Robert Brazile
{{Short description|American football player (born 1953)}}
{{Use American English|date=May 2020}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Robert Brazile
| image = Robert-Brazile Six-Legends-Reception-09-04-10.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Brazile in 2010
| number = 52
| position = Linebacker
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1953|2|7}}
| birth_place = Mobile, Alabama, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 4
| weight_lb = 241
| high_school = Vigor {{nowrap|(Prichard, Alabama)}}
| college = Jackson State (1971–1974)
| draftyear = 1975
| draftround = 1
| draftpick = 6
| pastteams = * Houston Oilers ({{NFL Year|1975|1984}})
| highlights = * NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year (1975)
- 2× First-team All-Pro (1978, 1979)
- 4× Second-team All-Pro (1976, 1977, 1980, 1981)
- 7× Pro Bowl (1976–1982)
- NFL 1970s All-Decade Team
- PFWA All-Rookie Team (1975)
- Titans/Oilers Ring of Honor
| statlabel1 = Total tackles
| statvalue1 = 1,281
| statlabel2 = Sacks
| statvalue2 = 48
| statlabel3 = Fumble recoveries
| statvalue3 = 14
| statlabel4 = Interceptions
| statvalue4 = 13
| statlabel5 = Interception yards
| statvalue5 = 201
| pfr = BrazRo00
| HOF = robert-brazile
}}
Robert Lorenzo Brazile Jr. (born February 7, 1953), nicknamed "Dr. Doom", is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). Brazile played from 1975 to 1984 for the Houston Oilers and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018.
Professional career
Brazile was taken with the sixth pick of the first round of the 1975 NFL draft. It was part of the bounty Sid Gillman acquired along with Curley Culp when he traded John Matuszak to the Kansas City Chiefs. However, it would be new head coach/general manager Bum Phillips who made the selection.[http://www.houstonprofootball.com/team/olb1.html Houstonprofootball.com]
Phillips' arrival in Houston also brought a change in the base defense the Oilers ran, switching from a 4-3 to a 3-4. The 3–4 would prove to be a perfect fit for Brazile's combination of size (6'4", 230 lbs) and great speed. While most cite Lawrence Taylor as the prototype of the pass-rushing outside linebacker in the NFL,{{cite news |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950DE4DB1430F933A05752C1A96F948260 |title= Taylor is Sidelined for the Eagles Game|work=The New York Times |access-date=2008-03-06 | first=Frank | last=Litsky | date=1989-11-30}} there are some, including Phillips, who say Brazile was the one who first made the 3–4 popular for sending an outside linebacker to rush the quarterback.[https://books.google.com/books?id=Gc5XDDEgrRUC&dq=robert+brazile+lawrence+taylor&pg=PA25 The Super '70s: Memories from Pro Football's Greatest Era] Brazile also performed well in pass coverage and against the run, consistently ranking at or near the top for the team lead in tackles even though opponents often avoided his side of the field.[http://www.houstonprofootball.com/team/olb1.html Houston's All-Time Team | HoustonProFootball.com]
Brazile found immediate success with the Oilers, winning the NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Year award for the 1975 season. He was named to the Pro Bowl seven straight seasons, was All-Pro five straight seasons (1976–80),[http://www.hickoksports.com/history/allnfl02.shtml hickoksports.com] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080516213343/http://www.hickoksports.com/history/allnfl02.shtml |date=2008-05-16 }} and was selected to the NFL's All-Decade Team for the 1970s. In 1978 and 1979, Brazile was a key member of Oilers teams that went to back-to-back AFC Championship games.
