341:. He attended Coatesville High School, where he was a member of the football, wrestling and track teams. He played on the offensive line and at linebacker for the football team and was selected as a Prep All-American. In track, he threw the shot put and discus. He also won the 1972 Pennsylvania sectional championship as a heavyweight in wrestling. He graduated with academic honors in 1974.
434:. He signed a contract with the 49ers in June 1978. As a rookie in 1978, Downing was a starter in 15 of 16 regular season games for the 49ers. He was named to the UPI's NFL All-Rookie team at the end of the 1978 season. Although he lost his role as a starter in 1979, he appeared in all 16 games for the 49ers during the 1980 season. In 1981, he was a member of the
848:
939:
829:
856:
418:, Kodak, and Playboy. Downing was the seventh Michigan center to be selected as a first-team All-American. He was also named the best collegiate offensive lineman by the Touchdown Club of Columbus, Ohio.
487:
In 2011, Downing was inducted into the
Chester County Sports Hall of Fame. He had previously been inducted into the Coatesville Hall of Fame and the Coatesville High School Athletic Hall of Fame.
1694:
399:. For the second consecutive season, he was the starting center in all 12 games played by the Michigan team. The team won Michigan's second consecutive conference championship, played in the
970:
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838:("Walt Downing was an All-American center at Michigan, ... winning a ring in Super Bowl XVI when the San Francisco 49ers triumphed over the Bengals ...")
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357:. He was a starting offensive lineman in 36 consecutive games for Michigan from 1975 to 1977, playing for teams that finished in the top ten of the
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473:. As of 2011, he was employed as vice president of sales for Green Lines Transportation, a trucking company in
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373:. As a sophomore in 1975, he was a starter at the guard position in all 12 games played by the
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At the end of the 1977 season, Downing was selected as a first-team All-American by UPI,
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446:. Downing played six seasons and appeared in 83 games for the 49ers from 1978 to 1983.
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that produced two games in which
Michigan had three rushers accumulate 100 yards.
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743:"University of Michigan Football: All-American, 1977, Team Co-Captain, 1977"
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As a junior, Downing was the starting center in all 12 games played by the
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646:. University of Michigan & Host Interactive. 2007. Archived from
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in exchange for a 1985 draft pick. He opted instead to play in the
978:
358:
1110:
240:
1695:
Players of
American football from Chester County, Pennsylvania
388:
that won the Big Ten
Conference championship, advanced to the
381:
and finished the season ranked No. 8 in the AP and UPI polls.
701:. Regents of the University of Michigan. 2003. Archived from
675:. Regents of the University of Michigan. 2003. Archived from
480:
Downing's son T. J. Downing played college football for the
454:
306:
277:(born June 11, 1956) is an American former professional
922:"Son of former Wolverine standout chooses Ohio State"
745:. Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan.
629:. Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan.
576:. Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan.
559:. Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan.
349:
Downing accepted a scholarship to play football for
497:List of Michigan Wolverines football All-Americans
545:. Coatesville High School Athletics Hall of Fame.
1671:
798:"Prize rookies: Steelers' Johnson heads defense"
469:After retiring from football, Downing moved to
430:in the second round (47th overall pick) of the
281:player. He played professional football as an
521:
1096:
964:
887:
449:In May 1984, the 49ers traded Downing to the
395:As a senior, Downing was a co-captain of the
325:and was selected that year as a first-team
321:from 1975 to 1977. He was a co-captain of
1103:
1089:
971:
957:
120: / round: 2 / pick: 47
855:. May 4, 1984. p. C8. Archived from
780:"San Francisco signs second draft choice"
526:. Daily Local News, Chester County, Penn.
421:
942:. Dayton Daily News. November 17, 2006.
517:
515:
513:
511:
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756:
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673:"Versus Northwestern October 18, 1975"
1690:People from Coatesville, Pennsylvania
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784:Beaver County (Pa.) Times (UPI story)
621:
619:
588:"Michigan Dominates UPI Big Ten Team"
568:
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537:
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416:American Football Coaches Association
1705:Michigan Wolverines football players
940:"T.J. Downing has true-blue support"
890:"Where are they now? The 1981 49ers"
830:"T.J. Downing has true-blue support"
699:"Versus Stanford September 18, 1976"
508:
16:American football player (born 1956)
1700:American football offensive linemen
749:
522:Neil Geoghegan (October 30, 2011).
13:
888:Ron Kroichick (January 25, 2009).
616:
598:
563:
549:
530:
14:
1721:
871:"USFL players threaten to strike"
633:
289:from 1978 to 1983. He played for
76:6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
725:"Michigan's All-America Centers"
606:"Downing, Hicks Are Co-Captains"
932:
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863:
841:
822:
808:
804:. December 8, 1978. p. B4.
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377:. The 1975 team played in the
297:that won the franchise's first
665:
580:
464:
154:Career highlights and awards
1:
910:. Green Lines Transportation.
818:. pro-football-reference.com.
502:
332:
295:1981 San Francisco 49ers team
786:. June 28, 1978. p. D2.
