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TOM MACK

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Tom Mack was the LA Rams' 1966 first round draft choice, and the 2nd overall choice for the NFL. Given his record at the University of Michigan, this was a natural development. Mack lettered as a tackle at UM in 1964-65, and was part of the Big Ten Championship team in 1964 and Rose Bowl Championship team in 1965. His level of acheivement in sports was only matched by his scholastic strengths as a Mechanical Engineering major (BS 1968).

Early into Mack's rookie season with Coach George Allen's Rams, Mack became a starter at left guard. He received his first of 11 Pro-Bowl invitations in his second season (1967). His natural leadership abilities grew with the strength of the outstanding Rams offensive line of the late '60s. He served as the players' representative and team captain from 1974-1978. Developing a 70.2% win-rate from the 29.3% win-rate that was the Rams' status in Mack's rookie year, that rate declined to 52.8% in the six years following Mack's retirement.

While the Rams were enjoying their increased win rate from 1966 until 1978, Tom Mack never missed a game- 184 in all. Those wins included eight division championships and twelve playoff games. For eight of those years Tom Mack was also selected for either first or second team on all-NFL teams.

As many players of that era did, Tom Mack worked during the off-season. His engineering degree never went to waste- he worked for nine of his thirteen off seasons, and continues as Vice President for the Bechtel Corporation, the largest engineering and construction company in the US.

Given his leadership ability and strength of body, mind and character, Tom Mack's induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1999 was as natural a development for him as his first selection by the Rams was 33 years earlier.