Roger Wehrli

Interceptions:	40
Interception yards:	309
Fumble recoveries:	22
Sacks:	1
Defensive touchdowns:	2
	Stats at Pro Football Reference

Roger Wehrli
	Wehrli with the Missouri Tigers
No. 22
Position:	Cornerback
Personal information
Born:	November 26, 1947 (age 76); New Point, Missouri, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight:	190 lb (86 kg)
Career information
High school:	King City ; (King City, Missouri)
College:	Missouri (1966–1968)
NFL draft:	1969 / round: 1 / pick: 19
Career history
	St. Louis Cardinals (1969–1982);
Career highlights and awards
	5× First-team All-Pro (1970, 1974–1977); Second-team All-Pro (1971); 7× Pro Bowl (1970, 1971, 1974–1977, 1979); Arizona Cardinals Ring of Honor; NFL 1970s All-Decade Team; Unanimous All-American (1968); 2× First-team All-Big Eight (1967, 1968); Missouri Tigers No. 23 retired;
Career NFL statistics
Interceptions:
Interceptions:	40
Interception yards:	309
Fumble recoveries:	22
Sacks:	1
Defensive touchdowns:	2
	Stats at Pro Football Reference
	Pro Football Hall of Fame
	College Football Hall of Fame

Roger Russell Wehrli (WUR-lee; born November 26, 1947) is an American former professional football cornerback who played for his entire 14-year career with the St. Louis Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL) from 1969 until 1982. He was a seven-time Pro Bowler after playing college football for the Missouri Tigers, where he was a consensus All-American and a first-round draft choice by the Cardinals in 1969. He was inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2003 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2007.

Early life

Wehrli was born in New Point, Missouri. His parents were teachers and his father was a school district superintendent. They enrolled Roger in school at the age of 5. As a result, he started his freshman year of high school at the age of 13. In 1965, Dan Devine recruited Wehrli from King City, Missouri, where he lettered in football, basketball, and track for the Wildkats, as well as help the school win the state title in track in 1965.

College career

Wehrli was assigned to defense by University of Missouri coach Dan Devine. Despite playing on defense, Wehrli was able to get his hands on the ball often enough to be an offensive threat. Wehrli was a two-time All-Big 8 player and was the Big 8 Defensive Player of the Year as a senior. That same year, he was a unanimous All-America selection.

Roger had ten career interceptions, with seven coming in his senior season, also returning kickoffs and punts. In 1968, his 40 punt returns and 12-yard return average led the nation. To finish off an 8–3 season, Wehrli had a decisive interception to help lead the Missouri to a 35–10 victory over the University of Alabama in the Gator Bowl.

At the time of his College Hall of Fame induction he held school records for career punt returns, punt return yards in a game, season, and career. He played in the Senior Bowl and was named to the 50-year Anniversary All-Senior Bowl team.

Wehrli was a member of the first class of inductees into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame, located in Springfield.

He was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2003. Wehrli is the 13th person with ties to the University of Missouri to be inducted into the College Hall of Fame. In 1990, Wehrli was voted a charter member of the University of Missouri Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame.

Professional career

"The term ‘Shutdown Corner’ originated with Roger Wehrli. There wasn't a better cornerback I played against. He was a great, great defensive back. You had to be aware of him all the time.”

Roger Staubach

Wehrli's outstanding attribute was his speed. Originally expected to be taken in the third round, he ran a 4.5 40-yard dash and vaulted into the first round.^[1] Hall of Fame quarterback Roger Staubach has called Wehrli the best cornerback he played against, and claims that the term "shutdown corner" originated as a description of Wehrli.^[2] Although he only played on five winning teams and only went to the playoffs in non-strike years twice, he is considered one of the best cornerbacks in the history of the game.

In his career, Wehrli had 40 career interceptions for 309 yards and recovered 19 fumbles. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2007. When inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, he became the second Missouri player to be elected, joining former tight end Kellen Winslow, who was enshrined in 1995. Wehrli was inducted into the Cardinals Ring of Honor on October 14, 2007.

