Hardman in 2003
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No. 86 | |||||||||
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Position: | Defensive end | ||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||
Date of birth: | October 4, 1948 | ||||||||
Place of birth: | Houston, Texas | ||||||||
Career information | |||||||||
College: | North Texas | ||||||||
NFL Draft: | 1970 / Round: 1 / Pick: 9 | ||||||||
Career history | |||||||||
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Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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Games played: | 171 |
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Fumble recoveries: | 9 |
Touchdowns: | 1 |
Player stats at NFL.com |
Cedrick Ward Hardman (born October 4, 1948) is a former American Football defensive end who played for the National Football League's San Francisco 49ers and Oakland Raiders and the United States Football League's Oakland Invaders. Hardman's thirteen-year professional football career lasted from 1970 to 1983 in the National Football League and ended as a player/coach in 1983 with the USFL's Oakland Invaders. Hardman holds the record for most sacks in a season for the 49ers.
Hardman played college football at North Texas State University, (renamed the University of North Texas in 1988). Hardman was an All-Missouri Valley Conference football defensive lineman. In a historic manner, Hardman recorded 38 sacks in his senior season at North Texas State and represented North Texas State in the Blue-Gray and Senior Bowl all-star games in 1970.
During his first two seasons in Denton, Hardman lined up on the same defense as future Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinee Mean Joe Greene, who was selected in the first round of the 1969 NFL Draft (4th overall) by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Greene became a starter in the NFL from day one and anchored the feared Steel Curtain, which led the Steelers to four Super Bowl championships in six seasons between 1974-79.
Cedrick started playing college football as a defensive back, then moved to linebacker in his sophomore season. His final two college years were spent playing defensive end. Hardman was drafted with the ninth overall selection in the first round of the 1970 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers.