Dennis Claridge

Dennis Bert Claridge (August 18, 1941 – May 1, 2018) was an American football player, a quarterback in the National Football League for the Green Bay Packers and Atlanta Falcons.[1] He played college football at the University of Nebraska under head coaches Bill Jennings and Bob Devaney,[2] and later attended its dental school.[3]

Dennis Claridge
No. 10
Position:Quarterback
Personal information
Born:(1941-08-18)August 18, 1941
Phoenix, Arizona
Died:May 1, 2018(2018-05-01) (aged 76)
Lincoln, Nebraska
Height:6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight:220 lb (100 kg)
Career information
High school:Robbinsdale (MN)
College:Nebraska
NFL Draft:1963 / Round: 3 / Pick: 39
AFL draft:1963 / Round: 26 / Pick: 201 (Oakland Raiders)
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Pass attempts:71
Pass completions:41
Percentage:57.7
TD–INT:2–2
Passing yards:484
Passer rating:76.3
Player stats at NFL.com

Born in Phoenix, Arizona, Claridge played high school football in Minnesota at Robbinsdale, a suburb northwest of Minneapolis. As a senior in college in 1963, he led Nebraska to an undefeated season in the Big Eight Conference, a 9–1 regular season, and a victory over Auburn in the Orange Bowl.

Selected in third round of the 1963 NFL draft as a junior eligible, Claridge stayed in college and joined the Packers in 1964. He was a member of the NFL championship team in 1965, playing behind Hall of Fame quarterback Bart Starr and Zeke Bratkowski under head coach Vince Lombardi.[1][4] Claridge was selected in the 1966 expansion draft by the Falcons.[5] Green Bay was interested in reacquiring him for the 1967 season, but he left the NFL after three seasons to complete dental school.[3]

Claridge later worked as an orthodontist in Lincoln, Nebraska. He died in 2018 of bladder cancer at the age of 76.[6]

References
  1. "Claridge gets his chance". St. Petersburg Independent. Florida. Associated Press. July 8, 1966. p. 15A.
  2. "Packer rookie still aims at dentistry". Pittsburgh Press. UPI. July 26, 1964. p. 3, section 4.
  3. "Claridge said no". Milwaukee Journal. October 5, 1967. p. 16, part 2.
  4. Lea, Bud (August 25, 1965). "Scrambler? No!". Milwaukee Sentinel. p. 3, part 2.
  5. "Falcons surprise Lombardi, pick up Packers' Claridge". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Florida. Associated Press. February 17, 1966. p. 31.
  6. Sipple, Steven M. "Ex-Husker quarterback Claridge, a mainstay under Devaney, dies at age 76".
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