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| Position: | Safety | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | (1941-01-28)January 28, 1941 (age 84) Chattanooga, Tennessee, U.S. | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Cleveland Heights (OH) | ||||||||
| College: | Northwestern | ||||||||
| Undrafted: | 1963 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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Larry Walker Benz (born January 28, 1941) is a former professionalAmerican footballsafety in theNational Football League (NFL). He played three seasons for theCleveland Browns.
Benz attendedCleveland Heights High School inCleveland Heights, Ohio, where he earned eightletters in football, baseball, basketball, and track.[1][2]
Benz playedcollege football atNorthwestern, primarily as arunning back, but also as a safety and occasionally as a quarterback.[3] As a junior in 1961, he threw two touchdown passes to lead the Wildcats to a 12–10 victory overNotre Dame.[3][4] Benz was an honorable mention all-Big Ten Conference selection as a senior.[2] He graduated with a degree in geography and history.[5]
After going unselected in the1963 NFL draft, Benz was signed by theCleveland Browns as anundrafted free agent and became a regular member of their defensive unit as a safety after the accidental death ofDon Fleming in the offseason.[1][6] As a rookie, Benz tied for the team lead for interceptions with seven.[6] In 1964, he recorded four interceptions and helped the Browns defeat theBaltimore Colts in theNFL Championship Game.[5][7] In his third season with the team, he led the team with five interceptions.[5]
In February 1966, Benz was one of three Browns players selected by the newly createdAtlanta Falcons in the1966 NFL expansion draft.[8] However, he quit the team suddenly in July.[9]
Benz is of German descent and has two older brothers named Tom and Dick.[10] He and his wife Dalia lived inEuclid, Ohio, during his time on the Browns.[2] After his playing career, Benz started his own construction business.[5]