Paul Seal
refer to caption
Seal from 1974 Michiganensian
No. 84, 85
Position:Tight end
Personal information
Born: (1952-02-27) February 27, 1952 (age 71)
Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Career information
College:Michigan
NFL draft:1974 / Round: 2 / Pick: 36
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Receptions:106
Receiving yards:1,586
Touchdowns:7
Player stats at NFL.com

Paul Nathan Seal (born February 27, 1952) is a former American football player. He played college football as a tight end for the University of Michigan from 1971 to 1973 and professional football as a tight end in the National Football League (NFL) for the New Orleans Saints from 1974 to 1976 and for the San Francisco 49ers from 1977 to 1979. In his six-year NFL career, Seal totaled 106 receptions, 1,586 receiving yards and seven touchdowns.[1]

Early years

Seal was born in Detroit, Michigan, in 1952. He attended Pershing High School in Detroit.[1]

University of Michigan

Seal enrolled at the University of Michigan in 1970 and played college football as a tight end for Bo Schembechler's Michigan Wolverines football teams from 1971 to 1973.[2]

As a junior, Seal started all 12 games at tight end for the 1972 Michigan Wolverines football team that compiled a 10-1 record, outscored opponents 264-57, and finished the season ranked #6 in the final AP Poll.[3] Playing for a run-oriented offense, Seal was the leading receiver for the 1972 Wolverines with 18 receptions for 243 yards and three touchdowns.[4]

As a senior, Seal started all 11 games at tight end, was a team co-captain and was voted the Most Valuable Player on the undefeated 1973 Michigan Wolverines football team that compiled a 10-0-1 record, outscored opponents 330–68, and finished the season ranked #6 in the final AP Poll.[5] For the second straight year, Seal was Michigan's leading receiver with 14 catchers for 254 yards and three touchdowns.[4] At the end of the 1973 season, Seal was selected by the United Press International (UPI) as the second-team tight end on the 1973 College Football All-America Team.[6]

Professional football

Seal was selected by the New Orleans Saints in the second round (36th overall pick) of the 1974 NFL Draft.[1] Seal was also the top draft pick of the Detroit Wheels of the World Football League, but he opted to sign with the Saints in April 1974.[7] He played three seasons with the Saints from 1974 to 1976. As a rookie in 1974, Seal appeared in 14 games and had career highs with 32 receptions, 466 receiving yards, and three receiving touchdowns.[1] In 1975, Seal was the Saints' starting tight end in all 14 games and totaled 28 receptions, 414 receiving yards, and one touchdown.[1]

In early September 1977, the Saints traded Seal to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for offensive lineman John Watson.[8] Seal played for the 49ers for three seasons from 1977 to 1979, appearing in 43 games, nine as a starter, and totaled 37 receptions for 634 receiving yards and three touchdowns.[1] Seal's longest reception of his NFL career came on a 47-yard touchdown bomb from Jim Plunkett in December 1977 against the Dallas Cowboys.[1][9]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Paul Seal". Pro-Football–Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  2. ^ "All-Time Football Roster Database". University of Michigan, Bentley Historical Library. Retrieved March 26, 2015.
  3. ^ "1972 Football Team". University of Michigan, Bentley Historical Library. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  4. ^ a b "Michigan Football Statistic Archive Query Page". University of Michigan. Archived from the original on September 7, 2004. Retrieved March 27, 2015.(to retrieve information for a particular season, go to "Games & Totals by Season" and select the year for which statistics are to be retrieved)
  5. ^ "1973 Football Team". University of Michigan, Bentley Historical Library. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  6. ^ Fred McMane (December 6, 1973). "Four Bucks on All-American". The Bryan Times. UPI. p. 15.
  7. ^ "Seal's a Saint". The Argus-Press (AP story). April 3, 1974. p. 14.
  8. ^ "Saints, 49ers deal". The Bryan Times. UPI. September 2, 1977. p. 13.
  9. ^ "Cowboys hold San Francisco". Wilmington Morning Star. AP. December 13, 1977. p. 1C.
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