Tom Sestak

No. 70

Position:

Defensive tackle

Personal information

Date of birth:

March 9, 1936

Place of birth:

Gonzales, Texas

Date of death:

April 3, 1987 (aged 51)

Place of death:

Buffalo, New York

Height:

6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)

Weight:

267 lb (121 kg)

Career information

College:

McNeese State

NFL draft:

1962 / Round: 16 / Pick: 220

AFL draft:

1962 / Round: 17 / Pick: 132

Career history

Buffalo Bills (1962–1968)

Career highlights and awards

4× AFL All-Star (1962, 1963, 1964, 1965)
All-Time All-AFL Team
American Football League Champion, 1964, 1965
Buffalo Bills WOF
Buffalo Bills 50th Season All-time Team

Career NFL statistics

Player stats at NFL.com

Player stats at PFR

Thomas Joseph Sestak (March 9, 1936 – April 3, 1987) was an American football defensive lineman who played for the Buffalo Bills of the American Football League (AFL).

In 1962, following an innovative AFL trend of drafting players from small colleges, the Bills drafted Sestak as a tight end in the 17th round from McNeese State University. Sestak would never play that position for the Bills, but instead became one of the league's greatest defensive tackles. At 6-4, he had the size, speed and strength to handle any offensive lineman.

Sestak was a starter in his rookie year and, until a series of knee injuries ended his career after the 1967 season, used his strength to dominate the line of scrimmage. Sestak was a three-time selection to All-American Football League teams and a unanimous All-AFL defensive tackle in three consecutive years; 1963, 1964 and 1965. Sestak served as the cornerstone of a defense that took the Bills to the playoffs four straight years (1963–1966) and consecutive AFL championships in 1964 and 1965. Over the 1964 and 1965 seasons, Sestak and his defense mates held opposing rushers without a touchdown for seventeen consecutive games, a Professional Football record that still stands. Twice during his outstanding career he realized the defensive lineman's "dream", returning interceptions for touchdowns, and once returned a recovered fumble for a score.

His teammates described his play as "crazy as hell".

During the 1960s, only six professional defensive linemen were unanimous All-League selections for three or more years, Sestak (3), Bob Lily (5), Merlin Olsen (4), Willie Davis (3), Gino Marchetti (3), and Deacon Jones (3). The latter five, all former NFL players, have already been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, while Sestak, a star from the AFL, like many other AFL players has been ignored by the Hall of Fame selectors.

In January 1970, Sestak was selected as a member of the All-Time All-AFL Team, and in 2009 as a member of the Bills' 50th Anniversary Team. In 2007, Tom Sestak was inducted into the National Polish American Sports Hall of Fame.

Sestak died of a heart attack in 1987.

References

Buffalo Bills 1964 AFL Champions

3 Pete Gogolak 12 Daryle Lamonica 15 Jack Kemp 20 Bobby Smith 22 Charley Warner 23 Gene Sykes 24 Booker Edgerson 25 Ollie Dobbins 26 George Saimes 30 Wray Carlton 34 Cookie Gilchrist 40 Ed Rutkowski 42 Butch Byrd 43 Joe Auer 44 Elbert Dubenion 45 Hagood Clarke 46 Ray Abruzzese 47 Willie Ross 50 Al Bemiller 51 John Tracey 53 Walt Cudzik 55 Paul Maguire 58 Mike Stratton 60 Dave Behrman 64 Harry Jacobs 66 Billy Shaw 67 Joe O'Donnell 70 Tom Sestak 72 Ron McDole 73 George Flint 74 Tom Keating 75 Dudley Meredith 77 Stew Barber 78 Jim Dunaway 79 Dick Hudson 81 Bill Groman 83 Hatch Rosdahl 84 Ernie Warlick 85 Glenn Bass 88 Tom Day

Head Coach: Lou Saban

Assistant Coaches: Joe Collier John Mazur Jerry Smith

Buffalo Bills 1965 AFL Champions

3 Pete Gogolak 12 Daryle Lamonica 15 Jack Kemp 20 Bobby Smith 22 Charley Warner 23 Gene Sykes 24 Booker Edgerson 26 George Saimes 27 Tom Janik 30 Wray Carlton 32 Donnie Stone 33 Billy Joe 40 Ed Rutkowski 42 Butch Byrd 43 Joe Auer 44 Elbert Dubenion 45 Hagood Clarke 46 Bo Roberson 48 Pete Mills 49 Floyd Hudlow 50 Al Bemiller 51 John Tracey 52 Bill Laskey 55 Paul Maguire 56 Marty Schottenheimer 58 Mike Stratton 60 Dave Behrman 64 Harry Jacobs 66 Billy Shaw 67 Joe O'Donnell 70 Tom Sestak 72 Ron McDole 73 George Flint 74 Tom Keating 75 Dudley Meredith 76 Henry Schmidt 77 Stew Barber 78 Jim Dunaway 79 Dick Hudson 80 Charley Ferguson 81 Bill Groman 82 Paul Costa 84 Ernie Warlick 85 Glenn Bass 88 Tom Day

Head Coach: Lou Saban

Assistant Coaches: Joe Collier John Mazur Jerry Smith

American Football League All-Time Team

Joe Namath Clem Daniels Paul Lowe Lance Alworth Cookie Gilchrist Don Maynard Fred Arbanas Jim Otto Ed Budde Billy Shaw Ron Mix Jim Tyrer George Blanda Nick Buoniconti Bobby Bell George Webster Johnny Robinson George Saimes Willie Brown Dave Grayson Houston Antwine Tom Sestak Jerry Mays Gerry Philbin Jerrel Wilson Weeb Ewbank

Buffalo Bills 50th Anniversary Team (2009)

Offense: Jim Kelly (QB); Thurman Thomas (RB); Andre Reed (WR); Eric Moulds (WR); James Lofton (WR); Pete Metzelaars (TE); Jim Ritcher (G); Ruben Brown (G); Joe DeLamielleure (G); Billy Shaw (G); Kent Hull (C)

Defense: Bruce Smith (DE); Tom Sestak (DT); Fred Smerlas (DT); Darryl Talley (LB); Mike Stratton (LB); Cornelius Bennett (LB); Shane Conlan (LB); Butch Byrd (CB); Nate Odomes (CB); George Saimes (S); Henry Jones (S)

Special teams: Steve Christie (PK); Brian Moorman (P); Steve Tasker (Gunner)

Coach: Marv Levy

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Tom Sestak

See also

References