| No. 52 | |||||||
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| Position: | Center | ||||||
| Personal information | |||||||
| Born: | (1953-07-07)July 7, 1953 (age 71) Logan, Utah, U.S. | ||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||
| Weight: | 245 lb (111 kg) | ||||||
| Career information | |||||||
| High school: | Orem (UT) | ||||||
| College: | BYU | ||||||
| NFL draft: | 1976: 8th round, 222nd pick | ||||||
| Career history | |||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||
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Orrin James Olsen (born July 7, 1953) is a formerAmerican footballcenter in theNational Football League (NFL) for theKansas City Chiefs. Olsen played one season with the Chiefs in 1976, which was notable because two of his brothers,Merlin andPhil, were also playing in the league at the time. Prior to that, Olsen played college football forBrigham Young University.
Olsen was born inLogan, Utah and is the youngest of Lynn and Merle Olsen’s nine children. He attendedOrem High School inOrem, Utah. An all-around athlete, Olsen was named All-American in football his senior year and set a state record in discus while competing on the track team.
Olsen attended Brigham Young University inProvo, Utah, where he majored in business management and was a three-year letterman for the football team. He was coached byLaVell Edwards. His junior year, he was named pre-season All-American and first-team all-conference. BYU won theWestern Athletic Conference championship that season and played in theFiesta Bowl. In 1975, his senior season, Olsen was again named first-team all-conference.[1] He was recognized for academic excellence by theNCAA, which awarded him a postgraduate scholarship. Olsen was also invited to participate in the Blue-Gray all-star game held in Montgomery, Alabama and the Coaches All-America Game in Lubbock, Texas.
In addition to his contributions to the football team, Olsen competed as a discus thrower on the BYU track team and participated in the NCAA championships.
Olsen was selected by the Chiefs in the eighth round of the 1976 NFL draft.[2] His lone season with the Chiefs was unique because his brothers Merlin and Phil were also playing in the league, marking one of the rare times in NFL history that three brothers have played at the same time.[3]Since 1985, Olsen has worked for LDS Philanthropies as a Donor Liaison.[4]
Olsen currently lives inAlpine, Utah. He is a member ofthe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He and his wife, Sandy, are the parents of seven children. Olsen is a skilled woodworker and has made hundreds of custom canes, including canes made for prominent Utah leaders such asGordon B. Hinckley andMike Leavitt.[5]
Olsen was a member of theMormon Tabernacle Choir from 1973–74.