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NFL Greats
Rolf Benirschke
by Micheal Kavanagh
13/5/2009
 Rolf Benirshke is one of life’s winners. On the football field he was a winner as a former San Diego Charger Pro Bowl kicker, who kicked the winning points in one of the NFL’s greatest ever games. Off the field he is a winner as a succesful businessman, author and charity donor. However all this success and quite possibly his life was very nearly taken away from him.
Benirschke was drafted in 1977 out of the University of Cal Davis, where he also played soccer, the second to last (344th) player taken. During his rookie year he connected on 21 of 27 field goals. During the ’78 season, however, it became apparent that something wasn’t right with him. His weight began to drop and he suffered from stomach pains that made eating agony. He played on and connected on 18 of 22 field goal attempts. He was diagnosed with an Inflamatory Bowel Disorder. Surgery was suggested. Benirschke decided to forego the surgery and play through the pain in the ’79 season. In week 1 he set a Chargers record by going 4 for 4. His already weak body suffered bruised ribs on a hit during an extra point attempt in week 2. It didn’t seem to be affecting his playing as in week 4 against New England he brought his streak of consecutive field goals to 13.
During the flight home he collapsed and was brought to the hospital with a temperature of 105. A week after being admitted he had to undergo an emrgency ostomy to remove part of his colon. A second operation was required four days later as he had contracted pertonitis. He would spend two weeks in intensive care, and football – whether he would be able to play it with an ileostomy – was the farthest thing from his mind. He had dropped to 125 pounds and was too weak to walk, and staying alive was his main concern. Five weeks after the initial operation he was released into the care of his parents. He was named a team captain for the Chargers game against Pittsburgh but was worried that he wouldn’t be able to walk to midfield to perform the coin-toss. However amid a standing ovation he was helped hand in hand by co-captain, the injured DT Louie Kelcher. As he stood there so stunned that he was crying, he decided he wanted to continue his career. He began to work out again.
 At first all his emaciated body could handle was a soccer ball. He started training with the NASL’s San Diego team and from there progressed to kicking footballs. When he was able to kick from 50 yards with no pain, by the time Chargers training camp started he knew he was ready. He had, however, a battle on his hands. In his abscence Mike Wood had kicked 11 out of 14 field goals. The two quickly developed a friendship and Wood was kept as the kickoff specialist with Benirschke the field goal kicker. In the opener against Seattle he connected on 29 & 41 yard field goals & by season’s end had hit on a club record 24 of 35.
Benirschke went on to play seven more seasons with his most famous kick being the winning points in the 1982 AFC Divisional play-off game against Miami. He kicked a 29 yarder after 13.52 of overtime to win it. He retired after the 1986 season as the franchise record holder for points (766) and as the third most accurate kicker in NFL history (146/208 0.702%). He was a Pro Bowler after the 1982 season and was 1983’s Walter Payton Man of the Year. Other honours he received were, Comeback Player of the Year, the Philadelphia Sportswriter Associations Most Courageous Athlete, The NFL Players Association Hero of the Year and the NFL’s Justice Byron Whizzer White Award.” In 1997 he became the Chargers 20th inductee into their Ring of Honour.
Since retiring he has become a spokesman for people with IBD and ostomies. He wrote a book Alive and Kicking about his fight with his illness. He is chairperson for the Crohns & Colitis Foundation of America’s Sports Council. He volunteers his time for many more charitable organisations including San Diego Zoo, United Way and the San Diego Blood Bank. He even caused one of the funniest moments on Wheel of Fortune, while hosting it, the game ended up tied and he turned to the camera and said I have no idea what to do here. Lastly he is spokesman & chairperson for the Great Comebacks Award Program, which recognizes ostomates who have overcome challenges in their lifes.
Rolf Benirschke certainly did that.
Learn More about past NFL greats in our History Archive
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