Jim Kanicki

Kanicki was born in Bay City, Michigan, on December 17, 1941. He attended Bay City Central High School where he was an All-State football player, excelling on both the offensive and defensive lines. Kanicki was twice named a Class A All-State center (1957-58). He also played basketball and threw the shot put in high school. In 1975, he was inducted in the Bay City Central High School Alumni Hall of Fame; and in 1993, he was inducted in the Bay County Sports Hall of Fame. == College football ==

Kanicki attended Michigan State University, where he was a star football player. He played center and defensive tackle on the football team (1960-62), wearing No. 69. He played under head coach Duffy Daugherty. One of Kanicki's offensive linemates during his college career was All-American and future NFL All Pro Ed Budde (1960-62). He was selected to play in the Blue-Gray Game in December 1962, and the Senior Bowl in January of 1963. Kanicki was the star of the Blue-Gray Game, recovering two fumbles, blocking a punt, while also kicking a 40-yard field goal and an extra point. He also played in the 1963 Chicago College All-Star game, when the college players defeated the Packers in what Vince Lombardi called his most embarrassing loss as a coach. == Professional football ==

The Cleveland Browns selected Kanicki in the second round of the 1963 NFL draft, 23rd overall. The Buffalo Bills selected Kanicki in the 7th round of the 1963 AFL draft, 52nd overall. He chose to play for Cleveland, though he had initially signed with the Bills. The Bills contract was declared invalid since Kanicki was not 21 when he signed it. As a rookie in 1963, Kanicki played in 13 games, but started in only one game, as a backup to Pro Bowl tackle Bob Gain and Frank Parker. Kanicki started nine games in 1964 at right defensive tackle, replacing Parker. He played an important part in the Browns 1964 NFL championship victory over the Baltimore Colts. He would be facing Colts future hall of fame offensive guard Jim Parker, and it was anticipated that this matchup would strongly favor the Colts. Instead, Kanicki and Modzelewski provided a strong inside rush against the Colts, that forced Colts Hall of Fame quarterback Johnny Unitas into hurrying his passes. Colts Hall of Fame coach Don Shula said that the Browns entire defensive line of Kanicki, Modzelewski, Bill Glass and Paul Wiggin, dominated the Colts that day. Kanicki had .5 quarterback sacks in the game, and Glass 1.5. From 1966-68, Kanicki started 34 games, next to Modzelewski's successor Walter Johnson (who was named to the Pro Bowl, 1967-68). Kanicki had 17.5 sacks over those three years, with his career high 7.5 coming in 1968. Kanicki played in an era when the head slap was legal, and because of his power, he used it to great effect in stunning opposing linemen. but lost the 1969 NFL championship game to the Minnesota Vikings. In six years as a starter, Kanicki had gone to the NFL championship game four times. In 1970, however, the Browns, to Kanicki's surprise and shock, traded him along with running back Ron Johnson and linebacker Wayne Meylan to the New York Giants for wide receiver Homer Jones. (whom Jones was to replace) to the Miami Dolphins for the third overall draft pick in the 1970 draft, which they intended to use to draft quarterback Mike Phipps; now considered one of the worst trades in Browns' history. Kanicki had 4.5 sacks for the Giants in 1970, and the Giants pass rush improved with his presence. Running back Johnson led the NFL in total yards from scrimmage in 1970, and became a first-team All Pro that year. Jones suffered knee injuries that limited him to only four starts with the Browns in 1970, and he retired at the end of the year. 1971 was Kanicki's final year in the NFL, at age 30. He started 9 of 14 games and had two sacks for the Giants. The Giants finished the year with a 4–10 record. He suffered an Achilles tendon injury in early 1972 when he slipped and fell on ice near his Ohio home. He retired from the NFL and did not play in 1972. == Legacy ==

In 2012, the Cleveland Plain Dealer named Kanicki one of the Cleveland Browns' 100 best all-time players. Kanicki was fluent in Polish. During a game against the Green Bay Packers, quarterback Zeke Bratkowski gave instructions in Polish to teammate Bob Skoronski when they lined up for the play. Understanding what they said, Kanicki remarked in Polish, "'That's a smart call.'" Bratkowski then told the team to scratch the play, in English. == Personal life and death ==

Kanicki purchased the Arthur Louis Steel Company of Ashtabula, Ohio, in 1985, and maintained control of the business. == References ==