John LeRoy Christiansen was an American professional football player who became a college and pro coach.
29 Facts About Jack Christiansen
2.
Jack Christiansen played professionally in the National Football League for the Detroit Lions as a safety and return specialist from 1951 to 1958.
3.
Jack Christiansen helped lead the Lions to three NFL championships in 1952,1953, and 1957 and was a first-team All-NFL player in six of his eight years in the league.
4.
Jack Christiansen led the NFL in interceptions in 1953 and 1957 and in punt returns for touchdown in 1951,1952,1954, and 1956.
5.
Jack Christiansen's eight career punt returns for touchdowns was an NFL record until 1989 and remains the fourth best in league history.
6.
Jack Christiansen was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1970.
7.
Jack Christiansen concluded his career as an assistant coach for the Kansas City Chiefs, Seattle Seahawks, and Atlanta Falcons.
8.
Jack Christiansen was born in Sublette, Kansas, in 1928, and was raised an orphan at the Odd Fellows Orphanage in Canon City, Colorado.
9.
Jack Christiansen was selected in the sixth round of the 1951 NFL Draft, 69th overall, by the Detroit Lions.
10.
Six weeks later, Jack Christiansen repeated the feat, returning two punts for touchdowns against the Green Bay Packers on Thanksgiving Day in Detroit.
11.
Jack Christiansen returned 15 punts for 322 yards and two touchdowns, and his average of 21.5 yards per punt return during the 1952 season remains an NFL record.
12.
In 1953, Jack Christiansen helped lead the Lions to their second consecutive NFL championship.
13.
Jack Christiansen led the NFL with 12 interceptions, 238 interception return yards, and a 93-yard interception return.
14.
Jack Christiansen became an integral part of the defensive backfield, a unit that would become known as "Chris's Crew," in tribute to his leadership.
15.
Jack Christiansen continued this high standard of play, tying for the interception lead with 10 picks-six in 1957 to help the Lions win their third title in six years.
16.
Jack Christiansen is tied with Lem Barney at 11 for the most return touchdowns in Detroit history.
17.
Jack Christiansen still has the team record with eight punt return touchdowns.
18.
Jack Christiansen was the first player in NFL history to record two punt return touchdowns in the same game.
19.
Jack Christiansen was an All-NFL defensive back for six-straight years, played in five Pro Bowls and led the league in interceptions twice.
20.
In January 1959, Jack Christiansen announced that he was retiring as a player to accept a position as an assistant coach with the San Francisco 49ers under head coach Red Hickey.
21.
Jack Christiansen served as a defensive backfield coach with the 49ers for four years, from 1959 to 1962.
22.
In January 1968, Jack Christiansen was hired by his alma mater, Colorado State, as a consultant to review and make recommendations concerning the university's athletic program.
23.
Jack Christiansen was criticized for starting Mike Cordova rather than Guy Benjamin at quarterback during the 1975 season and for switching between quarterbacks during the 1976 season.
24.
In March 1977, Jack Christiansen was hired as an assistant coach, responsible for running backs, under Paul Wiggin with the Kansas City Chiefs.
25.
Jack Christiansen spent five years as the Seahawks' defensive backfield coach, from 1978 to 1982.
26.
In February 1983, Jack Christiansen was hired by the Atlanta Falcons as its secondary coach.
27.
In January 1984, Jack Christiansen resigned his position with the Falcons after being diagnosed with cancer.
28.
Jack Christiansen retired from coaching in 1984 after being diagnosed with cancer.
29.
Jack Christiansen died in June 1986 at age 57 after undergoing surgery at Stanford Hospital in Palo Alto, California.