Leonard Marshall

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Leonard Marshall
'
Position(s):
Defensive end		 Jersey #(s):
70
Born: October 22, 1961 (1961-10-22) (age 46)
Franklin, Louisiana
Career Information
Year(s): 1983–1994
NFL Draft: 1983 / Round: 2 / Pick: 37
College: LSU
Professional Teams
Career Stats
Sacks     83.5
Games     177
INT     2
Stats at NFL.com
Career Highlights and Awards

Leonard Allen Marshall Jr. (born October 22, 1961) is a former American football defensive lineman who played twelve seasons in the National Football League (NFL). Marshall played defensive end for the New York Giants for 10 seasons, then played a season each as a defensive tackle for the New York Jets and Washington Redskins. He was a starter on the Giants teams that won Super Bowl XXI and Super Bowl XXV.

Marshall was drafted by the Giants in the second round (#37 overall as the fourth defensive lineman in the draft) out of Louisiana State University (LSU) in the 1983 NFL Draft. He was selected to the Pro Bowl for his performances in the 1985, 1986, and 1991 seasons and finished his career with 83.5 in the regular season and another twelve sacks in the post seasons quarterback sacks. He currently is a professor of Sports Management and Executive-in-Residence at Seton Hall University and runs an annual instructional camp for youth football players in south Florida.

Contents

[edit] Early life and college

Marshall was born in Franklin, Louisiana. He was the oldest of seven children, whose father, Leonard Marshall Sr., was a foreman at a shipyard.[1] Initially, Marshall's father did not like the idea of his son playing football, as he thought it was a stupid game that would prevent him son from doing more productive things.[2] Later in his life however, Marshall Sr. expressed happiness over his son's success, and even rooted against his beloved Dallas Cowboys when his son's Giants teams played them.[2] At the age of 19 Leonard met Janice Milburn, who was eight years his senior, and they dated when he was 19. She had a then an eight year old son, Rod Milburn Jr., who is the son of Olympic Gold Medal winning high hurdler Rod Milburn. Milburn Jr. was eight years old when Marshall and Milburn dated.[1]

Marshall majored in Business Management at Louisiana State University and was a member of the Omega Phi Psi fraternity.[3] He chose the school over the University of Alabama and it's Hall of Fame coach Bear Bryant, because of the school's academic reputation and because it allowed him to stay close to home.[1] Marshall played a crucial role in LSU's 1982 victory over Alabama, making several key tackles and prompting Bryant to state his regret in a post-game press conference for his inability to recruit Marshall.[4] The team finished 8–3–1[5] and narrowly lost, 21–20, to the University of Nebraska in the Orange Bowl.[6] He was named the team's defensive Most Valuable Player for his performance in the 1982 season.[7]

[edit] NFL career

Marshall was selected with the number 37 selection overall in the 1983 NFL Draft. At the time Los Angeles Raiders managing general partner Al Davis described him as the steal of the draft.[8] In his rookie season Marshall initially struggled with weight problems which drew the ire of the coaching staff.[8] After trimming down, Marshall made an impact and played strongly against the run[9] but was unable to mount much of a pass rush and finished with a meager .5 sacks on the season.[10] He improved rapidly and recorded 6.5 sacks in 1984.[10] He recorded several key tackles to help the Giants preserve a crucial 16–13 win over the Los Angeles Rams during the season.[11] His emergence as a pass rusher continued in 1985 and he finished with 15.5 sacks,[10] and was named NFL defensive lineman of the year.[12][13] He repeated that honor in 1986[12] as he finished with 12 sacks.[10] He teamed with Hall of Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor to form a potent pass rush on the right side of the Giants defense. The Giants finished 14–2 and advanced to the Super Bowl where they faced the Denver Broncos. Marshall recorded two sacks in the Giants 39–20 victory.[14]

Marshall recorded 8 sacks in 10 games played in the strike shortened 1987 season.[10] The Giants struggled to a 6–9–1 record in 1987 before rebounding to finish 10–6 in 1988.[15] Marshall again recorded 8 sacks as he split time with fellow defensive end John Washington.[10][16] Marshall recorded 9.5 sacks in 1989,[10] and the Giants lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Rams. Marshall later described this season as a lost opportunity as he felt the Giants had the best team in the league that season.[14] Marshall engaged in a prolonged contract holdout leading up to the 1990 season.[17] He reported late, and after initially struggling to regain his job,[17] recovered to record 4.5 sacks during the season.[10] The Giants started out 10–0 and finished 13–3. They advanced to the NFC Championship game where the two-time defending Super Bowl champions San Francisco 49ers awaited them.

