View source for Scott Appleton

{{Short description|American football player (1942–1992)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| image         =
| caption       = 
| height_ft     = 6
| height_in     = 3
| weight_lbs    = 260
| position      = [[Defensive tackle]]
| number        = 70
| birth_date    = {{Birth date|1942|02|20}}
| birth_place   = [[Brady, Texas]], U.S.
| death_date    = {{Death date and age|1992|03|2|1942|02|20}}
| death_place   = [[Austin, Texas]], U.S.
| draftyear     = 1964
| draftround    = 1
| draftpick     = 4
| afldraftyear  = 1964
| afldraftround = 1
| afldraftpick  = 6
| high_school   = [[Brady High School (Texas)|Brady (TX)]]
| college       = [[Texas Longhorns football|Texas]]
| pastteams     =
* [[Houston Oilers]] ([[1964 AFL season|1964]]–[[1966 AFL season|1966]])
* [[San Diego Chargers]] ([[1967 AFL season|1967]]–[[1968 AFL season|1968]])
* [[Oakland Raiders]] ([[1969 AFL season|1969]])
* [[New Orleans Saints]] ({{NFL Year|1970}})*
* [[Portland Storm]] ([[1974 World Football League season|1974]])
| highlights    =
* [[College football national championships in NCAA Division I FBS|National champion]] ([[1963 Texas Longhorns football team|1963]])
* [[Outland Trophy]] (1963)
* [[UPI Lineman of the Year (College)|UPI Lineman of the Year]] (1963)
* [[List of unanimous All-Americans in college football|Unanimous All-American]] ([[1963 College Football All-America Team|1963]])
* Third-team [[College Football All-America Team|All-American]] ([[1962 College Football All-America Team|1962]])
* First-team [[Southwest Conference|All-SWC]] ([[1963 All-Southwest Conference football team|1963]])
* Second-team [[Southwest Conference|All-SWC]] ([[1962 All-Southwest Conference football team|1962]])
| statlabel1    = Games played-[[Starting lineup|started]]
| statvalue1    = 70-28
| statlabel2    = [[Interception]]s
| statvalue2    = 2
| statlabel3    = [[Fumble]] recoveries
| statvalue3    = 3
| pfr           = ApplSc20 
}}

'''Gordon Scott Appleton''' (February 20, 1942 – March 2, 1992) was an [[American football]] [[defensive tackle]] in the [[American Football League]] (AFL) for the [[Houston Oilers]], [[San Diego Chargers]] and [[Oakland Raiders]]. He played [[college football]] at the [[University of Texas]], which won the [[NCAA Division I FBS National Football Championship|national championship in 1963]].  Appleton was a consensus [[1963 College Football All-America Team|1963 All-American]] and won the [[Outland Trophy]].

==Early life==
Appleton was born on February 20, 1942, in [[McCulloch County, Texas]] to Gordon Frederick Appleton and Alberda Methelda Leifeste. He attended [[Brady High School (Texas)|Brady High School]], where he was an All-state tackle.

He accepted a football scholarship from the [[University of Texas]], where he became a three-year starter and a tri-captain. He earned [[Southwest Conference|All-SWC]] honors in 1962 and 1963. As a senior, he helped Texas win its first national championship. He was named All-American, was the school's first [[Outland Trophy]] winner and he finished fifth in the [[Heisman Trophy]] balloting.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.espn.com/dallas/ncf/story/_/page/heisman-dallas-week7/heisman-watch-scott-appleton-was-unassuming-anchor-texas-1963-national-title-team|title=Scott Appleton was unassuming anchor|work=ESPN.com|date=October 24, 2011 |access-date=February 3, 2018}}</ref> He was also a member of the [[Texas Cowboys]].

In the [[1964 Cotton Bowl Classic|1964 Cotton Bowl]], he tallied 12 tackles, 2 unofficial sacks of [[quarterback]] [[Roger Staubach]] and stopped a scoring threat on fourth down with less than 10 minutes left on the game. He also contributed to the defense setting 2 records by holding [[United States Naval Academy|Navy]] without a rushing first down and limiting them to minus 14 yards rushing. The 28–6 win cemented the school's first [[College football national championships in NCAA Division I FBS|national championship]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.bradystandard.com/2001/04/20/appleton-to-be-inducted-into-cotton-bowl-hall-of-fame/ | title=Appleton to be inducted into Cotton Bowl Hall of Fame | publisher=The Brady-Standard Herald | access-date=February 3, 2019 | archive-date=March 27, 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327085623/https://www.bradystandard.com/2001/04/20/appleton-to-be-inducted-into-cotton-bowl-hall-of-fame/ | url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 1986, he was inducted into the University of Texas Athletics Hall of Honor. In 2001, he was inducted into the Southwestern [[Cotton Bowl Classic|Cotton Bowl]] Hall of Fame.

