Bobby Stoops Thoughts on Wrestling and Football

Having played football at the University of Iowa and gotten to know legendary Iowa Coach Dan Gable, I have become a big fan of the sport of wrestling.

In addition to enjoying the sport, I am convinced that wrestling as a sport is extremely beneficial to football and believe that high school coaches would benefit greatly by allowing their players to wrestle and by recruiting wrestlers.

Wrestling helps develop discipline to stay in one’s stance. Wrestlers also generally have good balance, understand leverage and know how to use their hands. This benefits them in blocking, defending blocks and tackling. Perhaps the greatest benefit of wrestling is developing mental and physical toughness.

Many of the top football programs like Nebraska have a number of former wrestlers on their team. We have several and I not only allow, but have encouraged these to wrestle in the off-season.

I am a football man, but have the greatest respect for wrestling and all those who compete in wrestling.

Sincerely,

Bob Stoops
Head Football Coach
University of Oklahoma
2000 National Champions
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"I have never seen a good wrestler turn out to be a bad football player."

Kirk Ferentz
Head Football Coach
University of Iowa
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THE NFL and Wrestling

Luis Castillo, DT, San Diego Chargers (First Round Pick)

Lincoln "Drew" Hodgdon, C, Houston Texans - CA State Champ

Fred Weary, C, Houston Texans - AL State Champ

Coy Wire, SS, Buffalo Bills - PA State Champ

Roddy White, WR, Atlanta Falcons - 2x SC State Champ (First Round Pick)

Eric Ghiaciuc, C, Cincinatti Bengals - MI State Champ

Adam Seward, ILB, Carolina Panthers - NV State Champ

Mike Patterson, DT, Philadelphia Eagles (First Round Pick)

Ronnie Brown, RB, Miami Dolphins (#2 Pick)

Art Baker, RB, Buffalo Bills

Rhonde Barber, SS, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tiki Barber, RB, New York Giants

Walter Barnes, DL, Washington Redskins - SEC Champ

Eric Bateman, OL, New York Jets

Brad Benson, New York Giants – PA State Champ

Greg Boone, RB, Oakland Raiders

Jeff Bostic*, C, Washington Redskins – SC State Champ

Tedy Bruschi*, ILB, New England Patriots

Bob Bruenig*, LB, Dallas Cowboys

Phil Bryant, Philadelphia Eagles – 2x National Prep Champ

Ralph Cindrich, Houston Oilers – PA State Runner-Up

Jonathan Condo, LS, Dallas Cowboys - PA State Champ, Dapper Dan Champ

Tom Cousineau*, LB, Cleveland Browns – 3rd State

Tom Covert*, OT, Chicago Bears

Chris Cooley, WR, Washington Redskins

Roger Craig*, RB, San Francisco 49’ers

Damien Covington, LB, Buffalo Bills

Curley Culp*, DL, Kansas City Chiefs – NCAA Champ

Larry Czonka**, RB, Miami Dolphins
Hall of Fame Running Back from the Miami Dolphins, Larry Czonka, pounded opponents on the wrestling mat as well as the gridiron.

