Brad Van Pelt, a linebacker who exemplified the tough Giants defenses of the 1970s, wore No. 10 with dignity and gave the Giant fans something and someone to be proud of during the heart of the “Wilderness Years.”
Van Pelt was selected with the 40th overall pick in the 1973 NFL Draft, a pick the Giants received in the trade back of Fran Tarkenton (another great Giant who wore No. 10) to the Minnesota Vikings the year before.
BVP, as Giant fans would refer to Van Pelt, was an all-around athlete in high school in Owosso, Michigan in three sports (baseball, basketball, and football) and received interest from several MLB teams as a pitcher. Instead, Van Pelt headed off to Michigan State to play football.
As a 6-foot-5, 220-pound safety, BVP stood out and gained national attention, becoming a two time All-American and winning the Maxwell Award as the country’s best all-around player in 1972.
When Marty Schottenheimer became the Giants’ linebackers coach in 1975, Van Pelt was converted to linebacker after trying him at safety and tight end his first two seasons.
“He was a guy who was struggling. They weren’t sure where to play him. When I got there, he was kind of wallowing around,” Schottenheimer said in a 1989 interview with the Kansas City Star. “When I first started working with him, I said, `Brad, you can make plays that no other linebacker in this league can make, then you’ll screw up plays that 99 percent of the linebackers can make.’”
Van Pelt played beside Brian Kelley throughout his Giants’ career and in 1976, they added another stud to the linebacker corps in middle linebacker Harry Carson of South Carolina State. Together, the three of them formed the core of a Giants defense that was recognized throughout the league as one of the best.
Van Pelt and Carson became perennial Pro Bowlers. BVP was named to the Pro Bowl five times but the Giants did not register a winning season during his career until 1981, the year that Lawrence Taylor arrived. The Giants qualified for the postseason for the first time since 1963. They defeated the Philadelphia Eagles in the Wild Card game but lost to the San Francisco 49ers in the divisional round.
[https://magarticles.magzter.com/articles/2772/530570/5f85a2ce4cd47/1602593551_loc.jpg]
Kelley, Carson, Van Pelt and Taylor excelled in defensive coordinator Bill Parcells’ 3-4 alignment and became folk heroes, earning the nickname “The Crunch Bunch” and became the subject of posters and t-shirts.
After the Giants drafted another Michigan State linebacker standout, Carl Banks, with the third overall pick in the 1984 NFL Draft, they traded Van Pelt was traded to Minnesota Vikings in exchange for running back Tony Galbreath. He didn’t last very long in Minnesota as they dealt him to the Los Angeles Raiders that October for two draft picks. BVP finish...
Van Pelt was selected with the 40th overall pick in the 1973 NFL Draft, a pick the Giants received in the trade back of Fran Tarkenton (another great Giant who wore No. 10) to the Minnesota Vikings the year before.
BVP, as Giant fans would refer to Van Pelt, was an all-around athlete in high school in Owosso, Michigan in three sports (baseball, basketball, and football) and received interest from several MLB teams as a pitcher. Instead, Van Pelt headed off to Michigan State to play football.
As a 6-foot-5, 220-pound safety, BVP stood out and gained national attention, becoming a two time All-American and winning the Maxwell Award as the country’s best all-around player in 1972.
When Marty Schottenheimer became the Giants’ linebackers coach in 1975, Van Pelt was converted to linebacker after trying him at safety and tight end his first two seasons.
“He was a guy who was struggling. They weren’t sure where to play him. When I got there, he was kind of wallowing around,” Schottenheimer said in a 1989 interview with the Kansas City Star. “When I first started working with him, I said, `Brad, you can make plays that no other linebacker in this league can make, then you’ll screw up plays that 99 percent of the linebackers can make.’”
Van Pelt played beside Brian Kelley throughout his Giants’ career and in 1976, they added another stud to the linebacker corps in middle linebacker Harry Carson of South Carolina State. Together, the three of them formed the core of a Giants defense that was recognized throughout the league as one of the best.
Van Pelt and Carson became perennial Pro Bowlers. BVP was named to the Pro Bowl five times but the Giants did not register a winning season during his career until 1981, the year that Lawrence Taylor arrived. The Giants qualified for the postseason for the first time since 1963. They defeated the Philadelphia Eagles in the Wild Card game but lost to the San Francisco 49ers in the divisional round.
[https://magarticles.magzter.com/articles/2772/530570/5f85a2ce4cd47/1602593551_loc.jpg]
Kelley, Carson, Van Pelt and Taylor excelled in defensive coordinator Bill Parcells’ 3-4 alignment and became folk heroes, earning the nickname “The Crunch Bunch” and became the subject of posters and t-shirts.
After the Giants drafted another Michigan State linebacker standout, Carl Banks, with the third overall pick in the 1984 NFL Draft, they traded Van Pelt was traded to Minnesota Vikings in exchange for running back Tony Galbreath. He didn’t last very long in Minnesota as they dealt him to the Los Angeles Raiders that October for two draft picks. BVP finish...
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The Giant Insider (Digital) - 1 Issue, October 18, 2020