| No. 72 | |||||||||
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| Position: | Defensive tackle Defensive end | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | (1952-04-05)April 5, 1952 Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. | ||||||||
| Died: | July 12, 2012(2012-07-12) (aged 60) Salisbury, North Carolina, U.S. | ||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 252 lb (114 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| College: | Tennessee State | ||||||||
| NFL draft: | 1975: 4th round, 85th pick | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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Cleveland Elam (April 5, 1952 – July 12, 2012) was an American professionalfootballdefensive tackle who played in theNational Football League (NFL) for theSan Francisco 49ers andDetroit Lions in an injury-shortened five-year career that lasted from 1975 to 1979.
Teaming with Cedric Hardman, Jimmy Webb and Tommy Hart, the 49ers Gold Rush defensive line led the NFL in sacks during the 1976 season. Elam had 14.5 sacks in 1976 and led the team with 17.5 sacks in 1977.
Elam playedcollege football atTennessee State University and was drafted in the fourth round of the1975 NFL draft by the 49ers. He was a two timePro Bowler in 1976 and 1977.
Elam died on July 12, 2012. He was survived by his wife Blanche and four children.[1]
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