Jim Langer
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| Position: | Center / Offensive Guard | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Date of birth: | May 16, 1948 | ||||||||
| Place of birth: | Little Falls, Minnesota | ||||||||
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| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Royalton (MN) | ||||||||
| College: | South Dakota State | ||||||||
| Undrafted: | 1970 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
| * Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||||||
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James John Langer (born May 16, 1948) is a former American football center who played for the National Football League's Miami Dolphins and Minnesota Vikings. He is considered one of the greatest NFL centers of all time and a hard working and quick blocker. Langer was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987, one of only three Dolphins players to be elected to the Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility (Dan Marino, Paul Warfield).
College career
Langer played middle linebacker at South Dakota State University, where in 1969 he was Honorable Mention All-America. After graduating South Dakota State University with a B.S. in economics, he was signed by the Cleveland Browns as a free agent in 1970, but was cut during training camp. Langer signed as a free agent with the Miami Dolphins and saw limited action for his first 2 seasons.
Professional career
Langer became the starter at center in the 1972 season and played in 141 consecutive games over 8 seasons until a knee injury ended his playing days with Miami nine games into the 1979 season. Langer was traded to the Minnesota Vikings prior to the 1980 season, playing 2 seasons with the Vikings before retiring after the 1981 campaign.
During a 6-year stretch in the mid-1970s, Langer was named First-team All-Pro 4 times 1974-1977, and Second-team Team All-Pro twice, in 1973 and 1978. He also appeared in the Pro Bowl each of those seasons. Langer played in three Super Bowls with the Dolphins.
The Jim Langer Award is presented to the nation's top Division II lineman each year in his honor.
Personal life
Langer works in the truck accessory business, including Budget Truck Rental.
In 2013, President Barack Obama honored the entire 1972 Perfect Season Dolphins at an event in the White House, but Langer declined to attend for political reasons.[1][2][3] He told sports columnist Dave Hyde of Ft. Lauderdale's Sun-Sentinel "We've got some real moral compass issues in Washington...I don't want to be in a room with those people and pretend I'm having a good time. I can't do that. If that (angers) people, so be it."[4]
References
External links
- NFL player using deprecated currentteam parameter
- NFL player with pastcoaching parameter
- NFL player with pastexecutive parameter
- Infobox NFL player article missing alt text and caption
- 1948 births
- Living people
- People from Little Falls, Minnesota
- American football offensive guards
- American football centers
- South Dakota State University alumni
- South Dakota State Jackrabbits football players
- Undrafted National Football League players
- Miami Dolphins players
- Minnesota Vikings players
- American Conference Pro Bowl players
- Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees
- Super Bowl champions
