View source for Dick Stanfel

{{Short description|American football player and coach (1927–2015)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Use American English|date=November 2023}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name           = Dick Stanfel
| image          = Dick Stanfel - 1955 Bowman.jpg
| alt            =
| caption        = Stanfel on 1955 Bowman football card
| number         = 63, 60
| position       = [[Guard (gridiron football)|Guard]]
| birth_date     = {{Birth date|1927|7|20|mf=y}}
| birth_place    = [[San Francisco|San Francisco, California]], U.S.
| death_date     = {{Death date and age|2015|6|22|1927|7|20|mf=y}}
| death_place    = [[Libertyville, Illinois]], U.S.
| height_ft      = 6
| height_in      = 3
| weight_lb      = 236
| high_school    = [[High School of Commerce (San Francisco)|Commerce]] {{nowrap|(San Francisco)}}
| college        = [[San Francisco Dons football|San Francisco]] (1948–1950)
| draftyear      = 1951
| draftround     = 2
| draftpick      = 19
| pastteams      = * [[Detroit Lions]] ({{NFL Year|1952|1955}})
* [[Washington Redskins]] ({{NFL Year|1956|1958}})
| pastcoaching   = * [[Notre Dame Fighting Irish football|Notre Dame]] (1959–1962) <br> Line coach
* [[California Golden Bears football|California]] (1963) <br> Offensive line coach
* [[Philadelphia Eagles]] ({{NFL Year|1964|1970}}) <br> Offensive line coach
* [[San Francisco 49ers]] ({{NFL Year|1971|1974}}) <br> Offensive line coach
* San Francisco 49ers ({{NFL Year|1975}}) <br> Offensive coordinator
* [[New Orleans Saints]] ({{NFL Year|1976|1979}}) <br> Offensive line coach
* New Orleans Saints ({{NFL Year|1980}}) <br> Interim head coach & offensive line coach
* [[Chicago Bears]] ({{NFL Year|1981|1992}}) <br> Offensive line coach
* New Orleans Saints ({{NFL Year|1997|1998}}) <br> Offensive line coach
| highlights     = ; As a player
* 2× [[List of NFL champions (1920–1969)|NFL champion]] ([[1952 NFL Championship Game|1952]], [[1953 NFL Championship Game|1953]])
* 5× First-team [[All-Pro]] (1953, 1954, 1956–1958)
* 5× [[Pro Bowl]] ([[1954 Pro Bowl|1953]], [[1956 Pro Bowl|1955]]–[[1959 Pro Bowl|1958]])
* [[NFL 1950s All-Decade Team]]
* [[Pride of the Lions]]
* [[Detroit Lions#Lions All-Time Team|Detroit Lions All-Time Team]]
* First-team [[List of All-Pac-12 Conference football teams|All-PCC]] ([[1950 All-Pacific Coast football team|1950]])
; As a coach
* [[List of Super Bowl champions|Super Bowl champion]] ([[Super Bowl XX|XX]])
| statlabel1     = Games played
| statvalue1     = 73
| statlabel2     = Games started
| statvalue2     = 71
| statlabel3     = [[Fumble]] recoveries
| statvalue3     = 3
| overall_record = {{Winning percentage|1|3|record=y}}
| pfr            = StanDi00
| pfrcoach       = StanDi0
| HOF            = dick-stanfel 
}}

'''Richard Anthony Stanfel''' (July 20, 1927 – June 22, 2015) was an American professional [[American football|football]] player and coach in the [[National Football League]] (NFL). He played as a [[Guard (gridiron football)|guard]], and his college and professional career spanned more than 50 years from 1948 to 1998. He was inducted into the [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]] as a player in 2016. He was also named to the [[NFL 1950s All-Decade Team]].

A native of [[San Francisco]], Stanfel served in the [[United States Army]] and later played [[college football]] on both offense and defense for the [[San Francisco Dons football|San Francisco Dons]] from 1948 to 1950. He was selected as a first-team All-Coast defensive guard in 1950.

