Robert Michael Mischak (October 25, 1932 β June 26, 2014) was a college and professional American football guard and tight end who played six seasons in the American Football League, from 1960 to 1965.
He was selected by his peers as a Sporting News AFL All-League guard in 1960 and 1961.
He was an AFL Eastern Division All-Star in 1962.
He also played in the National Football League for the New York Giants and was a starting guard in the famed 1958 "Greatest Game Ever Played".
In addition, Mischak was a 3-time Super Bowl champion coach with the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders.
In an October 1953 game against Duke at the Polo Grounds in New York City, Mischak made an improbable play to seal a 14β13 Army victory that was chronicled in David Maraniss' biography of Vince Lombardi, When Pride Still Mattered.
Late in the fourth quarter, Duke running back Red Smith ran a double reverse for what would have been a go-ahead touchdown, but was pursued by Mischak from 73 yards behind.
As Smith neared the endzone, Mischak caught up to him and made a touchdown-saving tackle short of the goal line.
Two subsequent stops by the Army defense yielded a historic victory for head coach Red Blaik.
Col Blaik was later to write βIn somehow catching and collaring (Smith), Mischak displayed heart and a pursuit that for one single play I have never seen matched."
In 2017, Mischak was posthumously enshrined into the Army/West Point Sports Hall of Fame, and was named no.
7 on NFL.com's list of Top Ten All Time NFL Players from service academies.After his playing career Mischak served as a coach of tight ends for the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders from 1973 to 1987 and 1994.