After a third straight postseason loss in 1980, Phillips was fired by Oilers owner Bud Adams and the team entered a period of steep decline. The constant losing wore on Brazile and caused him to contemplate retiring.{{cite web|url=http://blogs.chron.com/sportsupdate/archives/2007/12/|title=Remembering the Luv Ya Blue Oilers|publisher=Chron.com – Houston Chronicle|access-date=2008-03-06|archive-date=2008-09-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080908042158/http://blogs.chron.com/sportsupdate/archives/2007/12/|url-status=dead}} However, he has said it was the death of his first wife, Cookie, in a car wreck in Houston in 1984, that made the decision for him.{{Cite web |url=http://blogs.chron.com/sportsupdate/archives/2007/12/ |title=chron.com |access-date=2008-03-07 |archive-date=2008-09-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080908042158/http://blogs.chron.com/sportsupdate/archives/2007/12/ |url-status=dead }}
Officially, Brazile finished his career with 11 quarterback sacks. Unofficially, his career sack total is 48 (sacks did not become an official NFL statistic until 1982).{{cite web|url=http://www.caller.com/news/2010/aug/14/big-time-brazile/|title=Big Time Brazile|publisher=Caller.com – Corpus-Christi Caller-Times|access-date=2010-08-16|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120308133917/http://www.caller.com/news/2010/aug/14/big-time-brazile/|archive-date=2012-03-08}} He is also credited with 1,281 tackles, the second highest total in Houston Oilers / Tennessee Titans history.{{cite web|url=http://www.caller.com/news/2010/aug/14/big-time-brazile/|title=Big Time Brazile|publisher=Caller.com – Corpus-Christi Caller-Times|access-date=2010-08-16|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120308133917/http://www.caller.com/news/2010/aug/14/big-time-brazile/|archive-date=2012-03-08}}
On August 24, 2017, Brazile and former Green Bay Packers guard Jerry Kramer were named as seniors committee finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2018.{{cite web | title=Packers legend Jerry Kramer named Pro Football Hall of Fame senior finalist | url=http://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/nfl/packers/2017/08/24/packers-legend-jerry-kramer-named-pro-football-hall-fame-senior-finalist/598701001/ | access-date=August 24, 2017}} He was announced as member of the class of 2018 on February 3, 2018. Robert Brazile was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday, August 4, 2018, and his bust was sculpted by Scott Myers.
File:Robert.Brazile.HoF.Bust.jpg On October 14, 2018, Brazile was inducted to the Titans-Oilers Ring of Honor.{{cite web|title=Robert Brazile Inducted Into Ring of Honor|url= https://www.titansonline.com/photos/robert-brazile-inducted-into-ring-of-honor#d315df30-ea19-4dc2-bb17-fa5d1da50b5f|date=October 14, 2018|access-date=November 19, 2018}}
NFL career statistics
| class="wikitable" |
| colspan="2"| Legend |
|---|
| style="width:3em;"| Bold
| Career high |
=Regular season=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" | ||||||||||||
| rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Team ! colspan="2"| Games ! rowspan="2"| {{abbr|Sck|Sacks}} ! colspan="5"| Interceptions ! colspan="4"| Fumbles | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| {{abbr|GP|Games played}} | {{abbr|GS|Games started}} | {{abbr|Int|Interceptions on defense}} | {{abbr|Yds|Interception returns yardage}} | {{abbr|Y/I|Yards per interception return}} | {{abbr|Lng|Longest interception return}} | {{abbr|TD|Interceptions returned for touchdowns}} | {{abbr|FR|Fumbles recovered}} | {{abbr|Yds|Fumble recovery returns yardage}} | {{abbr|Y/F|Yards per fumble recovery return}} | {{abbr|TD|Fumble recoveries returned for touchdowns}} | ||
| 1975 | HOU
| 14 || 14 || 7.0 || 0 || 0 || — || 0 || 0 || 5 || 18 || 3.6 || 0 | |||||||||||
| 1976 | HOU
| 14 || 14 || 6.5 || 1 || 8 || 8.0 || 8 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 | |||||||||||
| 1977 | HOU
| 14 || 14 || 5.0 || 3 || 40 || 13.3 || 16 || 0 || 0 || 0 || — || 0 | |||||||||||
| 1978 | HOU
| 16 || 16 || 5.0 || 1 || 30 || 30.0 || 30 || 0 || 0 || 0 || — || 0 | |||||||||||