Stanfel was selected by the [[Detroit Lions]] with the 19th pick in the [[1951 NFL draft]], missed the 1951 season due to injury, and then played four seasons for the [[Detroit Lions]] from 1952 to 1955 and three seasons for the [[Washington Commanders|Washington Redskins]] from 1956 to 1958. He was a key offensive player on the Lions 1952 and 1953 NFL championship teams and was named the Most Valuable Player on the 1953 team. He was selected by the [[Associated Press]] as a first-team All-NFL player in five of his seven NFL seasons and played in five [[Pro Bowl]]s.

Stanfel also spent more than 35 years as a football coach, principally as an offensive line coach. His coaching career included stints with the [[Notre Dame Fighting Irish football|Notre Dame Fighting Irish]] (1959–1962), the [[California Golden Bears football|California Golden Bears]] (1963), the [[Philadelphia Eagles]] (1964–1970), the [[San Francisco 49ers]] (1971–1975), the [[New Orleans Saints]] (1976–1980, 1997–1998), and the [[Chicago Bears]] (1981–1992). Bears head coach [[Mike Ditka]] called Stanfel the best offensive line coach in football after the Bears led the NFL in rushing three straight years and won [[Super Bowl XX]].

==Early life and college==
Stanfel was born in San Francisco in 1927 and attended the [[High School of Commerce (San Francisco)|High School of Commerce]] there.<ref name=PFR>{{cite web|title=Dick Stanfel|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=Pro-Football-Reference.com|access-date=February 7, 2016|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/StanDi00.htm}}</ref> At Commerce, he played on the football team as a [[blocking back]]. He enrolled at [[San Francisco Junior College]] in the fall of 1946 and played football while changing his position to guard. After a year of junior college, Stanfel served as a signal corpsman in the [[United States Army]] for a year-and-a-half.<ref name=Coffin>{{cite web|title=Dick Stanfel|author=Bob Carroll|publisher=Coffin Corner|year=1994|url=http://www.profootballresearchers.org/archives/Website_Files/Coffin_Corner/16-02-563.pdf}}</ref>

After his military service, Stanfel attended the [[University of San Francisco]] (USF) where he played [[college football]] from 1948 to 1950 on both offense and defense for the [[San Francisco Dons football]] team under head coach [[Joe Kuharich]].<ref name=MVP/> At USF, Stanfel was a blocker for [[Ollie Matson]] and a teammate of [[Gino Marchetti]] and [[Bob St. Clair]].  (All four went on to be inducted into the [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]].) At the end of the 1950 season, Stanfel was selected by the [[Associated Press]] as a first-team defensive guard on the [[1950 All-Pacific Coast Conference football team|All-Coast football team]],<ref>{{cite news|title=Coast Stars Named By Platoon System|newspaper=Idaho State Journal|date=December 5, 1950|page=6|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/2580501/1950_ap_all_pcc_football_team/|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}</ref> by the [[United Press]] as a first-team player on its independent conference all-star team,<ref>{{cite news|title=UP Poll Chooses All-Star Elevens|author=Hal Wood|newspaper=Albany Democrat Herald|date=November 22, 1950|page=12|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4248813/upi_chooses_all_star_elevens/|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}</ref> and as a member of the west team in the [[East–West Shrine Game]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Stanfel, Torgeson on West Eleven|newspaper=Santa Cruz Sentinel-News|date=December 8, 1950|page=12|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4248720/stanfel_torgeson_on_west_eleven/|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}</ref>  He was credited with opening numerous holes for [[Kyle Rote]] in the Shrine Game.<ref name=Draft/>

