years death_place death_date databasefootball birth_place teams stats article_title position birth_date probowls pfr draftedpick college draftedround draftedyear
1975-1978 1979 salisbury , north carolina 12 july 2012 elamcle01 memphis , tennessee san francisco 49ers detroit lions y cleveland elam
 defensive tackle 5 april 1952 2 elamcl00 85 tennessee state 4 1975
cleveland elam

cleveland elam -lrb- april 5 , 1952 -- july 12 , 2012 -rrb- was a former american football defensive tackle who played for the san francisco 49ers and the detroit lions in an injury-shortened five-year career that lasted from 1975 to 1979 in the national football league .
teaming with cedric hardman , jimmy webb and tommy hart , the 49ers gold rush defensive line led the nfl in sacks during the 1976 season .
elam had 14.5 sacks in 1976 and led the team with 17.5 sacks in 1977 .
elam played college football at tennessee state university and was drafted in the fourth round of the 1975 nfl draft by the 49ers .
he was a two time pro bowler in 1976 and 1977 .
elam died on july 12 , 2012 survived by his wife blanche and four children .