| 1979 | HOU
| 16 || 16 || 5.0 || 2 || 45 || 22.5 || 26 || 0 || 3 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 | |||||||||||
| 1980 | HOU
| 16 || 16 || 6.5 || 2 || 38 || 19.0 || 33 || 0 || 0 || 0 || — || 0 | |||||||||||
| 1981 | HOU
| 16 || 16 || 2.0 || 2 || 7 || 3.5 || 7 || 0 || 0 || 0 || — || 0 | |||||||||||
| 1982 | HOU
| 9 || 9 || 6.5 || 1 || 31 || 31.0 || 31 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 | |||||||||||
| 1983 | HOU
| 16 || 16 || 2.5 || 0 || 0 || — || 0 || 0 || 3 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 | |||||||||||
| 1984 | HOU
| 16 || 16 || 2.0 || 1 || 2 || 2.0 || 2 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 | |||||||||||
| colspan="2"| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BrazRo00.htm Career] | 147 | 147 | 48.0 | 13 | 201 | 15.5 | 33 | 0 | 14 | 18 | 1.3 | 0 |
=Postseason=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" | |||||||
| rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Team ! colspan="2"| Games ! rowspan="2"| {{abbr|Sck|Sacks}} ! colspan="4"| Fumbles | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| {{abbr|GP|Games played}} | {{abbr|GS|Games started}} | {{abbr|FR|Fumbles recovered}} | {{abbr|Yds|Fumble recovery returns yardage}} | {{abbr|Y/F|Yards per fumble recovery return}} | {{abbr|TD|Fumble recoveries returned for touchdowns}} | ||
| 1978 | HOU
| 3 || 3 || 1.0 || 1 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 | ||||||
| 1979 | HOU
| 3 || 3 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || — || 0 | ||||||
| 1980 | HOU
| 1 || 1 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || — || 0 | ||||||
| colspan="2"| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BrazRo00/gamelog/post/ Career] | 7 | 7 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 |
Post-football
After retiring from the NFL, Brazile, along with ex-Oiler teammate Ken Burrough, coached for a minor league pro team in Mobile, Alabama. After needing quadruple bypass heart surgery in 2004, Brazile gave up coaching and became a middle-school teacher for children with special needs in Mobile. He has also become an avid tennis player.{{cite web |url=http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/5363616.html|title=Oilers were toast of Houston and nearly NFL, too|date=9 December 2007 |publisher=Chron.com – Houston Chronicle|access-date=2008-03-06}}{{cite web |url=http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/fb/texansfront/5362820.html#brazile|title=Catching up with the Luv Ya Blue crew|date=9 December 2007 |publisher=Chron.com – Houston Chronicle|access-date=2008-03-06}} When asked if his old "Dr. Doom" persona ever comes out on the tennis court, he's quoted as saying laughingly, "No more Dr. Doom," "Just Robert Brazile."[http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/fb/texansfront/5362820.html#brazile chron.com]
In 2007, Brazile was inducted into the Bancorp Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame.{{cite web|url=http://jsutigers.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/jast-m-footbl-body.html|title=Former JSU great and Houston Oiler inducted into Mississippi Sports HOF|publisher=jsutigers.com – Jackson State – Athletics|access-date=2008-03-06|archive-date=March 14, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080314130437/http://jsutigers.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/jast-m-footbl-body.html|url-status=dead}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{commons category-inline}}
{{1975 NFL Draft}}
{{TitansFirstPick}}
{{Houston Oilers 1975 draft navbox}}
{{Tennessee Titans Ring of Honor}}
{{AP Defensive Rookies of the Year}}
{{NFL1970s}}
{{2018 Football HOF}}
{{Pro Football Hall of Fame members}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brazile, Robert}}
Category:American football linebackers
Category:Houston Oilers players
Category:Jackson State Tigers football players
Category:American Conference Pro Bowl players
Category:NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year winners
Category:Players of American football from Mobile, Alabama