After John Offerdahl finished his high school football career as an All-State linebacker, he thought college offers would come pouring in.
Instead, he received only a partial scholarship to play at Western Michigan University.
Undeterred, Offerdahl showed up to prove himself and so impressed his coaches that they soon offered a full scholarship.
He then set program records during his time with the Broncos and became a second-round draft pick in 1986 of the Miami Dolphins.
Superstar Saturday LB John Offerdahl (1986-93) pic.twitter.com/r2HAMbBuQx
— Dolphins History (@DolphinsHistory) September 4, 2021
Right off the bat, Offerdahl made enough of an impression as a tackling machine that he was selected as the NFL’s Co-Defensive Rookie of the Year.
After the 1993 season, he retired as a five-time Pro Bowler and dove head-first into the restaurant business.
This is the story of John Offerdahl.
Early Years in Wisconsin
John Arnold Offerdahl was born on August 17, 1964, in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin.
He was the youngest of five children which included four older sisters.
Initially, Offerdahl wasn’t as drawn to sports as one might expect a future professional athlete.
To be sure, Offerdahl was athletic, but he didn’t mind the rigors of education and viewed himself as a future doctor.
For good measure, Offerdahl also played the French horn in the school band.
Eventually, he proved to be more than adequate on the gridiron and played linebacker for the Fort Atkinson High School Blackhawks.
Jan 10, 1987: @MiamiDolphins John Offerdahl was named NFL Rookie of the Year for 1986 season. Also named to Pro Bowl. Born in Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. and graduated from Fort Atkinson, Wis. high school. pic.twitter.com/tuXpgmRfp3
— Jack Eich (@jackeichsays) January 10, 2018
As Offerdahl grew to over six feet and hovered near 200 pounds, he decimated ball carriers and was selected as an Associated Press High School All-American in 1981.
Normally, that kind of distinction would bring attention from scores of colleges looking for a talented football player.
That wasn’t the case for Offerdahl.
Making His Name as a Bronco
It turned out that Offerdahl was overlooked by every Division I school in the vicinity.
By chance, a coach from the University of Western Michigan was in Fort Atkinson to watch one of Offerdahl’s teammates.
The coach was impressed enough by the linebacker’s play that the WMU staff later offered him a partial scholarship.
Since it turned out to be the only scholarship offer from a major university, Offerdahl accepted.
“Coach (Glen) Borland did an admirable job of trying to get those scouts to take a look at me,” recalled Offerdahl in 2013. “Jack Harbaugh was a new head coach that year and when the defensive linebacker coach (Greg Mattison) brought in our film to show Jerry Quaerna, Jack kept on mentioning No. 84, which was my number in high school. Mattison said, ‘That’s this John Offerdahl kid; he’s 185 pounds and he has four sisters and plays the French horn, and I think we can recruit him as a walk-on.’ By the end of the film session, Harbaugh wanted me, and that’s how I got my half scholarship,” Offerdahl added.
Shortly after arriving at WMU, Offerdahl and his fellow freshmen recruits were thrown into the fray by Harbaugh.
Not only did he survive the gauntlet of hard practices, Offerdahl thrived.
Western Michigan Bronco
John Offerdahl pic.twitter.com/b0nIhAskzo— Andy Scheel (@andyscheel58) April 5, 2022
By the time fall camp ended, the freshman had earned a starting spot, a defensive captain designation, and a full scholarship, thanks to a former high school teammate who quit the Broncos.
“That’s how somebody who has talent that doesn’t necessarily have the other attributes gets into the game,” Offerdahl said. “Opportunities come along and I certainly had mine. You got to take advantage of the opportunities too. Together, luck equals circumstance plus preparation.”
During Harbaugh’s first year at the helm of WMU, the Broncos went 7-2-2 and Offerdahl racked up tackles and picked off one pass.
In 1983, the Broncos went 6-5 and Offerdahl stopped ball carriers a program-record 192 times along with another pick.
His tackle count also led the Mid-American Conference (MAC) and Offerdahl was chosen as a first-team All-MAC selection.
All-American
Now nearing 6’3 and 245 pounds, Offerdahl transformed into a wrecking ball.
As a junior in 1985, he again led the conference with tackles including 24 alone against Ball State and picked off three passes for 17 return yards.
After a second first-team All-Conference nod, Offerdahl was named a third-team All-American.
Then, as a senior in 1985, the linebacker led the MAC in tackles for the third year in a row, was voted first-team All-MAC yet again, selected as the MAC Defensive Player of the Year, and was chosen as a second-team All-American.
