Craig Heyward: A Man Called “Ironhead”

Writer’s Note: Craig Heyward would have been 43 on Sept. 26, 2009.

The name “Ironhead” Heyward used to invoke fear into the hearts of NFL defenders. Hell, Heyward used to invoke fear into the hearts of anyone who crossed his path, or him. This is how Len Pasquarelli from ESPN.com described Heyward:

“He was one of the toughest, nastiest SOBs that I have encountered in 28 years of covering the NFL, a man whose menacing scowl could seemingly strip paint from a wall, and who reveled in his own brute physicality and took glee from imposing his strength on others.”

But is that really all Craig “Ironhead” Heyward was about?

There is no doubt that Heyward relished the moniker he had been given at New Jersey’s Passaic High School (the same high school, incidentally, whose halls had been previously haunted by Jack “Call Me Assassin” Tatum).

Whether it was because of his eight-and-three-quarter-inch hat size or his propensity for using his head as a battering ram, it cannot be disputed that Heyward loved to spread the gospel of his “Ironhead.”

The 5’11” Heyward played at anywhere from 265-280 pounds, using his girth, power, and agility to overpower defenders while playing for the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt).

Heyward was deceptively fast and once challenged one of the Panthers’ wide receivers to a race in the 100-yard dash. Heyward accumulated such a lead that he turned around and ran the last five yards backwards!

For a big man, he could bust a move. One of his less famous nicknames was “The Fred Astaire of Football.”

In Pitt’s 1987 opener against BYU, Ironhead rushed for 133 yards, had two receptions for 66 yards, and threw a pass for a 17-yard touchdown, leading the Panthers to a 27-17 victory.

Once, on a screen pass, Heyward sprinted 40 yards down the sideline and leaped over a defensive back in the process. He later said he learned that move from Michael Jordan and labeled himself, “Air Iron.”

That first game was an early indicator of what kind of season Heyward would have. He rushed for 1,655 yards, had over 100 yards rushing in every regular season game, earned first-team AP All-America honors, and was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy.

For his three-year career at Pitt, Heyward amassed 3,086 yards, good for third on Pitt’s all-time rushing list. He trails only Tony Dorsett (6,082) and Curvin Richards (3,192).

Then in a move which was deemed risky at the time and frowned upon by the NCAA, the NFL, and Pitt head football coach Mike Gottfried, Heyward announced he would not be returning for his senior year and would be declaring, as a junior, for the NFL draft.

At the time, the NFL had an arrangement with the NCAA that stated if a player still had eligibility left (Heyward had red-shirted as a sophomore), the player could not enter the NFL draft.

Gottried sent letters to Tex Schramm, Paul Brown, and Bill Walsh—all members of the competition committee—imploring them to keep Heyward out of the draft.

In the end, the NFL recanted, and both Heyward and Trevor Molini, the former Brigham Young University tight end, were granted eligibility for the NFL.

Letting his weight balloon to well over 300 pounds, Heyward was predicted to be drafted somewhere around the third round in the 1988 draft.

In one of many battles with his weight, Heyward hired a trainer and whipped himself into the best shape of his life and slimmed down to a svelte 250 pounds.

The New Orleans Saints subsequently drafted him as the 24th selection in the first round of the 1988 draft, embarking him on an eleven-year journey in the NFL.

Heyward would spend the first part of his career with the Saints, and then make stops with the Bears, Falcons, Rams, and Colts.

Although he was a decent running back, Heyward would not realize the same success in the NFL as he had in college as a rusher. He did, however, become known as a fierce blocker.

Saints’ president and general manager, Jim Finks, called Heyward the best blocking back in the league.

During an ESPN interview with Pasquarelli, Bobby Herbert, the Saints’ quarterback at the time, recalls a game in which Ironhead was used as a lead blocker against Seattle’s Brian Bosworth on six straight plays:

“After about the third time,” Hebert said, “Bosworth was crying. Honest. Tears were rolling down his face, because he didn’t want Ironhead to hit him anymore. He cried ‘Uncle!’ for real. Ironhead, he just laughed at him.”

But Ironhead’s undoing was his binging, both food and drink. He ballooned to 340 pounds. Then after five years, the Saints let him go, citing his lack of self-control during the offseason.

Heyward knew he was his own worst enemy.

