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Pat Fischer

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This article is about the American football player. For other people with similar names, see Patrick Fischer (disambiguation).

Pat Fischer
No. 37
Position:Cornerback
Personal information
Born:(1940-01-02)January 2, 1940
St. Edward, Nebraska, U.S.
Died:October 8, 2024(2024-10-08) (aged 84)
Ashburn, Virginia, U.S.
Height:5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Weight:170 lb (77 kg)
Career information
High school:Westside (Omaha, Nebraska)
College:Nebraska
NFL draft:1961 / round: 17 / pick: 232
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Interceptions:56
Interceptions yards:941
Touchdowns:4
Stats at Pro Football Reference Edit this at Wikidata

Patrick Fischer (January 2, 1940 – October 8, 2024) was an American professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL) for the St. Louis Cardinals from 1961 to 1967, and the Washington Redskins from 1968 to 1977. He played college football for the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

Early life

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Fischer was born January 2, 1940 in St. Edward, Nebraska.[1] He was the eighth of nine children born to Joe and Viola Fischer.[2] The family moved to Omaha in 1955 and as a junior he attended Westside High School in Omaha.[2] He was named all-state in 1956.[2] Fischer is a member of the Nebraska High School Sports Hall of Fame.[3]

He attended the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. At Nebraska, he played safety, tailback (as a sophomore and junior) and quarterback (senior year), and holds a school record 18.33 yard punt return average.[4][1] In 1960, he was selected team captain along with future NFL teammate Ron McDole, and won Nebraska’s Tom Novak Trophy. In 1974, he was inducted into the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame.[1] Three older brothers also played football at Nebraska, with two joining him in Nebraska’s hall of fame.[1]

Professional career

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St. Louis Cardinals

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Fischer was pursued by both the National Football League and the American Football League, albeit late due to concerns over his size. He was selected by the by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 17th round of the 1961 NFL draft.[5] He was also recruited by the Dallas Texans. He described the latter as a “fallback. I thought the NFL was the better league. If I didn’t make the Cardinals, I could always go on and try out for the Chiefs."[6]

Fischer was used for occasional kick returns in his rookie season and he recorded no defensive statistics that year.[7] That would change in his second season, in limited form. In the September 16 game against Philadelphia, he recorded his first interception off future hall of fame quarterback Sonny Jurgensen.[8][9][10] He played in 12 of the Cardinals 14 games in 1962, starting 6 or 8 games.[11][7][12][13] He recorded two more interceptions that season.[7] He made improvement in time with the 1963 season, which saw him start all 14 games, with 8 total interceptions,[7][14] which included a two-interception game on December 8 against Philadelphia.[15] Fischer again started all 14 games in 1964, with ten interceptions and two returned for touchdowns[7][14] in back-to-back games, and two games with multiple interceptions.[citation needed]

In 1964, Fischer was named first team All-Pro by the Associated Press (AP), United Press International (UPI), the Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA), and first team All-Conference by The Sporting News.[7][16] He was also named to the Pro Bowl.[17] In 1965, The Sporting News again selected Fischer as first team All-Conference and UPI selected him second team All-Pro.[7] He was also chosen to play in the 1965 Pro Bowl.[16]

Washington Redskins

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Injuries limited Fischer in 1966, where he had just one interception. Fischer had disputes with Cardinal head coach Charley Winner that influenced him to leave the Cardinals in free agency.[6] Fischer signed with Washington as a free agent in 1968.[18] In the first of only four times the NFL exercised the Rozelle rule, the Cardinals received a 1969 second-round selection (35th overall–Rolf Krueger) and a 1970 third-round pick (69th overall–Colorado defensive back Eric Harris) as compensation.[19][20][21][22] He was a 1969 Pro Bowler.[23] The 1971 season saw the arrival of George Allen as head coach,[24] and he instituted an approach to using veteran players exclusively to the point where his teams would be dubbed the "Over-the-Hill Gang",[25] as the average age of starters was over the age of 30. Fischer would play a key part for the team in the following years.

