Thomas Joseph Beutler (born September 29, 1946) is a former American football player.
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| Position: | Linebacker | ||||
| Personal information | |||||
| Born: | September 29, 1946 Bluffton, Ohio | ||||
| Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||
| Weight: | 234 lb (106 kg) | ||||
| Career information | |||||
| High school: | Central Catholic (Toledo, Ohio) | ||||
| College: | Toledo | ||||
| NFL draft: | 1968 / Round: 12 / Pick: 319 | ||||
| Career history | |||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||
Beutler was born in Bluffton, Ohio, and attended Central Catholic High School in Toledo, Ohio. He played college football for the Toledo Rockets from 1964 to 1967.[1] Toledo coach Frank Lauterbur called him "the finest lineman I ever coached."[2]
Beutler was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the 12th round of the 1968 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns.[1] He tried out with the Browns in 1968 but was relegated to the reserve squad after sustaining a hamstring injury. He returned to the practice squad again in 1969 after pulling as stomach muscle.[2] In 1970, he survived the final cuts and played as a middle linebacker for the Browns, appearing in four games.[1] Prior to the 1971 season, the Browns traded Beutler to the Baltimore Colts. At Baltimore, he played mostly on special teams and earned a reputation as a hard tackler.[3] He appearing in four games.[4] During the 1970 and 1971 seasons, he appeared in eight NFL games, five of them as a starter.[5]
Beutler also played for the Memphis Southmen in the World Football League in 1974.[6] He announced his retirement from professional football in June 1975.[7]