# Ron East

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**Ronald Allan East** (August 26, 1943 – September 30, 2023) was an American professional [football](/source/American_football) [defensive tackle](/source/Defensive_tackle) in the [National Football League](/source/National_Football_League) for the [Dallas Cowboys](/source/Dallas_Cowboys), [San Diego Chargers](/source/San_Diego_Chargers), [Cleveland Browns](/source/Cleveland_Browns), [Atlanta Falcons](/source/Atlanta_Falcons) and [Seattle Seahawks](/source/Seattle_Seahawks). He played [college football](/source/College_football) at [Oregon State University](/source/Oregon_State_University) and [Montana State University](/source/Montana_State_University), following his completion of service to the [United States Marine Corps](/source/United_States_Marine_Corps).

## Early years

East attended [Lincoln High School](/source/Lincoln_High_School_(Portland,_Oregon)), where he practiced [football](/source/American_football), [wrestling](/source/Wrestling) and [track](/source/Track_and_field). He was the State's [javelin](/source/Javelin) champion as a senior.[1]

East accepted a football scholarship from [Oregon State University](/source/Oregon_State_University), but he was considered too small to eventually become a starter. He decided to leave school after his freshman season and enlist in the [Marine Forces Reserve](/source/United_States_Marine_Corps_Reserve).

After [boot camp](/source/Recruit_training), he opted to transfer to [Columbia Basin College](/source/Columbia_Basin_College). He was a starter at [defensive tackle](/source/Defensive_tackle), he received All-Conference honors twice, while helping his team go undefeated and win the [NWAC](/source/Northwest_Athletic_Conference) Championship in 1965.[2]

In 1966, he transferred to [Montana State University](/source/Montana_State_University) for his senior season. He contributed to the team winning the [Big Sky conference championship](/source/Big_Sky_Conference) and received All-Conference honors. He also was the [Big Sky](/source/Big_Sky_Conference) [javelin](/source/Javelin) champion.

In 1994, he was inducted into the [Northwest Athletic Conference](/source/Northwest_Athletic_Conference) Hall of Fame.[3] In 1999, he was inducted into the [Montana State University](/source/Montana_State_University) Hall of Fame.[4]

## Professional career

### Dallas Cowboys

East was signed as an [undrafted free agent](/source/Free_agent#Undrafted_free_agent) by the [Dallas Cowboys](/source/Dallas_Cowboys) after the [1967 NFL/AFL draft](/source/1967_NFL/AFL_draft). He was the fifth [defensive lineman](/source/Lineman_(gridiron_football)#Defensive_line) and a backup for [defensive tackles](/source/Defensive_tackle) [Bob Lilly](/source/Bob_Lilly) and [Jethro Pugh](/source/Jethro_Pugh).[5] [Tom Landry](/source/Tom_Landry) would later say "Ron East was the most aggressive player he ever coached".

After trading the troubled [Lance Rentzel](/source/Lance_Rentzel), the Cowboys replaced him with future hall of famer [Lance Alworth](/source/Lance_Alworth) and East was sent to the [San Diego Chargers](/source/San_Diego_Chargers) as part of the "Bambi trade" on May 19, [1971](/source/1971_NFL_season), that also involved [Pettis Norman](/source/Pettis_Norman) and [Tony Liscio](/source/Tony_Liscio).[6]

### San Diego Chargers

East was a three-year starter at [left defensive tackle](/source/Defensive_tackle) as part of a castoff [defensive line](/source/Defensive_line) that included [Deacon Jones](/source/Deacon_Jones), [Dave Costa](/source/Dave_Costa), [Lionel Aldridge](/source/Lionel_Aldridge) and [Coy Bacon](/source/Coy_Bacon).[7] He and Jones sacked [quarterback](/source/Quarterback) [Bob Griese](/source/Bob_Griese) in game 5 of the [1972 Miami Dolphins](/source/1972_Miami_Dolphins_season) [Perfect season](/source/Perfect_season). Griese went down with a broken leg and dislocated ankle, forcing the Dolphins to replace him with [Earl Morrall](/source/Earl_Morrall) until the [Super Bowl VII](/source/Super_Bowl_VII) game.

### The Hawaiians (WFL)

On March 25, [1974](/source/World_Football_League#1974_season), he signed a contract with [The Hawaiians](/source/The_Hawaiians_(WFL)) of the [World Football League](/source/World_Football_League).[8] After his original contract was not honored, he decided to return to the [NFL](/source/National_Football_League).

