Arizona Wildcats: Top 30 athletes in school history
Chuck Cecil is a legend at the University of Arizona.
Chuck Cecil was voted Wildcats football fans favorite Wildcat in Arizona history and the most popular player in school football history. Cecil ran back an interception 100 yards to score a touchdown against ASU. The Wildcats went on to their 5th consecutive victory over the Sun Devils. This famous play was voted the greatest play in Wildcat football history
Cecil played for the Wildcats for three years from 1985-1987 as a defensive back. He caught 21 interceptions for 241 yards and two touchdowns during his college career. The one famous play for 100 yards and one touchdown made up half his total yards and touchdowns. Cecil was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2009 and into the Wildcats’ Sports Hall of Fame in 1993. He also was a television analyst for University of Arizona football games for two seasons (1999–2000).
In addition to being a fan favorite, Cecil earned many accolades:
- In 1986, Chuck was ranked 10th in the nation with six interceptions and 2nd in the nation in 1987 with nine.
- Awarded All-American honors in both 1986 and 1987.
- In 1987, Kodak, Football News, UPI and Walter Camp voted him a consensus 1st Team All-American.
- Second Team All PAC-10 in 1885 and First Team All-PAC 10 in 1986 and 1987.
- Voted to the PAC-10 All-Academic Team in 1985, 1986 and 1987.
- Selected an Academic All-American in 1985, 1986 and 1987.
- Selected PAC-10 Player of the Week three times and in 1987 he was chosen the PAC-10 Defensive Player of the Year.
- In 1988, he was awarded the prestigious PAC-10 Conference Medal.
Cecil was drafted No. 89 by the Green Bay Packers in the fourth round in 1988 NFL Draft and played for eight seasons. He played for the Packers for five seasons, followed by a season for the Phoenix Cardinals and ending his career with the Houston Oilers (now Tennessee Titans).
Cecil was known as an extremely physical tackler and had to wear a special helmet (that was bigger and had more cushion) to help him avoid concussions, a little ahead of his time. He was selected by John Madden to his 1991 All-Madden Team. Madden said Chuck was one of the hardest hitters in the NFL.
Cecil got his start coaching when he was hired by his former coach Jeff Fisher to be a defensive coach for the Tennessee Titans after he retired. He coached for the Titans from 2001-2010.An NFL Pro Bowl safety, he caught 16 interceptions (one returned for a touchdown) and made 445 tackles in the 95 games he played. Cecil has been a defensive secondary coach for the St. Louis Rams since 2012.
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