The All-Military Academy Team of the NFL

 by Jeffrey J. Miller

This team is made up of NFL players who attended military schools of higher learning.  Not necessarily combat veterans or war heroes (though some were), but men who spent all or some part of their college years at a military academy. For the purposes of this exercise, those schools include the United States Military Academy (Army), the United States Naval Academy and the United States Air Force Academy, as well as the United States Coast Guard Academy, the United States Merchant Marine Academy, the Citadel Military College, and the Virginia Military Institute, all of which sent at least one alumnus to the National Football League.  (Though five players from the New Mexico Military Institute have made it to the NFL, the only one to make our military academy honor squad—Roger Staubach—does so representing the Naval Academy.)

This All-Military Academy Team features two legitimate Hall-of-Famers, several All-Pros and a handful of solid veterans who enjoyed lengthy careers in the NFL. Admittedly, the pickins got slim at some positions (particularly at tight end and the defensive secondary), but this effort was still meaningful since for a few of these players, being on this team serves as a reminder to some fans who might have forgotten them (or perhaps never even heard of them).   

 The Offense

QB – Roger Staubach (Navy). By far the NFL’s most recognizable and heralded graduate of a military school, Staubach enjoyed an outstanding career with the Dallas Cowboys after winning the Heisman Trophy as college football’s top player in 1963 and serving a tour of duty in Vietnam. Staubach’s 11-year NFL career was spent entirely with the Cowboys, during which he led the league in passing four times, appeared in six Pro Bowls and won two Super Bowl rings, including one (Super Bowl VI) in which he was voted Most Valuable Player. Staubach was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985.  

RB – Stump Mitchell (The Citadel). After a stellar grid career at the Citadel Military College of South Carolina, Mitchell was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the ninth round of the 1981 draft. He rewarded the Cards with nine outstanding years, including a 1,006-yard campaign in 1985 and an 800-yard season a year later.  Mitchell still holds the Citadel records for rushing yards in a single season (1,647) and career (4,062).

 RB – Bob Hoernschemeyer (Navy). After leading the Midshipmen to a 7-1-1 record and a #3 ranking in 1945, Hoernschemeyer forged an impressive ten-year career with the Chicago Rockets, Brooklyn Dodgers and Chicago Hornets of the All-America Football Conference and Detroit Lions of the NFL. It was with the Lions that Hunchy enjoyed his best years, helping the blue and silver win back-to-back NFL Championships in 1951 and 1952, and earning trips to the Pro Bowl both years.

WR – Angelo Coia (The Citadel). Selected as a relative afterthought by the Bears in the 20^th round of the 1960 draft, Coia made an immediate impact, catching 25 passes as a rookie for an average 19.1 yards per catch and scoring four touchdowns. He remained with the Bears for four seasons, helping them win the NFL Championship in 1963. He then spent two years with the Redskins and one with the Atlanta Falcons, tallying 20 career touchdowns and an impressive 16.8-yard average in his seven NFL seasons.

WR – Andre Roberts (The Citadel). Roberts was a three-time All Southern Conference selection and two-time FCS All American at the Citadel, and set many school records including most receptions in a season (95) and career (286), receiving yards in a season (1,334) and career (3,743), touchdown receptions in a season (14) and career (37), punt return yards in a season (461) and career (1,160). Though never a consistent starter as a receiver, Roberts managed some fairly productive years early in his career while with the Arizona Cardinals, with 51, 64 and 43 catches in consecutive seasons. It was, however, for his work as a kick returner that Roberts earned three Pro Bowl invitations (2018-20) and a first-team All-Pro nod (2018).  Roberts played for nine different teams (Cardinals, Redskins, Lions, Falcons, Jets, Bills, Texans, Chargers, Panthers) during his 13-year career.

