View source for Orlando Pace

{{Short description|American football player (born 1975)}}
{{Use American English|date=March 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name        = Orlando Pace
| image       = NFL Hall of Famers visit Osan 180908-F-IH072-1006 (cropped).jpg
| alt         =
| caption     = Pace in 2018
| number      = 76
| position    = [[Offensive Tackle]]
| birth_date  = {{Birth date and age|1975|11|4|mf=y}}
| birth_place = [[Sandusky, Ohio]], U.S.
| death_date  = 
| death_place = 
| height_ft   = 6
| height_in   = 7
| weight_lb   = 325
| high_school = [[Sandusky High School|Sandusky]]
| college     = [[Ohio State Buckeyes football|Ohio State]] (1994–1996)
| draftyear   = 1997
| draftround  = 1
| draftpick   = 1
| pastteams   = * [[St. Louis Rams]] ({{NFL Year|1997|2008}})
* [[Chicago Bears]] ({{NFL Year|2009}})
| highlights  = * [[List of Super Bowl champions|Super Bowl champion]] ([[Super Bowl XXXIV|XXXIV]])
* 3× First-team [[All-Pro]] ([[1999 All-Pro Team|1999]], [[2001 All-Pro Team|2001]], [[2003 All-Pro Team|2003]])
* 2× Second-team All-Pro ([[2000 All-Pro Team|2000]], [[2004 All-Pro Team|2004]])
* 7× [[Pro Bowl]] ([[2000 Pro Bowl|1999]]–[[2006 Pro Bowl|2005]])
* [[National Football League 2000s All-Decade Team|NFL 2000s All-Decade Team]]
* [[Outland Trophy]] (1996)
* 2× [[Lombardi Award]] (1995, 1996)
* [[UPI Lineman of the Year (College)|UPI Lineman of the Year]] (1996)
* [[Touchdown Club of Columbus#Jim Parker Trophy|Jim Parker Trophy]] (1996)
* 2× [[List of unanimous All-Americans in college football|Unanimous All-American]] ([[1995 College Football All-America Team|1995]], [[1996 College Football All-America Team|1996]])
* [[Big Ten Most Valuable Player]] (1996)
* [[Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year]] (1996)
* 2× [[Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year]] (1995, 1996)
* [[Big Ten Freshman of the Year]] (1994)
* 2× First-team [[List of All-Big Ten Conference football teams|All-Big Ten]] ([[1995 All-Big Ten Conference football team|1995]], [[1996 All-Big Ten Conference football team|1996]])
*[[AP All-Time All-America college football team#First team|First-team AP All-Time All-American]] (2025)
| statlabel1  = Games played
| statvalue1  = 169
| statlabel2  = Games started
| statvalue2  = 165
| statlabel3  = [[Fumble|Fumble recoveries]]
| statvalue3  = 7
| pfr         = PaceOr00
| HOF         = orlando-pace
| CollegeHOF  = 2348 
}}

'''Orlando Lamar Pace''' (born November 4, 1975) is an American former professional [[American football|football]] [[offensive tackle]] who played in the [[National Football League]] (NFL) for 13 seasons, primarily with the [[St. Louis Rams]]. He played [[college football]] for the [[Ohio State Buckeyes football|Ohio State Buckeyes]], winning the [[Lombardi Award]] in 1995 after blocking for [[Eddie George]] during his [[Heisman Trophy|Heisman]] campaign. The following season, Pace won the [[Outland Trophy]], his second Lombardi Award, the [[Touchdown Club of Columbus#Jim Parker Trophy|Jim Parker Trophy]], and [[UPI Lineman of the Year (College)|UPI Lineman of the Year]]. Pace was selected [[list of first overall NFL draft picks|first overall]] in the [[1997 NFL draft]] by the Rams, where he spent all but one season of his professional career. In his final season, he was a member of the [[Chicago Bears]].

With the Rams, Pace was recognized as the cornerstone of an offensive line that blocked for an offense with the most gross yardage, second-highest completion percentage, and fifth-most touchdown passes during his 12 years with the team. Under Pace's protection, the Rams passing offense compiled more than 3,000 yards per season in each of the years he played, seven different quarterbacks eclipsed 3,000 yards in a season, and seven players rushed for 1,000 yards. Pace also protected the league's [[National Football League Most Valuable Player Award|Most Valuable Player]] (MVP) recipient for three consecutive seasons, blocking for 1999 and 2001 MVP [[Kurt Warner]] and 2000 MVP [[Marshall Faulk]].

