Jack Christiansen

John LeRoy Christiansen (December 20, 1928 – June 29, 1986) was an American professional football player who became a college and pro coach. He played professionally in the National Football League (NFL) for the Detroit Lions as a safety and return specialist from 1951 to 1958. He helped lead the Lions to three NFL championships in 1952, 1953, and 1957 and was a first-team All-NFL player in six of his eight years in the league. He led the NFL in interceptions in 1953 and 1957 and in punt returns for touchdown in 1951, 1952, 1954, and 1956. His eight career punt returns for touchdowns was an NFL record until 1989 and remains the fourth best in league history. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1970.[1]

Quick facts: No. 19, 24, Position , Personal information, ... ▼

Jack Christiansen

Christiansen c. 1952
No. 19, 24
Position:	Safety, Return specialist
Personal information
Born:	(1928-12-20)December 20, 1928 Sublette, Kansas, U.S.
Died:	June 29, 1986(1986-06-29) (aged 57) Stanford, California, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight:	205 lb (93 kg)
Career information
College:	Colorado A&M
NFL Draft:	1951 / Round: 6 / Pick: 69
Career history
As a player:
Detroit Lions (1951–1958)
As a coach:
San Francisco 49ers (1959–1963) Defensive backfield San Francisco 49ers (1963–1967) Head coach Stanford (1968–1971) Assistant coach Stanford (1972–1976) Head coach Kansas City Chiefs (1977) Running backs coach Seattle Seahawks (1978–1982) Defensive backfield Atlanta Falcons (1983) Secondary coach
Career highlights and awards
3× NFL champion (1952, 1953, 1957) 6× First-team All-Pro (1952–1957) 5× Pro Bowl (1953–1957) 2× NFL interceptions leader (1953, 1957) NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team NFL 1950s All-Decade Team Pride of the Lions Detroit Lions 75th Anniversary Team Detroit Lions All-Time Team Colorado Sports Hall of Fame Colorado State Athletics Hall of Fame
Career NFL statistics
Interceptions: 46 Interception yards: 717 Touchdowns: 3
Player stats at NFL.com · PFR
Coaching stats at PFR
Pro Football Hall of Fame

After retiring as a player, Christiansen served as a football coach for 25 years from 1959 to 1983, including stints as the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers, compiling a 26–38–3 record from 1963 to 1967,[2] and at Stanford, where he compiled a 30–22–3 record from 1972 to 1976.[3] He concluded his career as an assistant coach for the Kansas City Chiefs (1977), Seattle Seahawks (1978–1982), and Atlanta Falcons (1983).