Dan Dierdorf
The offensive tackle who anchored the St. Louis Cardinals line for over a decade.
Daniel Lee Dierdorf is a former professional football player who played 13 seasons (1971–1983) as an offensive tackle for the St. Louis Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the NFL Players Association as the Offensive Lineman of the Year for three consecutive years from 1976 to 1978. Between 1974 and 1980, he played in the Pro Bowl six times and was chosen as a first-team All-Pro five times.
- Role
- Offensive Tackle
- Affiliation
- St. Louis Cardinals
- Draft Year
- 1971
- Pro Bowl Selections
- 6
- All-Pro Honors
- 5x First Team
- Legacy Status
- Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductee (1996)
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
Dierdorf played college football for the Michigan Wolverines from 1968 to 1970, earning consensus All-America honors in 1970 and first-team All-Big Ten status in both 1969 and 1970. He was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the second round (43rd overall pick) of the 1971 NFL draft. During his peak years from 1974 to 1978, he started every game at right tackle for three consecutive seasons under head coach Don Coryell. He did not allow a sack during the entire 1976 and 1977 seasons.
In Their Own Story
On September 9, 1979, Dierdorf sustained torn ligaments in his left knee during an extra point attempt against the New York Giants. He described the injury vividly: 'The knee was completely out of the socket... My leg was all twisted around and my foot was pointing in the wrong direction.' After undergoing surgery and missing the remainder of that season, he returned to start all 16 games at right tackle in both the 1980 and 1981 seasons. In 1982, he moved to center for a strike-shortened nine-game season before returning to right tackle in 1983. On October 11, 1983, after the Cardinals began with a 1–5 record, Dierdorf announced his retirement, stating, 'Physically, I just can't play the type of game I want to.'
Reader's Guide
Dierdorf played for the St. Louis Cardinals from 1971 through 1983. He was named to the NFL 1970s All-Decade Team and inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1996. Following his playing career, he worked as a broadcaster for ABC (1987–1999) and CBS (1999–2013). He served as the color analyst for Michigan Wolverines football radio broadcasts from 2014 through 2021. In 2008, he received the Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award from the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Did You Know?
- Dierdorf did not allow a sack during the entire 1976 and 1977 seasons.
- He was selected as a consensus All-America in 1970 while playing for the University of Michigan.
- In 1982, Dierdorf moved to center and started all nine games in a strike-shortened season.
- Dierdorf received the Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award from the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2008.
- He played 13 seasons (1971–1983) exclusively for the St. Louis Cardinals.
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