Great uncle has great history: Rechichar has (NFL) family ties

Bert Rechichar won two NFL titles with the Baltimore Colts

By PETE MOLLICA

VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF

YOUNGSTOWN — Justin Rechichar’s great-uncle always knew that he was going to be a football player.

“I know when I was still pretty young he grabbed me one day and told me that he was sure that I was going to be a football player when I grew up,” said Rechichar, a 6-4, 285-pound junior center/guard for the Youngstown State football team. “I’ve remembered that all my life and it really meant a lot to me coming from him.”

One of the reasons it meant so much is his great-uncle is Bert Rechichar, who played 10 years in the National Football League back when players still played both on offense and defense and anywhere else they were needed.

Even though Rechichar played 10 seasons in the league and was on two NFL championship teams with the Baltimore Colts, he is still most remembered for once holding the NFL record for longest field goal: a 56-yarder in 1956. The record stood for 15 years.

Rechichar is from Jeannette, Pa., and went to Hempfield High School, while his great-uncle was born in Belle Vernon, Pa., and still resides there at age 79.

“He keeps pretty much to himself,” said his great-nephew. “We usually see him about once a year, around Christmas time. As I was growing up we sat down many times at talked football, but very rarely did he ever talk about himself or what he accomplished.

“I once had this playing card of him that indicated on the back about his record field goal, but even then he said very little about it. He was a very humble guy.”

Bert Rechichar, who played his college football at Tennessee and was on the 1951 Vols’ national championship team, was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the first round as the No. 10 pick at a defensive back.

He was traded in 1953 to the Colts where he remained through 1959 and played on the 1958 and 1959 NFL championship teams. He also played in three Pro Bowls and was the MVP in the 1956 Pro Bowl game.

Kicking wasn’t his primary duty in the NFL as he played defensive back, linebacker, halfback and end and also returned kicks. He made 31 out of 81 career field goals and had 179 points in his career.

His record field goal held up until 1970 when Tom Dempsey of the New Orleans Saints broke the mark with a 63-yard kick. It was later equaled by Jason Elam of the Denver Broncos in 1998.

He finished his career playing with the Steelers in 1960 and the New York Titans of the old AFL in 1961.

“One of the things that he always like to talk about was the fact that he also got to play fullback once and carried the ball,” Justin added. “He was always pretty proud of that.

The young Rechichar will start Saturday against Western Illinois at 6 p.m. at Stambaugh Stadium. The regular starter, junior Tyler Figueroa, is out with the flu.

The Penguins are coming off 17-7 home loss to Missouri State.

“Everything that happened last week was mostly our [offense’s] fault,” Rechichar said. “Those things are correctable and we do have a lot of talent on this team.”

“This is a good team, but if we don’t go out there and execute on offense it really doesn’t mean anything.”

mollica@vindy.com