I'm not sure if Jack Youngblood's brain registers pain.
The guy could throw himself against offensive lineman for days on end and still be ready to tackle the ball carrier on the next play.
He was tough. If he was a steak, he would be one my grandpa cooked that I smile my way through. As a defensive end for the Los Angeles Rams, he was a menace.
Youngblood suffered a fractured left fibula prior to the 1979 NFL Playoffs. The injury might as well have been nonexistent. It did nothing to stop his pursuit of quarterbacks.
Jack Youngblood's Broken Leg Sack
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The Rams entered the postseason with a 9-7 record. Their reward was the Roger Staubach-led Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Divisional Round.
Head coach Ray Malavasi knew the strength of his football team lied on the defensive side of the ball. Youngblood was the anchor.
It's 3rd and 10. The Cowboys are deep in their own territory and need a conversion.
Staubach can't find an open man. He rolls to his right. Youngblood chases him.
Staubach barely makes it back to the line of scrimmage. The hobbled Hall of Famer leaps with all his might to catch the Dallas QB by the ankles.
Fourth down.
The fact that Youngblood could even move enough to play with a broken leg is one thing. He outdoes himself by making a real impact in a 21-19 win.
The University of Florida great helped the Rams defeat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC Championship Game to punch a ticket to Super Bowl XIV. The Pittsburgh Steelers stood in the way of the NFL crown, and the All-Pro Youngblood — broken leg and al l—waited for quarterback Terry Bradshaw.
The Steelers defeated the Rams 31-19.
It was never an option for Youngblood to sit out a football game. He could be sick, fall down the stairs, get lost in the mountains, start a second life as a grizzly bear, and he would still show up on game day.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive lineman played in 201 consecutive games during his 14-year NFL career and missed only one.
He more than earned the name "Iron Man." He pioneered it.
