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team and was named the bowl's most outstanding defensive player despite ISU's loss. After sitting out the 1972 season with a knee injury, he rebounded with an outstanding senior campaign in 1973. Blair earned
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in 1977, 1979 and 1981. He was also an exceptional special teams player, particularly in blocking punts because of his great speed and timing abilities. Blair is third in NFL history with 20 blocked kicks.
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Blair died on
October 22, 2020, at the age of 70. His cause of death was not immediately announced, but Blair had been dealing with complications from dementia in recent years.
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In a 2015 interview, Blair revealed that he had been showing early signs of dementia. He said that he was told by his neurologist that the symptoms were likely the result of
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squad. He was able to earn a half scholarship through football but had to join the basketball team to receive his other half scholarship. Blair was recruited by
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in which the team compiled a record 11–2–1 and was second in the NFL in fewest points allowed (176 points, 12.6 points per game). Blair recovered five
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with the 51st overall selection. Blair quickly established himself as one of the top and speediest linebackers in the
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honors for 6 consecutive seasons (1977–1982) and making the NFL All-Rookie Team. In addition, Blair was selected
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honors, tallying 77 tackles, one interception and three fumble recoveries. He was invited to play in the
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Blair walked onto the
Northeastern Oklahoma A&M football team and was a member of the 1969
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on the opposite side. The
Vikings defeated the Rams again in the NFC championship game of the
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Blair started for the
Vikings his rookie season replacing the injured
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in the endzone, the
Vikings' only points all day, as they missed the
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401:(NFL) for all 12 seasons of his career from 1974 to 1985. He played
684:"Matt Blair - Hall of Fame Class of 1999 - Iowa State Athletics"
476:, Blair was a two time letter winner. He was a member of ISU's
426:
1048:
910:
648:"Q&A With Cyclone Legend Matt Blair - Iowa State Athletics"
589:
and intercepted two passes from his linebacker position with
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but his academics were not up to standard so he enrolled at
624:(CTE), a degenerative brain disease linked to concussions.
672:. December 4, 1973. p. 11 – via newspapers.com.
702:"NFL.com Draft 2017 - NFL Draft History: Full Draft Year"
550:(1976 season), and both were losses respectively to the
386:(September 20, 1950 – October 22, 2020) was an American
841:"Vikings Mourn Loss of Ring of Honor LB Matt Blair"
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429:when he was in high school. He was recruited by
867:"Former Vikings great Matt Blair dies at age 70"
738:"1980 NFL All-Pros - Pro-Football-Reference.com"
791:Professional Football Researchers Association.
720:"Matt Blair Stats - Pro-Football-Reference.com"
1285:Players of American football from Dayton, Ohio
896:Career statistics and player information from
642:
640:
565:. Blair participated in special teams play in
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922:
814:"Former Vikings LB Matt Blair dies at age 70"
606:Professional Football Researchers Association
530:in 1980, All-NFC in 1978 and Second-team All-
407:Northeastern Oklahoma A&M Golden Norsemen
8:
469:, Blair ultimately committed to Iowa State.
31:
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1053:
1045:
929:
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160: / round: 2 / pick: 51
30:
1280:Players of American football from Hawaii
793:"PFRA's Hall of Very Good Class of 2022"
636:
248:Minnesota Vikings 25th Anniversary Team
245:Minnesota Vikings 40th Anniversary Team
303:
7:
1270:National Conference Pro Bowl players
1260:Iowa State Cyclones football players
601:, when Blair recovered two fumbles.
16:American football player (1950–2020)
465:, among others. After a visit by
14:
435:Northeast Oklahoma Junior College
104:6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
622:chronic traumatic encephalopathy
37:
19:For the English footballer, see
1077:Minnesota Vikings Ring of Honor
238:Minnesota Vikings Ring of Honor
194:Career highlights and awards
1:
1255:American football linebackers
583:1976 Minnesota Vikings season
581:. He was a vital part of the
142:Northeastern Oklahoma A&M
510:Blair was a selected by the
514:in the second round of the
447:Junior College Championship
1301:
742:Pro-Football-Reference.com
724:Pro-Football-Reference.com
425:, but his family moved to
262:Second-team All-American (
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1265:Minnesota Vikings players
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952:
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367:
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198:
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112:232 lb (105 kg)
36:
1275:People from Hilo, Hawaii
774:"1976 Minnesota Vikings"
756:"1974 Minnesota Vikings"
399:National Football League
28:American football player
285:NJCAA national champion
902:Pro Football Reference
666:"The All America Team"
610:PFRA Hall of Very Good
573:'s punt, recovered by
538:Blair appeared in two
491:East-West Shrine Game
298:Career NFL statistics
670:The Piqua Daily Call
599:1976–77 NFL playoffs
384:Matthew Albert Blair
228:PFWA All-Rookie Team
64:Personal information
608:named Blair to the
552:Pittsburgh Steelers
501:Professional career
411:Iowa State Cyclones
393:who played for the
329:Interception yards:
269:2× Second-team All-
242:50 Greatest Vikings
33:
820:. October 23, 2020
593:in the middle and
546:(1974 season) and
542:with the Vikings,
421:Blair was born in
117:Career information
79:September 20, 1950
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939:Minnesota Vikings
512:Minnesota Vikings
506:Minnesota Vikings
395:Minnesota Vikings
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173:Minnesota Vikings
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1224:Fred Zamberletti
1169:Randall McDaniel
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688:www.cyclones.com
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652:www.cyclones.com
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595:Wally Hilgenberg
403:college football
368:Player stats at
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165:Career history
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92:October 22, 2020
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612:Class of 2022.
