WESTON, Fla. (Feb. 28, 2005) -- Carl Taseff, who spent 12 years in the NFL as a defensive back and more than 20 as an assistant coach, is dead at 76.
Taseff died of pneumonia.
A roommate of Don Shula's at John Carroll University in Ohio, he played from 1951-62 with Baltimore, Cleveland, Philadelphia and Buffalo. Most of that time was with the Colts, with whom he won two NFL titles, including in the 1958 overtime title game against the New York Giants, still considered one of the greatest games in league history.
He set an NFL record with the Colts in 1959 by returning a blocked field goal 99 yards for a touchdown.
From 1970-93, he was an assistant for Shula with the Miami Dolphins, spending much of that time as the team's running backs coach. In addition to playing with Shula in college, they were teammate with the Browns and Colts.