Marshall is probably best known for his hit in that knocked Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana out of the 1990 NFC Championship game. In the fourth quarter he hit Montana so hard that he suffered a bruised sternum, bruised stomach, cracked ribs, and a broken hand.[18] This would be the last game Montana would ever start for the 49ers.[18] In 2007, the hit was ranked as the third most "devastating hit" in NFL history by Fox Sports Net,[19] and the third most "devastating hit" in sports history by The Best Damn Sports Show Period.[20] Marshall finished the game with four tackles, two sacks, and two forced fumbles, and was named NFL defensive player of the week.[14] He also recorded one sack in the Giants Super Bowl XXV victory over the Buffalo Bills.[14]

Marshall continued to play at a high level in 1991 and finished the season with 11 sacks.[10] He failed to get along with new Giants coach Ray Handley however, and got into a well publicized shouting match during halftime of a game against Dallas early in the 1992 season.[21] He recorded 4 sacks in 1992[10] and left the Giants via free agency following the season. After a season each with the New York Jets and Washington Redskins, in which he recorded two sacks in each season,[10] Marshall retired at the age of 33. In 1996 he signed a ceremonial contract which allowed him to retire as a Giant. Upon signing the contract he stated, "I wanted to retire as a Giant because it's where my career began. They were people who believed in my talents and helped mold me into the man I am today, and I wanted to thank them for that."[22]

Marshall finished his career with 83.5 sacks in the regular season and 11 sacks in the post seasons during his career, and was selected to 3 Pro Bowls. His total of 79.5 as a Giant ranks him fifth in team history.[14] He averaged nearly 10 sacks a season from 1985 to 1991, and posted double digit sack totals 3 times.[10]

[edit] Post NFL life

Since his NFL career ended Marshall has hosted the annual Leonard Marshall Football Academy Camp which trains football players aged 8-18.[23] The camp uses an extensive list of current and former NFL Pro Bowlers,[24] to help teach the fundamentals of football in a non-contact setting. It is organized each June in south Florida. The camp also offers scholarships annually to 50 underprivileged youths who qualified through the Marvin Jones Foundation.[25]

Marshall hosted a radio show on WFAN entitled the Leonard Marshall Show which was recorded in Hollywood, Florida near Marshall's former residence in Boca Raton, Florida.[26] Marshall also appeared on radio during his five-year stint on The Howard Stern Show where he co-hosted NY Football (CBS).[26] Marshall is a noted philanthropist who has received several awards in recognition of his charitable work.[26]

Marshall has also worked as an entrepreneur. Among his early ventures he was the Co-Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Pro Star Athletic, a licensed Sports apparel company, which was later purchased by International Apparel Manufacturers Group of New York.[27] He also founded and runs a mortgage company in south Florida.He closed his mortgage business as a result of the change of the markets and now in employed as the Vice President of Philanthropic Development for Seeman Holtz Financial Group of Boca Raton. He also consults for Athena Financial Group alongside his friend and business associate Steven Levenson, President and CEO of Athena Group.[27]

Marshall has been a resident of Mahwah, New Jersey.[28]

Marshall is currently a professor of Sports Management at Seton Hall University in South Orange, New Jersey.[29]

[edit] Career statistics

SEASON TEAM GP Sacks Int Yds TD FR Yds TD
1983 New York (Giants) 14 .5 0 0 0 0 0 0
1984 New York 16 6.5 0 0 0 0 0 0
1985 New York 16 15.5 1 3 0 0 0 0
1986 New York 16 12 1 0 0 3 0 0
1987 New York 10 8 0 0 0 0 0 0
1988 New York 15 8 0 0 0 0 0 0
1989 New York 16 9.5 0 0 0 0 0 0
1990 New York 16 4.5 0 0 0 0 0 0
1991 New York 16 11 0 0 0 0 0 0
1992 New York 14 4 0 0 0 2 0 0
1993 New York (Jets) 12 2 0 0 0 1 0 0
1993 Washington 16 2 0 0 0 1 0 0
Totals 177 83.5 2 3 0 6 0 0

* Third in the NFL.[30]

Key to Abbreviations
GP= Games Played
Int= Interception
Yds= Yards
t= Play resulted in a touchdown
TD= Touchdowns
FR= Fumbles Recovered

