Ernie Stautner, 80; Hall of Fame Steelers Player, Cowboys Assistant Coach
Ernie Stautner, 80, a Hall of Fame defensive lineman for the Pittsburgh Steelers and longtime Dallas Cowboys assistant coach, died Thursday at a nursing home in Carbondale, Colo. His wife, Jill, said he had Alzheimer’s disease.
Stautner entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1969. A third-round NFL draft choice of the Steelers in 1950, he was a fixture at defensive tackle for the next 13 years. Although considered undersized for a defensive lineman at 6 feet 1 and 230 pounds, Stautner was considered one of football’s toughest players.
After retiring from the Steelers in 1963, he worked under Cowboy Coach Tom Landry for 24 years, primarily as defensive coordinator. He later coached teams in other leagues, including the Houston Outlaws of the now-defunct Regional Football League.
A German immigrant who moved with his family to Albany, N.Y., when he was 3, he served in the Marines during World War II.
In 1946, Stautner became a four-year starting tackle at Boston College.
He was drafted by the Steelers in 1950 and he went on to play in five Pro Bowls.
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