The 12 players who would least likely make their way onto the
pages of Emily Post's Etiquette.
Posted: Wed October 21, 1998
Some of Gogan's most memorable shots have come after the play.
(Richard Mackson)
KEVIN GOGAN, G, 49ERS Claim to shame: goes off at wholly
inappropriate moments. Will spice up practice by mauling
teammates. "He'll dive over the pile to hit you, even after the
play," says Seahawks linebacker Darrin Smith. "If you're
anywhere near the pile, watch out."
BILL ROMANOWSKI, LB, BRONCOS Claim to shame: makes little effort
to hide transgressions. Spit on 49ers wideout J.J. Stokes in a
Monday night game. Broke then Panthers quarterback Kerry
Collins's jaw on a helmet-to-head hit in the '97 preseason, for
which he was fined $20,000. "He goes for the kill shot every
time," says one NFC quarterback.
RALPH TAMM, C, CHIEFS Claim to shame: vast repertoire of
techniques mastered over eleven seasons.
Signature moment came during a Monday night game with Denver in
'95, when he punched Raider Chester McGlockton in the groin.
COREY FULLER, CB, VIKINGS Claim to shame: filthy mouth. Known
for spitting at opponents and spewing trash talk while trolling
for cheap shots. Says one NFC Central quarterback, "He's always
bragging about how he's going to hurt you. Then he comes in late
and hits up high with his helmet."
MARK CARRIER, S, LIONS Claim to shame: likes to tackle with his
helmet. Has been cited by the NFL for such plays three times in
the past two seasons and five times in the last seven. The
latest, a blow in a Sept. 28 game that sidelined Bucs wideout
Brice Hunter, was an expensive one. Carrier drew a one-game
suspension without pay ($27,941).
DAVE WIDELL, C, FALCONS Claim to shame: compensates for lack of
ability by hitting players late or away from the ball. Seahawks
guard Brian Habib, who played with Widell in Denver, says, "At
the end of a play, he'll come up behind a guy and give him a
shot."
FRANK WINTERS, C, PACKERS Claim to shame: cheap shots near the
pile after the whistle blows. "I love Frank Winters," says 49ers
coach Steve Mariucci, a former Green Bay assistant. "He's a teddy
bear off the field, but he'll wait until the tackle is made, then
come in high and spear players standing around the ball. Then
he'll go back to the huddle laughing."
ERIK WILLIAMS, T, COWBOYS Claim to shame: will do anything to
avoid getting beat. Likes to head-slap and dole out shots to the
face of opponents. In a '95 playoff victory over the Packers,
felled defensive tackle John Jurkovic with lunging—albeit
legal—cut block, blowing out Jurkovic's knee. Says one 49er,
"He'll look you in the eye, then try to take your knee out.
He'll club you on the back, kick you, trip you, whatever."
Who is the dirtiest player in the NFL?
Kevin Gogan, G, 49ers Bill Romanowski, LB, Broncos Ralph Tamm, C, Chiefs Corey Fuller, CB, Vikings Mark Carrier, S, Lions Dave Widell, C, Falcons Frank Winters, C, Packers Erik Williams, T, Cowboys Eric Swann, DT, Cardinals Rodney Harrison, S, Chargers Todd Steussie, T, Vikings William Fuller, DE, Chargers
ERIC SWANN, DT, CARDINALS Claim to shame: can easily be provoked
into losing his cool. In a preseason game against Seattle, rookie
guard Chris Brymer blocked Swann onto his back; Swann retaliated
later by pushing and kicking Brymer, and was ejected. Swann was
also booted from Arizona's '98 season opener after tangling with
Williams. "If you block him, he punches you," says Seattle's
Habib.
RODNEY HARRISON, S, CHARGERS Claim to shame: constantly looking
to make knockout blow. Was fined $10,000 for going after neck and
face of Chiefs wideout Andre Rison last year on a pass that fell
incomplete. Says Gogan, "He doesn't even tackle anybody. He just
runs up and flies toward the pile, looking to hit somebody late."
TODD STEUSSIE, T, VIKINGS Claim to shame: nasty cut blocks away
from the play. "Steussie commits what you might call cardinal
sins," says 49ers defensive end Gabe Wilkins. "He'll go after
your knees, even if you're 10 yards away from the play. All he
has to do is seal you off, but he'll still try to take you out."
WILLIAM FULLER, DE, CHARGERS Claim to shame: If Fuller (no
relation to Corey) has a favorite ballet, it would probably be
The Nutcracker. "He's one of those guys who goes for balls in a
pile," says 49ers tackle Derrick Deese, "and we're not talking
about footballs."
