Larry Csonka and Larry Brown - They Took a Licking but Kept on Ticking

In the 1970s, John Cameron Swayze would advertise Timex wristwatches with the slogan, “They Took a Licking but Kept on Ticking.” The same could be said for several NFL running backs during the 1970s. Some of those runners achieved the ultimate honor of being enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Others, perhaps upon retrospection, should be.

Running backs across the NFL were an endangered species during the 1970s. You have to remember that the accepted strategies of that era involved pro teams running the ball first and foremost. It was a trend that was hard to refute.

I suppose that legendary Green Bay Packers head coach Vince Lombardi really popularized the running game in the 1960s, and coaches across the league certainly wanted to replicate the success that Lombardi experienced.

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Larry Csonka

So, in a way, some of these running backs might have been regarded as throwbacks to a previous generation. One of them was Miami Dolphins Hall of Famer Larry Csonka. There was no pretense involved with Csonka. He was going to run straight ahead, right at you. He had absolutely no desire to juke any opponent who was drawing a bead on him.

There are several adjectives that fit Csonka’s running style, and the most perfect of which is punishing. Few were the defenders who had the strength or desire to tackle Csonka head-on. Anyone attempting an arm tackle of the burly runner would be swatted away by #39 as a mere afterthought, like a gnat at a summertime picnic.

More often than not, would-be tacklers would prefer to run alongside of Csonka, then jump on top of his back and try to weigh him down. With luck, one or two of their defensive teammates might help out with attempted gang tackles of Csonka. Many defensive players tried to dive at Csonka’s knees as they tried to trip him up. The films show numerous times that such an approach resulted in those defenders getting the worst of the confrontation.

But over time, diving at Csonka’s knees did eventually take a toll. Csonka appeared to get up slowly after most tackles. But he always got up. He was a man’s man, a rugged and durable runner whose determination to gain yardage gave him not only the reputation as a beast. It also helped to give the Miami Dolphins a pair of Vince Lombardi Trophies.

Larry Brown

Another running back in the same era for the Washington Redskins had a determination that was equal to Csonka’s. Larry Brown was not built with a frame like Csonka’s. Brown was only 5-foot-11 inches tall, and he weighed only 195 pounds. Brown was all heart and desire.

In my humble opinion, his body took more physical punishment than any other running back in the NFL during the 1970s. Where lots of tackles dove for Csonka’s knees, practically every defensive player dove to hit Larry Brown’s knees. At times, it was somewhat terrible to watch, as it showed the violence of the sport from that era of play.

It often took Larry Brown a long time to get back on his feet after he was tackled. There were many occasions where he required help from some of his teammates to help him get back into the huddle. But when the ball was snapped on the following play, there was Brown, carrying the ball again with all the vigor and desire that was his trademark.

Today, Larry Csonka is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He gained 8,081 yards and scored 64 rushing touchdowns during his 11-year pro career. In contrast, Larry Brown played eight seasons in the NFL. He gained 5,875 rushing yards and scored 35 rushing touchdowns in his time in the pros. Both of these durable runners took a licking and kept on ticking.

Trivia Question:

True or False? Both Larry Csonka and Larry Brown attended the same college. Is that statement true or false?

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Host of Pro Football in the 1970s - Joe Zagorski

Throughout his days, Joe spent some time as a sportswriter and has been a member of the Pro Football Researchers Association since the mid-1980s. Joe is also a proud member of the Pro Football Writers of America.

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