George Lilja George Vincent Lilja ( born March 3 , 1958 ) is a former professional American football offensive lineman who played for several National Football League teams over the course of six seasons . He is also a former collegiate All - American center for the Michigan Wolverines football team . He was a member of the 1980 Big Ten Conference Champions who played in the 1981 Rose Bowl . College career . Lilja attended Carl Sandburg High School in Orland Park , Illinois where he was both a baseball and football standout before enrolling at the University of Michigan . Lilja played center for the Michigan Wolverines from 1979 - 1980 . At 6 ' 4 " and 260 pounds , Lilja started 24 straight games at center during his junior and senior seasons . As a senior in 1980 , Lilja received numerous awards and honors , including being named the team ' s co - captain ( with Anthony Carter ) , receiving the University ' s Myer Morton Award ( given by the M Club of Chicago for the football player who shows the greatest development and most promise as a result of spring practice ) , and being named a first - team All American by Walter Camp . He was named second - team All - American and All Big Ten by a numerous sports news organizations . He is one of eleven centers to become an All - American for Michigan football . The 1979 team played in the Gator Bowl , and the 1980 Big Ten Conference Champions played in the 1981 Rose Bowl . The 1981 Rose Bowl marked the first bowl game victory for Bo Schembechler . Lilja wore # 59 for the Wolverines while redshirting as a junior varsity player in 1976 and for four years as a varsity player from 1977 - 1980 . During the 1980 Purdue game , Lilja ' s jersey was ripped to the point where he could not go back out and play . When the equipment staff could not locate his backup jersey , they ripped the jersey of freshman center Doug James , put it on Lilja , and sent him back into the game wearing James ' jersey . After the game , James got calls from friends expressing surprise that the freshman had gotten playing time in a big game . Lilja ' s last game for Michigan was the 1981 Rose Bowl , which the Wolverines won 23 - 6 , over Washington . Teammate Brad Bates later recalled : " I was walking off the field with George Lilja , and he said , ' Let ' s turn around for a Kodak moment , ' . . . ' You could see that big orange backdrop against the mountains . This was Bo ' s first bowl victory . " . Professional career . Lilja was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the fourth round of the 1981 NFL Draft and played six seasons in the NFL with the Rams ( 1982 ) , New York Jets ( 1983 - 1984 ) , Cleveland Browns ( 1984 - 1986 ) , and Dallas Cowboys ( 1987 ) . Lilja suffered an injured ankle in 1981 and spent the entire year on injured reserve . He appeared in 54 NFL games and started none . He played on Marty Schottenheimer ' s 1986 Cleveland Browns who went 12 - 4 and advanced to the American Football Conference championship game against the Denver Broncos in the 1986 NFL Playoffs . Their playoff run included back - to - back overtime ( the first being double overtime ) home playoff games decided by 23 - 20 scores . The latter game is known for The Drive . George Lilja started at Left Guard for the Cleveland Browns offensive line in 1985 , the year two Cleveland Browns running backs , Kevin Mack and Earnest Byner , both rushed for a thousand yards a piece . They were the third of five running back tandems on the same team achieve that feat in one NFL season . Family and faith . Lilja is married to his wife Meg , and they have four children , Danielle , David , Bethany , and George III . Lilja is not related to Ryan Lilja . Lilja ' s parents raised him in a Christian manner with his five brothers and two sisters . Lilja has long been part of Christian athlete groups and writes and speaks about his Christian faith . He espouses the biblical quote :