Pat Fischer’s size was the first thing that everyone noticed about him. or more accurately, its absence.
Despite being rated as 5-foot-9 and 170 pounds, Fischer played 17 years as an NFL cornerback before passing away on Tuesday at the age of 84. Those figures, according to teammates, were generous. Nevertheless, he started 198 games while spending seven seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals and ten more with the Washington Redskins, recording 56 interceptions.
He didn’t only last a long time. For much the whole of that lengthy career, he performed at an extremely high level.
The little player Pat Fischer has the heart of a lion.
Fischer was a sharp and resilient man. He was skilled at preventing larger wide receivers from making catches. An important move was to grab an arm out of the official’s line of sight. He knew how to throw timing curves off by delivering a sharp shock to the wideout as he attempted to make his cut. He made the most of the regulations that allowed him to do so during the period before it was forbidden to make contact with an opponent more than five yardsHe also studied the technique of tackling, in fact, he understood it. That’s how Fischer, in his third season in the league, earned a job in the defensive backfield of the Cardinals in 1963.
The Cardinals chose to take a chance on a small man who had primarily served as a kick returner in his first couple of years because Fischer was the best tackler they had. That season, he answered with eight interceptions. The next year, he supported it by returning two of his ten picks for touchdowns.
Fischer was selected as a first-team All-Pro and made his first Pro Bowl as a result of his accomplishments. down the field.
After moving to Washington in 1968, the defensive back appeared in every game for the following seven seasons. He was a member of the first squad to play in the Super Bowl during the 1972 season, having made the Pro Bowl in 1969.
Fischer played with Washington in 126 games overall, making seven starts in the postseason. He teamed up with Mike Bass to form one of the league’s top cornerback tandems in the 1970s. They were vital parts of the tight defences George Allen had put up.
Fischer was adored by both teammates and fans for his perseverance. Harold Carmichael, a 6-foot-8 receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles, and he engaged in legendary combat. Though he was losing almost fifty pounds and a foot, the fierce corner would always hold his
No player, friend or foe, ever had a negative thing to say about Fischer, even in spite of his gruff exterior and fierce competitive nature. He was a good man who gave respect to reporters and even thanked the fans. He was allowed to pursue his greatest passion, training horses, after his job. He always had a special place in his heart for the enormous, magnificent creatures, and like many former athletes, he enjoyed the rush of competition.
In the realm of professional football, Fischer was as far from a behemoth as you can get. But he was as noble as they come, at least for 17 years. He made many wonderful memories for Washington fans.