426:Downing was selected by the
7:
1710:San Francisco 49ers players
592:Youngstown Vindicator (UPI)
490:
365:each year and played in an
344:
10:
1726:
926:The Argus Press (AP story)
875:Record-Journal (UPI story)
816:"1981 San Francisco 49ers"
766:pro-football-reference.com
301:. He also played for the
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802:Beaver County (Pa.) Times
339:Coatesville, Pennsylvania
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84:259 lb (117 kg)
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66:Coatesville, Pennsylvania
49:
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29:
1118:Super Bowl XVI champions
293:and was a member of the
21:American football player
894:San Francisco Chronicle
768:. Sports Reference LLC.
524:"Walt Downing Football"
355:University of Michigan
612:. September 10, 1977.
422:Professional football
215:Career NFL statistics
908:"Terminal Locations"
877:. February 11, 1985.
859:on January 31, 2013.
836:. November 17, 2006.
731:. September 9, 1988.
653:on February 29, 2008
627:"1977 Football Team"
594:. November 24, 1976.
574:"1976 Football Team"
557:"1975 Football Team"
172:PFWA All-Rookie Team
45:Personal information
1113:San Francisco 49ers
1070:Rod Connors (supp.)
981:San Francisco 49ers
484:from 2004 to 2006.
482:Ohio State Buckeyes
428:San Francisco 49ers
337:Downing grew up in
315:Michigan Wolverines
287:San Francisco 49ers
162:Super Bowl champion
133:San Francisco 49ers
26:
1203:Carlton Williamson
729:The Michigan Daily
451:San Diego Chargers
440:Cincinnati Bengals
438:that defeated the
397:1977 Michigan team
386:1976 Michigan team
375:1975 Michigan team
89:Career information
24:
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834:Dayton Daily News
412:The Sporting News
317:under head coach
309:. Downing played
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1029:Bruce Threadgill
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928:. June 26, 2001.
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543:"2001 Inductees"
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379:1976 Orange Bowl
311:college football
259:Player stats at
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125:Career history
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471:Massillon, Ohio
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405:offensive lines
351:Bo Schembechler
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323:their 1977 team
319:Bo Schembechler
283:offensive guard
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1219:Saladin Martin
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1034:Elliott Walker
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986:1978 NFL draft
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849:"Transactions"
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762:"Walt Downing"
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705:on May 9, 2005
690:
679:on May 9, 2005
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444:Super Bowl XVI
432:1978 NFL draft
423:
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401:1978 Rose Bowl
390:1977 Rose Bowl
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232:Games started:
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192:2× First-team
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1685:Living people
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1171:Amos Lawrence
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1043:Herman Redden
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1019:Terry LeCount
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62:(age 68)
60:June 11, 1956
52:
48:
43:
40:
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33:
28:
19:
1609:Milt Jackson
1595:Cas Banaszek
1547:Dwight Clark
1539:Charle Young
1523:Mike Shumann
1499:Eason Ramson
1483:Archie Reese
1467:Dwaine Board
1403:Walt Downing
1402:
1371:Keena Turner
1355:Fred Quillan
1275:Johnny Davis
1243:Ricky Patton
1195:Rick Gervais
1187:Dwight Hicks
1160:
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1055:Mike Connell
1039:Fred Quillan
1024:Archie Reese
1014:Ernie Hughes
1009:Walt Downing
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25:Walt Downing
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1680:1956 births
1602:Norb Hecker
1531:Mike Wilson
1515:Brian Peets
1491:Jim Stuckey
1475:Pete Kugler
1339:Milt McColl
1323:Randy Cross
1299:Earl Cooper
1291:Ronnie Lott
1235:Walt Easley
1211:Lynn Thomas
1179:Eric Wright
1156:Joe Montana
999:Ken MacAfee
465:Later years
459:Denver Gold
367:Orange Bowl
303:Denver Gold
243:recoveries:
194:All-Big Ten
181:First-team
98:Coatesville
1674:Categories
1637:Ray Rhodes
1575:Bill Walsh
1569:Head coach
1507:Matt Bouza
1459:John Harty
1435:John Ayers
1395:Dan Audick
1387:John Choma
1347:Craig Puki
1315:Jim Looney
1267:Paul Hofer
1132:Jim Miller
1047:Dean Moore
989:selections
503:References
436:49ers team
371:Rose Bowls
333:Early life
299:Super Bowl
291:Bill Walsh
114:NFL draft:
56:1956-06-11
30:No. 62, 72
1658:Sam Wyche
1451:Fred Dean
1227:Bill Ring
1065:Dan Irons
363:UPI polls
35:Position:
1363:Dan Bunz
1004:Dan Bunz
491:See also
457:for the
369:and two
345:Michigan
313:for the
285:for the
279:football
108:Michigan
104:College:
1589:Coaches
353:at the
305:in the
81:Weight:
73:Height:
414:, the
241:Fumble
68:, U.S.
651:(PDF)
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711:2007
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455:USFL
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