He was the best tackling LB I ever saw. It drives me insane to watch today's defenders go for the big hit rather than wrapping a ball carrier up and taking them down.
Jack Ham was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1988, the same year I was born, so obviously I didn't see him play. However, I have him as the second best outside linebacker ever next to Lawrence Taylor.
Because fans focused so much on Mean Joe Greene and Jack Lambert, Jack Ham never got the credit he rightfully deserved. He was the epitome of what an outside linebacker should be. 32 interceptions is pretty damn impressive.
I keep binge watching the old Steel Curtain days and he is unreal. No one gets outside of him and he covers like a damn corner add that to one of the surest tacklers I have seen on film. Your spot on he's textbook. Having him and Lambert was almost cheating.
Agreed. Where most fans only count sacks. Hamm did that a ton. But he also knew how to make a read, and drop back. An outside Pass rusher with that many ints. That is just special.
Jack Ham and Lawrence Taylor were the two best outside linebackers of all time. Ham was very good at reading plays and seemed to always be in the right place at the right time. Put Dick Butkus in the middle and in my humble opinion you have the best linebacking corps you can possibly assemble
So many players seem to lack basic fundamentals these days. This man did it perfect. Nearly every tackle he made is textbook. Lower the pads, hit the ball carrier around the mid section, wrap your arms around them, and drive through them. This is the kind of film they should be showing players today.
Shoulder leverage and low wrap up tackling vs current kill shot style. It's starting to catch on more in the league now though, Pete Carroll is a big advocate of shoulder leverage and low wrap up tackling.
I hate when people say Jack Ham would be a special teamer in today’s NFL. Ham was the best OLB next to Lawrence Taylor arguably ever, and this was without the modern strength and conditioning resources that today’s players have. Ham would certainly adapt to that if he played in today’s game theoretically. Look at Sean Lee, they were similar in size and Lee did very well for himself. And size was the biggest argument against Ham being more than a special teamer today. Ham was so good at diagnosing plays and executing. I will always defend Jack Ham. He is the greatest 4-3 OLB ever
Textbook excellence. And he did it all without acting like a complete moron by stomping, beating his chest, or running 20 yards downfield shaking his ass after making a great play.
Ive honestly come to agree with you. Some of the celebrations now are basically cheerleading routines and it does the opposite of making the players look intimidating and professional. Man-children is how I see it
If they would have known how much money the league has made, and STILL making off their broken busted up bodies for playing on painted concrete They should've danced and grabbed their NUTS after a big play
Out of Linebacker U, Jack Ham...like Nittany Lion. Met him last yr at a NJ signing with Dick Butkus. Jack loved my Pat Tillman Jersery...great guys mS Dog Sweeney 🐕
This is a guy who had 32 interceptions from the LB position at a time when offenses passed the ball 50% less than they do today (Ray Lewis had 31 and played 5 more years than Ham. LT had 9 picks). He would have like 60+ in today's league. Had 21 fumble recoveries (more than guys like Lewis, Singletary, etc.), had 100+ tackles every year, and even threw in 25 sacks. Most complete LB ever to play the game, and the all-around best.
A large portion of college defensive players need to watch Ham and wrap up the ball carrier. So many want to steam roll or strip the runner often to no avail
As I got bigger, I played corner back, then outside linebacker, and then defensive end. I played half back on offense. My last year I was a 6 foot stump. An immovable object with a python grasp on defense; once attached, there was no release until the whistle blew to end play. On offense, I knew every evasion, and gained 5 yards on every hand off. I cut my high school play short though to stay healthy for a most certain tour in Vietnam, which was sure to come. When I took the ASVAB test, I had the highest mechanical score ever recorded. I became the property of the military industrial complex, like it or not. White privilege did not apply; and a "no" on my part a death sentence, or so it was implied. This was Richard Nixon's war. To this day; I support no dictator, for any amount of time, for any reason, for any purpose what ever.
Hamm was like a bit of TJ , and Troy mixed together. Sacks, dropping back for an int. he was always where the ball was, tackles gallore. Or maybe better to say that TJ, and Troy, are a bit like him.
Among the best ever. You can count on one hand current NFL players smarter than Ham and still not need all your fingers. Typical of the great Western Pennsylvania players who were tough smart and disciplined. In Chicago we had a similar player in Gary fencik. Fencik wasn't at Hams level but same type of player . A dying breed these days
For my money Jack Ham and #78 Bobby Bell KC Chiefs best all around OLB ever. #56 Lawrence Taylor was a great pass rusher a great player but not a all around OLB in my humble opinion and viewpoint.