TE – Garrett Griffin (Air Force). Griffin played at the Air Force Academy from 2012 to 2015, finishing his career with 41 catches for 678 yards and 8 touchdowns. He went undrafted in 2016 but was signed to a free agent contract by the New Orleans Saints. He spent the next five seasons with the Saints and scored his first career touchdown in the 2018 NFC Championship Game against the Los Angeles Rams. He finished his career in 2021 with the Detroit Lions.

 LT – Alejandro Villanueva (Army). Villanueva played college football at West Point and dutifully fulfilled his service commitment after graduation, eventually attaining the rank of captain and earning a Bronze Star. After three tours of duty in Afghanistan, Villanueva was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles (2014) but was waived prior to the season. He signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers and played for them for six seasons, going to the Pro Bowl in 2017 and 2018. He played a final season (2021) with the Baltimore Ravens before announcing his retirement.

LG – Mike Wahle (Navy). Wahle played three years at the Naval Academy before being selected by the Green Bay Packers in the second round of the 1998 NFL Supplemental Draft.  He put in seven solid years with the Pack but was released after the 2004 season. He was picked up by the Carolina Panthers two days later and rewarded their faith with a Pro Bowl year in 2005. After three years in Carolina, Wahle played his final season (2008) with the Seattle Seahawks. In all, Wahle put in 11 years in the NFL, appearing in 152 regular season games.

C – Tex Coulter (Army).  DeWitt E. “Tex” Coulter (from Fort Worth, Texas) played two seasons of football at the United States Military Academy (1944-45). His pro football sojourn took him through six seasons with the New York Giants and three more with the Montreal Alouettes of the CFL. He earned two Pro Bowl invitations at the tackle position with the Giants, but spent a season playing center as well, where he earns a spot on this honor team.

RG – Bob Mischak (Army).  Mischak played under legendary coach Red Blaik at Army before moving on to a seven-year pro career that started with the NFL New York Giants in 1958. That year, he was a starting guard in the NFL championship game against the Baltimore Colts that many historians call “The Greatest Game Ever Played.” In 1960, Mischak signed with the New York Titans of the new American Football League, where he was All-AFL twice (1961 and 1962) and appeared in two AFL All-Star games (same years). He later played three seasons with the Oakland Raiders (1963-65). Mischak was posthumously enshrined into the Army/West Point Sports Hall of Fame in 2017.

RT – Max Lane (Navy).  A three-year starter at the United States Naval Academy, Lane was selected by the New Patriots in the sixth round in 1994. He appeared in 100 games over seven seasons for the Pats. His career included a start in Super Bowl XXXI.

K – Curt Knight (Coast Guard). The only graduate of the Division III Coast Guard Academy to make it to the NFL, Knight etched a nice five-year career, all with the Washington Redskins (1969-73). His best year came in 1971, when he led the NFL in field goals (29) and the National Conference in total points (114), earning first-team All-Pro honors and a trip to the Pro Bowl.

   The Defense

LDE – Larry Cole (Air Force).  Cole played two seasons at the Air Force before transferring to the University of Houston and then Hawai’i, where he became the first player ever drafted out of that school when the Dallas Cowboys tapped him in 16th round (428th overall) of the 1968 draft. Cole went on to play 12 seasons with the ‘boys, appearing in five Super Bowls, winning two. For his career, Cole recorded 59 sacks, 14 fumble recoveries and four defensive touchdowns (three by interception, one by recovered fumble).

 LDT – John Small (The Citadel).  Played collegiately for The Citadel where he was a three-time All-Southern Conference selection as well as a first-team All American in 1969. The Atlanta Falcons drafted Small in the first round in 1970. He played three years with the Falcons and two with the Detroit Lions. He was a member of the inaugural class of the Citadel Athletic Hall of Fame in 1977.

RDT – Chad Hennings (Air Force). Hennings truly put the “force” in Air Force in 1987, being selected a unanimous All-American and winning the Outland Trophy as college football’s top interior lineman. Despite the fact that they would have to wait for Hennings to honor his commitment to the Air Force before he could play in the NFL, the Dallas Cowboys selected him in the eleventh round in 1988. He joined the Cowboys in 1992 and went on to play nine seasons with the team, winning three Super Bowls along the way.

