{{Short description|American football player (1936–2021)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}} {{Use American English|date=June 2023}} {{Infobox gridiron football biography | name = Jerry Mertens | image = Mertens-Jerry-1961.jpg | caption = Mertens in 1961 | number = 80 | position = Defensive back | birth_date = {{birth date|1936|01|5|}} | birth_place = Racine, Wisconsin, U.S. | death_date = {{death date and age|2021|09|05|1936|01|5|df=y}} | death_place = San Mateo, California, U.S. | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 0 | weight_lb = 184 | high_school = St. Catherine's (Racine) | college = Drake | draftyear = 1958 | draftround = 20 | draftpick = 239 | pastteams = * San Francisco 49ers ({{NFL Year|1958|1965}}) | highlights = * Pro Bowl (1958) | statlabel1 = Interceptions | statvalue1 = 8 | statlabel2 = Fumble recoveries | statvalue2 = 2 | statlabel3 = Total touchdowns | statvalue3 = 1 | pfr = MertJe00 }}
'''Jerome William Mertens''' (January 5, 1936 – September 5, 2021) was an American professional football player who was a defensive back for eight seasons with the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL).
He was named to the 1958 Pro Bowl at the end of his rookie season and started at left cornerback for the 49ers in all but four games of his first five years in the league. After missing the entire 1963 season with a knee injury, Mertens returned as a reserve defensive back, playing a great deal at the safety position.
==Early life==
Mertens, a high-school standout at Racine Saint Catherine's, graduated from Drake University in 1958, and received the Holmes Cowper Trophy, which is given to the graduating letter-winner who has the highest grade-point average.<ref name=Jackel-1>Pete Jackel, [https://web.archive.org/web/20210505111512/https://journaltimes.com/sports/with-luck-on-his-side-mertens-couldnt-go-wrong/article_c8f70fe7-ee3d-54e1-ab26-d47118b3f1ad.html "With Luck on His Side, Mertens Couldn't Go Wrong,"] ''Racine Journal Times,'' Oct. 9, 2003.</ref> He graduated from Drake with a Bachelor of Science degree in education in 1958.<ref name=FR66>Joel Bussert and John Duxbury (eds.), ''Football Register, 1966.'' St. Louis: The Sporting News, 1966; p. 133.</ref>
Mertens was blessed with quick reflexes and excellent speed, having been clocked at 9.8 seconds in the 100-yard dash during his time at Drake.<ref name=MG64>Art Johnson (ed.), ''San Francisco 49ers: 1964 Press, Radio, and TV Guide.'' San Francisco, CA: San Francisco 49ers Football Club, 1964; p. 23.</ref>
==Professional career==
In the 1958 NFL draft he was selected in the 20th round as the 239th pick by the San Francisco 49ers. In the 1958 season that followed, Mertens started all 12 games for the Niners at left cornerback, grabbing two interceptions and recording one fumble recovery.<ref name=PFR>[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/M/MertJe00.htm "Jerry Mertens Overview,"] Pro Football Reference, www.pro-football-reference.com</ref> He was named to the 1958 Pro Bowl following the season and was part of the Western Conference's 26–7 victory over the Eastern Conference in that contest.
Mertens started at left cornerback in 60 of the 64 games played by the 49ers during his first five years in the league.<ref name=PFR /> The 49ers, noting his tackling ability, had converted Mertens from left cornerback to strong safety during training camp.<ref name=Scott>Jim Scott, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-berkeley-gazette-interview-with-jerr/154255030/ Interview with Jerry Mertens], ''Berkeley Gazette,'' July 30, 1963, p. 10.</ref> "I've never played safety before," Mertens told a bay area sports page editor, "but I like it — and I think I'm getting the hang of it."<ref name=Scott /> He remained one of the fastest players on the squad, clocked in pre-season running a 40-yard dash in full game gear in 4.9 seconds — tied for third best on the team.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-independent-49ers-in-fast-race/154255973/ "49ers in Fast Race,"] ''Richmond Independent,'' Aug. 1, 1963; p. 23.</ref>
Mertens had high expectations for the 49ers squad in 1963, noting that "We're going to be a lot stronger than anyone thinks. For one thing, we have better spirit, and that will make for a better performance. More important, we're deeper. Injuries killed us last season — we can stand a few injuries this season without being hurt too much."<ref name=Scott />
Unfortunately for Mertens, it would be his turn to suffer the brutal wrath of the football gods when he suffered a serious knee injury in the last preseason game of the year against the Los Angeles Rams.<ref name=MG64 /> The injury, initially misdiagnosed as a left knee sprain,<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-san-francisco-examiner-five-straight/154256464/ "Five Straight Losses, But No Panic,"] ''San Francisco Examiner,'' Sept. 8, 1963, section 4, p. 7.</ref> caused Mertens to miss the entire 1963 campaign.<ref name=MG64 />
Although the torn ligaments in his knee were surgically repaired and he was able to rehabilitate his injury and come back in 1964,<ref>United Press International, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/martinez-news-gazette-nfl-clubs-in-shape/154256967/ "NFL Clubs in Shape for Debut,"] ''Martinez [CA] News-Gazette,'' Sept. 10, 1963, p. 5.</ref> he was not the same player and saw himself limited to reserve duty for all 14 games that year.<ref name=PFR />