Retiring as a seven-time [[Pro Bowl]] and three-time first-team [[All-Pro]] selection, Pace was a core contributor of the Rams [[The Greatest Show on Turf|Greatest Show on Turf]] offense that won the franchise's first [[Super Bowl]] title in [[Super Bowl XXXIV]]. He was inducted to the [[College Football Hall of Fame]] in 2013 and the [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]] in 2016.

==Early life==
Pace was born in [[Sandusky, Ohio]]. He was a two-sport athlete for the Sandusky Blue Streaks at [[Sandusky High School]]. He had a successful [[high school football|football]] career. He was named to the ''[[Parade (magazine)|Parade]]'' magazine high school All-America team as an offensive lineman and the ''[[USA Today]]'' All-America team as a [[defensive lineman]].<ref name="Chicago Bears bio" />

==College career==
Pace attended [[Ohio State University]], where he majored in business and played for the [[Ohio State Buckeyes football|Buckeyes football]] teams from 1994 to 1996. He was only the second [[true freshman]] ever to start on opening day for the Buckeyes football team. He was a two-time unanimous All-American, and won the [[Outland Trophy]] in 1996 for the best college football [[lineman (football)|interior lineman]]. He won the [[Lombardi Award]] for the best college lineman or [[linebacker]] in 1995 and 1996, becoming the only two-time winner of that award, and the most recent (through 2023) offensive lineman to be honored. He is one of only twelve players to have won both the Outland Trophy and the Lombardi Award. He and [[Dave Rimington]] are the only three-time winners in the Outland/Lombardi category. He was a finalist for the 1996 [[Heisman Trophy]], finishing fourth in the voting, the highest finish for a lineman (offense or defense) since University of Washington DT Steve Emtman in 1991, who also finished fourth. Pace also lined up at defensive tackle during some goal line situations during his junior year at Ohio State.

Pace was so dominant that the term ''pancake block''—referring to when an offensive lineman knocks a defender on his back—gained popularity at Ohio State due to his play. He was nicknamed "The Pancake Man."<ref>[http://www.stlouisrams.com/team/players/47418/ St. Louis Rams Roster: Orlando Pace] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060918121012/http://www.stlouisrams.com/Team/Players/47418/ |date=September 18, 2006 }}. ''The Official Website of the St. Louis Rams''. Retrieved September 13, 2006</ref><ref>Wagoner, Nick (September 6, 2004).[http://www.stlouisrams.com/article/45148/ Monday Notebook: Pace Back in Fold] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060526141245/http://www.stlouisrams.com/article/45148/ |date=May 26, 2006 }} ''The Official Website of the St. Louis Rams''. Retrieved September 13, 2006</ref><ref>Reynolds, Jeff (May 10, 2006).[http://www.profootballweekly.com/PFW/Features/NFL+Features/2006/draftmemories2.htm Cover Boys] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061121030153/http://www.profootballweekly.com/PFW/Features/NFL+Features/2006/draftmemories2.htm |date=November 21, 2006 }}. ''ProFootball Weekly''. Retrieved September 13, 2006</ref> Several other college teams have been using the term since the 1980s, most notably Nebraska. In fact, the Ohio State Athletic Department distributed Orlando Pace pancake magnets as a promotion for his Heisman Trophy run. Pace did not allow a sack in his last two years at Ohio State. Pace finished fourth in the Heisman trophy race in 1996,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/awards/heisman-1996.html |title=1996 Heisman Trophy Voting |work=sports-reference.com |access-date=August 26, 2021 }}</ref> which was practically unheard of for an offensive lineman, and demonstrated his dominance at the college level.

In 1999, Pace was selected as a starting offensive tackle by ''[[Sports Illustrated]]'' in their "NCAA Football All-Century Team". The other starting offensive tackle on that list was [[Bill Fralic]]. Pace was one of five Ohio State Buckeyes on Sport Illustrated's All-Century Team 85-man roster; the others being [[Jim Parker (American football)|Jim Parker]], [[Archie Griffin]], [[Chris Spielman]], and [[Jack Tatum]]. In 2013, he was inducted into the [[College Football Hall of Fame]].

