The Real Jack Tatum

The Raider Nation lost one of the greats if not the greatest Raider of all time when Jack died the other day of a heart attack at 61 years old.

Jack played the game the way we were taught to play the game back in Passaic. You play to win and you knocked your opponent into the next county every time you hit him. Pity-Pat hits were not acceptable. That was not in Jack’s vocabulary nor was it in mine

It’s a shame that Jack’s accomplishments were sometimes overshadowed by his hit on Daryl Stingley that left Daryl paralyzed. Jack was vilified for that hit and his refusal to apologize for the way he played. Yes, he did apologize publicly for hurting Daryl but refused to give in to the people who saw the Raiders and Jack as a ‘criminal element” in the NFL. If you watch the hits Jack, put on people back then, they were legal hits, but so powerful that they scared people. Yes, there were illegal hits. You can’t play the game of football and not make an illegal hit or lose your temper occasionally and pop someone in the jaw.

What bothers me is the people who talk about Jack being a dirty player; the People who have no clue and some who have never seen Jack play and just repeat what they may have read somewhere. Most players respected and feared Jack and will tell you his hits were legal. Most who played against him feared him on the field. They described the hits Jack made on runners as some of the scariest they had ever seen.

There’s also the story that Jack never visited or tried to contact Daryl after the accident. The fact is that Jack was turned away at the hospital by Daryl’s family and again when he tried to contact Daryl. When they finally set up a televised meeting Daryl felt that it was only to promote Jack’s new book and declined. Had that meeting occurred you would have seen the Jack I knew; a quiet unassuming man who was never the same after that hit on Daryl and yes, you probably would have seen tears too.

Jack was a friend, a quiet man that just knew how to play one way and go all out every minute he was on the field. We didn’t hang out together as we ran with different crowds, but we were considered the best in our respective sports, although Jack played his at a much higher level than I played mine. We had that mutual respect that athletes have for each other. We would bump shoulders as we passed each other in the hallway, as kids will do. That’s the way we showed our respect for one another. I think we had the most fun playing, not in our respective sports, but against each other in the recreation basketball league. There we could shed the Big Man on Campus label and really let loose without the expectation of super performances. We didn't burn up the nets, but we had fun. We trash talked, we got physical under the basket, and when we fouled the player that got fouled knew he got fouled. That’s the way it is in Passaic, you play to win and you take no prisoners.

So, if you don’t know Jack do not vilify him for something you don’t really understand. I am proud to say that Jack Tatum was my friend; the quiet gentleman and the best damn defensive player the NFL has ever seen.

Rest in Peace Jack, you are missed.