Pete Retzlaff

Palmer Edward "Pete" Retzlaff (August 21, 1931 – April 10, 2020), nicknamed "Pistol Pete" and "the Baron", was an American professional football player and executive for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He played as a flanker and tight end for 11 seasons. After his playing career, he served as the general manager for four seasons. He was inducted into the Eagles Hall of Fame in 1989.

Retzlaff was an organizer and past president of the National Football League Players' Association (NFLPA), the union of players in the NFL.

Early life Retzlaff was born on August 21, 1931, in Ellendale, North Dakota. He starred on the football and track teams at Ellendale High School. He attended the North Dakota State Normal and Industrial School in Ellendale, before transferring to South Dakota State College (now South Dakota State University, SDSU).

In 1950, he entered SDSU, where he starred in track and field and football for two years, setting 16 school records in the 1951–52 and 1952-53 seasons.

In both football seasons he was selected to the All-North Central Conference (NCC) team. In 1951, as a fullback, he rushed for 1,016 yards, a school record, In 1974, he was honored with a gold star on Ellendale's Walk of Fame.

Professional football career Retzlaff was selected in the 22nd round of the 1953 NFL draft by the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL), but he did not make the team.

In 1958, Norm Van Brocklin, acquired from the Los Angeles Rams, suggested that Retzlaff should play split end, noting that he ran patterns like his favorite receiver at Los Angeles in Elroy Hirsch. That year, despite having never caught a pass in college, he tied Pro Football Hall of Fame receiver Raymond Berry for the league lead with 56 pass receptions. Fellow Eagles' Hall of Fame linebacker Maxie Baughan observed that Retzlaff was one of the first tight ends to be a receiver as well as a blocker. This changed football strategy as defenses now had provide for covering tight ends as another capable receiver on the field. Hall of Fame Dallas Cowboys' safety Mel Renfro found it difficult to cover Retzlaff because he was a great route runner. He went to the Pro Bowl five times. a legendary Philadelphia sportscaster who called the Eagles games.

He was one of the early leaders in forming the NFL Players Association (NFLPA),

In 1989, he was inducted into the Eagles Hall of Fame.

NFL career statistics Legend Won the NFL championship Led the league Bold Career high

Regular season Year Team Games Receiving GP GS Rec Yds Avg Lng TD 1956 PHI 10 5 12 159 13.3 20 0 1957 PHI 12 7 10 120 12.0 28 0 1958 PHI 12 10 56 766 13.7 49 2 1959 PHI 10 8 34 595 17.5 45 1 1960 PHI 12 12 46 826 18.0 57 5 1961 PHI 14 14 50 769 15.4 61 8 1962 PHI 8 8 30 584 19.5 84 3 1963 PHI 14 14 57 895 15.7 46 4 1964 PHI 12 12 51 855 16.8 44 8 1965 PHI 14 14 66 1,190 18.0 78 10 1966 PHI 14 14 40 653 16.3 40 6 132 118 452 7,412 16.4 84 47

Playoffs Year Team Games Receiving GP GS Rec Yds Avg Lng TD 1960 PHI 1 1 1 41 41.0 41 0 1 1 1 41 41.0 41 0

Post-football career Retzlaff as President of the National Football League Players' Association in 1962. After retiring from football, he worked as a sportscaster on a local Philadelphia CBS affiliate, WCAU. From 1969 to 1972, he was the Eagles' vice president and general manager. In 1973 and 1974, he worked as a color analyst for CBS doing NFL coverage.

Honors In addition to the honors listed above, Retzlaff is a member of the NAIA Hall of Fame as an athlete, and track and field. In 1965, he was honored in Philadelphia with “Pete Retzlaff” day, and was selected Pro Football Father of the Year by the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Retzlaff's number 44 jersey has been retired by the Eagles. When he retired, he was the all-time leader for receptions and receiving yards for Philadelphia (on his death in 2020, he was still third in receptions and second in yards, having been passed in both by Harold Carmichael).

Personal life and death Retzlaff married his wife Patty in 1954, having four children, 10 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren at the time of his death. They had been married 66 years.