==Professional career==
{{NFL predraft
|    height ft = 6
|    height in = 6+7/8
|       weight = 334
|         dash =
|    ten split =
| twenty split =
|      shuttle =
|   cone drill =
|     vertical =
|     broad ft =
|     broad in =
|        bench =
|     arm span = 36+1/4
|    hand span = 10+3/4
|    wonderlic =
|         note = All values from [[NFL Combine]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://nflcombineresults.com/playerpage.php?f=Orlando&l=Pace&i=23038 |title=Orlando Pace, Combine Results, OT - Ohio State |website=nflcombineresults.com |access-date=August 9, 2021}}</ref>
}}

===St. Louis Rams===
The Rams traded with the New York Jets for the first overall pick the day before the [[1997 NFL draft]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Eskenazi |first=Gerald |title=Parcells and Jets Deal Quality for Quantity in Draft |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/04/18/sports/parcells-and-jets-deal-quality-for-quantity-in-draft.html |work=The New York Times |date=April 18, 1997 }}</ref> Pace was the first [[offensive lineman]] since [[Ron Yary]] in [[1968 NFL draft|1968]] to be drafted first overall.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1997 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1997/draft.htm |access-date=March 30, 2023 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=April 14, 2016 |title=Pace Goes No. 1 |url=https://www.profootballhof.com/news/2016/04/pace-goes-no-1 |access-date=March 30, 2023 |website=Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site |language=en}}</ref> After a three-week holdout, on August 15, 1997, Pace signed a seven-year $29.4 million contract that included a $6.3 million signing bonus. Pace played 13 games during the [[1997 NFL season|1997 season]], his rookie year. He made his first start against the [[1997 Oakland Raiders season|Oakland Raiders]] on September 28, 1997, and started every game for the rest of the season.

In 1998, Pace started 16 games at the left tackle position and was named Pro Bowl alternate.<ref name="Chicago Bears bio" />

In the [[1999 NFL season|1999 season]], Pace played in 896 of 994 offensive plays and was selected to his first Pro Bowl. It was the first time that a Rams' offensive tackle was named to the Pro Bowl since [[Jackie Slater]] in [[1990 NFL season|1990]]. Pace was also a First-team [[1999 All-Pro Team|All-Pro]] for the [[Super Bowl XXXV|Super Bowl]] winning Rams.

In the [[2000 NFL season|2000 season]], Pace earned second consecutive Pro Bowl invitation, starting all 16 regular season games and 1 playoff game. Pace was anchor of offensive line that helped offense produce most passing yards in NFL history, playing in 1,006 of possible 1,013 offensive plays (99.3 percent), second highest total on offensive line.<ref name="Chicago Bears bio" /> Pace was one of three Rams' offensive linemen (C [[Andy McCollum]], RT [[Ryan Tucker]]) who were not penalized for holding.<ref name="Chicago Bears bio">{{Cite web |url=http://www.chicagobears.com/team/player.asp?player_id=218 |title=Chicago Bears bio |access-date=April 3, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120406190617/http://www.chicagobears.com/team/player.asp?player_id=218 |archive-date=April 6, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 2001, Pace started every game for the fourth consecutive season. He played in 100 percent of offensive plays, joining [[Adam Timmerman]] as the only Ram to play in every offensive play. He started all three playoff contests, the St. Louis Rams claimed the [[NFC West]] title and advanced to [[Super Bowl XXXVI]] falling to the [[New England Patriots]], 20–17. He earned third consecutive Pro Bowl invitation.<ref name="Chicago Bears bio" />

In 2002, despite missing six games due to injury (three to calf injury in games 4–6 and three to hamstring games in 13–16), Pace earned his fourth consecutive Pro Bowl invitation.<ref name="Chicago Bears bio" />

Pace had a lengthy holdout by reporting to camp on August 26, 2003, and signing a one-year deal as the Rams franchise player. The deal was worth $5.7 million. In 2003, Pace started all 16 regular season games and one playoff game, he helped the Rams' offense to rank second in the NFL with an average of 27.9 points a game. He earned a fifth consecutive Pro Bowl invitation as the Rams claimed their third NFC West title in five years.<ref name="Chicago Bears bio" />

On September 5, 2004, Pace ended another holdout and signed the Rams' $7.02 million offer. It marked the second straight year Pace missed most or all of the preseason before signing his one-year tender. By designating Pace as a franchise player, the Rams were obligated to pay him the average salary of the five highest-paid offensive linemen in the NFL. Pace went on to start all 16 regular season games at left tackle and both playoff games. He was one of three linemen to start every game (C Andy McCollum, G Adam Timmerman) and blocked for an offense that ranked eighth in the NFL (third in the NFC) in first downs (321).<ref name="Chicago Bears bio" /> Pace helped Rams convert 13-of-16 fourth down attempts, second highest fourth-down conversion percentage in the NFL (68.4%). He earned his sixth consecutive Pro Bowl invitation.