==Professional playing career==

===Detroit Lions===
In January 1951, Stanfel was drafted by the [[Detroit Lions]] in the second round, 19th overall pick, of the [[1951 NFL draft]]. He was the first player drafted by head coach [[Buddy Parker]] after he became the Lions' head coach.<ref name=Draft>{{cite news|title=Lions Draft Dick Stanfel, Coast Guard|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|date=April 15, 1951|page=2C|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4248654/lions_draft_dick_stanfel/|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}</ref> In August 1951, Stanfel was hit from the side in a scrimmage while practicing in Wisconsin for the [[Chicago College All-Star Game]], seriously injuring his left knee.<ref name=MVP/><ref>{{cite news|title=Lions' All-Star Rookie Hurt|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|date=August 10, 1951|page=24|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4248919/lions_all_star_rookie_hurt/|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}</ref>  As a result of the injury, Stanfel underwent knee surgery and did not play during the 1951 season.<ref>{{cite news|title=Injury Costs Lions Services of Stanfel|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|date=September 9, 1951|page=C3|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4248949/injury_costs_lions_services_of_stanfel/|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}</ref> Stanfel later recalled: "For a solid year I worked with weights, took exercises and swam to strengthen the knee."<ref name=MVP/>

After recuperating from his knee injury, Stanfel made his NFL debut for the [[1952 Detroit Lions season|1952 Detroit Lions]], a team that compiled a 9–3 record, ranked second in the NFL with an average of 28.7 points scored per game, and defeated the [[1952 Cleveland Browns season|Cleveland Browns]] in the [[1952 NFL Championship Game]].  In November 1952, after the Lions rushed for a season-high 321 yards against the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]], the ''Detroit Free Press'' published an article crediting Stanfel as a key to the running game. Assistant coach [[Aldo Forte]] said, "Stanfel's play at guard was the chief contribution to our great running game. He loves to play football and enjoys the game the rougher it gets."<ref name=DFP52>{{cite news|title=What Makes Lions Run? Dick Stanfel, for One|author=Bob Latshaw|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|date=November 13, 1952|page=27|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4249128/what_makes_lions_run_dick_stanfel_for/|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}</ref> [[George Wilson (American football coach)|George Wilson]] added: "We feel that Stanfel is one of the best, if not THE best offensive guard in pro football today. He's fast, rangy and can block extremely well. He not only holds the players out of there; he knocks them down and then goes hunting for more."<ref name=DFP52/>

In his second NFL season, Stanfel played for the [[1953 Detroit Lions season|1953 Lions]] team that repeated as NFL champion, compiling a 10–2 record and again defeating the Browns in the [[1953 NFL Championship Game]]. At the end of the 1953 regular season, the Lions players voted Stanfel as the team's most valuable player.<ref name=MVP>{{cite news|title=Stanfel Voted Most Valuable: Lion Who Wouldn't Stay Crippled Hailed by Club|author=Bob Latshaw|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|date=December 20, 1953|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4195164/stanfel_voted_most_valuabe/|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}</ref>  Assistant coach Forte in December 1953 called Stanfel the best guard in the NFL, and Stanfel said that the MVP honor was "the biggest thrill I've ever received in football."<ref name=MVP/> He was also selected as a [[Pro Bowl]] player and was named a first-team All-NFL player by both the [[Associated Press]] (AP) and [[United Press]] (UP).<ref name=PFR/>

In the spring of 1954, the [[Calgary Stampeders]] sought to lure Stanfel to the [[Canadian Football League]] with an offer to pay 20% more than his $7,000 salary with the Lions.<ref>{{cite news|title=Stanfel 'Shopping'|author=Bob Latshaw|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|date=April 24, 1954|page=14|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4249440/stanfel_shopping/|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}</ref>  Stanfel instead signed a new contract with the Lions in May 1954 for an estimated salary of $8,500.<ref>{{cite news|title=Canadian Job Sidelined By Stanfel: 'Most Valuable' Lion Signs with Detroit|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|date=May 23, 1954|page=D1|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4249557/canadian_job_sidelined_by_stanfel/}}</ref>  After a strong start to the 1954 season, Stanfel missed the last five games of the regular season with a back injury.  In Stanfel's absence, the Lions lost to the Bears and played the Eagles to a tie. Stanfel returned to the lineup days before the NFL Championship Game.  At the time of Stanfel's return, Lions head coach Buddy Parker called him "the best blocking back in the NFL."<ref>{{cite news|title=Return of Stanfel Gives Lions Boost|newspaper=The Brownsville Herald|date=December 24, 1954|page=8|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4249506/return_of_stanfel_gives_lions_boost/|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}</ref> The [[1954 Detroit Lions season|1954 Lions]] compiled a 9–2–1 record and won the NFL Western Conference championship before losing to the Browns in the [[1954 NFL Championship Game]].  For the second consecutive season, Stanfel was selected as a first-team All-NFL player by both the AP and UP.<ref name=PFR/>

