Neal T. Olkewicz (born January 30, 1957) is an American former professional
football player who spent his entire 11-year career as a
linebacker
Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage and the defensive linemen. They are the "middle ground" of defenders, ...
for the
Washington Redskins
The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) N ...
of the
National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
(NFL) from 1979 to 1989. He played
college football for the
Maryland Terrapins
The Maryland Terrapins, commonly referred to as the Terps, consist of 19 men's and women's varsity intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Maryland, College Park in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Divis ...
.
Early life
Olkewicz was born in
Phoenixville, Pennsylvania
Phoenixville is a borough in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located northwest of Philadelphia at the junction of French Creek and the Schuylkill River. It is in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The population is 18,616 ...
and attended
Phoenixville High School
The Phoenixville Area School District (PASD) is a public school district headquartered in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. The current superintendent (2016) is Dr. Alan D. Fegley. The current assistant superintendent (2017) is Dr. Le Roy WhiteHead ...
, where he played
football and
baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding t ...
.
College career
Olkewicz played
college football at the
University of Maryland
The University of Maryland, College Park (University of Maryland, UMD, or simply Maryland) is a public land-grant research university in College Park, Maryland. Founded in 1856, UMD is the flagship institution of the University System of M ...
from 1975 to 1978. While at Maryland, Olkewicz played in four bowl games - the
Gator Bowl,
Cotton Bowl, the
Hall of Fame Classic, and the
Sun Bowl. In 1978, he led the Terrapins' defense by making 188 tackles, a school record that still remains intact.
Professional career
Olkewicz signed with the
Washington Redskins
The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) N ...
as a free agent in 1979. He won two
Super Bowl Championships with victories over the
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team p ...
(1982) and the
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquar ...
(1987). He was named the Redskins’ Defensive MVP in 1988. Olkewicz is one of only five players in NFL history to play in a Super Bowl on his birthday (
Super Bowl XVII).
He retired in 1989 following the Redskins victory over the
Seattle Seahawks in the season finale. He played 150 games in his career and finished with six interceptions for 76 yards, one touchdown and 12 sacks.
After football
Since retirement, Olkewicz has owned a vending business in
Rockville, Maryland called Olkewicz Vending serving the Washington metropolitan area. He was inducted into the Chester County Sports Hall of Fame in 2012
and the
in 2015.
He is currently working as an aide at Pottsgrove High School in
Pottstown, Pennsylvania.
References
External links
*
Chester County Sports Hall of Fame profile
1957 births
Living people
Washington Redskins players
Maryland Terrapins football players
People from Phoenixville, Pennsylvania
Players of American football from Chester County, Pennsylvania
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