Andy Dorris Explained

Andy Dorris
Position:Defensive end
Number:69, 88
Birth Date:August 11, 1951
Birth Place:Bellaire, Ohio, U.S.
Height Ft:6
Height In:5
Weight Lbs:278
High School:Bellaire (OH)
College:New Mexico State
Draftyear:1973
Draftround:4
Draftpick:93
Pastteams:
Statlabel1:Sacks
Statvalue1:32.0
Statlabel2:Fumble recoveries
Statvalue2:6
Pfr:DorrAn20

Andy Dorris (born August 11, 1951) is a former American professional football player. He was born in Bellaire, Ohio and attended college at New Mexico State University.[1] Dorris played in the National Football League (NFL) for 10 seasons.[2] He spent most of his professional career with the New Orleans Saints and the Houston Oilers. Dorris is currently a sales representative for Forterra in Houston, Texas.[3]

Professional career

The Cleveland Browns drafted Andy Dorris with the 93rd pick in the 1973 NFL Draft.[4] [5] He initially signed a three-year contract with the team. Before the season began, Cleveland traded Dorris to the St. Louis Cardinals.[6] He played in four games for St. Louis in his first season as a professional. In October 1973, St. Louis traded Dorris to the New Orleans Saints in exchange for a draft choice.[7]

Dorris spent three full seasons with the Saints. In a game against the Atlanta Falcons in 1976, Dorris sacked Falcons quarterback Steve Bartkowski.[8] Bartkowski left the game with a knee injury.

At the beginning of the 1977 NFL season, the Seattle Seahawks acquired Dorris from New Orleans.[9] Dorris played four games for the Seahawks.[10] The Seahawks placed him on waivers in October 1977.[11] As a free agent, Dorris participated in tryouts for two teams, but he was rejected both times.[12] In November 1977, the Houston Oilers' Elvin Bethea broke his arm during a game. Coach "Bum" Philips replaced him with Andy Dorris. In Houston, Dorris was part of a team that came to be known as "Bum's boys."[13] Under Bum's relaxed leadership style, Dorris bulked up and became a formidable defensive lineman.

In 1979, Dorris was the starting left defensive end for the Oilers.[14] He recorded three sacks in a December matchup against the Denver Broncos.[15] Dorris signed a new contract with the Oilers in 1980.[16]

1979 and 1980 were two of the most successful seasons for the Houston Oilers franchise. In both seasons, the team finished the season with 11 wins and 5 losses but failed to make the Super Bowl.[17] [18]

Dorris was known as a locker-room prankster. He and a teammate once put blue dye in a shower head, turning a teammate's skin blue.[19]

Houston placed Dorris on the injured reserve list at the beginning of the 1982 season, but he had already played his last game as a professional.[20]

In 1990, he attended a reunion luncheon of many former Oilers players at the Southern Plantation Restaurant.[21]

Dorris also had a pet lion cub.

Later career

Dorris works as a sales representative for Thompson Pipe Group in Dallas, TX. The company produces pipes and precast concrete forms for a variety of commercial and industrial purposes.[22]

Awards and recognition

In his last year at New Mexico State, Dorris was named outstanding senior athlete.

In 2006, the Missouri Valley Conference announced its football "All-Centennial Team."[23] Conference officials selected Andy Dorris as one of the 14 players representing the decade of the 1970s. Dorris was all-MVC at New Mexico State in 1972.

In 2007, Coach Philips and many of his former players, including Dorris, held a reunion during halftime of a Houston Texans game.[24]

Dorris attended a New Mexico State Aggies football reunion in April 2012.[25] [26] The event consisted of a gathering of former players on Friday, April 27.

Personal life

Dorris and his wife, Mary, have three children: Meredith, Sam, and Zach. He has nine grandchildren.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Andy Dorris NFL profile . National Football League . September 17, 2012.
  2. Web site: Where are we now? . January 2007 . NM State Sports . September 17, 2012 .
  3. Web site: West Region Contacts. Hanson Pipe and Precast . September 17, 2012.
  4. Web site: New Mexico State NFL Draft Choices . The Red Zone. September 17, 2012.
  5. News: Dorris to play for Celeveland . St. Joseph News-Press . May 30, 1973 . September 16, 2012.
  6. News: Pro Transactions . The Milwaukee Sentinel . August 11, 1973 . September 16, 2012.
  7. News: Jets Give Van Galder Trial . The Milwaukee Journal . October 11, 1973 . September 17, 2012.
  8. News: Six NFL quarterbacks knocked out of action . The Miami News . October 11, 1976 . September 16, 2012.
  9. News: It looks like end of the line for Mike Curtis . The Miami News . September 7, 1977 . September 17, 2012.
  10. News: Curtis among 'Hawk cuts . Daryl Gadbow . Ellensburg Daily Record . September 7, 1977 . September 16, 2012.
  11. News: Seahawks sign Horace Jones . The Tuscaloosa News . October 10, 1977 . September 16, 2012.
  12. Hallelujah. He's. Uh. Bum . Curry Kirkpatrick . October 27, 1980 . Sports Illustrated . September 17, 2012.
  13. "Highlights of the Luv Ya Blue era" (June 21, 1991). Houston Chronicle, 2.
  14. News: Sunday Scouting Report . The Palm Beach Post . October 27, 1979 . September 16, 2012.
  15. News: Three offensive regulars injured, defense does job for Oilers, 13-7 . The Telegraph Herald . December 24, 1979 . September 16, 2012.
  16. News: Dorris Signs Oiler Contract . The Palm Beach Post . July 29, 1980 . September 16, 2012.
  17. Web site: 1979 Houston Oilers . FanBase . September 17, 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130117185036/http://www.fanbase.com/Houston-Oilers-1979 . January 17, 2013 .
  18. Web site: 1980 Houston Oilers . FanBase . September 17, 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130117181231/http://www.fanbase.com/Houston-Oilers-1980 . January 17, 2013 .
  19. News: The Pranks . Herald-Journal . July 16, 1995 . September 16, 2012.
  20. News: Monday's National Football League Transactions . Toledo Blade . September 7, 1982 . September 16, 2012.
  21. McClain, John and Rich Burk (October 26, 1990). "Oilers/Jets notes". Houston Chronicle, 9.
  22. Web site: Hanson Pipe and Precast Official Site . Hansonpipeandprecast.com . September 17, 2012.
  23. Web site: Missouri Valley Conference Announces Football All-Centinnial Team . December 5, 2006 . MVC-Sports.com . September 17, 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120913184013/http://www.mvc-sports.com/media/pdf/FB%20All-Centennial.pdf . September 13, 2012 .
  24. McClain, John (December 10, 2007). "Reunited, and it feels so good; Elated Oilers saluted at half, so happy together. Houston Chronicle, 7.
  25. "Aggies reunion BBQ rounding into form" (April 19, 2012). Las Cruces Sun-News.
  26. "Former Aggies gather following spring game" (April 28, 2012). Las Cruces Sun-News.