Ox Emerson

{{Short description|American football player and coach (1907–1998)}}

{{Short description|American football player and coach (1907–1998)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}

{{more citations needed|date=December 2016}}

{{more citations needed|date=December 2016}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}

{{Infobox NFL biography

{{Infobox NFL biography

| name = Ox Emerson

| name = Ox Emerson

==NFL career==

==NFL career==

He began his pro career with the [[Portsmouth Spartans]] in 1931 for a salary of $75 per game. In 1934, the Spartans became the [[Detroit Lions]], and the resulting season saw the team start off with seven consecutive shutouts. Notably, the November 4 game versus Pittsburgh saw the Lions run for a still-standing record of 426 yards.{{cite web|url=https://triblive.com/sports/this-date-in-sports-history-nov-4/|date=November 4, 2021|title=This date in sports history: Nov. 4|work=Triblive.com}} The following team had the leading rusher in [[Ernie Caddel]] with 621 yards from scrimmage while the Lions rolled to the 1935 NFL Championship. With Emerson blocking and leading the way the 1936 Lions team set a rushing record of 2,885 yards in a twelve-game season, a record that lasted 36 years. It was finally broken by the [[Miami Dolphins]] in 1972 in a fourteen-game season. Emerson retired in 1937 to become line coach under [[Potsy Clark]] for the [[Brooklyn Dodgers (NFL)|Brooklyn Dodgers]], but then briefly returned as player.

He began his pro career with the [[Portsmouth Spartans]] in 1931 for a salary of $75 per game. In 1934, the Spartans became the [[Detroit Lions]], and the resulting season saw the team start off with seven consecutive shutouts. Notably, the November 4 game versus Pittsburgh saw the Lions run for a still-standing record of 426 yards.{{cite web|url=https://triblive.com/sports/this-date-in-sports-history-nov-4/|date=November 4, 2021|title=This date in sports history: Nov. 4|work=Triblive.com}} The following team had the leading rusher in [[Ernie Caddel]] with 621 yards from scrimmage while the Lions rolled to the 1935 NFL Championship. With Emerson blocking and leading the way the 1936 Lions team set a rushing record of 2,885 yards in a twelve-game season, a record that lasted 36 years. It was finally broken by the [[Miami Dolphins]] in 1972 in a fourteen-game season. Emerson retired in 1937 to become line coach under [[Potsy Clark]] for the [[Brooklyn Dodgers (NFL)|Brooklyn Dodgers]], but then briefly returned as player.

In an era where linemen were around the weight of 210-240 pounds (by 1975, linemen were now 240-300 pounds) that wore leather helmets and played both ways due to the limited size of the roster, Emerson was selected as a First-team All-Pro five times in his career. When he retired, he was one of only six players with five First-team All-Pro selections in NFL history.{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/stathead/tiny/HnyN8|title=Number of seasons player meets criteria, up to 1938, is an All-Pro, in the regular season, sorted by descending instances.|work=Stathead}}{{cite web|url=https://newspaperarchive.com/portsmouth-times-dec-12-1975-p-6/|title=Former Spartan On Top of the World|first=Rich|last=Ralston|work=Portsmouth Times|date=December 12, 1975}}

In an era where linemen were around the weight of 210-240 pounds (by 1975, linemen were now 240-300 pounds) that wore leather helmets and played both ways due to the limited size of the roster, Emerson was selected as a First-team All-Pro five times in his career. When he retired, he was one of only six players with five First-team All-Pro selections in NFL history.{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/stathead/tiny/HnyN8|title=Number of seasons player meets criteria, up to 1938, is an All-Pro, in the regular season, sorted by descending instances.|work=Stathead}}{{cite web|url=https://newspaperarchive.com/portsmouth-times-dec-12-1975-p-6/|title=Former Spartan On Top of the World|first=Rich|last=Ralston|work=Portsmouth Times|date=December 12, 1975}}

[[Category:Players of American football from Nacogdoches County, Texas]]

[[Category:Players of American football from Nacogdoches County, Texas]]

[[Category:Military personnel from Texas]]

[[Category:Military personnel from Texas]]

[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]