Paul Wiggin — a Lathrop native who was selected as Manteca High’s Outstanding Athlete when he graduated in 1952 before going on to a storied collegiate football and NFL career — has passed away.
Wiggin’s passing means that Lathrop’s two native sons that left their mark on the community to such a degree that their names grace the Spartans’ football field — Paul Wiggin Stadium and Bennie Gatto Field — have died in the past six weeks.
Wiggin, 91, died Friday. Gatto passed away last month.
Wiggin was born in Lathrop on Nov. 11, 1934. He competed in four sports as a Buffalo.
He earned his bachelor's degree from Stanford in 1956 and his masters in education from Stanford in 1959.
He was a three-year starter at tackle for Stanford and earned first time All-Pac-10 and All-America honors in 1955 and 1956. He also played rugby for the Cardinals.
Wiggin was selected the school's Defensive Player of the Century in fan voting.
The Cleveland Browns picked Wiggin in the sixth round of the 1956 draft.
In 11 seasons with the Browns (1957-67), Wiggin never missed a game, playing in 146 straight regular-season games, which stood as a team record when he retired. His 18 career fumble recoveries still rank as the second highest in Browns history.
During his tenure there, Cleveland played in three NFL title games. He started in the Pro Bowl in 1965 and 1967.
From 1980-83, Wiggin was the head Stanford University football coach after serving in 1978-79 as the defensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints.
Wiggin was on the Stanford sideline in 1982 for “The Play” when California scored the winning touchdown in a 25-20 victory in the “Big Game” after Stanford’s band prematurely took the field. It is considered by many the most incredible finish to a college football game.
“I think it’s tragic that a Cal-Stanford game had to come down to this," Wiggin said at the time. "In our hearts and our minds, we won the game. We know we won the game.”
Wiggin coached quarterback John Elway at Stanford.
His first head coaching opportunity in the NFL was from 1975-77 at the helm of the Kansas City Chiefs.
Immediately after his playing career ended in 1968, Wiggin was hired as the San Francisco 49'ers line coach and was part of the staff that guided the 49'ers to three straight NFL division titles from 1970-72. He was promoted to defensive coordinator in 1974.
Wiggin’s death was announced by the Browns, the Minnesota Vikings and the National Football Foundation. He was the fourth-oldest living NFF Hall of Famer.
“Paul Wiggin represented everything the NFF College Football Hall of Fame aspires to honor, specifically excellence on the field, leadership on the sidelines, and a lifelong commitment to the game,” NFF Chairman Archie Manning said in a statement. “His impact on college football spanned generations, and he leaves behind a legacy that will long be remembered. We are deeply saddened to learn of his passing.”
He went to New Orleans as defensive coordinator for two years before returning to his alma mater as head coach in 1980.
Wiggin was the Vikings' defensive line coach from 1985 to '91 before serving in a variety of roles in their front office. He was with the organization for nearly 40 years.