He told Rick Reilly of Sports Illustrated:

“I was an idiot. I was all about getting drunk. Man, we’d go out there and drink a case of beer and a couple of bottles of tequila. We’d be out there wilding. Then, at the end of the night, I’d go to one of those all-night places and have four or five of those big Polish sausage sandwiches.

“Get home at 4 or 5 in the morning and still have to be at practice at 8 a.m. I’d be at practice still drunk. I didn’t care. I wanted to be the big man.”

By the time Heyward landed with the Atlanta Falcons in 1994, he had realized his demons and begun to exorcise them. Not coincidentally, he had his best year with the Falcons in 1995, when he rushed for 1,083 yards.

Ironhead had successfully battled the NCAA, the NFL, his weight, and the bottle. Yet his fiercest battle was yet to be waged.

During his last NFL season with the Indianapolis Colts in 1998, Ironhead complained of blurred vision.

Doctors discovered a chordoma, a malignant brain tumor, at the base of Ironhead’s brain that was pressing on his optic nerve. After the initial surgery, Ironhead was pronounced cancer-free.

But as happens all too frequently with many types of cancer, the tumor returned. A subsequent operation failed to completely remove it and the tumor eventually entwined itself around Ironhead’s brain stem.

Ironhead suffered a stroke in March of 2005, which sentenced him to a wheel chair and left him partially blind.

On May 27, 2006, at the age of 39, Craig William “Ironhead” Heyward lost his seven-and-a-half year battle with cancer.

If a man is measured by how he faces adversity, then Heyward was truly a man without parallel.

Although he didn’t completely defeat cancer, he never let cancer completely defeat him.

When Ironhead was playing with the Chicago Bears, head coach Dave Wannstedt once fined him over $200,000 for failing to maintain his playing weight.

On Herbert’s final visit to Ironhead, the two discussed their eldest sons, both of whom were being heavily recruited by colleges around the nation for their football programs.

Ironhead’s son Cameron was, in fact, one of the most highly regarded defensive linemen in the country.

When Wannstedt, who was now the head coach at Pitt, phoned Heyward to convince him that his son should play for Craig’s alma mater, Heyward replied by telling Wannstedt that if he were to pay back the money he had fined him in 1993, he would see what he could do about getting Cameron to play for Pitt!

Even on his deathbed, Ironhead still had the sharp wit and sense of humor that made him more than just a human wrecking machine.

The people that were closest to Ironhead knew there was more to him than the intimidating, menacing, and fearful persona he projected on the field, and oftentimes off it.

Ironhead was goodhearted and made friends wherever he went with that ever present twinkle in his eyes.

While battling his own cancer, Ironhead spent countless hours visiting children stricken with brain cancer. While around children, the armor that surrounded Ironhead just seemed to melt away.

Fred Kalil, a local NBC sports director, and fellow cancer survivor, often accompanied Ironhead to see the children. He once told Pasquarelli:

“Just once, if you could see Ironhead when he’s around those kids…”

Truth be told, “the toughest SOB” loved kids, especially his own three boys.

After Ironhead’s stroke, Cameron transferred from Whitfield Academy, about 35 miles from their home in Atlanta, to a neighboring school, Peachtree Ridge, so his dad could watch him play.

Ironhead could often be seen patrolling the sidelines in his wheelchair rooting on Cameron and his team.

Cameron cared for his dad in those final days. Some of his favorite memories are having dad watch him play and then getting to see one another in the locker room after games.

He, of course, remembers his dad’s famous Zest Body Wash commercial.

But what he remembers most about his dad? That they were best friends.

His only regret is that his father did not get to see him play college ball.

Cameron is now a standout defensive lineman for Ohio State University.

Printed under each eye, in his eye black, are two words, one name—”Iron Head.”

---

Writer’s note: Blaine Spence is a supporter of “A Glove of Their Own.”

Please visit the site at www.agloveoftheirown.com and purchase the book under today’s donor code CVH113 Covenant House Foundation or RWF626 The Roy White Foundation, or any of the over 100 charities listed in the drop down menu, as $3.00 from each book sold will be donated to these wonderful charities, while an additional 30 cents will be used to purchase sporting equipment for underprivileged children.

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The San Francisco 49ers’ All-“No” Team, Pt. 1: Skill Positions

“There’ll be no parade, no TV or stage…You don’t have to be a star, baby, to be in my show.” 

—Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr., 1976

Introduction

During the recent CBSSports.com contest I have witnessed some great articles recounting the 49ers glory years. I’ve seen articles describing the author’s favorite 49er team, articles comparing Steve Young to Joe Montana, and articles re-living “The Catch” and “The Stop.” Ah…those were the days!