An All-Rookie choice in 1969, Wehrli was voted All-Pro in 1970 and was a consensus All-NFC selection including being voted to the Pro Bowl. In 1971, Wehrli was 2nd team All-Pro by the NEA and again was a consensus All-NFC choice and was selected to his second Pro Bowl. In 1972 Wehrli was moved to safety by the Cardinals coaching staff where he played alongside Hall of Famer Larry Wilson. He returned to right cornerback in 1973.

In 1974 Wehrli was again All-Pro and he made his third Pro Bowl and was a consensus All-NFC selection. The following year, 1975 though 1977, he was a consensus All-pro and consensus All-NFC player and a Pro Bowler. In 1978 Wehrli's only post-season honor was being honorable mention All-NFC by UPI as his Cardinal team struggled under new coach Bud Wilkinson. In 1979 Wehrli had a fine season and was a consensus All-NFC pick and made his seventh Pro Bowl. In 1981, after 12 seasons as right cornerback (except for 1972), Wehrli switched to the left side. In his first start at the other corner, he broke up two passes and made four tackles as the Cards shut out the Buffalo Bills, 24–0.

In his 14 seasons, Wehrli played in 193 games. In addition to his starting defensive back duties, he was the holder on the place-kicks. In that role he scored a touchdown in 1982 on a fake field goal.

Statistics

Legend
	Led the league
	NFL record
Bold	Career high

General			Interceptions
Year	Team	GP	Int	Yds	TD	Lng
1969	STL	13	3	44	0	44
1970	STL	14	6	50	0	41
1971	STL	13	2	11	0	6
1972	STL	14	—	—	—	—
1973	STL	11	1	0	0	0
1974	STL	14	2	54	1	53
1975	STL	14	6	31	0	31
1976	STL	14	4	31	0	26
1977	STL	14	5	44	0	41
1978	STL	16	4	3	0	3
1979	STL	16	2	8	1	9
1980	STL	16	1	25	0	25
1981	STL	16	4	8	0	6
1982	STL	8	—	—	—	—
Career		193	40	309	2	53

References

^ "Cardinals All-Time Team: Cornerbacks – Roger Wehrli - '69-'82". Revenge of the Birds blog. SBNation. August 1, 2009. Retrieved June 17, 2016.
^ Miklasz, Bernie (February 4, 2007). "Hall of Fame for Wehrli? Roger that". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Archived from the original on February 7, 2007. Retrieved December 1, 2013.

External links

Pro Football Hall of Fame: Member profile

[1] "Cardinals All-Time Team: Cornerbacks – Roger Wehrli - '69-'82". Revenge of the Birds blog. SBNation. August 1, 2009. Retrieved June 17, 2016.

[2] Miklasz, Bernie (February 4, 2007). "Hall of Fame for Wehrli? Roger that". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Archived from the original on February 7, 2007. Retrieved December 1, 2013.

[1]

[2]

v t e 1968 College Football All-America Team consensus selections
Offense	QB Terry Hanratty B Chris Gilbert B Leroy Keyes B O. J. Simpson E Jerry LeVias E Ted Kwalick T Dave Foley T George Kunz G Charles Rosenfelder G Jim Barnes G Mike Montler C John Didion
Defense	DL Joe Greene DL Ted Hendricks DL Chuck Kyle DL Bill Stanfill DL Ed White DL John Zook LB Steve Kiner LB Dennis Onkotz LB Mike Ballou DB Jake Scott DB Roger Wehrli DB Al Worley

