Conrad Dobler dead at 72; NFL veteran lineman embraced 'dirtiest player' label
Former NFL offensive guard Conrad Dobler died at the age of 72, the Arizona Cardinals announced Monday. The team did not give a cause of death.
Dobler began his career with the Cardinals, who at the time played in St. Louis, after being drafted in the fifth round of the 1972 draft out of Wyoming. He made three Pro Bowls with the team from 1975-77.
Dobler and future Hall of Famer Dan Dierdorf were on the same Cardinals' offensive line in 1975 that allowed only eight sacks in one season (sacks weren't counted as an official statistic until 1982). Dobler went on to play for the New Orleans Saints and Buffalo Bills to close out his 10-year career. He played in 129 regular-season games.
"He was the kind of tough, physical and fierce player that you love to line up with as a teammate and hate to line up against as an opponent. On the field, Conrad was a big reason for the success of the Cardiac Cards of the 1970s."
-Michael Bidwill— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) February 13, 2023
Dobler was perhaps most infamously known as one of, if not the, dirtiest player in the NFL. He told Sports Illustrated in 1977 he would "do anything I can get away with to protect my quarterback." That included, according to the article, "holding, eye gouging, face-mask twisting, leg whipping, tripping even biting." Dobler added that he preferred physical attacks rather than verbal ones on the field.
"Verbal abuse could take all day," he said in 1977. "A faster and more efficient way to aggravate and intimidate people is to knock the stuffing out of them."
During his time in the league, Dobler reportedly punched Pittsburgh Steelers Hall of Fame defensive lineman Joe Greene, kicked Los Angeles Rams Hall of Fame defensive lineman Merlin Olsen in the head and spit on Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Bill Bergey after Bergey was injured on a play.
RIP Conrad Dobler
The man widely considered "the #NFL's dirtiest player" in the 1970s reflects on his career.
Testimonials and anecdotes from his former #StLouis#Cardinals linemate Dan Dierdorf and Conrad's arch-nemesis #Rams great Merlin Olsen. pic.twitter.com/GrmUnhbEFJ— Kevin Gallagher (@KevG163) February 13, 2023
Years after his playing career ended, Dobler stared in a Miller Lite commercial where he called himself a "troublemaker" before inciting an argument between two fans. Dobler also wrote a book with sportswriter Vic Carucci titled, "They Call Me Dirty" in 1988 which he documented "dirty details on everything from violence in football to Alex Karras to his Miller Lite commercials."