You won’t find that here.

I have decided to assemble a 49er team based on some of the worst decisions in the last 30 years or so of the team’s history.
 
So as you’re reading, please keep this in mind. Being bad doesn’t always get you on the team, though it does help. The decision to bring you in, or even to release you, might be the deciding factor for this team.

So, without further ado, and foregoing hours of intense research (I went with the more reliable “cringe factor”), I give you the San Francisco 49ers’ All-“No” Team!
 
Grab your Maalox and barf bags and get ready to re-live some of the most painful and mind boggling decisions in 49er history.

 

“…Stupid is, as stupid does”

—Forest Gump, 1994
 
Quarterback: Jim Druckenmiller
 
In 1997, Jim Druckenmiller came out of Virginia Tech as a highly touted prospect at quarterback along with Arizona State’s Jake Plummer.
 
Druckenmiller sent a video of himself working out, displaying great feats of strength (including one of him pulling a station wagon around the Virginia Tech campus), to all of the NFL teams that might be interested in drafting him. It should be noted here that Druckenmiller was well known for working out side by side with his fellow Hokie linemen.
 
The Niners selected Druckenmiller with the 26th selection of the first round.
 
Following two years of play, after Druckenmiller couldn’t move up the depth chart and hadn’t thrown a pass, the man who selected him, Dwight Clark, labeled him an immature 26-year-old, and Plummer had his team, the Arizona Cardinals, in the playoffs for the first time in 26 years.
 
Safely in Cleveland, Clark pointed his finger at Walsh for the pick, claiming Walsh had told him Druckenmiller had more potential than Plummer. Walsh denied ever saying anything of the sort.
 
What we do know is this: the 49ers had asked Bill Walsh to breakdown several quarterback prospects in the 1997 draft.
 
Walsh made several very public comparisons of Plummer to Joe Montana.
 
I have seen no evidence that he ever made a breakdown of Druckenmiller.
 
Did Vinny Cerrato, Dwight Clark, and Carmen Policy want to escape Walsh’s shadow?
 
Was the 49er brain trust (term used loosely here) enamored by Druckenmiller’s video?
 
I defer to Forest here.
 
There are plenty of backups for QB position on the All-“No” Team.
 
Here are just a few: Steve Stenstrom, Ken Dorsey, Gio Carmazzi, please feel free to add your own!

 

“You’ve given me, given me
nothing but shattered dreams, shattered dreams”

—Johnny Hates Jazz, 1990

Wideouts and Tight End: Renaldo Nehemiah, JJ Stokes, Adrian Cooper

Renaldo Nehemiah dominated the 110-meter hurdles for a dozen years prior to signing with the 49ers in 1982. He smashed several world records and lowered them multiple times. He posted victories at the Pan-American Games as well as the World Cup.
 
However, due to the boycott in 1980, “Skeets” was denied a shot at Olympic glory.
 
But the man couldn’t play football at the NFL level. In his three-year career, Nehemiah was mostly used as a decoy, drawing coverage deep and often times drawing double coverage. But how long can you make a career out of that until other teams wise up? About three seasons I guess.
 
“Skeets” did get a Super Bowl ring in ’94, but played a minuscule part.
 
I would have to say though, that this did not turn out to be one of Bill Walsh’s brighter innovations—should have held out for Willie Gault, Bill!
 
In 1995 the 49ers were looking for the heir apparent to Jerry Rice. Their man was none other than JJ Stokes. In a scenario eerily familiar to this year’s Michael Crabtree selection, but at a much higher price, Stokes was sitting pretty at number ten in that year’s draft.
 
The 49ers gave up their first pick (the 30th overall), their third (94th), a fourth (119th) and their No. 1 pick in 1996 to move up to nab Stokes.
 
”We had to pay a price,” coach George Seifert said. You can say that again, George.
 
After eight years of dropped balls, a broken hand, much pouting [“Steve (Young) never threw me the ball enough; Jeff (Garcia) never threw me the ball enough; they could have thrown more balls my way”] and a Bill Romanowski phlegm-wad to the face, the 49ers released Stokes.
 
One thing that did occur to me while writing this though: perhaps the reason so many “diva” receivers drop balls is that they are afraid to break a nail. A mani-pedi can be quite expensive.
 
