| No. 44, 41 | |||||||||
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| Position: | Running back | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | (1948-08-19)August 19, 1948 (age 76) Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, U.S. | ||||||||
| Died: | (2024-11-07)November 7, 2024 | ||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 228 lb (103 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Las Vegas (NV) | ||||||||
| College: | Chico State | ||||||||
| Undrafted: | 1970 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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Douglas J. Dressler (born August 19, 1948) is an American former professionalfootball player who was arunning back for five seasons in theNational Football League (NFL) for theCincinnati Bengals,Kansas City Chiefs, andNew England Patriots. He playedcollege football for theChico State Wildcats. Dressler also played rugby for the Glenn County Warriors.[citation needed]
Doug Dressler was born inBeaver Falls, Pennsylvania, the first of three children of Richard Gale Dressler and Patricia Jennings Dressler. Richard, a U.S. Navy veteran, was employed byNational Cash Register,Booz Allen Hamilton,Lockheed, and Addressograph Multigraph, and later owned a printing business.[2]
Dressler's family moved from Pennsylvania toNorth Hollywood, California when he was an infant. His sophomore year in high school, Dressler transferred toLas Vegas High School, from which he graduated.[3]
After high school, he attended theCollege of Marin inKentfield, California. He then enrolled inChico State University, where he played tight end and defensive end and was also fourth in the nation as a heavyweight wrestler.[4]
Dressler in 1970 signed as an undrafted free agent with the Cincinnati Bengals, and was part of the 1970 team that won the Bengals' first-ever title, the AFC Central Division championship. He played for the Bengals from 1970 to 1974.
His best year was 1972, when he rushed for 565 yards, averaging 4.4 yards per carry and scoring six of his nine career rushing touchdowns. Dressler andEssex Johnson became the first Bengals running back duo to rush for more than 100 yards each in one game against theHouston Oilers on Oct. 29, as Dressler had 110 yards and Johnson 103. He also scored three touchdowns in one game, again against the Oilers, and in a game against thePittsburgh Steelers he had a career-high nine receptions.[5]
In 1975, he played with the New England Patriots and the Kansas City Chiefs.[6]
After retiring from the NFL, Dressler was always active in youth sports as a coach, baseball umpire and wrestling official. He also played rugby with the Hastings Law School Rugby Football Club.
He and his wife, Jody (whom Doug met while at Chico State) wereMenlo Park, California andAtherton, California residents for 31 years. After 25 years, Doug Dressler retired from his teaching post at Kennedy Middle School inRedwood City, California in 2009 and Jody retired from her position as a special education teacher for the San Mateo County Office of Education after 35 years.[7] They reside inLake Almanor, California. They have two children, son Bodey and daughter Shayla.