| No. 64 | |
| Linebacker | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Date of birth: September 29, 1942 | |
| Place of birth: Ontario, Oregon | |
| Height: 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | Weight: 241 lb (109 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College: Oregon; Boise State | |
| NFL Draft: 1964 / Round: 3 / Pick: 29 | |
| Debuted in 1964 for the San Francisco 49ers | |
| Last played in 1974 for the San Francisco 49ers | |
| Career history | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Stats at NFL.com | |
| Pro Football Hall of Fame | |
David Wilcox (born September 29, 1942) is a former American football linebacker for the National Football League's San Francisco 49ers between 1964 and 1974. Wilcox was selected to play for seven Pro Bowls and was named All-NFL five times during his career. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000.
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After graduating from Vale High School in 1961, Dave Wilcox played collegiate football at Boise Junior College (now Boise State University) before transferring to the University of Oregon for his final two campaigns. At Boise he earned junior college All-America honors. A guard on offense and an end on defense, Wilcox played in the Hula Bowl, Coaches’ All-America Bowl, and the College All-Star game. In 1964, he became the first defensive lineman in Hula Bowl history to earn outstanding lineman honors. In 1964, both the Houston Oilers of the young American Football League and the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League sought to sign the Oregon star. The Oilers drafted him in the 6th round (46th player overall) of the AFL draft, while the 49ers tapped him in the 3rd round (29th player overall) of the NFL draft.[1]
The 6-3, 241-pound Wilcox opted to sign with the more established 49ers where he went on to star for 11 seasons. Converted to outside linebacker, Wilcox quickly established himself as one of the league’s finest. Nicknamed “The Intimidator,” he was ideally suited for the position, both mentally and physically. Known for his ability to disrupt plays, he was particularly tough on tight ends. He did not let anybody easily off the line of scrimmage whether to block or get into a pass route. Always prepared, Wilcox was a true student of the game and worked to be “fundamentally correct.”[1]
During the 1964-1974 span, the 49ers had a winning record 4 times (1965,1970,1971,1972), and made the playoffs 3 times (1970,1971,1972).[2] In 1970, San Francisco won the NFC west division title with a win-lost-tie record of 10-3-1. In a divisional game of the 1970-71 NFL playoffs, San Francisco defeated the Minnesota Vikings 17-14, holding them to 124 net passing yards and 117 yards rushing.[3] However, they lost the NFC championship game to the Dallas Cowboys.[4] In 1971, the 49ers had a particularly good year on defense, allowing only 216 points (15.4 points/game), 6th least in the NFL, winning the NFC west division with a win-lost record of 9-5. Once more they won their divisional game of the 1971-72 NFL playoffs, this time against the Washington Redskins,[5] allowing them only 99 yards rushing and 93 net passing yards, but lost the NFC championship game to Dallas.[6] In 1972, San Francisco won the NFC west division for the 3rd straight year with a record of 8-5-1, allowing on defense 249 points (17.8 points/game), 9th in the league. But they lost their divisional game of the 1972-73 NFL playoffs to Dallas, thus eliminated by the Cowboys 3 consecutive years. In those 3 years, Wilcox at left side linebacker formed a strong tandem with middle linebacker Frank Nunley and right linebacker Skip Vanderbundt.
He thrived on action and wanted it all directed his way. “What I do best,” Wilcox once stated, “is not let people block me. I just hate to be blocked.” Hall of Fame linebacker Joe Schmidt was impressed by his strength. “He gave us fits,” he remarked. “The lead block had to really come out hard to take him out because he was so strong.” Aided by his speed and long reach, he was also effective in pass coverage and managed to intercept 14 passes during his career.[1]
Following each season, San Francisco would rate their players based on their performance. The typical score for a linebacker was 750. Wilcox’s score in 1973 was 1,306. That season the veteran linebacker recorded 104 solo tackles, four forced fumbles, and tackled opposing ball carriers for a loss 13 times. Durable, Wilcox missed only one game during his career due to injury. Four times he was named All-NFL (1967, 1971, 1972, 1973) by the AP and two times All-NFC (1971, 1972). He was also selected to play in seven Pro Bowls.[1]
Wilcox was born in the Eastern Oregon city of Ontario, Oregon, and played high school football for nearby Vale Union High School.[7] He lives in Junction City, Oregon, near Eugene, where his sons Justin and Josh also played football for the Oregon Ducks.[7]
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