Former NFL Veteran Walt Rock Passes Away at 84

Defensive tackle Walt Rock, an 11-season NFL player with the San Francisco 49ers and Washington Redskins, passed away on May 19 at the age of 84.

In 1962, Rock gained recognition as an honorable mention All-American at the University of Maryland. He excelled as both a guard and tackle in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

The San Francisco 49ers selected Rock with the 21st overall pick in the second round of the 1963 NFL Draft. He was also drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs that year but chose to join the NFL.

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During his 11-year career from 1963 to 1973, Rock played in 137 games. He started almost every game at tackle for his last ten seasons. He earned Pro Bowl selections in 1965 and 1966 and was named first-team All-Pro by the Sporting News in 1966.

Rock was traded to the Washington Redskins in 1968 for a first-round draft pick. He played in his first playoff game in 1971. In 1972, he contributed to Washington’s “Over-the-Hill Gang” in defeating the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Championship, advancing to the Super Bowl, where they fell to the Miami Dolphins.

In starting the game, Rock became one of the few to play in a Super Bowl after a collegiate career at the University of Maryland. His playing career ended in 1973 due to repeated ankle injuries. He then pursued full-time work as president and owner of Door Systems, Inc. in Virginia, a role he held during NFL off-seasons prior to retirement.

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In 1972, Rock was inducted into the inaugural class of the Elyria (Ohio) Sports Hall of Fame. At Elyria High School, he was a standout in football and basketball, leading the basketball team in scoring and rebounds as a center. The team lost only one regular-season game during his final two years.

Walt Rock is survived by his wife, Alice, three sisters, his two children—Douglas and Chelsea—and a number of grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

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