Head is up on every. single. tackle! Try finding a player that does that now. So stupid how players today seem to almost instinctively lower their heads right before impact.
Definition of a troll from Webster’s dictionary: a person who intentionally antagonizes others online by posting inflammatory, irrelevant, or offensive comments or other disruptive content. If you go to the highlight video of an NFL legend, call them overrated, and then leave without further explanation, then saying “Not trolling here.” doesn’t cover it. That’s the definition of an inflammatory comment.
I'm 64 and Jack Ham is still my all time favorite player. Best all-around outside linebacker.
As a Cowboys fan back then, I despised the Steelers, but Jack Ham was just about flawless. Holy cow could he play.
Absolutely right zyrover .... Ham was an amazing outside linebacker .... total stud.
Another piece of possibly the greatest defense ever
4 sure my friend 😅😅😅
They need to show this video to the current defense so they can learn correct tackling fundamentals.
He was the best tackling LB I ever saw. It drives me insane to watch today's defenders go for the big hit rather than wrapping a ball carrier up and taking them down.
Watching him make an open field tackle is a thing of beauty.
Just sent this clip to a Twitter guy who claims you can't tackle without dropping your helmet.
Omg, I was just about to say this for my own comment. You’re absolutely right.
They should, but that’s a flag in the NFL nowadays.
Jack Ham was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1988, the same year I was born, so obviously I didn't see him play. However, I have him as the second best outside linebacker ever next to Lawrence Taylor.
Because fans focused so much on Mean Joe Greene and Jack Lambert, Jack Ham never got the credit he rightfully deserved. He was the epitome of what an outside linebacker should be. 32 interceptions is pretty damn impressive.
I keep binge watching the old Steel Curtain days and he is unreal. No one gets outside of him and he covers like a damn corner add that to one of the surest tacklers I have seen on film. Your spot on he's textbook. Having him and Lambert was almost cheating.
Agreed. Where most fans only count sacks. Hamm did that a ton. But he also knew how to make a read, and drop back. An outside Pass rusher with that many ints. That is just special.
How is making All-Pro 8 times not credit?
I disagree. I saw him play and he was always considered great, even better than Lambert by many.
Agreed @@DWilliam1
TJ watt reminds me so much of Lambert and Hamm. I love rewatching these clips cause it makes me closer to my dad. Lets go steelers
He was actually a very good pass rusher despite being more of a coverage guy. Really was a Jack of all trades.
Jack Ham and Lawrence Taylor were the two best outside linebackers of all time. Ham was very good at reading plays and seemed to always be in the right place at the right time. Put Dick Butkus in the middle and in my humble opinion you have the best linebacking corps you can possibly assemble
So many players seem to lack basic fundamentals these days. This man did it perfect. Nearly every tackle he made is textbook. Lower the pads, hit the ball carrier around the mid section, wrap your arms around them, and drive through them. This is the kind of film they should be showing players today.
Shoulder leverage and low wrap up tackling vs current kill shot style. It's starting to catch on more in the league now though, Pete Carroll is a big advocate of shoulder leverage and low wrap up tackling.
Love the highlights.... that was just a small portion of what he did...
This gives me the chills,the hammer #59
My all-time favorite Steeler. Excellent compilation!
The best hands on any linebacker.Period.i own 2 Steelers jerseys #20&59.
THE HAMMER.
One of the greatest of all time!!!
I hate when people say Jack Ham would be a special teamer in today’s NFL. Ham was the best OLB next to Lawrence Taylor arguably ever, and this was without the modern strength and conditioning resources that today’s players have. Ham would certainly adapt to that if he played in today’s game theoretically. Look at Sean Lee, they were similar in size and Lee did very well for himself. And size was the biggest argument against Ham being more than a special teamer today. Ham was so good at diagnosing plays and executing. I will always defend Jack Ham. He is the greatest 4-3 OLB ever
The Day he was drafted by the Steelers was when I became a Steeler fan! DOBRE SHUNKA!!!!!!!
The brains behind the curtain!
Takin’ ‘em down! He look like a force to be reckoned with!
Jack Ham was like the Tim Duncan of football. His defensive fundamentals were awesome!
1:29 stopped earl campbell dead in his tracks. textbook
Weren't scared of the man.
Textbook excellence. And he did it all without acting like a complete moron by stomping, beating his chest, or running 20 yards downfield shaking his ass after making a great play.