RDE – Ed Sprinkle (Navy). The “other” Pro Football Hall of Famer on this team, Ed Sprinkle was considered by many to be “the meanest man in football” during his playing days. While playing for Navy in 1943, Sprinkle earned All-Eastern honors, but went unselected during the ensuing NFL draft. The man who came to be known as “the Claw” signed a free agent contract with the Chicago Bears, and for 12 seasons made the rest of the league pay for their collective oversight, going to four Pro Bowls and leading the Bears to the NFL Title in 1946.  He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2020.

LLB – Joe Fortunato (VMI). As of this writing, only 14 players from the Virginia Military Institute have gone on the play in the National Football League.  By far, the most successful of these has been Joe Fortunato, who wound up playing 12 seasons with the Chicago Bears, being named All-Pro three times, appearing in five Pro Bowls, and winning an NFL Championship in 1963. The Professional Football Researchers Association named him to their Hall of Very Good in 2017.

ILB – Joe Rizzo (Merchant Marine). To date, Rizzo is one of only three Merchant Marine alumni (yes, they have a team—the Mariners—that plays Division III football) to reach the NFL.  He played for the Denver Broncos his entire seven-year career (1974-80), including four as a starter during which he was a key contributor to the Broncos’ legendary Orange Crush defense that led them to Super Bowl XII.

RLB – Ron George (Air Force).  A native of Heidelberg, Germany, George started his college career at the Air Force Academy before transferring to Stanford.  He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the 5th round in 1993. Though he was never a star, playing primarily on special teams, George did enjoy one of his eight NFL seasons as a first-stringer (1996 with Atlanta).  He spent four years with the Falcons, one with the Minnesota Vikings and three with the Kansas City Chiefs.

LCB – Cortez Allen (The Citadel). After an outstanding collegiate career at the Citadel in which he twice earned second-team All-Southern Conference honors (2009 and 2010), the Pittsburgh Steelers selected Allen in the fourth round (128th overall) of the 2011 NFL draft.  Though he never attained the superstar status expected of him, Allen played five seasons in Steeltown, appearing in 56 games, 18 as a starter. He racked up six career interceptions, returning one for a touchdown.

RCB – Corey Harris (The Citadel). Harris played two years at the Citadel (1995-96) before transferring to play his final two college years at North Alabama. He went undrafted in 1999 but signed on with the New Orleans Saints, for whom he played sparingly over two seasons (six games, one start).  He then moved on to Kansas City where he played in just 21 games in three seasons with the Chiefs.  He also spent some time with the Rhein Fire of NFL Europe.

SS – Jeromy Miles (Navy). Miles transferred to the University of Massachusetts after playing one year (2009) at the Naval Academy.  He went unpicked in the 2010 NFL draft and signed a free agent contract to play for Cincinnati Bengals, with whom he spent his first three NFL seasons primarily as a special teams performer.  He finished his career playing two seasons with the Baltimore Ravens. He played in 67 games during his five-year NFL career, starting three.

     

FS – Alohi Gilman (Navy).  Gilman played just one year—his freshman season—at Navy before transferring to Notre Dame. Still, he appeared in all 14 games for the Midshipman that year, registering 76 tackles and being named honorable mention All-American Athletic Conference. The Los Angeles Chargers picked him in the sixth round of the 2020 draft. He spent his first five and a half seasons with the Chargers before being traded to the Baltimore Ravens midway through 2025. He signed a free agent contract to play with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2026.  The only player on this honor squad still active in the league, Gilman has five career interceptions and six fumble recoveries.