The [[1955 Detroit Lions season|1955 Lions]] fell to 3–9, as Stanfel was injured twice, the later time suffering a spinal injury that took him out of the lineup for three weeks.<ref name=PFR/><ref>{{cite news|title=Club's Latest Loss Is Stanfel|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|date=October 11, 1955|page=25|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4249660/clubs_latest_loss_is_stanfel/|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}</ref>  Despite the injuries, Stanfel remained one of the top offensive linemen in the NFL and was chosen to play in his second Pro Bowl after the 1955 season.<ref name=PFR/>

===Washington Redskins===
In April 1956, the Lions traded Stanfel to the [[Washington Redskins]] in exchange for [[Dick Alban]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Stanfel Traded By Lions: Goes To 'Skins for Dick Alban|author=Bob Latshaw|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|date=April 24, 1956|page=23|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4249715/stanfel_traded_by_lions/|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}</ref> [[Joe Kuharich]], who had been Stanfel's college coach at USF, was hired as the Redskins' head coach in 1954 and engineered the trade to acquire his former All-Coast lineman.<ref name=Coffin/> Stanfel played for Kuharich's Redskins for three seasons from 1956 to 1958. The Redskins did not register a winning season during Stanfel's tenure with the team, compiling records of 6–6 in 1956, 5–6–1 in 1957, and 4–7–1 in 1958.<ref>{{cite web|title=Washington Redskins Franchise Encyclopedia|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=Pro-Football-Reference.com|access-date=February 17, 2016|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/was/}}</ref> Despite the team's subpar performance, Stanfel earned first-team All-NFL honors from the AP and UP all three years he was with the Redskins.<ref name=PFR/>  In December 1958, after the end of the season, Kuharich left the Redskins and took over as head coach of the [[Notre Dame Fighting Irish football]] team.<ref>{{cite news|title=Kuharich Is Named Irish Coach|newspaper=The Courier-Journal (Louisville)|date=December 23, 1958|page=26}}</ref>  Within days, the press began to speculate that Stanfel, who had suffered multiple injuries during the 1958 season, would take a coaching position with Kuharich at Notre Dame.<ref>{{cite news|title=Stanfel Seen Likely Kuharich Assistant|newspaper=The Daily Time (Salisbury, Maryland)|date=December 29, 1958|page=16|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4253561/stanfel_seen_likely_kuharich_assistant/}}</ref>

==Coaching career==

===Notre Dame===
In January 1959, Stanfel retired as a player and was hired as an assistant line coach at Notre Dame under Joe Kuharich, who had been Stanfel's head coach both at USF and with the Redskins.<ref>{{cite news|title=Stanfel Added To Grid Staff at Notre Dame|newspaper=The Cincinnati Enquirer|date=January 15, 1959|page=46|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4249983/stanfel_added_to_grid_staff/|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}</ref> He remained an assistant coach at Notre Dame for four years.<ref name=Cal/> Notre Dame compiled records of 5–5, 2–8, 5–5, and 5–5 in four years under Kuharich and Stanfel. Kuharich was the only head coach in Notre Dame football history to compile a losing record (17–23) over his career with the program.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Notre Dame Football Encyclopedia: The Ultimate Guide to America's Favorite College Team|author=Keith Marder|author2=Mark Spellen|author3=Jim Donovan|publisher=Citadel Press|year=2001|isbn=0806521082|page=115}}</ref>

