Two-time Boise Junior College All-American, NFL Hall of Famer Dave Wilcox dies at age 80
Former Boise Junior College All-American Dave Wilcox has passed away at the age of 80.
Wilcox died Wednesday after recently undergoing heart surgery, according to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
An 11-year veteran of the NFL, Wilcox was elected as a member of the Hall of Fame’s Class of 2000, and is also a member of the San Francisco 49ers Hall of Fame and Boise State Athletics Hall of Fame.
“While Dave Wilcox was nicknamed ‘The Intimidator’ for his aggressive style of play, he was a kind, humble and gracious man in all other aspects of life,” Hall of Fame President Jim Porter said in a news release. “He transformed the outside linebacker position — one of the many feats that earned him a forever home in Canton.”
Born Sept. 29, 1942, in Ontario, Oregon, Wilcox earned nine varsity letters in high school — three each in football, baseball and basketball — and was a two-way end for Vale Union (Ore.) on two state championship football teams, according to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
He went on to play two seasons in Boise, becoming a two-time All-American for the Broncos in 1960 and 1961 under head coach Lyle Smith. He transferred to the University of Oregon, where he played two seasons (1962-63), and he was selected in both the AFL and NFL drafts in 1964.
Wilcox signed with San Francisco after the 49ers made him the 29th overall selection in the third round. The Houston Oilers chose him with the AFL’s 46th overall pick. He played 11 seasons at linebacker in the NFL (1964-74), and was selected to seven Pro Bowls and named All-NFL five times.
“What I do best is not let people block me. I just hate to be blocked,” Wilcox said during his Pro Football Hall of Fame speech.
“Defensively, I had an area. And I did not like people in that area,” Wilcox told NFL Films. “So when I prepared to play the game, it was to keep everybody out of that area. Nobody was going to run in my area; nobody was going to pass in my area. This was my spot, and nobody was welcome there — except me.”
Wilcox, who is the father of California football coach Justin Wilcox, was selected to the Pro Bowl each season from 1968 to 1973 and was a first-team AP All-Pro in 1971 and ‘72. He missed only one game in 11 seasons, according to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
This story was originally published April 20, 2023 at 5:19 PM.