P – Paul Maguire (The Citadel). Perhaps best known for his time spent as a very colorful commentator on NFL broadcasts with ABC, CBS and ESPN networks, some younger fans might have been surprised to learn that not only was Maguire a pretty good football player in his day, but that his collegiate years were spent at a military academy—the Citadel Military College! He forged a distinguished career across 11 pro seasons (four with the Los Angeles/San Diego Chargers and seven with the Buffalo Bills) in which he played in six of the ten total American Football League Championship Games, winning three (San Diego in 1963, Buffalo in 1964 and ’65). Not just a punter, Maguire was voted to the 1963 AFL All-Star Game as a linebacker. He was one of only twenty players who were in the AFL for its entire ten-year existence. He was inducted into the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame in 2002.

Team representation

Navy – 7

The Citadel – 7

Air Force – 4

Army - 3

VMI - 1

Merchant Marine - 1

Coast Guard - 1

Aldon Smith’s Story with the San Francisco 49ers: A Brilliant but Tragic Rise. And Fall.

By John Turney 

Aldon Smith immediately became one of the most explosive pass rushers in the league, but off-field struggles with substance abuse and legal issues cut short what could have been a Hall of Fame career. It is near the top of any "what if?" list in NFL history based on how he started and how fast it was gone. 

The term "freak" is too often applied to NFL players. Once reserved for rare athletes, it has sometimes become overused, but for Aldon Smith, it might have applied, especially in terms of arm length and quickness and natural strength.

His collegiate production and those rare physical gifts the 49ers took him with the seventh overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft out of Missouri, and he was like a meteor in the NFL sky.

Tragically, Aldon Smith passed away on June 13, 2026, at age 36 in Northern California. Yesterday, the 49ers released this statement:

We are devastated by the sudden and tragic passing of Aldon Smith. Aldon’s undeniable talent and sheer dominance on the field were on display from the moment he joined our organization, having recorded one of the best rookie seasons the National Football League has seen. Beyond his excellence as a player, Aldon will be remembered for his infectious smile that lit up every room he walked into. Our entire organization sends its deepest condolences to the Smith family and all who knew and loved Aldon.

No details have been given on his death.  

"What might have been?," we have to ask. Maybe you ask the same question.

As a rookie situational pass rusher. In 2011, he recorded 14 sacks—an official 49ers rookie record at the time—helping the team reach the NFC Championship. He earned PFWA All-Rookie honors and finished second in AP Defensive Rookie of the Year voting. Per Pro Football Focus he achieved a 90.2 pass rush grade (third among edge rushers) and 77 pressures which ranked tenth in his position group.

In 2012 (after surviving being stabbed at a house in late June), he exploded for a franchise-record 19-½ sacks, earning First-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors and he helped lead the 49ers to Super Bowl XLVII (a loss to the Ravens) and won the Bill Walsh Award for exemplifying the organization’s standard of excellence.

He was poised to be an All-Pro for years. Until he wasn't.

Injuries and personal troubles mounted. Smith played in only 11 games in 2013 (8½ sacks) and 7 in 2014 (2 sacks).

Legal problems included multiple DUIs, a false bomb threat at LAX, and NFL suspensions for substance abuse/personal conduct violations. The 49ers released him in August 2015 after another DUI arrest. He was signed by the Raiders for a stint (2015, totaling 3½ sacks), but troubles abounded, and he received an "indefinite" suspension that lasted four years, cut

Smith was reinstated before the 2020 season at the age of 31 and started 16 games and recorded five sacks. Not bad for a guy who had not played since he was 26 years old. Remarkable, really, for a guy to sit out and still show flashes of his old self. However, he never recaptured his early dominance.

He signed with the Seahawks for the 2021 season but was released in early August of that year.

In recent years, Smith found purpose in recovery coaching and mentoring, achieving sobriety since late 2021, after an arrest for DUI, for which he served jail time. He reflected on his journey with humility, noting he was "good at playing football, but wasn’t a good football player," due to his off-field choices. 

In his six NFL seasons, he recorded 52-½ sacks. All-Pro tackles Trent Williams and Joe Staley both maintained that Smith was the toughest guy they had to block. Williams was never Smith's teammate, but Staley was. 