Rob Davis, ST, Green Bay Packers

Dan Dierdorff**, OT, St. Louis Cardinals

Donnie Edwards, OLB, San Diego Chargers

Carl Edwards, San Diego Chargers – 3x MD State Champ

Rob Essink, Seattle Seahawks – NCAA DII Champ

Jim Everett, QB, New Orleans Saints

DeMarco Farr, St. Louis Rams

Patrick Flannery, OL, Houston Oilers

Ed Flanagan, C, Detroit Lions

Terrell Fletcher, RB, San Diego Chargers

Bill Fralic*, G, Atlanta Falcons

Doug France*, LT, Los Angeles Rams – OH State Runner-Up

Frank Garcia, C, St. Louis Rams – 2x AZ State Champ

William George, Chicago Bears – 2x PA State Champ

Charlie Getty, RG, Kansas City Chiefs – 2x NCAA All-American

John Gilmore, TE, Chicago Bears

Kevin Glover*, C, Detroit Lions

La’Roi Glover*, DE, Dallas Cowboys

Mike Goff, G, Cincinnati Bengals

Bob Golic*, DT, Cleveland Browns – OH State Champ

Mike Golic, DE, Philadelphia Eagles

Darien Gordon, PR/CB, Denver Broncos

Scottie Graham, RB, Minnesota Vikings

Tim Green, DE, Atlanta Falcons

Kelly Gregg, NT, Baltimore Ravens, 3x KS State Champ

Morlon Greenwood, OLB, Miami Dolphins

Archie Griffin, HB, Cincinnati Bengals

Nick Griesen, LB, New York Giants

Randy Grossman, TE, Pittsburgh Steelers

John Hannah**, G, New England Patriots

Carlton Haselrig*, Pittsburgh Steelers, 3x NCAA Champ

Ron Heller, TE, Seattle Seahawks

Chad Hennings, DT, Dallas Cowboys – IA State Champ

Jay Hilgenberg*, C, Chicago Bears – IA State Runner-Up

Orlando Huff, MLB, Seattle Seahawks

Corey Hulsy, G, Oakland Raiders

Bo Jackson*, RB, Oakland Raiders

Mario Johnson, DT, New England Patriots

Dahanie Jones, LB, New York Giants

Henry Jordan**, DT, Green Bay Packers

Dave Joyner, OL, Green Bay Packers

John Jurkovich*, DT, Cleveland Browns

Alex Karras, Detroit Lions

Tim Krumrie*, DL, Cincinnati Bengals – WI State Champ

Ernie Ladd, DL, Kansas City Chiefs

Nick Lecky, C, - KS State Champ (in 2004 NFL Draft)

Jess Lewis, LB, Houston Oilers

Ray Lewis, Pro Bowl Linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens, was a Florida 4A State Wrestling Champion at 189 lbs.

Ronnie Lott**, DB, San Francisco 49’ers

Kirk Lowdermilk*, OL, Minnesota Vikings

Sean Mahan, G, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Mike Malczyk, LS, New York Giants

Joel Mackavicka, RB, Seattle Seahawks

Steve Martin, DT, Houston Texans

Mickey Marvin, RG, Oakland Raiders

Napolean McCallum, RB, Oakland Raiders

Randle McDaniel*, G, Minnesota Vikings

Mark McDonald, SS, Arizona Cardinals

Chris McIntosh, T, Seattle Seahawks

Bryant McKinnie, T. Minnesota Vikings-

Randall McDaniel - Future Hall of Famer was a wrestler before he was named to 12 NFL Pro Bowls.

Greg Meisner, DL, Los Angeles Rams

Matt Millen*, LB, Oakland Raiders

Ronald Moore, RB, Cleveland Browns

James Mungro, HB, Indianapolis Colts

Jim Nance, FB, New England Patriots – NCAA Champ

Lorenzo Neal, FB, Tennessee Titans - NCAA Champ

Stephen Neal, OL, New England Patriots – NCAA Champ

Jeremy Newberry, C, San Francisco 49’ers

Chuck Noll, Pittsburgh Steelers – PA State Champ

Leo Nomellini*, T, San Francisco 49’ers – Big 10 Champ

Jonathan Ogden*, OT, Baltimore Ravens

Irv Pankey, Los Angeles Rams – 2x MD State Champ

David Patten, WR, New England Patriots

Scott Peters, G, New York Giants

Bob Pickens, OL, Chicago Bears

Jim Plunkett*, QB, Oakland Raiders

Dave Porter, T, Green Bay Packers

Mike Pyle, C, Chicago Bears – IA State Champ

Rocky Rasley, G, Detroit Lions

Mike Reid, Cincinnati Bengals

Eric Rhett, RB, Cleveland Browns – FL State Champ

Willie Roaf*, OT, New Orleans Saints

Warren Sapp*, DT Tampa Bay Buccaneers – FL State Champ

Mark Schlereth*, OL, Washington Redskins - Alaska State Champ

Cory Schlesinger, LB, Detroit Lions - NE State Champ

Steve Sefter, DT, Philadelphia Eagles, 2x PA State Champ & NCAA All-American

Tony Siragusa*, DT, Baltimore Ravens – NJ State Champ

Warren Sapp Pro Bowl Defensive Tackle was a Florida State Champion wrestler in High School.

Fred Smerlas*, Buffalo Bills - MA State Champ

Bruce Smith**, DE, Washington Redskins

Brad St. Louis, TE, Cincinnati Bengals

Matt Suhey, RB, Chicago Bears

Bill Szott, OL, Washington Redskins – NJ State Champ

Dave Szott, Kansas City Chiefs – NJ State Champ

Woody Thompson, RB, Atlanta Falcons – PA State Champ

Jim Thorpe**, HB, New York Giants

Mike Trgovac, DC, Carolina Panthers – OH State Champ

Kyle Turley*, T, St. Louis Rams

Ryan Turnbull, RB, Cleveland Browns

Tommy Vardell, RB, San Francisco 49’ers

Adam Vinatieri*, K, New England Patriots

John Ward, OL, New York Jets – NCAA All-American

Fred Weary, DB, St. Louis Rams

Charles White*, HB, Los Angeles Rams

Randy White*, DT, Dallas Cowboys

Cory Widmer, LB, New York Giants

Leo Wisniewski, NT, Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts - PA State Champ

Steve Wisniewski, G, Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders - CA State Champ

Ricky Williams*, RB, Miami Dolphins

Coy Wire, LB, Buffalo Bills – PA State Runner-Up

Greg Wojochowski, St. Louis Rams

*Pro-Bowler

**Hall of Famer