🎞 Miami Dolphins 2nd-Round Vault: LB John Offerdahl (Western Michigan, 1986)
➖ 8 seasons
➖ NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year (1986)
➖ 1x 1st-team All-Pro (1990)
➖ 2x 2nd-team All-Pro (1986, 1988)
➖ 5x Pro Bowl (1986-1990)
➖ Miami Dolphins Honor Roll #GoFins pic.twitter.com/biECg4IFg5— FinsXtra (@FinsXtra) April 26, 2024
During the ‘85 season, Offerdahl equaled his single-game tackle record by bagging 24 against Central Michigan.
With graduation looming, Offerdahl ended his college career with a WMU record 696 total tackles, six interceptions for 56 return yards, and forced 17 fumbles, again setting a Broncos record by recovering eight.
In 1995, WMU retired Offerdahl’s number 49 jersey number and he was inducted into the WMU Hall of Fame in 1996.
The MAC inducted Offerdahl into its Hall of Fame in 2013.
Offerdahl Stops Jackson in the Senior Bowl
With all the accolades and awards Offerdahl received in college, he still wasn’t viewed as a great NFL prospect.
Pro scouts wanted to see how he handled competition with the big boys and invited him to play in the East-West Shrine Game and the Senior Bowl.
At first, Offerdahl was a tad overwhelmed at the talent that assembled at the all-star contests.
“I had never seen so many big players on one field. I was intimidated. So many scouts and coaches were there, I was afraid to make a wrong move,” Offerdahl said in 1986. “I felt like a piece of meat. One day we had to weigh in and get measured, with all the scouts watching. We’d walk past them up one line, get our weight and call it off, walk to the other station and call off our height. Then we had to walk back down the aisle, past the scouts. It was like being in a beauty contest.”
Once the game started, however, it was business as usual for Offerdahl.
He contributed some of the biggest plays of the afternoon, including an interception and stuffing Heisman winner Bo Jackson twice for no gain.
Since it’s Senior Bowl Saturday, here’s former IndState safety Vencie Glenn (right) preparing to take on RB Bo Jackson at the 1986 Senior Bowl. Jackson is trying to jump over linebacker John Offerdahl as Glenn waits ti join in. pic.twitter.com/q0dk6oSaPR
— Tom James (@TJamesIndState) January 30, 2021
Offerdahl’s no-fear play led to him being recognized as the Senior Bowl Defensive MVP.
“I wasn’t a draft choice until I played in the Senior Bowl,” Offerdahl said. “I stopped Bo Jackson and I got the MVP. I just prepared in a way that allowed me to be ready for that level of competition.”
Once he established himself as worthy to play in the NFL, Offerdahl’s draft stock went from seventh round to a possible first-day candidate.
Offerdahl is Grilled during the Pre-Draft Process
Now that Offerdahl displayed his ability to play with the giants of college football, NFL scouts still had other concerns.
While in college, Offerdahl majored in bio-medicine and viewed his future as a medical researcher.
He was so sure that medicine was in his future, that Offerdahl almost quit football before his junior year at WMU.
“In the first semester of my junior year, I sat down with my Head Coach Jack Harbaugh and told him that I decided I wasn’t going to play football anymore. I almost pooped his pants (laughing). That was the first moment that he told me that I had a chance to play football past the college level and that I shouldn’t give that dream up,” said Offerdahl in 2018.
Convinced Harbaugh was telling him the truth, Offerdahl continued playing and, obviously, did well for himself.
Still, NFL teams grilled him about his commitment to playing in the pros.
“How committed are you to medical school?” was a question most asked by scouts, according to Offerdahl.
“They [scouts] were concerned that if things got tough in football, I’d bail out and go to school,” he said. “They didn’t want me to have high aspirations for anything except football.”
As the spring continued, Offerdahl was run through every type of drill imaginable and pro clubs weren’t that impressed by his low 40-yard dash time (4.85 seconds).
Eventually, several teams, most notably Dallas, warmed to Offerdahl.
“The Cowboys were out of control,” Offerdahl said. “One time, their scout pulled out a torque box to test my hip strength. Well, he couldn’t get it to work. So he came all the way back to Kalamazoo two days later. Then the test only took two minutes.”
When the 1986 NFL Draft finally arrived, there was a strong belief that San Francisco was going to select Offerdahl.
John Offerdahl recalls the day he was drafted in 1986.
READ: http://t.co/KsG20oATqc pic.twitter.com/em3i6Qh3iM
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) April 4, 2015
However, as is often the case with rumors and innuendos involved in the process, the 49ers didn’t take him and the Miami Dolphins selected Offerdahl with the 52nd overall pick in the second round.
“Little did I know that I would have had three more rings if I was a 49er but I was very happy to be a Miami Dolphin,” said Offerdahl years later.
