Bearly Legal: Hall of Famer Art Donovan

Art Donovan made the Hall of Fame due to his on the field play for the Baltimore Colts. However, it was the stories of his off the field exploits that really turned him into a favorite of Johnny Carson and David Letterman, and a bona fide NFL legend. Robin and David discover not much has changed – Art Donovan is still one of a kind!

Bearly Legal: Hall of Famer Art Donovan

Bearly Legal: Hall of Famer Fred Dean

Robin and David chat with Hall of Famer Fred Dean about his days at Louisiana Tech, and his life after football. Fred also shares his memories of playing for Bill Walsh, fellow Hall of Famer Jerry Rice, and if he thinks Richard Dent should be in the Hall of Fame as well.

Bearly Legal: Hall of Famer Fred Dean

Fred Dean

Fred Dean excelled as an All-Southland Conference linebacker during his collegiate football career at Louisiana Tech. The San Diego Chargers selected him in the second round, 33rd player overall, of the 1975 NFL Draft. Dean was moved immediately to the defensive line where he starred during his entire NFL career, first with the Chargers (1975-1981) and later with the San Francisco 49ers (1981-1985).

Dean’s quickness, speed, and strength made him one of the league’s most feared pass rushers during his 141-game career. Although the sack did not become an official NFL statistic until 1982, if numbers tallied by the teams were included with his official sack count, Dean’s career sack total would stand near 100.

His role as an impact player became apparent very early in his career. As a rookie for the Chargers in 1975, Dean recorded seven sacks, 93 tackles (63 solo, 30 assists), and four fumble recoveries. With Dean doing his part on defense and combined with the Chargers’ high-flying offense, the team became a strong playoff contender. In 1978, he recorded 15.5 sacks as the Chargers posted a winning record. He followed that season by adding nine sacks in 1979 and 10.5 in 1980 as San Diego claimed two straight AFC Western Division championships.

Early in the 1981 season, Dean was shipped to the San Francisco 49ers were he continued to demonstrate his extraordinary talent. Dean contributed 12 sacks in 11 games for the 49ers en route to the team’s first Super Bowl victory.

Dean’s finest year came two seasons later when he led the NFC with a career-high 17.5 sacks. Included in that total was a then NFL record six sacks in one game. He set the mark during the 49ers’ 27-0 shutout of the New Orleans Saints on November 13, 1983.

In all, Dean played on five division winners. He played in three NFC championship games and in two of San Francisco’s Super Bowl victories (Super Bowls XVI and XIX). Dean earned all-conference honors four times – twice with the Chargers and twice with the 49ers.

He was also named to four Pro Bowls (1980-1982, 1984) and selected All-Pro twice (1980-1981).

Fred\'s Career Stats

Art Donovan

Art Donovan, the son of a famous boxing referee of the same name, first played football at Mount St. Michael\'s High School in the Bronx. Somehow he was overlooked on the all-metropolitan prep team and, when he played college football at Boston College, the best Art could do was second-team All-New England.

But in the professional ranks, it was a different story for Art, whose World War II service stint so put off his college career that he was a 26-year old rookie when he joined the Baltimore Colts in 1950. The hapless Colts folded after one season, and Art moved to the New York Yanks in 1951, then played for the Dallas Texans in 1952.

In 1953, the well-traveled Donovan returned to Baltimore to play for the new Colts team and, as the Colts developed into a championship team, Donovan developed into one of the best defensive tackles in league history.

Artie was ready for stardom. Big, strong, fast and smart, Donovan was also one of the most popular players in the league. He was an All-NFL selection in 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, and 1958. In addition, he played in five straight Pro Bowls.

The Baltimore Colts\' great title teams of 1958 and 1959 featured a terrific defensive line, with future Hall of Fame defensive end Gino Marchetti, Don Joyce, “Big Daddy” Lipscomb, and Donovan, who by then had become the complete player. He was equally adept at rushing the passer, reading keys, closing off the middle, and splitting double team blocks. He had the reputation of being almost impossible to trap.

As great of a contributor as he was on the field, many feel he was at least as valuable to the Colts as a morale builder with his sharp wit and contagious laughter. The first Colts player elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Donovan played 12 seasons in the NFL.

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