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Patrick Fischer (born January 2, 1940 in 
St. Edward, Nebraska) is a former
American football cornerback in the National Football League for the St. Louis
Cardinals from 1961 to 1967, and the Washington Redskins from 1968 to 1977.
Fischer attended Westside High School in Omaha and the University of
Nebraska–Lincoln.
Fischer joined the NFL as the 17th-round draft choice of St. Louis in the 1961
NFL Draft. He then signed with Washington as a free agent in 1968. He was a 1969
Pro Bowler. Fischer then helped lead the Redskins to Super Bowl VII in 1972. He
finished his 17-year career with 56 interceptions, and ranks seventh all-time in
Redskins career interceptions with 27 and fourth all-time with 412 career
interception return yards.
At the time of his retirement, Fischer had played in 213 NFL games, then a
record for a cornerback. He was well known for his strong tackling skills
despite his diminutive size. Some of Fischer's most memorable defensive
match-ups occurred against Philadelphia Eagles receiver Harold Carmichael who
stood eleven inches taller than Fischer. Fischer's mantra "get a leg up and you
own him" is used today to motivate and teach smaller defensive backs who to
defend taller wide receivers. In the late 1980s, NFL Films named Fischer as the
Redskins All-Time Neutralizer sponsored by Tums.
After retiring from the Redskins, Fischer worked as a stockbroker and owned a
successful real estate business.
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