Bob DeMarco

Robert DeMarco (born September 16, 1938) is an American former professional football player who was a center for 15 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) for four teams. He played college football for the Indiana Hoosiers and Dayton Flyers.

Early life

DeMarco was born on September 16, 1938 in Jersey City, New Jersey to Albert and Louise DeMarco. Raised in Wood-Ridge, New Jersey, DeMarco graduated in 1956 from St. Mary High School in nearby Rutherford, New Jersey, where he played both the offensive and defensive lines on the school's football team. In 1953, the undefeated Gaels won the state championship, his sophomore year. The 1953 team was inducted into the St. Mary High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 1997.

College

DeMarco received a football scholarship to Indiana University, where he played one year. He transferred to the University of Dayton where he played two years, and was team captain his senior year. DeMarco graduated in 1961 with degrees in business management and economics.

He was selected to the Kodak All-American Team in 1960, and played in the Blue-Gray Game and Senior Bowl in 1960. He received honorable mention for United Press International's (UPI) 1960 All-America team.

Professional career

DeMarco was selected by the Chicago Cardinals in the 14th round of 1960 NFL draft, the 157th overall selection. DeMarco played in the NFL from 1961 to 1969 for the St. Louis Cardinals, from 1970 to 1971 for the Miami Dolphins, from 1972 to 1974 for the Cleveland Browns and in 1975 for the Los Angeles Rams He played guard as a rookie, but center for the next 14 years after that. During the 1960s he served as a player representative for the union.

DeMarco was named to three Pro Bowls (1963, 1965, 1967) and one Associated Press (AP) first-team All-Pro team (1967) while playing for the Cardinals. The AP recognized him as second team All Pro in 1963 and 1968, and ''The Sporting News'' named him first team All-Conference in 1964-1965 and 1967-1969. In 1967, DeMarco was awarded a game ball after playing with a broken wrist and torn rib cartilage. In 1967, three other offensive lineman from the Cardinals, Irv Goode (left guard), Ken Gray (right guard), and Ernie McMillan (right tackle), along with Cardinals hall of fame tight end Jackie Smith, were all selected to the Pro Bowl.

Early in their careers, McMillan and DeMarco served in the military together, and soon after became roommates with the Cardinals, a rare interracial pairing at the time.

The Cardinals released DeMarco after the 1969 season, after a dispute with head coach Charley Winner, and he was claimed by the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers traded DeMarco to the Dolphins before the 1970 season to replace the injured Tom Goode.

DeMarco started every game at center for the Dolphins 1971 team that went to the Super Bowl VI. He played in the December 25, 1971 AFC playoff game between the Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs, which is the longest NFL game in history, lasting 82 minutes and 40 seconds of playing time; though the actual time from the beginning to end of the game was three hours and 18 minutes.

In 1972, when future hall of fame coach Don Shula made Jim Langer the starting center during the preseason, at the suggestion of offensive line coach Monte Clark, DeMarco left training camp for a time as he did not believe he would receive a fair chance to compete for the starting job. The Dolphins had traded Demarco to the Buffalo Bills but he refused to report, and retired. After missing the first two games of the 1972 season, he agreed to be traded to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for a draft pick.

He played in Cleveland for three years, starting 27 games in 1973 and 1974. He was traded to the Los Angeles Rams for the 1975 season, his final year. Rams coach Chuck Knox wanted DeMarco to return, but the 37-year-old DeMarco remembered the advice of hall of fame center Jim Ringo, that if your body did not recover from the previous week's game until the day before the next game, it was time to retire.

Personal life

DeMarco worked as a stockbroker in St. Louis during the offseason. After retiring, DeMarco returned to St. Louis, where he worked in electronics and finance, and was a long-time salesman for a chemical company.

He was inducted into the St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame in 2018.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Demarco, Bob
1938 births
Living people
American football centers
St. Louis Cardinals (football) players
Cleveland Browns players
Miami Dolphins players
Los Angeles Rams players
Eastern Conference Pro Bowl players
Dayton Flyers football players
Indiana Hoosiers football players
People from Wood-Ridge, New Jersey
Players of American football from Bergen County, New Jersey
Players of American football from Jersey City, New Jersey
St. Mary High School (Rutherford, New Jersey) alumni