===California===
In January 1963, Stanfel was hired as the offensive line coach for the [[California Golden Bears football]] team.  He was an assistant at Cal under head coach [[Marv Levy]].<ref name=Cal>{{cite news|title=Ex-Lion Stanfel To Coach at Cal|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|date=January 24, 1963|page=38|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4250064/ex_lion_stanfel_to_coach_at_cal/}}</ref> Levy resigned as Cal's head coach in December 1963, and Stanfel was rumored at the time to be a leading candidate to take over as the new head coach.<ref>{{cite news|title=Cal's Marv Levy Resigns In Surprise Move|newspaper=The Fresno Bee|date=December 12, 1963|page=41|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4253636/levy_resigns/}}</ref>  Levy, who also coached with Stanfel on the [[Philadelphia Eagles]]' staff in 1969, later wrote about Stanfel: "When it came to teaching fundamental line techniques, Dick Stanfel had no peer. . . . Many people who played or who closely observed professional football in the 1950s . . . feel he is the best offensive lineman to have ever played the game."<ref>{{cite book|author=Marv Levy|title=Marv Levy: Where Else Would You Rather Be?|publisher=Skyhorse Publishing Inc.|year=2012|page=124|isbn=978-1613210215}}</ref>

===Philadelphia Eagles===
In March 1964, Stanfel renewed his professional relationship with Kuharich, who had been hired as the head coach of the [[Philadelphia Eagles]].  Kuharich hired Stanfel as the Eagles' offensive line coach.<ref>{{cite news|title=Former Lion Stanfel on Eagles' Staff|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|date=March 1, 1964|page=41|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4250111/former_lion_stanfel_on_eagles_staff/|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}</ref> With quarterback [[Norm Snead]] joining Kuharich and Stanfel in moving from the Redskins to the Eagles in 1964, the Eagles initially ranked among the NFL's offensive leaders, finishing fourth in yards gained in 1965 and second in 1966.<ref name=Eagle/>  However, the defense lagged, and the Eagles compiled records of 6–8 and 5–9 in 1964 and 1965.  In 1966, the team improved to 9–5, but fell to 6–7–1 in 1967 and 2–12 in 1968.<ref name=Eagle>{{cite web|title=Philadelphia Eagles Franchise Encyclopedia|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=Pro-Football-Reference.com|access-date=February 17, 2016|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/phi/}}</ref> Kuharich left the Eagles after the 1968 season, but Stanfel remained with the club through the 1970 season.<ref>{{cite news|title=Eagles Retain Line Coach Dick Stanfel|newspaper=The Express (Lock Haven, PA)|date=May 15, 1969|page=17|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4250169/eagles_retain_line_coach_dick_stanfel/|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}</ref>

===San Francisco 49ers===
In February 1971, Stanfel returned to his home city as an assistant coach with the [[San Francisco 49ers]] under head coach [[Dick Nolan (American football)|Dick Nolan]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Dick Stanfel New Forty-Niner Aide|newspaper=The Times (San Mateo)|date=February 9, 1971|page=19|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4250217/dick_stanfel_new_forty_niner_aide/|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}</ref> He remained with the 49ers through the 1975 season, holding positions as offensive line coach and taking over in 1975 as the offensive coordinator.<ref name=NOS/>  In the five years that Stanfel was on the staff, the 49ers compiled records of 9–5 in 1971, 8–5–1 in 1972, 5–9 in 1973, 6–8 in 1974, and 5–9 in 1975.