==Professional career==
In the [[1964 NFL draft]], the [[Dallas Cowboys]] were looking to shore up its offense by improving at [[wide receiver]]. Head coach [[Tom Landry]] reached an agreement with the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]] to acquire [[Buddy Dial]], who was one of the top receivers at the time in the league, in exchange for selecting Appleton with the team's first round draft choice and trading him immediately afterwards on January 1.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.nfl.com/news/1964-draft-left-lasting-impact-on-dallas-cowboys-nfl-0ap1000000340099 | title=1964 draft left lasting impact on Dallas Cowboys, NFL | work=NFL.com | access-date=February 3, 2019}}</ref>

Although the Steelers thought that Appleton would sign with them,<ref>{{cite news | title=Just a Bad Year | work=The Telegraph | date=November 21, 1964 | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2209&dat=19641121&id=mIljAAAAIBAJ&sjid=CnoNAAAAIBAJ&pg=6794,1922518 | access-date=February 3, 2018}}</ref> he ended up joining the [[History of the Tennessee Titans|Houston Oilers]] of the [[American Football League|AFL]], who had also drafted him in the first round.<ref>{{cite news |title=Houston Oilers Sign Appleton |agency=United Press International |work=Star-News |location=Wilmington, North Carolina |date=February 2, 1964 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=5ENjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OXQNAAAAIBAJ&pg=2177,167827&dq=appleton+dallas&hl=en |access-date=February 3, 2018}}</ref> The voice of the Steelers, [[Myron Cope]], described the shenanigans both teams used in the attempt to sign Appleton as the "Buddy Dial for Nothing" trade and was one of his favorite stories.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1144&dat=19820407&id=JXgdAAAAIBAJ&sjid=B14EAAAAIBAJ&pg=3464,3333599|title=How Steelers Choked On Scott Appleton|newspaper=The Pittsburgh Press|access-date=February 3, 2018}}</ref>

As a rookie in [[1964 AFL season|1964]], he was played at [[defensive end|left defensive end]], but could not earn a starting position, although he managed to record 2 interceptions. In [[1965 AFL season|1965]], he was moved to [[defensive tackle|right defensive tackle]].

Appleton's career with the Oilers was a disappointment, playing until [[1966 AFL season|1966]]. Like his father, who battled alcoholism (and eventually committed suicide), Scott Appleton also battled alcoholism and drug addictions.<ref name="tradition">{{cite web|url=http://texassports.com/news/2013/8/14/blittle_0814133610.aspx?path=football|title=Bill Little commentary: Scott Appleton's journey to redemption|work=Texassports.com|date=August 14, 2013 |access-date=February 3, 2018}}</ref> On January 12, [[1967 NFL season|1967]], he was traded along with [[linebacker]] [[Johnny Baker (linebacker)|Johnny Baker]] to the [[San Diego Chargers]] in exchange for [[cornerback]] [[Miller Farr]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2199&dat=19670113&id=ltFTAAAAIBAJ&sjid=szgNAAAAIBAJ&pg=6505,1298970|title=Appleton, Baker Traded by Oiler|newspaper=Lawrence Journal-World|access-date=February 3, 2018}}</ref>

He was the Chargers' starter at [[defensive tackle|right defensive tackle]] for 2 seasons and led the team in solo tackles in [[1968 AFL season|1968]]. He was released on September 3, [[1969 AFL season|1969]].

On November 6, [[1969 AFL season|1969]], he was signed as a [[free agent]] by the [[Oakland Raiders]] to replace an injured [[Dan Birdwell]], but would be later cut. On July 12, [[1970 NFL season|1970]], he signed with the [[New Orleans Saints]] and was released on August 10. He never missed a game during his [[NFL]] career (70 games played).

On June 12, [[1974 World Football League season|1974]], he signed with the [[Portland Storm]] of the [[World Football League|WFL]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1310&dat=19740612&id=Oq5VAAAAIBAJ&sjid=O-ADAAAAIBAJ&pg=2065,2609847|title=Storm Signs Appleton|newspaper=Eugene Register-Guard|access-date=February 3, 2018}}</ref>

==Personal life==
After his career in football ended, he became a manager of a [[Dairy Queen]] in [[Westfield, Texas]] (20 miles north of Houston) and worked at fast food restaurants, still battling alcoholism and participating in various rehab programs. He eventually ended up at the Fourth Street Inn, a project of the First Baptist Church and Rev. Jimmy Allen, in [[San Antonio, Texas]], where they would feed the homeless and conduct Bible readings. Appleton quit drinking and began studying to become an ordained  minister. After working at the Fourth Street Inn, he started his own ministry and spoke across the U.S. talking about his alcoholism and recovery.<ref name=tradition/>

Suffering from heart disease, Appleton at first declined a heart transplant operation, but later was placed on the list for a donor heart. However, he died of heart failure in 1992 at age 50.

==See also==
*[[List of Texas Longhorns football All-Americans]]
*[[List of Dallas Cowboys first-round draft picks]]
*[[List of American Football League players]]

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

==External links==
*{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/03/05/obituaries/scott-appleton-football-player-50.html |title=Scott Appleton; Football Player, 50 |date=March 5, 1992 |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=February 3, 2018}}

{{1963 Texas Longhorns football navbox}}
{{1964 NFL Draft}}
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{{Houston Oilers 1964 draft navbox}}
{{CowboysFirstPick}}
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{{Outland Trophy}}
{{UPI Lineman of the Year}}
{{1963 College Football Consensus All-Americans}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Appleton, Scott}}
[[Category:1942 births]]
[[Category:1992 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Brady, Texas]]
[[Category:All-American college football players]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Texas]]
[[Category:American football defensive tackles]]
[[Category:Texas Longhorns football players]]
[[Category:Houston Oilers players]]
[[Category:San Diego Chargers players]]
[[Category:Oakland Raiders players]]
[[Category:American Football League players]]