Williams and Staley (among others) report that his incredible strength—both upper and lower body—allowed him to take on the blocks of much larger man and his quickness, mixed with his arm length and flexibility, made him extremely slippery. Tackles couldn't power him, and when they did get their hands and pads on him, he would wiggle away.

RAYMOND BERRY: "The Most Prepared are the Most Dedicated"

By  TJ Troup 

Credit: Merv Corning

Has taken me a week and many revisions before writing this dedication. Boys have athletic heroes, want to play like they do, and though growing up a Bears fan in the late '50's by far my favorite player on another team was Raymond Berry. So much has been written about him that was exaggerated about his "lack of", size, speed, his body, his eyesight. 

The man could just flat play football. We will never know how many passes Raymond Berry would have caught if George Shaw had been the Colts quarterback from '55 through '67? When a Bear pass rush forced Ewbank to send Johnny Hightops into the game in October of '56 the identity of the Colts would change forever. There are phrases in the English language we can read and sort of define, but "work ethic" sure has a different meaning to some more than others. 

Berry & Unitas built a synergy on the field that was a joy to watch for BALTIMORE Colt fans, and a nightmare for defensive  coordinators, and defenders whether they be corners, outside linebackers or safeties. Berry learned from Unitas what he was about as a quarterback leader and with his deep insight into understanding how to run pass routes in a way that used as much of the field as he needed. We can all look at his game by game stats, read countless stories about his performances, but is that all there is about Raymond Berry the player? Hell, no! 

He guided Lenny Moore concerning John (Raymond never called Unitas Johnny), due to that fact that Moore was literally an offensive force to be reckoned with. Raymond Berry was not an offensive force to be reckoned with, he gave Unitas something special, when it is time for the key catch, he made that play. 

The game against NYG to win the title in '58 was compelling drama but Unitas & Berry scorched a Redskin pass defense the year before in '57. Having the entire game film you can easily see what they were capable of. Watching Raymond Berry play after his injury in early '61 there was no doubt he now had limitations in gaining yards after the catch, getting behind defenders, and scoring. His stats bear that out, yet he still was a vital part of the Colt offense through '66. There have been many men who were meant to coach the game, and he sure was one of them. 

His book "All the Moves I Had" is a must read for many reasons! His ability to dig deep into people and situations was sure a reason for his success as a coach. His catching drills were significant for me as a community college receivers coach. 

As I called them,"the catching drills." A few were modified yet was the foundation for me on the practice field EVERY DAY! Will end my dedication to him with a lengthy story about our meeting face to face. Had written to him when he became head coach of the Patriots, and his letters to me were a joy to read (still have them). There was always the "spiritual" aspect in the letters, and of course discussion about coaching/leadership. 

The Patriots were going to practice at Orange Coast College in preparation for their playoff game with the Raiders in '85. When he got off the bus he walked right towards me even though we had never met. His classic east Texas accent he explained NO ONE was allowed to watch the Patriots practice; especially the media, but Coach Berry told me to go find a place to hang out for about 20 minutes and then a ball boy would come find me. Was the only one watching the Raymond Berry Patriots practice that day. Was like a college practice; enthusiasm, brisk drills, lots of hustle, and you could feel what was coming. 

Yes, that Patriot team beat the Raiders that Sunday, then took another "mystical" step into history by beating the Dan Marino/Don Shula Dolphins in Miami. We all can read about what transpired in Foxboro but much more important was that Raymond Berry was not finished yet as a coach. During the summer of '91 we again corresponded and he shared that the Detroit Lions of '91 were going to not only going to surprise teams, they were going to win. He shared his thoughts on the quarterbacks he coached, and the passing game knowing what an impact Sanders would have on defenses. 

Raymond Berry has no doubt corresponded with many (am so honored to be one of those he wrote to), and his interviews with Steve Sabol are enlightening and fun, especially when he would say something and laugh. RIP Raymond Berry and thanks!