Doug Plank

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Doug Plank
Date of birth	March 4, 1953 (age 54)
Place of birth	Greensburg, Pennsylvania
Position(s)	Safety
College	Ohio State
Statistics	DatabaseFootball
Team(s)
1975-1982	Chicago Bears

Douglas Walter Plank (born March 4, 1953 in Greensburg, Pennsylvania) is a former American football safety in the NFL. He spent his entire eight year career with the Chicago Bears. He attended Ohio State University, and Norwin School District in North Huntingdon, PA. He was named the head coach of the Georgia Force of the Arena Football League in 2005, following a tenure as the defensive coordinator for the Arizona Rattlers under Danny White. Plank was named the AFL's Coach of the Year in 2005 as he led Georgia to ArenaBowl XIX in his first year at the helm.

The famous 46 defense run by the Chicago Bears of the 1980s was named in honor of Doug Plank's jersey number. Plank was a favorite of Bears defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan for his hard hitting and aggressive style. Plank was considered one of the hardest hitting safeties in the game. That effort took a physical toll, and he retired before the Bears reached their peak in 1985. Plank and Gary Fencik were dubbed "The Hit Men", a fact referenced by Fencik in 1985's The Super Bowl Shuffle.