College Tennessee | Name Bert Rechichar NFL Pro Bowl 1955, 1956, 1957 | |
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NFL Draft 1952 / Round 1 / Pick 10 19521953-195919601961 NFL Cleveland BrownsNFL Baltimore ColtsNFL Pittsburgh SteelersAFL New York Titans Positions Defensive back, Placekicker | ||
Bert Rechichar: Football Defensive Back and Kicker
Albert Daniel (Bert) Rechichar (born July 16, 1930) is a former American football defensive back and kicker who played with the National Football League's Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Colts and Pittsburgh Steelers from 1952 to 1960, and the American Football League's New York Titans in 1961. Rechichar was drafted by the Browns in the 1952 NFL Draft out of Tennessee.
Rechichar held the record for the longest field goal (56 yards), having broken the previous unofficial record of 55 yards (set by drop kick by Paddy Driscoll in 1924) in a game against the Chicago Bears on September 27, 1953. Rechichar's record stood until Tom Dempsey booted a 63-yarder in 1970; since then, at least 12 others have kicked field goals of 60 yards or more, and many others have kicked field goals of 56 yards or longer.
Rechichar also played as an outfielder in the farm system of the Cleveland Indians, reaching as high as Reading in the then-Class A Eastern League.