As the 1965 season approached, Mertens again saw himself penciled in as starter for the 49ers. Right cornerback Abe Woodson had been traded away to the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for running back John David Crow, opening up a place at the top of the team's depth chart.<ref name=Dunbar>Bill Dunbar, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/oakland-tribune-49er-coach-delighted-by/154258027/ "49er Coach Delighted by Surplus of Running Backs,"] ''Oakland Tribune,'' May 27, 1965, p. 42.</ref> Mertens started 8 games for the team at right cornerback during the year and saw action in 13.<ref name=PFR />
His action during the latter part of the season was limited by a pulled hamstring that he suffered in the November 7 game in the Cotton Bowl against the Dallas Cowboys.<ref name=Brachman>Bob Brachman, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-san-francisco-examiner-49ers-out-to/154277762/ "49ers Out to Get Back at Hornung,"] ''San Francisco Examiner,'' Dec. 16, 1965, pp. 71, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-san-francisco-examiner-49ers-have-pe/154277593/ 74].</ref> It was not until the final game of the season, at home against the Green Bay Packers, that Mertens was healed up well enough to return to the starting lineup.<ref name=Brachman />
The Green Bay game closing the 1965 season would be Mertens' last. As Mertens filled into the box from his safety position to make a tackle on sweeping Packer fullback Jim Taylor at the line of scrimmage, Taylor's knee hit Mertens in the helmet.<ref name=Broken>[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-journal-times-mertens-has-broken-nec/154278192/ "Mertens Has a Broken Neck,"] ''Racine Journal Times,'' Dec. 24, 1965, p. 19.</ref> Mertens felt a sharp pain in his neck, forcing him to the sidelines for the rest of the day. It would be four days before x-rays revealed a cracked vertebrae in Mertens' neck.<ref name=traction>United Press International, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/stockton-evening-and-sunday-record-jerry/154277885/ "Jerry Mertens in Traction,"] ''Stockton Evening Record,'' Dec. 23, 1965, p. 23.</ref> Several weeks in the hospital in traction resulted.<ref name=traction />
According to Mertens' brother, Bob, a total of 72 x-rays were taken to diagnose the injury, with doctors stating that if the break had been an inch or two lower, it might have proved fatal.<ref name=Broken /> It was revealed early in January 1966 that Mertens would soon be leaving the hospital after being fitted in a body cast that would "extend from his hips to over his head" — and which would remain on for "a long, long time."<ref>Ed Jacoubowsky, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/redwood-city-tribune-between-the-lines/154278491/ "Between the Lines,"] ''Redwood City Tribune,'' Jan. 7, 1966, p. 13.</ref> Twelve weeks later he was freed from the cast and fitted with a lighter brace, finally allowed to move his neck slightly.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/article/oakland-tribune-heavy-cast-finally-shed/154279408/ "Heavy Cast Finally Shed by Mertens,"] ''Oakland Tribune,'' April 13, 1966, p. 41.</ref>
After 8 years in the NFL, with 7 years of service, the 30-year old Jerry Merten's professional football career was over.
==Life after football==
After retiring from the NFL, Mertens settled into a career as a fertilizer broker and working for kids' programs as a member of the NFL Alumni. Jerry was inducted into St. Catherine's High School's Athletic Hall of Fame in 1998,<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20210505182902/https://journaltimes.com/news/local/10-join-st-catherines-hall-of-fame/article_0c7f0a58-8af7-568a-ba07-4d9fd7b4f99d.html Ten Join St. Catherine's Hall of Fame,"] ''Racine Journal Times,'' Oct. 10, 1998.</ref> and the Racine County Sports Hall of Fame in 2013.<ref>Peter Jackel, [https://web.archive.org/web/20210506014742/https://journaltimes.com/sports/racine-county-sports-hall-of-fame-mertens-lived-his-nfl-dream/article_899c837e-fac3-11e0-a195-001cc4c03286.html "Racine County Sports Hall of Fame: Mertens Lived His NFL Dream,"] ''Racine Journal Times,'' Oct. 19, 2011; updated Dec. 9, 2013.</ref>
Mertens married the former Karen Kae Tavenner on March 17, 1956.<ref name=FR66 /> Together the couple raised three children and now have four grandchildren in the San Francisco bay area.
He served as president of the NFL Alumni Association, a position he held for over 10 years.
He died on September 5, 2021, at the age of 85.<ref>{{cite web |title=Jerome William Mertens Obituary |url=https://www.skylawnmemorialpark.com/obituaries/Jerome-Mertens/#!/Obituary |website=Skylawn Memorial Park |publisher=Skylawn |access-date=18 November 2024}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{49ers1958DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mertens, Jerry}} Category:1936 births Category:American people of Dutch descent Category:Players of American football from Racine, Wisconsin Category:American football cornerbacks Category:San Francisco 49ers players Category:Western Conference Pro Bowl players Category:Drake University alumni Category:Drake Bulldogs football players Category:2021 deaths Category:20th-century American sportsmen