[edit] See also

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ a b c Eskenazi, Gerald. Giants Are Looking To Marshall at Defensive End, The New York Times, May 1, 1983, accessed May 9, 2007.
  2. ^ a b Litsky, Frank. For Masrshall (sic), Solid Level of Success, The New York Times, January 4, 1986, accessed May 12, 2007.
  3. ^ Famous Greeks by greek101.com, greek101.com, accessed May 12, 2007.
  4. ^ Mulé. pg. 156–59
  5. ^ Louisiana State University Tigers - All Season Records, cfreference.net, accessed May 12, 2007.
  6. ^ Orange Bowl - All Games, cfreference.net, accessed May 12, 2007.
  7. ^ 2005 LSU Media Guide (PDF), lsusports.net, accessed May 12, 2007.
  8. ^ a b Litsky, Frank. Heaviest Giant Is Making Slow Progress, The New York Times, July 31, 1983, accessed May 9, 2007.
  9. ^ Litsky, Frank. Giants' Draft Picks Provide Optimism, The New York Times, October 30, 1983, accessed May 9, 2007.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Leonard Marshall, databasefootball.com, accessed February 24, 2007.
  11. ^ Anderson, Dave. Giants halt late Rams' rally to win, 16-13; Big Leonard's Big Tackles, The New York Times, December 24, 1984, accessed May 9, 2007.
  12. ^ a b Celebrity Charity Gala, celebritygala.com, accessed January 12, 2007.
  13. ^ Polansky, Seth. Where are they now: Leonard Marshall, NFL.com, June 7, 2006, accessed May 12, 2007.
  14. ^ a b c d e Eisen, Michael. Where are They Now? Leonard Marshall, giants.com, January 6, 2005, accessed January 13, 2007.
  15. ^ New York Giants (1925 - ), databasefootball.com, accessed May 9, 2007.
  16. ^ Rhoden, William C. N.F.L.; Marshall Feels Competition, The New York Times, August 3, 1988, accessed March 25, 2008.
  17. ^ a b Litsky, Frank. FOTTBALL (sic); Marshall Struggles to Regain Job, The New York Times, September 15, 1990, accessed March 25, 2008.
  18. ^ a b What if Leonard Marshall had not drilled Joe Montana?, espn.com, February 16, 2007, accessed May 9, 2007.
  19. ^ Hnch, Kevin. Top 10 all-time devastating hits, foxsports.com, accessed May 12, 2007.
  20. ^ Best Damn's Top 50 Devastating Hits, foxsports.com, accessed May 12, 2007.
  21. ^ Litsky, Frank. PRO FOOTBALL; Handley and His Defense Tangled at Halftime, The New York Times, September 15, 1992, accessed March 25, 2008.
  22. ^ Marshall Goes Home To Retire as a Giant, The New York Times, April 16, 1996, accessed May 9, 2007.
  23. ^ The Program, leonardmarshallfootballacademy.com, accessed January 12, 2007.
  24. ^ Featured NFL Players, leonardmarshallfootballacademy.com, accessed January 12, 2007.
  25. ^ Gitlin, Marty. Lessons On and Off the Field, giants.com, accessed May 12, 2007.
  26. ^ a b c Mr. Leonard Marshall Bio, leonardmarshallfootballacademy.com, accessed January 12, 2007.
  27. ^ a b Leonard Marshall: President, csmone.com, accessed May 12, 2007.
  28. ^ Sturken, Barbara. "Off the Field, Giants Call New Jersey Home", The New York Times, March 31, 1991. Accessed February 5, 2008.
  29. ^ Former NFL Player Talks Leadership, shu.edu, accessed January 26, 2007.
  30. ^ 1985 NFL Sacks, jt-sw.com, accessed May 12, 2007.

[edit] Sources

  • Mulé, Marty. Game of My Life: Lsu: Memorable Moments of Tigers Football, Sports Publishing LLC, 2006 ISBN 159670005X

[edit] External links

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Coaches Bill Belichick | Romeo Crennel | Tom Coughlin | Ron Erhardt | Al Groh | Ray Handley | Fred Hoaglin | Johnny Parker | Mike Pope | Mike Sweatman | Charlie Weis
Persondata
NAME Leonard Marshall
ALTERNATIVE NAMES none
SHORT DESCRIPTION American football player.
DATE OF BIRTH October 22, 1961
PLACE OF BIRTH Franklin, Louisiana
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH