Bruce Van Dyke

Bruce Van Dyke (born August 6, 1944) is a former American football guardwho played eleven seasons in the National Football League (NFL) for the Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Green Bay Packers.

Early years

Van Dyke grew up in Buckner, Missouri, and attended Fort Osage High School in Independence, Missouri. He played college football at the University of Missouri, where he was a two way starter, playing on both the offensive and defensive lines under head coach Dan Devine. As a first-team All-Big Eight Conference defensive tackle in 1965, Van Dyke played on Tigers teams that went a combined 21–8–2 from 1963 to 1965. The 1965 Missouri squad, on which he served as a captain, finished the year ranked sixth nationally, with a win over the Florida in the 1966 Sugar Bowl. Van Dyke was selected to play in the Hula Bowl in 1966, and was inducted into the University of Missouri's Intercollegiate Hall of Fame in 2001.

Professional career

Van Dyke was selected in the 12th round of the 1966 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles. He was a key player for the Pittsburgh Steelers for seven years. In 1967, during his first year with the Steelers, the team won only one game. Seven years later, in 1973, Pittsburgh won their first AFC Divisional title. In 2008, Van Dyke was named to the Steelers Legends Team.

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