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Mel Tom

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mel Tom
No. 58, 99, 89
PositionDefensive end
Personal information
Born(1941-08-04)August 4, 1941
Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.
DiedApril 27, 2006(2006-04-27) (aged 64)
Kailua, Hawaii, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Listed weight249 lb (113 kg)
Career information
High schoolMaryknoll (Honolulu)
College
NFL draft1966: 6th round, 89th overall pick
AFL draft1966: Red Shirt 9th round, 80th overall pick
Career history
Career NFL statistics
Fumble recoveries5
Safeties1
Sacks44.5
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Melvyn Maile Tom (August 4, 1941 – April 27, 2006) was an American professional football player who was a defensive lineman for nine seasons in the National Football League (NFL) with the Philadelphia Eagles and Chicago Bears.[1]

Early life

[edit]

Tom was born on August 4, 1941, in Honolulu, Hawaii, United States.[2] He attended Maryknoll High School, where he did not play football.[2][3] He was considered to be one of the top basketball players in Hawaii, and was called the team's "most effective man [in 1972]" by Eagles coach Mike McCormack.[2][3]

Professional career

[edit]

Philadelphia Eagles

[edit]

Tom was drafted 89th overall by the Eagles in the sixth round of the 1966 NFL Draft as a "futures pick".[4] Tom signed with the Eagles in 1967.[5] He finished his rookie season with five sacks.[6]

During the 1968 season, Tom committed a roughing the punter penalty in the final two minutes of a 7–6 Eagles loss to the Giants.[7] He finished the season with 5.5 sacks.[6]

Heading into the 1969 season, Eagles General Manager Pete Retzlaff deemed the Eagles defensive line to be the team's strong point, with Tom being among the players Retzlaff highlighted.[8] Tom finished the season with four sacks and a safety.[6]

Heading into the 1970 season, Tom was described by the New York Times as one of the Eagles "few first-rate players."[9] Tom finished the season with a career-high 7.5 sacks and a fumble recovered.[6]

In 1971, Tom was fined $1,000 for a block that knocked Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach unconscious.[10][11] After being fined, Tom claimed that "It's more or less an unwritten rule in this league that you're not supposed to hit the quarterback hard."[11] NFL executive director Jim Kensil refuted the existence of that 'unwritten rule'.[11] Later that season, when Ed Khayat was hired as head coach he instituted a no facial hair policy.[12] Tom, who had a mustache, proposed only shaving off half of his mustache, a request which was refused.[12] After the season, Tom was listed as an honorable mention to the UPI National Football Conference Team.[13] Tom ended the year with 4.5 sacks and a fumble recovered.[6]

In 1972, Tom was named the Eagles team MVP.[14] He finished the season with 6 sacks.[6] After the season, Tom requested to be traded, desiring to instead play for a west coast team.[14] However, he was persuaded by Mike McCormack to remain in Philadelphia for another season, with the promise that they would try to trade him the following season.[14]

Heading into the 1973 season, Tom was listed by the New York Times as one of the Eagles' best players.[15] During training camp, Tom was fined for being three hours late to practice.[16] Before the season began, he publicly mulled reviving his trade request and even retirement.[14] Four games into the season, Tom refused to play another game for the Eagles.[17] After an argument with defensive line coach Jerry Wampfler, Tom told Wampfler to "Trade me, fire me, or fight me."[17] He was traded to the Chicago Bears shortly afterwards for an undisclosed 1974 draft pick.[18][19] Despite only playing four games for the Eagles that season, he still was second on the team in sacks.[6]

Tom's tenure with the Eagles was marred by the team's poor regular season record, which according to sportswriter Paul Giordano, cost Tom several all-pro team appearances.[20]

Chicago Bears

[edit]

Tom ended the season with seven sacks and two fumbles recovered.[6]

Prior to the 1974 season, Tom announced his retirement.[21] However, Tom ended up playing in 1974, and had 32 solo tackles (51 total), four sacks, and one fumble recovered.[22]

In 1975, Tom was placed on waivers after the Bears signed Dan Neal.[23]

NFL career statistics

[edit]
Legend
Bold Career high
Year Team Games Sacks Fumbles
GP GS FR Yds
1967 PHI 14 6 5.0 0 0
1968 PHI 14 14 5.5 0 0
1969 PHI 14 12 4.0 0 0
1970 PHI 14 14 7.5 1 0
1971 PHI 14 14 4.5 1 0
1972 PHI 14 14 6.0 0 0
1973 PHI 4 4 2.0 1 1
CHI 9 8 5.0 1 7
1974 CHI 14 7 4.0 1 1
1975 CHI 6 2 1.0 0 0
Career 117 95 44.5 5 9