Pace was a free agent in 2005 and explored the possibility of signing with another team. The Rams placed the franchise tag on Pace again. In March, he visited the [[Houston Texans]]. The problem for Pace and the Texans was that if they work out an agreement, the Texans would have had to agree with the Rams on a compensation package, which would be two first-round draft choices which the Rams would be entitled to under the franchise-player rules.<ref>{{cite web | last=Maske | first=Mark | title=Texans Making a Play for Pace | website=The Washington Post | date=2005-03-15 | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A36749-2005Mar15.html | access-date=2025-03-09}}</ref> However, the day before the deadline, Pace accepted a seven-year, $52.9 million deal. The deal included $18 million in first-year salary and bonus.<ref>(3-17-2005)[http://www.newstribune.com/articles/2005/03/17/sports/0317050001.txt Associated Press]{{Dead link|date=April 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Retrieved September 12, 2010.</ref>

In 2005, Pace earned seventh consecutive Pro Bowl invitation, tying him for fourth in Rams history, behind Hall of Famer DT [[Merlin Olsen]] (14), Hall of Famer G [[Tom Mack]] (11), and LB [[Les Richter]] (8). That season, Pace started all 16 games at left tackle, joining C [[Andy McCollum]] and G Adam Timmerman as only Rams linemen to start every game.<ref name="Chicago Bears bio" />

In 2006, Pace started the 8 games he appeared in until he left in the second quarter against the [[Seattle Seahawks]] on November 12, 2006, after he tore his [[triceps]], ending his [[2006 NFL season|2006 season]]. He was placed on Injured Reserve on November 14.<ref name="Chicago Bears bio" />

Pace was injured during the Rams' [[2007 NFL season|2007]] season opener against the [[2007 Carolina Panthers season|Carolina Panthers]] on September 9, 2007. Officials confirmed that Pace would be out for the entire 2007 season, severely jeopardizing the Rams' offense for the remainder of the season.

In 2008, Pace played in and started 14 games, missing only two with an injury, compared to the 15 he missed in 2007 and the 8 he missed in 2006.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Orlando Pace 2008 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/P/PaceOr00/gamelog/2008/ |access-date=2024-12-25 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> However, the Rams struggled on the field and their head coach [[Scott Linehan]] was fired mid-season and the team fared little better under interim head coach [[Jim Haslett]] and the team finished 2–14.

Dogged by injuries in recent seasons, Pace was released by the Rams on March 10, 2009,<ref>[http://www.stlouisrams.com/article/70985 Rams release Pace] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090313035452/http://www.stlouisrams.com/article/70985/ |date=March 13, 2009 }}, St. Louis Rams, March 10, 2009</ref> to save $6 million under the [[salary cap]].<ref>[https://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/around-the-horns/around-the-horns/2009/03/orlando-pace-released-by-st-louis-rams Orlando Pace released by St. Louis Rams] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090603095659/http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/around-the-horns/around-the-horns/2009/03/orlando-pace-released-by-st-louis-rams/ |date=June 3, 2009 }}, ''[[St. Louis Post-Dispatch]]'', March 10, 2009</ref>

===Chicago Bears===
Pace signed a three-year $15 million deal (with $6.1 million guaranteed) with the [[Chicago Bears]] on April 2, 2009. Pace started the first 11 games at left tackle in his lone season with the Bears in [[2009 NFL season|2009]] before sustaining a groin injury on November 29 in a loss to the [[2009 Minnesota Vikings season|Minnesota Vikings]]. He later finished the year as a reserve behind 2008 first-round draft pick [[Chris Williams (offensive lineman)|Chris Williams]]. He was released on March 1, 2010.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.chicagobears.com/news/NewsStory.asp?story_id=6587 |title=Veteran tackle Pace among three players released by Bears |access-date=March 2, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120118082854/http://www.chicagobears.com/news/NewsStory.asp?story_id=6587 |archive-date=January 18, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In his 13-year career, Pace was paid just over $75 million in salary and bonuses.<ref>[http://content.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/salaries/playerdetail.aspx?lname=Pace&player=1763 USA  Today.com] Retrieved September 12, 2010.</ref>