Some of you may be a bit surprised by the absence of a certain receiver named “T.O.” on the All No Team. But quite frankly, I rather enjoyed T.O. while he was with the 49ers. He was after all, instrumental in the team finally beating our nemesis, the Brett Favre-led Packers, in the playoffs in 1999. And the spike on the Cowboy’s star—priceless!
 
But since the 49ers basically got nothing for trading him, I suppose those negations do merit an honorable mention.
 
Claiming that Owens’s agent had missed a deadline to void the last year of T.O.’s contract, the 49ers had a deal in place with the Baltimore Ravens for a second round pick in the 2004 draft. Owens, wanting out of San Francisco, wanted to sign with the Philadelphia Eagles. Before an arbitrator could sort the whole mess out, the three teams reached a deal.
 
The Raven’s would get their second round pick back. The Eagles would get Owens. The 49ers would receive a conditional fifth round pick and oft-injured defensive end Brandon Whiting from the Eagles.
 
Whiting played in five games for the 49ers in 2004 before he was placed on injured reserve with a torn ACL. He failed his physical the following year and the 49ers terminated his contract.

Backups: Darrell Jackson, Rashaun Woods, Derrick Hamilton.

I remember being all pumped about the signing of Adrian Cooper. The 49ers gave him big money so he had to be good, right? No. 49 finally hit the field in the 11th game of 1996. He finished the season with just six games played, and one reception for 11 yards. Now that is a crime.
 
Speaking of crime, Cooper was remanded to federal prison in 2006 for bilking his customers out of more than a million dollars while serving as a stock broker.
 
What a great segue into the running backs!

 

“This here’s a story about Billy Joe and Bobbie Sue…
go on take the money and run…”

—Steve Miller, 1976

Running Backs: Lawrence Phillips and Johnny Johnson
 
On the heels of Garrison Hearst’s devastating ankle injury in the 1998 playoffs against the Atlanta Falcons, the 49ers found themselves with a dearth of talent entering the 1999 season. Desperate times call for desperate measures.
 
The 49ers signed Lawrence Phillips, hoping he could put his troubles behind him.
 
Fat chance.
 
In a nationally televised game against the Arizona Cardinals, Phillips whiffed on his assignment to pick up the corner blitz. The hard charging Aeneas Williams delivered a clean hit on Quarter back Steve Young, which resulted in a severe concussion, and ultimately the end of Young’s career.
 
Shortly after, Phillips was released from the team for missing a practice.
 
We know what Phillips really missed.
 
Phillips is currently serving a 10-year sentence in a California State prison for assault with a deadly weapon. It seems Phillips got into an argument with three teenagers following a pick-up football game in Los Angeles. Phillips must have lost some of his old moves as he decided to use his car to run over the three youths.
 
I was going to call Phillips a pile of human garbage here; however, I realized calling him human was going too far.
 
Perhaps Phillips and Cooper could become pen pals.
 
I would bet that some of you are asking how Johnny Johnson can be on the team, as he never even played for the 49ers. Let me explain.
 
In 1996, the 49ers went hard after transition free agent Rodney Hampton of the New York Giants. Carmen Policy devised an offer that was structured in such a way that it would be almost impossible for the Giants to match.
 
Policy even publicly stated that Hampton was committed to the team and that he had his heart set on heading out west.
 
The Giants re-signed Hampton, the ‘Niners were left with egg on their face, and their desperation for a running back hit critical mass.
 
Johnny Johnson is a bit of an enigma to say the least. Johnson earned Pro-Bowl honors in his first season with the Phoenix Cardinals. After three solid seasons, the Cardinals traded him to the New York Jets to move up one spot and the right to draft Garrison Hearst in the 1993 draft.
 
Johnson earned MVP honors from his teammates on the Jets in 1993 and led the team in both rushing and receiving. The Jets released Johnson following the 1994 season, in what was described as a salary cap move.
 
After having not played in 1995, the 49ers signed Johnson to a two-year deal for three million dollars that included a guaranteed signing bonus of $500,000.  
 
“He’s got himself in the type of condition and mental frame of mind that I think he’s really going to contribute to our club,” Seifert said at the time.
 
Citing a chronic back condition, Johnson never made a practice and was released prior to the start of the regular season.
 
Queue Steve Miller.

Backups: Amp Lee, Dexter Carter, “Touchdown Tommy” Vardell, Travis Jervey.

 

Coming soon: The offensive line and the defense!

I am feeling some Stones coming on…shadobie!

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