===New Orleans Saints===
In February 1976, Stanfel was hired as [[Hank Stram]]'s offensive line coach with the [[New Orleans Saints]].<ref name=NOS>{{cite news|title=Stanfel will coach Saints|newspaper=The Times Standard (Eureka, CA)|date=February 8, 1976|page=14|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4250285/stanfel_will_coach_saints/|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}</ref> Dick Nolan, under whom Stanfel served in San Francisco, took over as the Saints' head coach in 1978. The Saints compiled records of 4–10 in 1976, 3–11 in 1977, 7–9 in 1978, and 8–8 in 1979. When the [[1980 New Orleans Saints season|1980 Saints]] lost their first 12 games, Nolan was fired and Stanfel took over as interim head coach for the final four games of the 1980 season.<ref>{{cite news|title=Saints have lost 12 straight: Stanfel relieves Nolan as New Orleans' coach|newspaper=The Seguin (TX) Gazette-Enterprise|date=November 26, 1980|page=13|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4250352/stanfel_relieves_nolan/|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}</ref> The Saints compiled a 1–3 record under Stanfel.

===Chicago Bears===
In February 1981, Stanfel was hired by [[Neill Armstrong]] as the offensive line coach for the [[Chicago Bears]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Bears Hire Marchibroda And Stanfel As Coaches|newspaper=The Pharos Tribune (Logansport, Ind.)|date=February 5, 1981|page=15|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4250441/bears_hire_marchibroda_and_stanfel/|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}</ref> He remained with the Bears when [[Mike Ditka]] took over as head coach in 1982.<ref>{{cite news|title=Marchibroda resigns as Bears' assistant|newspaper=The Pantagraph|date=January 28, 1982|page=15|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4250463/marchibroda_resigns/|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}</ref>  He remained with the Bears throughout Ditka's tenure with the team which lasted through the 1992 season.  Stanfel was credited with helping to establish a solid offensive line that helped the [[1985 Chicago Bears season|1985 Chicago Bears]] win [[Super Bowl XX]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=1986-01-27 |title=Bears Trounce Patriots, 46-10, in Super Bowl |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-01-27-mn-540-story.html |access-date=2023-10-31 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref> After the 1985 season, Ditka noted that the Bears had led the NFL in rushing for three straight years, gave credit to Stanfel, and called him "the best offensive line coach in football."<ref>{{cite news|title=No love lost between Ditka, Ryan|newspaper=The Galveston Daily News|date=February 7, 1986|page=19|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4250539/no_love_lost_between_ditka_ryan/|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Big Red|newspaper=St. Louis Post-Dispatch|date=January 14, 1986|page=11|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4250567/big_red/|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}</ref>

===New Orleans Saints===
When Ditka was hired as the head coach of the New Orleans Saints in 1997, he persuaded Stanfel, then 70 years old, to come out of retirement as the Saints' offensive line coach.<ref>{{cite news|title=Old boys' club: New Orleans assistants equate age with experience|newspaper=The Pantagraph|date=July 28, 1997|page=14|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4250756/old_boys_club/|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}</ref> Stanfel said at the time that it was his respect for Ditka that lured him back to coaching: "I respect the man. He's a hell of a coach. I think he's an honest person and a fair man, and he asked me to come back. . . .  He's always been good to me, and we've coached a long time together. In fact, I coached him when he was a player a couple years (with the Eagles), so I think there's a feeling for the both of us . . ."<ref>{{cite news|title=Saints relying on Iron will to lead the way|newspaper=The Daily Herald (Chicago)|date=August 31, 1997|page=1A–6|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4250815/saints_relying_on_iron_will/|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}</ref> Stanfel announced his retirement from the Saints in January 1999.<ref>{{cite news|title=Roll Call|newspaper=The Courier-Journal|date=January 22, 1999|page=19|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4250852/roll_call/|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}</ref>