Personal life and death

[edit]

Tom had two children, Landon Tom and Logan Tom. Logan Tom was a member of the 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2012 American Olympic indoor volleyball teams.[24]

Tom died at age 64 of heart failure.[3]

References

[edit]
  1. ↑ "1966 AFL Draft". Archived from the original on October 3, 2018. Retrieved March 23, 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 "Philadelphia Eagles Media Guide" (PDF). 1973. pp. 5, 38. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 18, 2026. Retrieved May 23, 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 "Former NFL player Mel Tom, 64, dies". The Honolulu Advertiser. April 28, 2006. Archived from the original on January 6, 2026. Retrieved July 22, 2026.
  4. ↑ "Philly Eagles Sign San Jose's Mel Tom". Lebanon Daily News. March 16, 1967. Retrieved May 23, 2026 – via NewspaperArchive.
  5. ↑ "Football Signings". The New York Times. March 16, 1967. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 22, 2026.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Mel Tom Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on July 13, 2026. Retrieved May 22, 2026.
  7. ↑ Wallace, William N. (November 18, 1968). "Giants Win by 7–6; EAGLES DEFEATED 10TH TIME IN ROW Tarkenton Passes to Duhon for 33-Yard Score and Giants' 7th Victory". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 22, 2026.
  8. ↑ Wallace, William N. (July 26, 1969). "Retzlaff Seeks to Arouse Fallen Eagles". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 22, 2026.
  9. ↑ Wallace, William N. (August 14, 1970). "A Large Dose of Talent Seems Apt Remedy for Ailing Eagles". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 22, 2026.
  10. ↑ "The Rivalry: Reviewing the history of the Eagles and the Cowboys". www.foxsports.com. January 30, 2017. Archived from the original on December 6, 2025. Retrieved May 23, 2026.
  11. 1 2 3 "Mel Tom Fined For Hitting Hard". Waxahachie Daily Light Newspaper. November 12, 1971. Retrieved May 23, 2026 – via NewspaperArchive.
  12. 1 2 Berkow, Ira (November 14, 1972). "Does clean cut, short hair make a good Met or Bear?". Bluefield Daily Telegraph. Retrieved May 23, 2026 – via NewspaperArchive.
  13. ↑ Stellino, Vito (December 22, 1971). "Minnesota Places Five Players on All-Star Squad". Nevada State Journal. Retrieved May 23, 2026 – via NewspaperArchive.
  14. 1 2 3 4 "Mel Tom is Seeking to Move West". Gettysburg Times. August 21, 1973. Retrieved May 23, 2026 – via NewspaperArchive.
  15. ↑ Wallace, William N. (August 26, 1973). "Pro Game Unchanged With Seats at Premium". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 22, 2026.
  16. ↑ "Duane Thomas Is Suspended". The New York Times. July 17, 1973. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on December 27, 2024. Retrieved May 23, 2026.
  17. 1 2 Keese, Parton (October 13, 1973). "People in Sports: Sparky Ashamed". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 23, 2026.
  18. ↑ "Mel Tom Pro Football Record". www.profootballarchives.com. Archived from the original on February 11, 2026. Retrieved May 23, 2026.
  19. ↑ "Eagles Deal Mel Tom". The Daily Review. October 17, 1973. Retrieved May 23, 2026 – via NewspaperArchive.
  20. ↑ Giordano, Paul (August 21, 1973). "Tom Wants to Leave East". Bucks County Courier Times. Retrieved May 23, 2026 – via NewspaperArchive.
  21. ↑ Seepy, Tom (August 15, 1974). "Some Veterans Report Only To Be Turned Back". Corbin Times Tribune. Retrieved May 23, 2026 – via NewspaperArchive.
  22. ↑ "1975 Chicago Bears" (PDF). Chicago Bears. 1975. p. 35. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 29, 2024. Retrieved July 22, 2026.
  23. ↑ "Pro Transactions". The New York Times. November 12, 1975. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 23, 2026.
  24. ↑ Taylor, Scott; Urbani, Diane (September 30, 2000). "Ex-Utahn shines on the court". Deseret News. Retrieved May 23, 2026.
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