In 1972, the Redskins won the NFC Championship Game of the 1972–73 NFL playoffs against the Dallas Cowboys. Washington limited future hall of fame quarterback Roger Staubach to only 9 completions in 20 attempts for 98 passing yards, and had three sacks.[26] Fischer and Mike Bass, the other cornerback, were particularly successful in shutting down the Cowboys wide receivers, Ron Sellers, Billy Parks, and Lance Alworth, who had four combined catches for 65 yards.[26][25] Washington lost in Super Bowl VII to the Miami Dolphins, 14-7. Although Washington's defense allowed only 69 net passing yards, it could not stop Miami's running game (184 rushing yards); though other than Larry Csonka’s single 49-yard run, the Dolphins had only 135 yards on 36 rushing attempts, with only 12 total first downs for the entire game (Washington having 16 first downs and 141 yards on 36 rushing attempts).[27][25]

Fischer recorded his first and only playoff interception in 1974 against the Rams in a 19–10 loss in the Divisional Round.[28] Fischer would record his last interception on December 5, 1976, against the New York Jets.[29] He would play three games in the 1977 season,[7] but not record a statistic in any of them. A back injury led to his retirement that year.[25]

While playing for Washington, The Sporting News named him first-team All-Conference in 1968 and 1969, and the AP named him first-team All-Conference in 1975. The NEA selected Fischer second-team All-Pro in 1972.[7]

Legacy

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Fischer finished his 17-year career with 56 interceptions, and he ranks seventh all-time in Washington career interceptions with 27 and fourth all-time with 412 career interception return yards.[25] The 56 interceptions were tied for 6th most in NFL history. In a near half-century since his retirement, he still ranks among the top 20 all-time.[30][25] At the time of his retirement, Fischer had played in 213 NFL games, then a record for a cornerback.[16]

He was well known for his strong tackling skills despite his diminutive size. Some of Fischer's most memorable defensive match-ups occurred against Philadelphia Eagles receiver Harold Carmichael who stood eleven inches taller than Fischer.[31] Fischer's mantra "get a leg up and you own him"[32] is used today to motivate and teach smaller defensive backs how to defend taller wide receivers.[citation needed] The 6 ft 8 in Carmichael said Fischer was one of his toughest defenders.[33] Carmichael said one technique Fischer and Washington used against him was to cut his knees at the line of scrimmage as the play began, which Washington called the "Sequoia Ax"; and which is no longer permitted in the NFL.[34]

Fischer's tackling technique applied to bigger running backs as well, like Jim Brown or Larry Csonka, "'Stay low, keep my head up and, when I make contact, lift and take one of his legs away from him. If I get him off the ground with one leg, I'm going to win the war, because now he doesn't have any power. He has to have both legs driving in order for him to run over me.'"[22]

Fischer, alongside fellow Cardinal defensive back Larry Wilson were prolific defenders, and the Cardinals, in attempting to deal with the problem of having a defensive hole left by a charging Wilson in the safety blitz, found a way to try and deal with the problem in the "Bump and run coverage",[citation needed] in which Fischer would physically harass receivers. Fischer was not the first to utilize the tactic, as it started with Willie Brown early in the decade of the 1960s, but Fischer and defensive coordinator Chuck Drulis utilized the coverage to great effect.[35][36][22] Fischer is considered one of the earliest to use the technique, which he believed originated with cornerback Abe Woodson, who became a teammate of Fischer's with the Cardinals in 1965-66.[22][37]

In the late 1980s, NFL Films named Fischer as the Redskins All-Time Neutralizer sponsored by Tums. After retiring from the Redskins, Fischer worked as a stockbroker and owned a successful real estate business.[38] In 2003, he was named to the Professional Football Researchers Association Hall of Very Good in the association's inaugural HOVG class.[39]

Legendary football quarterback Johnny Unitas said of Fischer, "'if he hits you, he'll knock your socks off!'"[22]

Fischer was nicknamed "The Mouse" for his relatively small size.[40]

He is a member of the Washington Commanders Ring of Fame.[2]

Personal life and death

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Fischer had two children.[38] After retirement, he worked in real estate, investment banking, public speaking and training and owned race horses.[22]