556:Oakland Raiders
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944:1974 NFL draft
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889:External links
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865:Craig, Mark.
861:
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778:www.jt-sw.com
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604:In 2022, the
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576:
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568:
567:Super Bowl IX
564:
559:
557:
553:
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548:Super Bowl XI
545:
544:Super Bowl IX
541:
536:
533:
529:
525:
521:
517:
513:
505:
500:
498:
496:
492:
488:
484:
479:
478:1971 Sun Bowl
475:
470:
468:
467:Johnny Majors
464:
460:
456:
455:Florida State
452:
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432:
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319:Interceptions
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126:Colonel White
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83:
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56:
52:
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43:Blair in 2014
40:
35:
26:
22:
1189:Ahmad Rashad
1164:Jim Marshall
1154:Steve Jordan
1149:Dennis Green
1109:Bobby Bryant
1104:Joey Browner
1093:
1035:Earl Garrett
1006:Sam McCullum
1002:Berl Simmons
991:Jim Ferguson
971:
967:John Holland
957:Fred McNeill
874:. Retrieved
871:Star Tribune
870:
860:
848:. Retrieved
844:
834:
822:. Retrieved
817:
808:
796:. Retrieved
786:
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768:
759:
750:
741:
732:
723:
714:
705:
696:
687:
678:
669:
660:
651:
626:
619:
603:
571:Bobby Walden
560:
537:
509:
471:
444:
423:Hilo, Hawaii
420:
383:
382:
369:
253:All-American
144:(1969–1970)
131:Dayton, Ohio
122:High school:
94:(2020-10-22)
82:Hilo, Hawaii
25:
1250:2020 deaths
1245:1950 births
1184:John Randle
1159:Paul Krause
1119:Cris Carter
1114:Jerry Burns
1089:Jared Allen
1032:John Goebel
1023:Gary Keller
1019:Randy Poltl
1014:David Boone
999:Fred Tabron
995:Mark Kellar
977:Steve Craig
962:Steve Riley
876:October 22,
850:October 22,
824:October 23,
591:Jeff Siemon
579:extra point
575:Terry Brown
569:, blocking
563:Roy Winston
540:Super Bowls
495:Senior Bowl
483:All-America
340:recoveries:
251:First-team
201:First-team
149:(1971–1973)
21:Matty Blair
1239:Categories
1174:Randy Moss
1129:Carl Eller
1099:Bill Brown
1094:Matt Blair
1026:Alan Dixon
1010:Barry Reed
972:Matt Blair
947:selections
631:References
522:, earning
493:, and the
474:Iowa State
463:Iowa State
431:Cincinnati
417:Early life
391:linebacker
350:touchdowns
154:NFL draft:
147:Iowa State
75:1950-09-20
58:Linebacker
32:Matt Blair
1179:Alan Page
1144:Bud Grant
1134:Jim Finks
487:Hula Bowl
472:While at
271:Big Eight
54:Position:
1219:Ron Yary
818:ESPN.com
798:July 19,
554:and the
524:Pro Bowl
409:and the
405:for the
388:football
214:Pro Bowl
138:College:
898:NFL.com
706:NFL.com
587:fumbles
528:All-Pro
459:Alabama
451:Florida
397:of the
203:All-Pro
109:Weight:
101:Height:
461:, and
348:Total
338:Fumble
287:(1969)
84:, U.S.
49:No. 59
616:Death
308:Sacks
89:Died:
69:Born:
878:2020
852:2020
826:2020
800:2022
427:Ohio
279:1973
275:1971
264:1972
257:1973
232:1974
222:1982
218:1977
207:1980
181:1985
177:1974
158:1974
532:NFC
520:NFC
371:PFR
332:119
212:6×
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220:–
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179:–
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