Agree 100%!
Ive honestly come to agree with you. Some of the celebrations now are basically cheerleading routines and it does the opposite of making the players look intimidating and professional. Man-children is how I see it
If they would have known how much money the league has made, and STILL making off their broken busted up bodies for playing on painted concrete
They should've danced and grabbed their NUTS after a big play
I HATE when someone celebrates a relatively standard-tackle like it was a sack on 4th down/interception/etc....
AND he is a fabulous color commentator!
Out of Linebacker U, Jack Ham...like Nittany Lion. Met him last yr at a NJ signing with Dick Butkus. Jack loved my Pat Tillman Jersery...great guys mS Dog Sweeney 🐕
Thanks for all of these videos. I enjoy every one of them.
No nonsense perfect form tackles & pucks..
Picks
Just got to meet him at the Titans game. So awesome. Great guy. You wouldn't know he we who he was. Just acts and dresses like a regular guy.
He seems like a really nice guy
Did you expected him wearing helmet and shoulder pads... 🤪
This is a guy who had 32 interceptions from the LB position at a time when offenses passed the ball 50% less than they do today (Ray Lewis had 31 and played 5 more years than Ham. LT had 9 picks). He would have like 60+ in today's league. Had 21 fumble recoveries (more than guys like Lewis, Singletary, etc.), had 100+ tackles every year, and even threw in 25 sacks. Most complete LB ever to play the game, and the all-around best.
One of the BEST ROLB to ever play in the NFL
Just imagine his numbers if he didn't break his ankle at the end of the 79 season and lost a step.
Badass
dobre shunka
Once he got his hands on you it was a tackle!
He was the first Jack Lambert. Arguably greatest OLB the game's had, and maybe the smartest.
2:25 wow
And Penn state broadcaster. We are!!!!!!!!!
A large portion of college defensive players need to watch Ham and wrap up the ball carrier. So many want to steam roll or strip the runner often to no avail
Lawrence Taylor was great but this guy was special. A tackling machine. Taylor #1 Ham #1a
As I got bigger, I played corner back, then outside linebacker, and then defensive end. I played half back on offense. My last year I was a 6 foot stump. An immovable object with a python grasp on defense; once attached, there was no release until the whistle blew to end play. On offense, I knew every evasion, and gained 5 yards on every hand off. I cut my high school play short though to stay healthy for a most certain tour in Vietnam, which was sure to come. When I took the ASVAB test, I had the highest mechanical score ever recorded. I became the property of the military industrial complex, like it or not. White privilege did not apply; and a "no" on my part a death sentence, or so it was implied. This was Richard Nixon's war. To this day; I support no dictator, for any amount of time, for any reason, for any purpose what ever.
Is this a Jack Ham tribute?
Or strong safety. Maybe even outside linebacker
Jack Lambert was the size of a free safety. No bigger than All pro Mike Haynes? Really undersized that linebacker even for that era.
Wny did he always tackle so high?!?!
Hamm was like a bit of TJ , and Troy mixed together. Sacks, dropping back for an int. he was always where the ball was, tackles gallore. Or maybe better to say that TJ, and Troy, are a bit like him.
Lester Hayes?
The thing is he still isn't the best athlete to come outta J town Pa. There are almost too many to count.
Among the best ever. You can count on one hand current NFL players smarter than Ham and still not need all your fingers. Typical of the great Western Pennsylvania players who were tough smart and disciplined. In Chicago we had a similar player in Gary fencik. Fencik wasn't at Hams level but same type of player . A dying breed these days
For my money Jack Ham and #78 Bobby Bell KC Chiefs best all around OLB ever. #56 Lawrence Taylor was a great pass rusher a great player but not a all around OLB in my humble opinion and viewpoint.
White men can jump!!
Head is up on every. single. tackle! Try finding a player that does that now. So stupid how players today seem to almost instinctively lower their heads right before impact.
All your football are belong to Ham!
Not trolling here. Good player no doubt...... but totally overrated.
Well you could at least elaborate on why you think so
Definition of a troll from Webster’s dictionary: a person who intentionally antagonizes others online by posting inflammatory, irrelevant, or offensive comments or other disruptive content.
If you go to the highlight video of an NFL legend, call them overrated, and then leave without further explanation, then saying “Not trolling here.” doesn’t cover it. That’s the definition of an inflammatory comment.
Well stated 👍💯@@lowercasegoat