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Number Crunching: #7
by Chris Brophy
14/5/2009
Lucky number seven is our next port of call in this countdown (or should that be count-up?) of all the NFL jersey numbers. This is a very competitive number with many candidates from throughout history and whilst many would expect a certain Quarterback of the Denver Broncos to be the choice, the Diner turns to a charter member of the Hall Of Fame for its selection.
FD’s All Time #7: Earl (Dutch) Clark, Quarterback, (Portsmouth Spartans, Detroit Lions)
 Dutch Clark wasn’t the fastest. He wasn’t a physical specimen before his time. He wasn’t even the guy on the team with the best eye sight thanks to impaired vision in his left eye. However, he had that certain something that makes a player great. For want of a better word, Dutch Clark had it.
In college Clark had become the first All-American football player from any Colorado university and graduated in 1928 but he wouldn’t go and play pro football until 1931 when he signed on for the Portsmouth Spartans for the princely sum of $144 a game.
Although designated a quarterback Clark was really a single-wing tail back but because of his smarts and ability to throw in an era when passing the ball was still uncommon he was allowed to call signals instead of the normal practice of the lead blocking back doing it. Clark had a natural feel for the game and knew how to make the right calls at the right time. In his debut season he was rookie of the year and named All-Pro. While others attempting the majority of their team’s passes were hitting 35%, Clark was hitting over 50% as well as being an elusive runner and getting the ball into the hands of his fellow playmakers at the right time. He was considered the general of his team, he didn’t crave the limelight or want to hog it, he just made plays that you couldn’t help notice and if it was others making the big plays, he usually had a subtle hand in it.
In his second season he was again All-Pro but retired after that season because he could earn more as the athletic director and coach of a Colorado college team. It was the time of ‘The Great Depression’ and the pro game was struggling to pay big stars and franchises were struggling to stay in business.
Clark would return to the pro game in 1934. The Spartans had by then been moved to Detroit and been renamed the Lions. Clark would look like he had never been away going on to be All-Pro for the next four seasons and helping the Lions to their first ever World Championship in 1935 with victory over the New York Giants.
Perhaps Clark’s hottest streak as a player might have been at the start of the Lions first season in Detroit in 1934. That year they raced off to a 10-0 start, shutting out their first seven opponents and only conceded points but offensively Clark led by example. Clark broke a tie in the opening game of the season with a perfect 20 yard drop kick. He then beat the Cardinals with a 2 yard scoring run for the only points of their week 2 clash. He would rumble for 4 TD’s against the Brooklyn Dodgers and would follow that up with 194 yards rushing in a 38-0 win over the Cincinnati Reds.
 Although the Lions didn’t finish well in 1934, losing their last three games, the foundations were set for their first championship year in 1935 of which Clark was a key component.
In 1936, Clark helped the team set a team rushing yardage total for the season that would stand for 36 years (consider it was only 12 games in those days and the mark wasn’t broken until the undefeated Dolphins of ’72 managed it in 14 games) as alongside Ace Gutowsky, Glenn Presnell, Bill Shepherd and Ernie Caddel the famed Infantry Attack combined for 2855 yards, an average of 234.5 yards per game!
As well as being a great offensive player, Clark was also one of the game’s best kickers. He was one of the last true drop kickers in the league but was a master of it. It helped him lead the league in scoring three times. As well as playing for the Lions he was a player/coach for two seasons before finally cutting his ties with the franchise in 1939 to join the Cleveland Rams as Head Coach. He remained there for four seasons before joining the military and would never return to pro football.
In seven pro seasons as a player Clark managed 2772 yards rushing at an average of 4.6 per carry. He scored 36 rushing TD’s and another 6 receiving as well as throwing for 11 touchdowns. As a kicker he hit 15 field goals and 71 extra points. In 1963, he was declared a charter member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and is also a member of the College and Colorado Sports Hall of Fame.
Role Of Honourable Mentions:
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John Elway, Quarterback (Denver Broncos)
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Bob Waterfield, Quarterback (Cleveland/LA Rams)
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Morten Anderson, Kicker (Saints, Falcons, NY Giants, Vikings, Chiefs)
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Joe Theismann, Quarterback (Washington Redskins)
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Ron Jaworski, Quarterback (Rams, Eagles, Dolphins, Chiefs)
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Clarence (Ace) Parker, Quarterback (Brooklyn Dodgers, Boston Yanks, NY Yankees)
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Mel Hein, Center (New York Giants)
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Bert Jones, Quarterback (Baltimore Colts, LA Rams)
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Boomer Esiason, Quarterback (Cincinnati Bengals, NY Jets, Arizona Cardinals)
As mentioned already, this was an extremely competitive number and I haven’t even included Ben Roethlisberger who will surely enter this debate in future years.
 John Elway carried the Broncos for many years, working his way to Super Bowl appearances in ’86, ’87 and ’89 but coming up short due to the lack of quality around him. When he finally got that quality in the later stages of his career he got two Super Bowl wins and went on to become a first time eligible Hall of Famer. The Drive still sticks in the memory well.
Bob Waterfield won the NFL MVP Award as a rookie in 1945 as well as guiding his team to the NFL Championship. He’d win it all again in 1951 and maybe he would have had greater numbers had he not had to share time with Norm Van Brocklin in the Rams fearsome offensive attack. Waterfield was the best deep ball thrower of his time.
Morten Andersen is a familiar name to most British fans of the game. The Great Dane is arguably one of the best pure kickers of all-time and will surely challenge for a place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He is currently the holder of the record for most individual points in NFL history.
Joe Theismann and Ron Jaworski are as well known to UK fans for their TV work as their playing. Joe no longer (thankfully some may say) is on TV commentary but he was the NFL’s MVP in 1983 and part of the Redskins record setting offense of that year whilst the Polish Rifle was a major part of the Eagles first ever Super Bowl appearance in the early 80’s. He’s now a part of the MNF crew…watching the film on some guy!
Clarence (Ace) Parker was a dual sport star (football and baseball) and after originally looking like he would just play on the diamond he came to Brooklyn and helped turn the Dodgers from cellar dweller to contender with his running, passing and punting. He was elected into the Hall of Fame in 1972.
Along with Elway, Mel Hein was the closest contender for FD’s All-time #7 spot. In 15 seasons with the Giants he won the NFL MVP Award and two Championships. He is still the only offensive lineman to ever win the NFL’s MVP Award and, like Clark, a charter member of the Hall of Fame.
 Bert Jones was the Quarterback of the Colts in the 1970’s. The Ruston Rifle was the NFL’s MVP in 1976 and one of only three QB’s in that decade to post over a 100 passer rating for a season in a time known as the dead ball era due to the dominance of defenses.
Finally, it seems wearing #7 gives you a fair shot at being part of the MNF crew at some point or another as Boomer Esiason gets in on the act. A four time pro bowler who was the NFL’s MVP in 1988, Esiason and his Bengals came within 34 seconds and a Joe Montana to John Taylor pass of being Super Bowl Champions. The left handed Esiason was one of the best play action Quarterbacks of all time.
Learn More about past NFL greats in our History Archive
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