| No. 56, 82 | |||||||||
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| Position: | Defensive end / defensive tackle | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | July 3, 1943 Norfolk, Virginia, U.S. | ||||||||
| Died: | August 18, 2010 (aged 67) Knoxville, Tennessee, U.S. | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Oscar F. Smith (South Norfolk, Virginia) | ||||||||
| College: | Tennessee | ||||||||
| NFL draft: | 1965 / round: 1 / pick: 6 | ||||||||
| AFL draft: | 1965 / round: 1 / pick: 6 (by the San Diego Chargers) | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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Steven Cyril DeLong (July 3, 1943 – August 18, 2010) was an American professional football defensive lineman who played in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL). He was a first round draft selection in both the AFL and NFL drafts in 1965.[1][2] He played collegiately for the University of Tennessee, and professionally for the San Diego Chargers and Chicago Bears. In 1969 with San Diego, he set a team record with 17 sacks, a mark which stood until Gary Johnson had 17+1⁄2 in 1980.[3] He was traded from the Chargers to the Bears on July 26, 1972, for a fourth-round selection in the 1973 NFL draft (84th overall–Jim Thaxton).[4][5]
DeLong was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame in 2000. He was the father of professional football player Keith DeLong, who also played for the University of Tennessee.
- ^ "1965 AFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 16, 2024.
- ^ "1965 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 16, 2024.
- ^ Smith, Rick (1981). 1981 San Diego Chargers Facts Book. San Diego Chargers. p. 41.
- ^ "Triple-holdout has Vikings talking trade," The Associated Press (AP), Thursday, July 27, 1972. Retrieved February 22, 2023.
- ^ 1973 NFL Draft Pick Transactions, January 30 (Rounds 1–7) & 31 (Rounds 8–17) – Pro Sports Transactions. Retrieved February 22, 2023.