Linebacker, Houston
Oilers
Age: 22
College: Jackson
State
Height: 6’4” Weight: 235
Prelude:
Originally a
tight end in college, Brazile was shifted to linebacker with great success,
achieving All-conference honors in 1974 and participating in the Senior Bowl.
Jackson State won back-to-back SWAC championships in 1972 and ’73. The Oilers
chose Brazile in the first round of the 1975 NFL dratt (sixth overall, and the
first linebacker taken), and proved to be a good fit on the outside as new Head
Coach Bum Phillips shifted to a 3-4 defense.
1975 Season Summary
Appeared and
started in all 14 games
[Bracketed
numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]
Sacks – N/A
Interceptions
– 0
Fumble
recoveries – 5
Awards &
Honors:
NFL Defensive
Rookie of the Year: AP, PFWA
AFC Rookie of
the Year: UPI, NEA, Sporting News
2nd
team All-AFC: UPI
Oilers went 10-4
to finish third in the AFC Central while leading the conference in fewest
rushing yards allowed (1680). It was the team’s first winning record since
1967.
Aftermath:
“Dr. Doom”
followed up his outstanding rookie season by gaining selection to the Pro Bowl
for the first of seven straight years in 1976. A hard hitter with great range,
he was highly effective as a pass rusher. He didn’t miss a game in his ten-year
career, appearing in a total of 147 regular season contests and seven in the
postseason. In addition to his Pro Bowl selections, he was a consensus
first-team All-NFL selection twice, in 1978 and ’79, and received all-league or
all-conference honors after five other seasons. While sacks were not an
official statistic during his prime years, he was unofficially credited with 48
(officially he had 11 in his final three seasons) and the team also credited
him with 1281 tackles. Brazile also intercepted 13 passes and recovered 14
fumbles.
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Rookie of the Year Profiles feature players who were named Rookie
of the Year in the NFL (including NFC/AFC), AFL (1960-69), or USFL (1983-85) by
a recognized organization (Associated Press – Offense or Defense, Newspaper
Enterprise Association, United Press International, The Sporting News, or the
league itself – Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year).
