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Dennis Claridge

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Dennis Claridge
No. 10
PositionQuarterback
Personal information
Born(1941-08-18)August 18, 1941
Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.
DiedMay 1, 2018(2018-05-01) (aged 76)
Lincoln, Nebraska, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Listed weight220 lb (100 kg)
Career information
High schoolRobbinsdale (MN)
CollegeNebraska
NFL draft1963: 3rd round, 39th overall pick
AFL draft1963: 26th round, 201 (Oakland Raiders)th overall pick
Career history
Awards and highlights
Career NFL statistics
Passing attempts71
Passing completions41
Completion percentage57.7%
TD–INT2–2
Passing yards484
Passer rating76.3
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Dennis Bert Claridge (August 18, 1941 – May 1, 2018) was an American professional football player, a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Green Bay Packers and Atlanta Falcons.[1] He played college football at the University of Nebraska under head coaches Bill Jennings and Bob Devaney,[2] and later attended its dental school.[3]

Born in Phoenix, Arizona, Claridge played high school football in Minnesota at Robbinsdale, a suburb northwest of Minneapolis. As a senior in college in 1963, he led Nebraska to an undefeated season in the Big Eight Conference, a 9–1 regular season, and a victory over Auburn in the Orange Bowl.

Selected in third round of the 1963 NFL draft as a junior eligible, Claridge stayed in college and joined the Packers in 1964.[4] He was a member of the NFL championship team in 1965, playing behind Hall of Fame quarterback Bart Starr and Zeke Bratkowski under head coach Vince Lombardi.[1][5] Claridge was selected in the 1966 expansion draft by the Falcons.[6] Green Bay was interested in reacquiring him for the 1967 season, but he left the NFL after three seasons to complete dental school.[3]

Claridge later worked as an orthodontist in Lincoln, Nebraska. He died in 2018 of bladder cancer at the age of 76.[7]

References

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  1. 1 2 "Claridge gets his chance". St. Petersburg Independent. Florida. Associated Press. July 8, 1966. p. 15A.
  2. ↑ "Packer rookie still aims at dentistry". Pittsburgh Press. UPI. July 26, 1964. p. 3, section 4.
  3. 1 2 "Claridge said no". Milwaukee Journal. October 5, 1967. p. 16, part 2.
  4. ↑ "1963 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved August 6, 2026.
  5. ↑ Lea, Bud (August 25, 1965). "Scrambler? No!". Milwaukee Sentinel. p. 3, part 2.
  6. ↑ "Falcons surprise Lombardi, pick up Packers' Claridge". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Florida. Associated Press. February 17, 1966. p. 31.
  7. ↑ Sipple, Steven M. (May 2, 2018). "Ex-Husker quarterback Claridge, a mainstay under Devaney, dies at age 76".
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