Rookie Starter
Offerdahl arrived in Miami in 1986 and was put through the paces by head coach Don Shula.
He learned quickly from veterans Jack Squirek (who had won a Super Bowl as a Raider) and Hugh Green.
Just like his first year in college, Offerdahl figured out the ropes so quickly that he became a starter and was named a defensive captain.
What followed was a Pro Bowl year that included a plethora of tackles, one interception, two sacks, and one scolding from Shula.
HBD John Offerdahl Miami Dolphins (1986-1993) #FinsUp pic.twitter.com/x1uB5HkYpm
— Alex Carter (@Dark305Knight) August 17, 2023
Before the ‘Fins played in a Monday Night Football contest late in the season, Shula pulled Offerdahl aside as they waited to enter the field.
The coach asked his rookie if he was nervous and Offerdahl tried to play tough by answering no.
Shula wasn’t impressed.
“You gol darn (expletive) better be!” said Offerdahl. “He said it with such a loud voice that all the players in the back corner (and the fans in the corner stands) were just looking at me in stunned amazement. So that was my preparation for my first Monday Night Football game. It was a moment where you look at your career and remind yourself to keep your mind on what’s most important at the moment.”
Miami went 8-8 that year, but Offerdahl made such an impression on NFL offenses that he was named a second-team All-Pro, picked for the PFWA All-Rookie Team, and chosen as the league’s co-Defensive Rookie of the Year along with San Diego’s Leslie O’Neal.
More Pro Bowls
It took a while for Offerdahl to experience playoff football, even with a head coach of Shula’s acumen.
Between his rookie year in 1986 through the 1989 season, Miami never won more than eight games.
During that time, however, Offerdahl remained the defensive captain and was voted to the Pro Bowl every year.
56 more days until the Miami Dolphins open their season!
#56 was best worn by John Offerdahl!#FinsUp! pic.twitter.com/ZXxbBvBhQH
— Big E (@ian693) July 18, 2021
Finally, in 1990, the ‘Fins got back on track with a 12-4 season, the most wins by the franchise since 1985.
The defense rose to fourth overall in the NFL and Offerdahl went to his fifth consecutive Pro Bowl.
In the postseason, Miami edged Kansas City, 17-16, in the wild-card round before meeting division rival Buffalo in the divisional round.
At the time, Buffalo was one of the best teams in the NFL and would eventually reach their first Super Bowl that January.
Playing against the Bills twice a year, or three times counting the playoffs, was a daunting task but one Offerdahl and his teammates enjoyed.
The battles between the two teams were legendary and Offerdahl counted Bills guard Jim Ritcher as one of the best linemen he ever faced.
“Maybe he wasn’t the best pass blocker, but he was really a good run blocker and I respected him,” said Offerdahl in 2018. “It was constantly like a war of survival going against him for me, and hopefully for him as well.”
Whenever the Dolphins traveled to Buffalo, they prepared for anything.
“The field was so close to the fans who were either throwing things at you, spitting at you or showing you things you didn’t want to see,” Offerdahl said. “It was a crazy environment for football. The cold weather, the fan experience, you either walk away loving it or you get intimidated by it.”
Miami lost to the Bills in the ‘90 playoffs and met their rival again in the AFC Championship game after the 1992 season.
New #Bills DE Bryan Cox Jr's Dad has his own legacy up in Buffalo. pic.twitter.com/N2IH2Kr34W
— Bradley Gelber (@BradleyGelber) April 29, 2020
Before that contest started, second-year linebacker Bryan Cox brazenly displayed his disdain for all the Buffalo fans to see.
“There’s a photo with Bryan Cox talking to the crowd with his middle finger and I’m in the background just looking at him like ‘what are you doing?'” Offerdahl laughed. “Bryan Cox took football to another level that I wasn’t used to,” he continued. “It was a level of emotion I just couldn’t match and he shared that emotion with the Buffalo Bills fans. It was great to be there with him in that moment.”
Once again, Miami came up short, 29-10, while the Bills advanced to their third straight Super Bowl (which would end in a third straight loss).
Offerdahl Helps Save the Lives of an Elderly Couple
In the spring of 1993, Offerdahl was about to play in his eighth NFL season.
Three years earlier, he had gotten married and then opened a bagel store in Weston, Florida.
While at his store one day before the ‘93 season began, Offerdahl heard a commotion out in the street.
He looked outside and noticed a car drive into a nearby pond and slowly begin to sink.
Offerdahl could also see that the vehicle’s occupants were still inside, unable to get out.
That’s when he sprang into action.
“In a weird way you’re kind of responsible,” Offerdahl said. “You have the responsibility of life and death in front of you.”
He dove into the water along with a few other bystanders and was able to free an elderly man who was in the back seat.
Offerdahl then dove back into the water to free the man’s wife, who was stuck in the driver’s seat.
“It was really emotional…because the lady couldn’t help herself,” Offerdahl said. “You were there to witness someone dying in front of your face, literally a foot away, and not able to do much.”
Thankfully, one of the other men who had joined the effort was able to free the woman.
Because of the quick action of Offerdahl and four other strangers, the couple (who were in their 80s) lived.
By the time rescue crews arrived, Offerdahl was already back in his store, hoping not to draw attention to himself.
The media soon found out about Offerdahl’s heroic efforts and he was interviewed by local and national media.
“I am no more a hero than the other four guys,” he told Sports Illustrated. “The only difference between me and them is that they don’t play football.”
Offerdahl Retires
At the end of the 1993 season, Offerdahl decided to retire.
A 2nd round pick of the Miami Dolphins John Offerdahl was a stalwart of the late 80s’ defenses. He is a beloved member of the Dolphins’ community and was the 1986 Defensive Rookie of the Year, a 5 time Pro Bowl selection and is enshrined in the Ring of Honor. #FinsUp pic.twitter.com/USSIMTDV39
— Chris (@CHRISMG2020) September 7, 2023
From 1991 through ‘93 he had missed significant time due to injuries and his final season was no different as he started only eight games.
“I never wanted to be the type of player that is sometimes viewed as a player that should’ve got out of the game earlier,” Offerdahl explained to the press. “There was a moment on the field when I realized this decision was going to be made. When it came to me, to be honest, I felt sad and at peace. I knew it was my time.”
During his career, Offerdahl had 9.5 sacks, a fumble recovery, and four interceptions for 44 return yards (the NFL did not keep track of tackles at the time).
He was a five-time Pro Bowler, three-time All-Pro, PFWA All-Rookie Team member and NFL co-Defensive Player of the Year as a rookie.
The Dolphins would later place Offerdahl in its Honor Roll.
Accomplished Businessman
Offerdahl retired when he was 30, but he was more than ready for the next chapter of his life,
I worked at John Offerdahl's quick service restaurant & he trained me on the register during a lunch rush. pic.twitter.com/kZE4Vb05lG
— unconquered set las mon (@rare_form) October 2, 2021
He and his wife, Lynn, continued operating their bagel shop and eventually owned a total of 10 stores before opening a grill restaurant in 2000.
“I had the fortune of getting into the restaurant industry because my wife was an artist and I was a biochem major,” Offerdahl said. “Between understanding what’s in a bagel and making it look good, we hit the nail on the head when we started our bagel store back in 1990. I’ve kind of matured from a bagel boy to, I jokingly say, a grill guy.”
The Offerdahl’s have been heavily involved in charity and John helped start a showcase where high school seniors have the opportunity to show off their skills in front of college coaches.
100% of the Gridiron Grill-Off's net proceeds go to Offerdahl's Hand-Off Foundation and helps to feed the needs of those in crisis #GIGO2017 pic.twitter.com/Wi5gXuh1r2
— John Offerdahl (@GridironGriller) June 26, 2017
In 2012, Offerdahl made national headlines for his testimony in a murder investigation that involved his next-door neighbor, Bernice Novack.
Weeks before the murder, Offerdahl and his son scared off two suspicious men who were lurking outside Novack’s home.
Unfortunately, they couldn’t stop one of the men from returning weeks later to beat Novack to death.
Since then, Offerdahl has made his living as a very successful entrepreneur and businessman.
He eventually sold his bagel stores and they merged with Einstein Brothers Bagels.
The Offerdahl’s have three children and currently reside in Southern Florida.
References
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1efc4VQMyXob_Klm4NZ7SAL6axY2OQq9Z/view
https://www.handofffoundation.org/john-s-story
https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1914&dat=19940829&id=8SQgAAAAIBAJ&pg=2424,6008216&hl=en
https://wmubroncos.com/sports/2010/5/18/204947583.aspx
https://wmubroncos.com/sports/2018/2/13/o.aspx
https://www.yourpaf.com/blog/the-next-generation-of-you-john-offerdahl/
https://vault.si.com/vault/1986/05/12/heres-to-a-guy-from-kalamazoo
https://www.miamidolphins.com/news/alumni-5-john-offerdahl-20239167
https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/john-offerdahl-1.html
https://www.miamidolphins.com/news/draft-memories-john-offerdahl
https://www.miamidolphins.com/news/fins-flashback-john-offerdahl-recalls-dolphins-bills
https://vault.si.com/vault/1993/08/23/john-offerdahl
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/O/OffeJo00.htm
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