### Cleveland Browns

On July 16, [1975](/source/1975_NFL_season), he was traded to the [Cleveland Browns](/source/Cleveland_Browns) in exchange for a fifth round draft choice (#128-Cliff Olander). He was named the starter [left defensive end](/source/Defensive_end).[9] On August 19, [1976](/source/1976_NFL_season), he was traded to the [Atlanta Falcons](/source/Atlanta_Falcons) in exchange for a seventh round draft choice (#173-Ken Randle).[10]

### Atlanta Falcons

In [1976](/source/1976_NFL_season), he started only one game and was mostly a reserve player. In June [1977](/source/1977_NFL_season), he was released after new [head coach](/source/Head_coach) [Leeman Bennett](/source/Leeman_Bennett) was hired.

### Seattle Seahawks

On July 18, [1977](/source/1977_NFL_season), he signed as a [free agent](/source/Free_agent) with the [Seattle Seahawks](/source/Seattle_Seahawks) and was named the starter at [left defensive tackle](/source/Defensive_tackle).[11] He was waived on August 29, [1978](/source/1978_NFL_season).[12]

## Personal life and death

After retiring he was a real estate developer in [Seattle, Washington](/source/Seattle). His wife gave birth to Ron's son while he was playing in [Super Bowl V](/source/Super_Bowl_V) on January 17, [1971](/source/1971_NFL_season).[citation needed]

Ron East died in [Kirkland, Washington](/source/Kirkland,_Washington) on September 30, 2023, at the age of 80.[13]

## References

1. ["PIL Hall of Fame CyberMuseum of Inductees"](http://pilhalloffame.org/cybermuseum/product_info.php?products_id=478). Retrieved February 19, 2020.

1. ["Hawks Place 10 Players on Community College 11"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1314&dat=19651125&id=ALRWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=_-gDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7381,3259436). The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved February 19, 2020.

1. ["Ron East - NWAC Hall of Fame - Northwest Athletic Conference"](https://nwaacc.org/hall_of_fame/HOF-member-bio-presto.php?id=247). Retrieved February 19, 2020.[dead link]

1. ["Montana State Athletics - Hall of Fame"](https://msubobcats.com/hof.aspx?hof=46&path=&kiosk=). Retrieved February 19, 2020.

1. ["Homan Could Help Cowboys"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1842&dat=19700825&id=nScsAAAAIBAJ&sjid=H54FAAAAIBAJ&pg=4484,4273917). Times Daily. Retrieved February 19, 2020.

1. Buck, Ray (February 29, 2008). ["Trading wasn't always so difficult in the NFL"](https://www.star-telegram.com/latest-news/article3822226.html). *[Star-Telegram](/source/Star-Telegram)*. Retrieved February 19, 2020.

1. ["Unitas, Chargers may contend"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1310&dat=19730821&id=jOZVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OuEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6794,5161915). Eugene Register-Guard. Retrieved February 19, 2020.

1. ["Hawaiians Sign Tackle"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1346&dat=19740326&id=PYgsAAAAIBAJ&sjid=1voDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6510,7926843). Lakeland Ledger. Retrieved February 19, 2020.

1. ["Transactions"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1876&dat=19750718&id=soYsAAAAIBAJ&sjid=_cwEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2014,2928575). Herald-Journal. Retrieved February 19, 2020.

1. ["Falcons get defensive end"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1817&dat=19760820&id=uUYgAAAAIBAJ&sjid=650EAAAAIBAJ&pg=2626,4424830). The Tuscaloosa News. Retrieved February 19, 2020.

1. ["Niehaus facing shoulder surgery"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1314&dat=19770729&id=AoowAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0u0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=2850,5086410). The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved February 19, 2020.

1. ["Sports Transactions"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1913&dat=19780830&id=wGEgAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0GUFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2741,4179191). Lewiston Evening Journal. Retrieved February 19, 2020.

1. [Ronald Allan East](https://obits.oregonlive.com/us/obituaries/oregon/name/ronald-east-obituary?id=53357573)

## External links

- [Montana State Hall of Fame bio](https://msubobcats.com/hof.aspx?hof=46&path=&kiosk=)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Ron East](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_East) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_East?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.