Earl Faison: Champion of the Gridiron
Lynda Roberts
Issue date: 10/29/08 Section: Sports
Earl Faison, former San Diego Chargers football champion and world-class athlete, has enough awards to start his own trophy shop. In addition to winning an All-American title at Indiana University, he was chosen as the American Football League Rookie of the Year in 1961 and was an AFL All-wStar from 1961 to 1965. A member of both the Chargers and AFL Hall of Fame, he was voted Defensive Player of the Year following his team's AFL Championship in 1963.
The 260-pound, 6-foot-5-inch football player was part of the defensive line known as the "Fearsome Foursome" before he retired from football in 1967, spending the next two decades as a teacher, vice principal, site administrator, and district administrator. In addition to being the first black coach in San Diego County, Faison appeared in a number of television programs and movies, including the Night Stalker, Six Million Dollar Man, and Beverly Hillbillies series; the movie Heaven Can Wait; and several television commercials.
"Having played football was one of the best things that has ever happened to me," Faison said. "Football has afforded me the opportunity to meet many great people who have been a wonderful influence in my life."
"[Players today] are a bunch of prima donnas. When I was playing we only had 33 guys on a team and only one substitute for the defensive line. We were more free-spirited and had more fun playing the game even though our rivalries were just as intense when playing against our opponents," Faison reminisced, adding, "The NFL is called the 'No Fun League' these days."
"Through the ineptness of the coaching staffs they have put the quarterback[s] in harm's way by leaving them unprotected. The league legislates rules to prevent the defender from hitting the quarterback," Faison explains. "Some innovative coaches are going back to the old 1930s and 1940s formation called 'single wing' and using a running back as a passer. It provides more protection for the passer."
The 260-pound, 6-foot-5-inch football player was part of the defensive line known as the "Fearsome Foursome" before he retired from football in 1967, spending the next two decades as a teacher, vice principal, site administrator, and district administrator. In addition to being the first black coach in San Diego County, Faison appeared in a number of television programs and movies, including the Night Stalker, Six Million Dollar Man, and Beverly Hillbillies series; the movie Heaven Can Wait; and several television commercials.
"Having played football was one of the best things that has ever happened to me," Faison said. "Football has afforded me the opportunity to meet many great people who have been a wonderful influence in my life."
"[Players today] are a bunch of prima donnas. When I was playing we only had 33 guys on a team and only one substitute for the defensive line. We were more free-spirited and had more fun playing the game even though our rivalries were just as intense when playing against our opponents," Faison reminisced, adding, "The NFL is called the 'No Fun League' these days."
"Through the ineptness of the coaching staffs they have put the quarterback[s] in harm's way by leaving them unprotected. The league legislates rules to prevent the defender from hitting the quarterback," Faison explains. "Some innovative coaches are going back to the old 1930s and 1940s formation called 'single wing' and using a running back as a passer. It provides more protection for the passer."
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