2015|url=https://bentley.umich.edu/athdept/football/fbteam/1972fbt.htm}} Playing for a run-oriented offense, Seal was the leading receiver for the 1972 Wolverines with 18 receptions for 243 yards and three touchdowns.{{cite web|title=Michigan Football Statistic Archive Query Page|publisher=University of Michigan|accessdate=March 27, 2015|url=http://stats.ath.umich.edu/football/footstart.php|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20040907204739/http://stats.ath.umich.edu/football/footstart.php|archivedate=September 7, 2004|df=}}(to retrieve information for a particular season, go to "Games & Totals by Season" and select the year for which statistics are to be retrieved)
As a senior, Seal started all 11 games at tight end, was a team co-captain and was voted the Most Valuable Player on the undefeated 1973 Michigan Wolverines football team that compiled a 10-0-1 record, outscored opponents 330–68, and finished the season ranked #6 in the final AP Poll.{{cite web|title=1973 Football Team|publisher=University of Michigan, Bentley Historical Library|accessdate=March 27, 2015|url=https://bentley.umich.edu/athdept/football/fbteam/1973fbt.htm}} For the second straight year, Seal was Michigan's leading receiver with 14 catchers for 254 yards and three touchdowns. At the end of the 1973 season, Seal was selected by the United Press International (UPI) as the second-team tight end on the 1973 College Football All-America Team.{{cite news|title=Four Bucks on All-American|author=Fred McMane|newspaper=The Bryan Times|agency=UPI |date=December 6, 1973|page=15|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=799&dat=19731206&id=TYpPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=oVEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=933,4471345&hl=en}}
Professional career
Seal was selected by the New Orleans Saints in the second round (36th overall pick) of the 1974 NFL draft. Seal was also the top draft pick of the Detroit Wheels of the World Football League, but he opted to sign with the Saints in April 1974.{{cite news|title=Seal's a Saint|newspaper=The Argus-Press (AP story)|date=April 3, 1974|page=14|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1988&dat=19740403&id=k3YiAAAAIBAJ&sjid=n6wFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2526,3260281&hl=en}} He played three seasons with the Saints from 1974 to 1976. As a rookie in 1974, Seal appeared in 14 games and had career highs with 32 receptions, 466 receiving yards, and three receiving touchdowns. In 1975, Seal was the Saints' starting tight end in all 14 games and totaled 28 receptions, 414 receiving yards, and one touchdown.
In early September 1977, the Saints traded Seal to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for offensive lineman John Watson.{{cite news|title=Saints, 49ers deal|newspaper=The Bryan Times|agency=UPI |date=September 2, 1977|page=13|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=799&dat=19770902&id=-KtTAAAAIBAJ&sjid=FYgDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3868,5131247&hl=en}} Seal played for the 49ers for three seasons from 1977 to 1979, appearing in 43 games, nine as a starter, and totaled 37 receptions for 634 receiving yards and three touchdowns. Seal's longest reception of his NFL career came on a 47-yard touchdown bomb from Jim Plunkett in December 1977 against the Dallas Cowboys.{{cite news|title=Cowboys hold San Francisco|newspaper=Wilmington Morning Star |agency=AP|date=December 13, 1977|page=1C|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1454&dat=19771212&id=-7ksAAAAIBAJ&sjid=IBMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6313,2719602&hl=en}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Saints1974DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Seal, Paul}}
Category:Pershing High School alumni
Category:Players of American football from Detroit
Category:American football tight ends
Category:Michigan Wolverines football players