Emil Joseph Holub (January 5, 1938 – September 21, 2019) was an American professional football center and linebacker in the American Football League (AFL) and the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs. He played college football at Texas Technological College (now Texas Tech University).

Early life

Holub was born on January 5, 1938, in Schulenburg, Texas. He graduated from Lubbock High School in 1957, where his nickname was "the Beast".

He received All-District honors as a junior, and was named captain as a senior. A knee operation forced him to miss his senior season. The surgery took place over the summer of 1956, and he tried playing in an early season September game, where his knee was re-injured. He stopped playing altogether that year on medical advice.

In 1987, he was inducted into the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame. He played under coach DeWitt Weaver. He stood 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) and weighed 215 pounds (97.5 kg).

In his very first varsity game in 1958, he blocked a field attempt to win the game over Texas A&M. As a senior he had 15 unassisted tackles and 8 assisted tackles against Baylor. Sports Illustrated named him Lineman of the Week for that game. He had 18 unassisted tackles, 10 assisted tackles and returned an interception for a 40-yard touchdown against Arkansas. In the Red Raiders' game against Tulane, he had a 28-yard touchdown return on an interception. He also played in the Coaches All-America Game and the Chicago All-Star Game. In 2013, he was inducted into the Southwest Conference Hall of Fame.

Professional career

Holub was selected by the Dallas Texans in the first round (6th overall) of the 1961 AFL draft and by the Dallas Cowboys in the second round (16th overall) of the 1961 NFL draft. He principally played linebacker from 1961 to 1967, and then center from 1968 to 1970. He played as a Dallas Texan in 1961 and 1962, and then as a Kansas City Chief from 1963 to 1970 after the team moved. including the 1962 AFL title game with the Texans winning 20–17 in double-overtime against the defending champion Houston Oilers. This is the longest professional football league championship game ever played, was watched by millions on television, and played an important part in creating the grounds for an AFL-NFL merger.

Holub began his professional career as a two-way player, playing center on offense and linebacker on defense — a rarity during the two platoon era. Holub had begun professional play one year before Chuck Bednarik retired in 1962, who was the last full-time two-way player in the National Football League. In one game in 1962, Holub played 58 of 60 minutes, alternating on offense and defense; in another he racked up a total of 56 minutes played. In 1967, he played in only 6 games Holub was simply not able to run with the necessary speed to play linebacker after repeated surgeries. Holub was a leader, a "holler guy", and he was a team player, enduring pain to lead his team. He would spend hours in the training room, watching blood and liquid drain from his knee, then go out to the field and perform as though he was suffering from no physical problem.

Surgeries were more invasive in Holub's time, than for later football players. He had 20 surgeries in his lifetime, 11 during his playing days. In 1971, he injured his left knee in the first week of training camp and later announced his retirement. He was second-team All-AFL in 1961, 1965-1966, and 1969 (at center). Holub was the only player to start two Super Bowls at two different positions. He started Super Bowl I at linebacker, then started Super Bowl IV at center

In 1976, he was inducted into the Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Honor, as a center and linebacker.

References

  • A Chiefs Historic Look: EJ Holub
  • Lubbock ISD Athletic Hall of Honor
  • E.J. Holub is famous both for football and for his horse