Dwight Stephenson
No. 57 | |||||
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Position: | Center | ||||
Personal information | |||||
Born: | Murfreesboro, North Carolina, U.S. | November 20, 1957||||
Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||
Weight: | 250 lb (113 kg) | ||||
Career information | |||||
High school: | Hampton (Hampton, Virginia) | ||||
College: | Alabama | ||||
NFL draft: | 1980 / Round: 2 / Pick: 48 | ||||
Career history | |||||
Career highlights and awards | |||||
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Career NFL statistics | |||||
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Player stats at NFL.com | |||||
Dwight Eugene Stephenson (born November 20, 1957) is an American former professional
Early life and college
Stephenson was born in Murfreesboro, North Carolina. He played college football at the University of Alabama under coach Bear Bryant. Bryant called Stephenson the best center he ever coached, and described him as "a man among children".[3] He was the Crimson Tide's starting center from 1977 to 1979, and was a member of Alabama's back-to-back national championship teams of 1978 and 1979.[4] He was a two-time second-team All-American; in 1978 by United Press International (UPI)[5] and 1979 by the Associated Press (AP) and UPI.[6][7] "His speed, his foot quickness, was off the chart," said Mike Brock, a former Alabama lineman. "You couldn't compare it to other people who played at that time. There was no way for defenses to deal with him."[4]
Professional career
Stephenson was drafted by
With the exceptionally explosive Stephenson as offensive captain, the Dolphins offensive line gave up the fewest sacks in the NFL for a record six straight seasons, from 1982 to 1987,[8] which doubled the length of the previous record. He retired from pro football in 1987, after sustaining a left knee injury in a play involving New York Jets Marty Lyons and Joe Klecko.
Stephenson was voted as an All-Pro five consecutive times from 1983 to 1987. He was selected to play on five
Honors and later life
On December 12, 1994 Stephenson was added to the Miami Dolphins Honor Roll.
Despite the brevity of his career, in
In 1998, Stephenson was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was quoted as saying that "I know I’m not going to make every block, but I don’t like to ever get beat. That’s what keeps me motivated. There’s always the next play to get ready for.”[1]
In 2005, Stephenson was named the Walter Camp Man of the Year.
He is the namesake of Pro Football Focus' annual Dwight Stephenson Award, honoring the player the website considers best in the NFL regardless of position.[10]
After retiring from football, as of 2013, Stephenson had worked as a construction manager and general contractor in Florida. He remains a strong supporter of the University of Alabama's football team.[11]
References
- ^ a b "Dwight Stephenson | Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site".
- ^ "1998 Pro Football Hall of Fame Ballot". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
- ^ "Dwight Stephenson Chat Transcript". profootballhof.com. Pro Football Hall of Fame. October 20, 2000. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
- ^ a b Johnson, Dave (July 31, 1998). "Dwight Stephenson: From Hampton To Canton: On The Center Stage". Daily Press. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
- ^ "UPI All-America Team". The Salina Journal. December 5, 1978. p. 13. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
- ^ "Southern Cal star White repeats as All-America". The Pantagraph. December 5, 1979. p. B4. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
- ^ "UPI All-America: Trojans Grab 3 Berths". The Daily News (Huntingdon). December 4, 1979. p. 5. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
- ^ a b "Dwight Stephenson Bio". Pro Football Hall of Fame. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
- ^ Smothers, Jimmy (February 7, 1986). "Just Scribblin' On Sports". Gadsden Times. p. D1. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
- ^ "The Dwight Stephenson Award". profootballfocus.com. Pro Football Focus. January 10, 2013. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
- ^ Hicks, Tommy (March 9, 2013). "Football played huge role in Dwight Stephenson's life (photos & video)". The Birmingham News. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
External links
- Pro Football Hall of Fame: Member profile