The Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame is sad to announce that 2014 Inductee Paul Naumoff has lost his battle with cancer. For those of you that did not know him, you missed out on a fine gentleman.
Like prime real estate or a successful retail business, the success and ascension of Paul Naumoff’s career at the University Of Tennessee might be summed up with the statement “Location, location, location.” Moving through a number of positions, he handled all with skill and ability but finally found his niche after settling in at middle linebacker. The Eastmoor High School product out of Columbus, Ohio escaped the clutches of Woody Hayes and Ohio State. At The University of Tennessee. “I sent him on a post route against Auburn and the safety almost decapitated him. He came over to Dickey and said, ‘I want to play defense.’ ”
Starting as a junior at defensive end in 1965, Naumoff helped to solidify the unit, joining All American linebacker Frank Emanuel and Tom Fisher as the proverbial immovable objects. In 1966 Naumoff was moved to middle linebacker. Naumoff rose to the occasion as the team captain and became a consensus First Team All American, garnered Team MVP, All SEC and a reputation as one of the hardest hitters in the nation despite weighing only 215 pounds. Against Syracuse in the Gator Bowl following his great senior season, Syracuse was nearing the goal line late in the fourth quarter when the ball was handed to Larry Csonka, who on the verge of breaking into the Vounteer end zone, met head-to-head with Naumoff and was stopped dead in his tracks by a tackle described as “It was like a bull hitting a wall. I’m sure they heard that lick all the way back to Tennessee.”
The number-three draft choice of the Detroit Lions where he stayed from 1967-1978. Naumoff used his unusual speed and good strength to play the weakside linebacker position as an immediate regular, and then switched and remained over the tight end as the Lions’ strong side ‘backer the remainder of his career, one that spanned 1967 through 1978. Named to the 1970 Pro Bowl and in 1975 he was voted the Lions Defensive MVP in a season highlighted by a twenty-one tackle game against the Browns. The tough and reliable Naumoff missed only two games in his entire twelve season career and was recently announced to the official ballot of the the College Football Hall Of Fame, another honor richly deserved.