Every potent offense needs a sturdy center who is both nimble and strong while possessing the leadership traits necessary to lead the rest of his men into battle. In the early 1970's, the 49ers' Forrest Blue fit the bill. Not only was he a steady presence for one of the league's best offenses, but he led an unheralded group of men to unprecedented heights. This is his story.
The Early Years
Forrest Murrell Blue Jr. was born in Marfa, Texas on September 7, 1945. His father was a retired US Army captain who moved the family to Tampa, Florida before his son reached high school. Young Forrest excelled in baseball, basketball, track and in the classroom at George D. Chamberlain High School, but his true passion was on the gridiron.
He accepted a scholarship to Auburn University where he played for the legendary Shug Jordan from 1965 through 1967. Blue proved to be a natural SEC-caliber center, earning 2nd-Team All-SEC honors as a sophomore in 1965. What's more, that year, his Tigers beat two top-ten teams, Kentucky and Florida. However, he never did beat Alabama. He was drafted 15th overall by the 49ers in the 1968 NFL Draft.
San Francisco
Forrest Blue spent much of his rookie year learning from crafty veteran Bruce Bosley. Earlier that decade, Bosley had established himself as one of the best centers in the game by earning four trips to the Pro Bowl and by the time Forrest Blue was drafted, he could see the writing on the wall.
Sure enough, at season's end, Bosley was cut and Blue was thrust into the starter's role. Even though the 49ers failed to make the playoffs that first year, they knew that something special was brewing. With John Brodie firmly entrenched as the franchise quarterback and Gene Washington finding his stride out wide, the organization knew that it was only a matter of time before the squad could dominate the league.
By 1970, Blue was surrounded by talent all along the offensive line. to his left were tackle Len Rohde and guard Randy Beisler and to his right were tackle Cas Banaszek and guard Woody Peoples. With Ed Hughes as their offensive coordinator and the esteemed Ernie Zwahlen coaching up the unit, the 49ers offensive line soon began punishing opponents.
At season's end, they had set an unofficial NFL record by allowing just eight sacks all season. This was an essential reason why Brodie won the league's MVP that year. Named "the Protectors", they would hold that precious record for 18 years.
Still, for all their astuteness, the Protectors could only do so much. They never did reach the Super Bowl and had their hearts ripped out of their chests in the playoffs in each of the first three years of the 1970s by the Dallas Cowboys.
Standing 6'6" and weighing 260 pounds, Forrest Blue was a giant for his position, but his flexibility combined with his size made him an enigma. One moment, he could be seen punishing opponents in the run game and in the next he would be niftly swatting away another pathetic attempt at reaching Brodie. He was awarded for his efforts by going to four straight Pro Bowls (1971-1974) and being named First-Team All-Pro in three (1971-1973).
By 1975, it was time for a fresh start and Forrest Blue was traded to Baltimore. Surrounded by a first-class organization and talented up-and-comers such as quarterback Bert Jones, the Colts went 0-3 in the playoffs in Blue's four years there. His last playoff defeat was in the famed "Ghost to the Post" game against the Oakland Raiders in 1977. He retired after missing the playoffs in 1978.
His life quickly began to spiral out of control in the 1980s when he began to show signs of dementia and eventually, the disease would cost him three marriages. He became convinced that football had shriveled his brain to mush and spent much of his time researching brain injuries. After his death on July 16, 2011, he was proven correct. Forrest Blue had CTE, that dreaded disease that haunts so many football heroes of yesteryear. His memory lives in in both the Alabama and Tampa Sports Hall of Fame.
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