Flashback: Tommy Hart's 6-sack night
Niners' great defensive end, coach, scout passes at 80 years old.
Word of the passing of former star San Francisco 49ers' defensive end Tommy Hart Thursday conjured images of one of the greatest single games by an NFL player. On Oct. 11, 1976, Hart put on quite a show for the Monday Night Football audience — six sacks and three forced fumbles, two of which set up scores.
More on that game later. First, some fond memories of one of the most beloved alums in the 49ers’ fraternity, who twice won the prestigious Len Eshmont Award, selected by teammates for inspirational and courageous play.
But Hart was merciless against offensive tackles for 13 years with the 49ers, Chicago Bears, and New Orleans Saints. Originally a 10th-round draft pick (261 overall) out of Morris Brown College, Hart started 140 and compiled 83.0 sacks, eight fumble recoveries with two returned for touchdowns, and two interceptions.
In 1976, he was part of “The Gold Rush,” a nickname for the 49ers’ aggressive defense. And never was The Gold Rush better than on that Monday night.
I was fortunate to be there when Hart sacked Rams quarterback James Harris six times, and the 49ers totaled 10 sacks. Hart was always an underrated defensive end, with a blink-quick first step and a combination of agility and aggressiveness that made life miserable for offensive tackles.
You only had to ask one of those offensive tackles to find that out. This is precisely what I did after that Monday night game, even as that right tackle, John Williams, was still winded and sweaty in the aftermath.
“I’ve been saying for a long time that Tommy Hart is one of the best defensive linemen in the National Football League,” Williams told me after giving up all six of those sacks to Hart, who also caused three fumbles, one leading to a touchdown, another to a field goal.
“He’s so quick you have to play the game without blinking. With his quickness and agility he could easily be a linebacker. Williams was also called for holding twice.
Here is a graphic of that story from the San Francisco Examiner and more on Hart below.
Tommy Lee Hart was born Nov. 7, 1944 in Macon, Georgia. At Morris Brown College he played offensive and defensive tackle. Hart also earned three letters as a shot-putter and sprinter. In 1993, he was inducted into the state of Georgia Sports Hall of Fame.
Following his retirement from the NFL, Hart returned to the 49ers as an assistant defensive line coach (1983–91), where he contributed to three of the team’s Super Bowl championships (XIX, XXIII and XXIV). He also spent two years (1992–93) as a scout for the team before joining the Dallas Cowboys as a defensive line coach (1996–97) and area scout (1998–2005).
Hart’s life was intertwined with the 49ers franchise. His daughter, Crystal, grew up in the 49ers family when her father played for the team, and she later joined the organization's football affairs department in 2014.