In 2014, it was reported that Fischer was suffering from "dementia, cognitive decline, and severe memory loss"[41] and was residing in an assisted-living facility in Ashburn, Virginia.[38][42] Fischer died in Ashburn on October 8, 2024, at the age of 84.[38]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Pat Fischer - Football 1960". University of Nebraska - Official Athletics Website. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d Pospisil, Stu (October 8, 2024). "Omaha Westside grad, Nebraska football and NFL legend Pat Fischer dies at 84". York News-Times. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  3. ^ "Pat Fischer – Omaha Westside – Nebraska High School Sports Hall of Fame". Retrieved December 7, 2024.
  4. ^ Janis, Robert (June 30, 2008). "Whatever happened to ... Pat Fischer". Washington Times. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
  5. ^ Denny, Stephen (March 31, 2011). Killing Giants: 10 Strategies to Topple the Goliath in Your Industry. Penguin. pp. 197–200. ISBN 9781591843832. Retrieved October 10, 2024 – via Internet Archive.
  6. ^ a b Underwood, Bob (January 2, 2022). "Big Red Tough Guy: Pat Fischer". THE BIG RED ZONE. Retrieved December 7, 2024.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Pat Fischer Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 7, 2024.
  8. ^ "Pat Fischer Career Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
  9. ^ "St. Louis Cardinals at Philadelphia Eagles – September 16th, 1962". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
  10. ^ "Sonny Jurgensen | Pro Football Hall of Fame". pfhof. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
  11. ^ "1962 St. Louis Cardinals (NFL) Scores, Roster, Stats , Coaches, Draft". profootballarchives.com. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
  12. ^ "St. Louis Cardinals at Green Bay Packers - September 23, 1962 Game Statistics". www.profootballarchives.com. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
  13. ^ "St. Louis Cardinals at Washington Redskins - September 30, 1962 Game Statistics". profootballarchives.com. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
  14. ^ a b "Pat Fischer Pro Football Stats, Position, College, Transactions". www.profootballarchives.com. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
  15. ^ "Philadelphia Eagles at St. Louis Cardinals – December 8th, 1963". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
  16. ^ a b c "Hall of Very Good, Class of 2003, Professional Football Researchers". Profootballresearchers.org.
  17. ^ "1964 NFL Pro Bowlers". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
  18. ^ "Pat Fischer". www.commanders.com. Retrieved December 7, 2024.
  19. ^ Mackey v. National Football League, 407 F. Supp. 1000 (D. Minn. 1975) – Justia.com. Retrieved December 11, 2023.
  20. ^ "1969 NFL/AFL Common Draft Pick Transactions". ProSportsTransactions.com. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
  21. ^ "1970 NFL Draft Pick Transactions". ProSportsTransactions.com. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
  22. ^ a b c d e f Shapiro, Leonard (October 9, 2024). "Undersized cornerback was a fierce competitor". Washington Post.
  23. ^ "1969 NFL Pro Bowlers". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 7, 2024.
  24. ^ "George Allen Record, Statistics, and Category Ranks". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
  25. ^ a b c d e f Lichtenstein, Hannah (October 8, 2024). "Former Washington cornerback Pat Fischer passes away at 84". www.commanders.com. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
  26. ^ a b "NFC Championship - Dallas Cowboys at Washington Redskins - December 31st, 1972". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
  27. ^ "Super Bowl VII - Miami Dolphins vs. Washington Redskins - January 14th, 1973". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 7, 2024.
  28. ^ "Divisional Round – Washington Redskins at Los Angeles Rams – December 22nd, 1974". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
  29. ^ "Washington Redskins at New York Jets - December 5th, 1976". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
  30. ^ "NFL Career Interceptions Leaders Through 1977". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
  31. ^ Lambert, Ivan (October 9, 2024). "Washington tough guy NFL legend Pat Fischer dies at 84". Commanders Wire. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
  32. ^ Kirby, Leonard (October 7, 2017). "Redskins Ring of Fame: Pat Fischer". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
  33. ^ Reid, Ron (December 11, 1978). "The Philly Story: A Tall Tale". Sports Illustrated.
  34. ^ Domowitch, Paul (August 6, 2021). "Eagles great Harold Carmichael finally gets his Hall of Fame enshrinement". Philadelpha Inquirer.
  35. ^ Borges, Ron (October 22, 2019). "Willie Brown invented the bump-and-run, with emphasis on the BUMP!". Talk Of Fame. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
  36. ^ "Pat Fischer: Legends Profile".
  37. ^ "Abe Woodson Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
  38. ^ a b c d Shapiro, Leonard (October 8, 2024). "Pat Fischer, undersized NFL defensive back, dies at 84". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
  39. ^ "Hall of Very Good". Archived from the original on April 7, 2019. Retrieved May 24, 2016.
  40. ^ Shapiro, Leonard (February 2, 2018). "They were the first Redskins to play in the Super Bowl. Decades later, they're paying the price". The Washington Post. Known as 'the Mouse,' Fischer was listed in the team's media guide as 5-foot-9 and 170 pounds, both exaggerations on the high side.
  41. ^ Fenno, Nathan (November 7, 2012). "Fight for old D.C. left a trail of injuries". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
  42. ^ Shapiro, Leonard (February 2, 2018). "They were the first Redskins to play in the Super Bowl. Decades later, they're paying the price". The Washington Post.
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