v t e Members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Quarterbacks	Aikman Baugh Blanda Bradshaw Clark Conzelman L. Dawson Driscoll Elway Favre Fouts Friedman Graham Griese Herber Jurgensen J. Kelly Layne Luckman Manning Marino Montana Moon Namath A. Parker Stabler Starr Staubach Tarkenton Tittle Unitas Van Brocklin Warner Waterfield S. Young
Running backs	M. Allen Battles Bettis J. Brown Campbell Canadeo Csonka T. Davis Dickerson Dorsett Dudley Faulk Gifford Grange Guyon F. Harris Hinkle Hornung James J. H. Johnson L. Kelly Lambeau Leemans F. Little Martin Matson McAfee McElhenny J. McNally Moore Motley Nagurski Nevers Payton Perry Pollard Riggins B. Sanders Sayers Simpson E. Smith Strong Ji. Taylor T. Thomas Thorpe Tomlinson Trippi Van Buren Walker
Wide receivers / ends	Alworth Badgro Berry Biletnikoff Branch T. Brown Bruce Carmichael Carter Chamberlin Fears Flaherty Halas Harrison Hayes Hewitt Hirsch Hutson Irvin A. Johnson C. Johnson Joiner Largent Lavelli Lofton Maynard McDonald Millner Mitchell Monk Moss Owens Pearson Pihos A. Reed Rice Speedie Stallworth Swann C. Taylor Warfield
Tight ends	Casper Ditka Gonzalez Mackey Newsome C. Sanders Sharpe J. Smith Winslow
Offensive linemen	L. Allen Boselli B. Brown R. Brown Covert Creekmur D. Dawson DeLamielleure Dierdorf Faneca Gatski Gregg Grimm Hannah Hickerson Hill Hutchinson S. Jones W. Jones Kramer Langer L. Little Mack Matthews Mawae McCormack McDaniel Mix Munchak Muñoz Ogden Otto Pace J. Parker Ringo Roaf Shaw A. Shell Shields J. Slater St. Clair Stanfel Stephenson J. Thomas Tingelhoff Upshaw Webster Wright Yary Zimmerman
Pre-modern era two-way players	Edwards Fortmann Healey Hein Henry Hubbard Kiesling Kinard Lyman Michalske Musso Owen D. Slater Stydahar Trafton Turner Wojciechowicz
Defensive linemen	Atkins Bethea Buchanan Culp W. Davis Dean Dent Doleman Donovan Eller Ford Freeney J. Greene Haley Hampton Humphrey D. Jones Jordan Karras Kennedy Klecko Lilly Long Marchetti McMichael Nomellini Olsen Page Peppers Randle Robustelli Sapp Selmon Seymour B. Smith Sprinkle Stautner Strahan Ja. Taylor Weinmeister Ra. White Re. White B. Willis B. Young Youngblood
Linebackers	Bednarik Bo. Bell Brazile Brooks Buoniconti Butkus Carson Connor George Gradishar K. Greene Ham Hanburger Hendricks Howley Huff Jackson Lambert Lanier Lewis Mills Nitschke Richter D. Robinson Schmidt Seau Singletary L. Taylor D. Thomas Z. Thomas Tippett Urlacher Ware Wilcox P. Willis
Defensive backs	Adderley Atwater Bailey Barber Barney Blount W. Brown J. Butler L. Butler Christiansen Dawkins Dillon Easley Green C. Harris Haynes Houston J. Johnson Krause Lane Lary Law LeBeau Lott Lynch Polamalu E. Reed Renfro Revis Riley J. Robinson D. Sanders D. Shell E. Thomas Tunnell Wehrli Williams L. Wilson Wood C. Woodson R. Woodson
Special teams	Andersen Groza Guy Hester Stenerud
Coaches	G. Allen P. Brown Chamberlin Conzelman Coryell Cowher Dungy Ewbank Flaherty Flores Gibbs Gillman Grant Halas J. Johnson Lambeau Landry Levy Lombardi Madden Neale Noll Owen Parcells Shula Stram Vermeil Walsh
Contributors	Beathard Be. Bell Bidwill Bowlen Brandt Carr A. Davis DeBartolo Finks Halas Hunt J. Jones Lambeau T. Mara W. Mara Marshall A. McNally Nunn Polian Ray Reeves A. Rooney D. Rooney Rozelle E. Sabol S. Sabol Schramm Tagliabue R. Wilson Wolf G. Young
Italics denotes members who have been elected, but not yet inducted.