Paul Naumoff
Paul Peter Naumoff was an American professional football player who was a linebacker for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. Naumoff played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers from 1964 to 1966 and was selected as a consensus first-team football team|All-American] in 1966. He played for the Lions from 1967 to 1978. He was selected to play in the Pro Bowl after the 1970 season and was named the Lions' defensive most valuable player in 1975. He once played in 142 consecutive games for the Lions and missed only two games in 12 years with the club.
Early years
Naumoff was born in Columbus, Ohio, in 1945, and attended Eastmoor Academy there. He was the son of Macedonian immigrants.College football
Naumoff enrolled at the University of Tennessee and played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers football team under coach Doug Dickey from 1964 to 1966. He began as an offensive player in 1964 but was moved to defense in 1965. As a defensive end, he helped lead the 1965 Tennessee team to an 8–1–2 record, a #7 ranking in the final AP Poll, and a victory over Tulsa in the 1965 Bluebonnet Bowl.In 1966, Naumoff moved to linebacker after one of the team's starting linebackers, Tom Fisher, died in an automobile accident. He helped lead the 1966 Tennessee team to an 8-3 record. He was awarded the game ball after the 1966 Gator Bowl. Naumoff made a "jolting tackle" of Larry Csonka late in the game to preserve Tennessee's 18-12 victory over Syracuse.
At the end of the 1966 season, Naumoff was selected as a consensus first-team linebacker on the 1966 College Football All-America Team. He also played in the 1967 Chicago College All-Star Game and the 1967 Senior Bowl. Naumoff received a bachelor's degree of education in 1967.