RELATED LINKS:
-- Cousins One Of The Best Dressed Of Week 14
-- Week 14: Redskins-Bears Video Highlights
Ken Houston, a Pro Football Hall of Famer from the 1960s and 1970s, finished his career with the Redskins in 1980.
Linebacker Monte Coleman finished his career with the Redskins in 1994.
Common sense would have you believe the two never played together. But Coleman, selected in the 11th round of the 1979 NFL Draft, played 16 years in Washington, becoming a model of consistency that spanned three decades. Naturally, Coleman was teammates with just about every legendary Redskins player in the heyday of the team's history.
His bond with Houston, while short, was strong.
"Monte was my favorite fishing buddy," Houston said at this year's alumni homecoming. "I used to take him fishing all the time. We fished the Potomac, Broad Run…out in Reston. We did that and we'd go out on the off days. We had a great time here."
Coleman, who will be inducted into the Redskins Ring Of Fame this Sunday at halftime for the Redskins-Bills game, played 215 regular season games, second-most in Redskins history, trailing only Darrell Green.
He appeared in at least 10 games in every year of his career with exception of the labor-shortened 1982 season. He also appeared in 21 career postseason games, including Super Bowl appearances following the 1982, 1983, 1987 and 1991 seasons.
That he's getting inducted in a game against the Bills should have plenty of nostalgia laced around it.
"Monte Coleman was a great player," said former running back Timmy Smith, who was teammates with him during Super Bowl XXII. "Hard worker, took his job very seriously, stayed in shape, did everything it took."
For his career, Coleman registered 1,002 total regular season tackles (650 solo), 43.5 sacks, 17 interceptions (three returned for touchdowns), 14 fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles, all according to STATS, LLC. Despite sacks not becoming an official NFL statistic until his fourth NFL season in 1982, Coleman's 43.5 career sacks rank fourth in team history. He also unofficially registered 10.5 "sacks" in his first three seasons.
Coleman will officially join offensive lineman Jeff Bostic, who was inducted at halftime against the Buccaneers, as the second player this year to have his name displayed on the FedExField rafters.
"I remember both Jeff Bostic and Monte Coleman, two great players here," linebacker London Fletcher said. "I've seen them play a ton of times. And I know what type of players they were. It's a great honor for them. Monte, an excellent defensive player, brought it every game."
.
.
.