===Head coaching record===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%; text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan="2"|Team !! rowspan="2"|Year !! colspan="5"|Regular Season !! colspan="4"|Postseason
|-
!Won !!Lost!!Ties!!Win %!!Finish!!Won!!Lost!!Win %!!Result
|-
![[1980 New Orleans Saints season|NO]]||{{nfly|1980}}
|1||3||0||{{winpct|1|3}}||4th in NFC West|| – || – || – || –
|-
! colspan="2"|NO Total ||1||3||0||{{winpct|1|3}}|| || – || – || – ||
|-
! colspan="2"|Total ||1||3||0||{{winpct|1|3}}||colspan="5"|
|}

==Later years and legacy==
In 1969, Stanfel was selected as an offensive guard on the NFL's [[National Football League 1950s All-Decade Team|1950s All-Decade Team]]. He was selected as a finalist for the [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]] in both 1993 and 2012, but failed to garner sufficient support.<ref>{{cite news|title=Payton, Noll and Walsh to Hall|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|date=January 31, 1993|page=2E|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4250692/payton_noll_and_walsh_to_hall/|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Former Detroit Lions offensive lineman Dick Stanfel misses Hall of Fame bid|author=Philip Zaroo|newspaper=Mlive.com|date=February 4, 2012|url=http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2012/02/former_detroit_lions_offensive.html}}</ref>

Stanfel died at age 87 in June 2015 at his home in [[Libertyville, Illinois]], a suburb of [[Chicago]].<ref>{{cite news|title=NFL great, former Bears coach Dick Stanfel passes|date=June 24, 2015|newspaper=Daily Herald|url=http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20150624/sports/150629487/}}</ref>

In February 2016, Stanfel was posthumously elected to the Hall of Fame.<ref>{{cite news|title=Ex-Lion Stanfel's Hall of Fame selection 'bittersweet'|author=Dave Birkett|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|date=February 7, 2016|url=http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2016/02/07/detroit-lions-dick-stanfel-hall-of-fame/79968910/}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Dick Stanfel finally rewarded with Hall of Fame selection|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|date=February 6, 2016|author=Brad Biggs|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/ct-dick-stanfel-lions-hall-of-fame-spt-0207-20160206-story.html}}</ref> The induction ceremony took place in August 2016.<ref>{{cite web|title=Dick Stanfel Selected For Induction Into Pro Football Hall Of Fame|publisher=Washington Redskins|date=February 6, 2016|url=http://www.redskins.com/news-and-events/article-1/Dick-Stanfel-Selected-For-Induction-Into-Pro-Football-Hall-Of-Fame/3dc0bb83-279f-4104-bcf5-da58f826a66a|access-date=February 8, 2016|archive-date=February 8, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160208225820/http://www.redskins.com/news-and-events/article-1/Dick-Stanfel-Selected-For-Induction-Into-Pro-Football-Hall-Of-Fame/3dc0bb83-279f-4104-bcf5-da58f826a66a|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

{{New Orleans Saints coach navbox}}

{{Lions1951DraftPicks}}
{{1952 Detroit Lions}}
{{1953 Detroit Lions}}
{{Pride of the Lions}}
{{Detroit Lions All-Time Team}}
{{Super Bowl XX}}
{{NFL1950s}}
{{Washington Commanders greatest players}}
{{2016 Football HOF}}
{{Pro Football Hall of Fame members}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stanfel, Dick}}
[[Category:1927 births]]
[[Category:2015 deaths]]
[[Category:American football offensive guards]]
[[Category:California Golden Bears football coaches]]
[[Category:Chicago Bears coaches]]
[[Category:City College of San Francisco Rams football players]]
[[Category:Detroit Lions players]]
[[Category:Eastern Conference Pro Bowl players]]
[[Category:New Orleans Saints coaches]]
[[Category:Notre Dame Fighting Irish football coaches]]
[[Category:Philadelphia Eagles coaches]]
[[Category:Players of American football from San Francisco]]
[[Category:Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:San Francisco 49ers coaches]]
[[Category:San Francisco Dons football players]]
[[Category:Washington Redskins players]]
[[Category:Western Conference Pro Bowl players]]
[[Category:United States Army soldiers]]
[[Category:New Orleans Saints head coaches]]