Paul Wiggin obit

Former Browns Legend Paul Wiggin passes away at the age of 91

Wiggin played his entire NFL career with the Browns from 1957-67

 

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Former Browns Legend and defensive end Paul Wiggin has passed away. He was 91 years old.

Wiggin spent the entirety of his NFL playing career with the Browns from 1957-67. He was first selected in the sixth round of the 1956 NFL Draft, 73rd overall. Over his 11-year playing career, he did not miss a game – playing in 146 straight games. Wiggin was also a two-time Pro Bowler in 1965 and 1967.

Wiggin was a key member of the Browns' defensive line during the 1964 season when the Browns won the 1964 NFL Championship. Wiggin recorded a fumble recovery in the game as the Browns shut out the Colts 27-0. Wiggin ended the 1964 season with 8.5 sacks and three fumble recoveries – one of which was returned for a touchdown.

Wiggin finished his playing career with 127 starts in 146 games and recorded 60.5 sacks, 19 fumble recoveries, two touchdowns and three interceptions. He was inducted into the Cleveland Browns Legends program as a member of the Class of 2008.

Following his playing career, Wiggin immediately began his coaching career with the San Francisco 49ers as the defensive line coach from 1968-73. He then became the defensive coordinator for the 49ers for the 1974 season. Wiggin was hired as the head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs from 1975-77, then served as the defensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints from 1978-79. Wiggin was then hired as the head coach of his alma mater at Stanford from 1980-83.

Wiggin spent four decades with the Vikings, beginning in 1985 as a defensive line coach under Hall of Famer head coach Bud Grant. Wiggin coached the Vikings linemen from 1985-91 under Grant and ring of honor head coach Jerry Burns. He oversaw a line that featured future Hall of Fame defensive end Chris Doleman and All-Pro defensive tackle Keith Millard, who posted 21 and 18 sacks, respectively in 1989, earning Millard NFL Defensive Player of the Year.

Wiggin also served a s personnel consultant, working in a department that is responsible for the evaluation of NFL players and advance scouting of opponents. In January 2023, he was awarded the 2022 Bud Grant Distinguished Minnesotan Award by the Minnesota Chapter of the National Football Foundation.

Wiggin was also inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2005 for this success in college. He played defensive tackle for Stanford from 1954-56 and was a two-time first team All-American and All-PAC-10. He played in the 1956 East-West Shrine Game and the 1957 Hula Bowl. For his success at Stanford, fans voted Stanford's defensive player of the century.

Wiggin was born on November 18, 1934, in Modesto, California, and attended Manteca High School in Manteca, California, where he competed in four sports. When he graduated Manteca High School in 1952, he was named the Most Outstanding Athlete.

Wiggin played tackle in football, was on the school's championship football team, and was selected to the All-Central California team in 1951. He received honorable mention twice for the All-Northern-California team, and was selected as an All-Star to play in the California high school North-South Shrine game in 1952. Wiggin also established a shot put record competing in track.

He attended Modesto Junior College, where he was a standout in football and track. Wiggin played both offense and defense on the football team. He is a member of the Modesto Junior College Athletics Hall of Fame. The Modesto Bee selected him at offensive tackle to its All-Big Seven Conference team in 1952.

Twice earning Pro Bowl honors as a starter (1965, 1967), Wiggin was a key member of the team's defensive line (consisting of Wiggin at left end, Dick Modzelewski at left tackle, Jim Kanicki at right tackle, and Bill Glass at right end), when it won the 1964 NFL championship with a 27–0 shutout of the Baltimore Colts; including a fumble recovery by Wiggin in the championship game.

 

Career history

Playing

Cleveland Browns (1957–1967)

Coaching

San Francisco 49ers (1968–1973)

Defensive line

San Francisco 49ers (1974)

Defensive coordinator

Kansas City Chiefs (1975–1977)

Head coach

New Orleans Saints (1978–1979)

Defensive coordinator

Stanford (1980–1983)

Head coach

Minnesota Vikings (1985–1991)

Defensive line

Operations

Minnesota Vikings (1992–2015)

Senior consultant for pro personnel

Awards and highlights

NFL champion (1964)

2× Pro Bowl (1965, 1967)

Cleveland Browns Legends

2× First-team All-American (1955, 1956)

2× First-team All-PCC (1955, 1956)