A Long Afternoon...
Former New Orleans Saints quarterback Archie Manning, on a long afternoon against the San Francisco 49ers: “I need to see somebody about this, because I really do believe [DE] Cedric Hardman is trying to kill me.”
In terms of opponents, was there a pass rusher who was particularly rough on you?
AM: When you play a long time on one team, you tend of remember your division opponents because you play them so much. In my first year, Deacon Jones and Merlin Olsen were both with the Rams. Deacon was everything they said he was. He might have been a little older and rested a few plays, but when he wanted to bring it, he could bring it. He was a faa-ast man, and that headslap was the real deal. Merlin was a little older, too, but you still saw the greatness there, the consistency. Taking on blockers, stopping the run.
Of course, the guy I played against the most, who came into the league the same time I did, would be Jack Youngblood. I told Jack that when he got into the Hall of Fame I really should be his presenter. He wouldn’t have gotten in without having me to sack.
San Francisco had a great defense in my early years. They had two ends named Tommy Hart and Cedric Hardman. Outstanding rushers, both of them. That was Dick Nolan’s flex defense. One more guy who caused a lot of problems for us was Tommy Nobis of the Falcons. I have no idea why he isn’t in the Hall of Fame.