Position: Linebacker
Years: 1969-1971
Place of Birth: Rochester, MN
Date of Birth: Jun 2, 1950
Place of Death: Edina, MN
Date of Death: Mar 28, 2026
Jersey Number: 92
Height: 6-2
Weight: 225
High School: Bakersfiled, CA (Bakersfield HS)
Jeff Siemon gained great notoriety as a defensive player on a team best known for its offense. Yet, when it mattered most, Siemon and his defensive mates made critical stops in important games.
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Siemon recovered from a freshman knee injury to have an impressive sophomore season at defensive end and linebacker. That year, Stanford fielded a Top 20 team with a 7-2-1 record and finished second in the Pac-Eight.
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As a junior, Siemon was moved full-time to middle linebacker. In the 1970 season, Stanford won the conference title and earned a Rose Bowl bid. Against highly favored Ohio State, Stanford limited the Buckeyes to 17 points, pulling the upset and denying undefeated OSU a national title. In that contest, Siemon made 15 tackles.
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The following year, Siemon once again led Stanford to the Rose Bowl as a heavy underdog. This time, Stanford defeated unbeaten Michigan, limiting the Wolverines to 12 points. Hall of Fame coach John Ralston praised Siemon for having a "unique sixth sense" on the field and compared him to college linebackers such as Dick Butkus and Tommy Nobis.
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A consensus First Team All-America pick in 1971, he was a two-time All-Pac-Eight selection in 1970 and 1971.
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Siemon was the first-round draft choice (10th overall) of the Minnesota Vikings, where he played for 11 seasons, earning three trips to the Super Bowl and four Pro Bowl nods.
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Born June 2, 1950, in Rochester, Minnesota, Siemon attended Bakersfield High School in California before enrolling at Stanford. In his post-football life, he was active in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and other Christian endeavors. He was also a strong supporter of the NFFÂ
Minnesota Chapter until his passing.
Siemon passed away March 28th, 2026. He was 75.