Lance Olssen
Lance Everett Olssen (born April 17, 1947) is a former professional American and Canadian football offensive lineman.
No. 73, 62 | |||||
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Position: | Offensive tackle Center | ||||
Personal information | |||||
Born: | Boston, Massachusetts | April 17, 1947||||
Height: | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | ||||
Weight: | 262 lb (119 kg) | ||||
Career information | |||||
High school: | Stuyvesant | ||||
College: | Purdue | ||||
NFL Draft: | 1968 / Round: 3 / Pick: 65 | ||||
Career history | |||||
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Career NFL statistics | |||||
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Career CFL statistics | |||||
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Player stats at PFR |
Olssen grew up in Staten Island, New York and played high school football for the Stuyvesant High School Peglegs. He played college football at Purdue University as a defensive tackle, wearing the number 75 jersey. In his collegiate playing years, he was the biggest member of the Boilermakers at 6' 5" and 257 pounds and was a member of the team that won the 1967 Rose Bowl when Purdue narrowly defeated USC 14–13.[1] He was honored that same year as an Academic All-American and graduated with bachelor's and master's degrees in industrial management.[1]
The San Francisco 49ers selected Olssen with the 65th overall pick in the 3rd round of the 1968 NFL Draft. As a professional football player, Olssen switched from being a defensive lineman to an offensive lineman. He played two seasons for the San Francisco 49ers from 1968–1969 and one season for the New Orleans Saints in 1970[1] before playing for the Edmonton Eskimos in the CFL for another two seasons from 1971–1972.[2] In the first of his two seasons with the Eskimos, he had one kickoff return for three yards.[3]
After retirement, Olssen worked as a retail store manager and a circulation manager for the Evansville Courier & Press before retiring in 2004 due to health problems. He lives in Newburgh, Indiana with his wife DeeDee, who was a middle school teacher, and has two sons and two grandchildren.[1]
References
- Engelhardt, Gordon (26 January 2007). "Pride of Purdue Newburgh resident who starred for Boilermakers now roots for Colts". Evansville Courier & Press. Retrieved 21 January 2020.
- "Eskimos All-Time Roster O–P". Edmonton Eskimos. Retrieved 21 January 2020.
- "Lance Olssen". ProFootballArchives. Retrieved 21 January 2020.