Dan Dierdorf

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Dierdorf played college football for the Michigan Wolverines from 1968 to 1970 and was selected as a consensus All-America in 1970 and a first-team All-Big Ten Conference player in 1969 and 1970. He was inducted into the University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor in 1996 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 2000. Playing in the NFL for St. Louis, he was selected by the National Football League Players Association as the Offensive Lineman of the Year for three consecutive years from 1976 to 1978. Between 1974 and 1980, he played in the Pro Bowl six times and was chosen as a first-team All-Pro five times. He was named to the NFL 1970s All-Decade Team and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1996. Since his playing career ended, Dierdorf has worked as a broadcaster. He worked for the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) from 1987 to 1999, including 12 seasons as color analyst on Monday Night Football. He was then part of the NFL on CBS team as an announcer for 15 years from 1999 to 2013. For the 2014 through 2021 seasons, he was the color analyst for Michigan Wolverines football radio broadcasts. In 2008, Dierdorf received the Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award from the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

In Their Own Story

On September 9, 1979, Dierdorf sustained torn ligaments in his left knee during an extra point attempt against the New York Giants. He described the injury vividly: 'The knee was completely out of the socket... My leg was all twisted around and my foot was pointing in the wrong direction.' After undergoing surgery and missing the remainder of that season, he returned to start all 16 games at right tackle in both the 1980 and 1981 seasons. In 1982, he moved to center for a strike-shortened nine-game season before returning to right tackle in 1983. On October 11, 1983, after the Cardinals began with a 1–5 record, Dierdorf announced his retirement, stating, 'Physically, I just can't play the type of game I want to.'

Reader's Guide

From 1974 to 1976, Dierdorf started every game at right tackle for the Cardinals during a three-year span in which the team compiled records of 10–4, 11–3, and 10–4 under head coach Don Coryell. In 1977, Dierdorf sustained a broken jaw and missed two games to injury as the Cardinals fell to 7–7. In 1978, Dierdorf started all 16 games at right tackle for the Cardinals.

Did You Know?

• Dierdorf did not allow a sack during the entire 1976 and 1977 seasons.
• He was selected by the NFL Players Association as the Offensive Lineman of the Year for three consecutive years from 1976 to 1978.
• Dierdorf sustained torn ligaments in his left knee in 1979 and missed the remainder of that season.