==Personal life==
Pace owned "Big O's Ltd" in his home town of [[Sandusky, Ohio]]. It was a family-friendly sports bar located on W. Perkins Avenue. Pace made appearances at his restaurant, occasionally signing autographs for his hometown fans. Big O's Ltd has since been closed.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/240/1136839/restaurant/Ohio/Sandusky-Huron/Big-OS-Limited-Sandusky |title=Big O'S Limited - Sandusky/Huron - Sandusky {{pipe}} Urbanspoon |website=www.urbanspoon.com |access-date=May 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120805081958/http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/240/1136839/restaurant/Ohio/Sandusky-Huron/Big-OS-Limited-Sandusky |archive-date=August 5, 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

Pace was inducted into the [[Rose Bowl Game#Rose Bowl Hall of Fame|Rose Bowl Hall of Fame]] on December 30, 2013, at the Pasadena Convention Center.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://ohiostatebuckeyes.com/pace-to-be-inducted-into-rose-bowl-hall-of-fame/ |title=Pace To Be Inducted Into Rose Bowl Hall of Fame |publisher=Ohio State University |date=December 10, 2013 |access-date=August 26, 2021 }}</ref>

Pace was a finalist in the 2015 Hall of Fame induction class and in his second year of eligibility he made the final 15. On February 6, 2016, he was elected to the [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 6, 2016 |title=2016 'NFL Honors' complete list of winners |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/2016-nfl-honors-complete-list-of-winners-0ap3000000633325 |access-date=February 7, 2016 |website=NFL.com}}</ref>

Pace resides in [[St. Louis|St. Louis, Missouri]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.stltoday.com/sports/football/professional/warner-pace-bruce-holt-are-hall-of-fame-semifinalists/article_fe3a634f-5315-5995-b0fc-a14f91c74ef1.html |title=Warner, Pace, Bruce, Holt are Hall of Fame semifinalists |work=St. Louis Post-Dispatch |last=Thomas |first=Jim |date=November 24, 2015 |access-date=August 26, 2021 }}</ref> He and his family purchased a house in Henderson, NV in 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-06-12 |title=Former NFL star purchases $8.4 million Henderson home |url=https://www.reviewjournal.com/business/housing/nfl-hall-of-famer-purchases-8-4-million-henderson-home-3384215/ |access-date=2025-07-13 |website=Las Vegas Review-Journal |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Former NFL star purchases $8.4 million Henderson home |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/realestate/former-nfl-star-purchases-84-million-henderson-home/ar-AA1GAffz |access-date=2025-07-13 |website=www.msn.com}}</ref> His son, Landon, currently plays tight end for [[Wyoming Cowboys football|Wyoming]].

He was portrayed by Brandon Murphy in the 2021 film ''[[American Underdog: The Kurt Warner Story]]''.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
{{Footballstats |nfl=PAC151180 |espn=1232 |cbs= |yahoo= |fox= |si= |pfr=P/PaceOr00 |rotoworld= |dbf=}}
*[http://www.profootballhof.com/players/orlando-pace/biography/ Pro Football Hall of Fame bio]
*[http://www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/062707aak.html Ohio State Buckeyes football bio]

{{Navboxes
| title = Orlando Pace—awards, championships, and honors
| list1 =
{{Lombardi Award}}
{{Outland Trophy}}
{{UPI Lineman of the Year}}
{{Chicago Tribune Silver Football navbox}}
{{Big Ten Conference Football Player of the Year navbox}}
{{1995 NCAA Division I-A College Football Consensus All-Americans}}
{{1996 NCAA Division I-A College Football Consensus All-Americans}}
{{NFL NumberOne Draft Picks}}
{{1997 NFL Draft}}
{{RamsFirstPick}}
{{St. Louis Rams 1997 draft navbox}}
{{Super Bowl XXXIV}}
{{St. Louis Rams 10th Anniversary Team}}
{{NFL2000s}}
{{2016 Football HOF}}
{{Pro Football Hall of Fame members}}
{{Walter Camp Alumni of the Year}}
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pace, Orlando}}
[[Category:1975 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:All-American college football players]]
[[Category:American football offensive tackles]]
[[Category:Chicago Bears players]]
[[Category:College Football Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:First overall NFL draft picks]]
[[Category:National Conference Pro Bowl players]]
[[Category:Ohio State Buckeyes football players]]
[[Category:Players of American football from St. Louis]]
[[Category:Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Sandusky, Ohio]]
[[Category:St. Louis Rams players]]