IRVING, Texas (AP) — Paul Wiggin, the former Stanford and Cleveland Browns star who was on the losing end of “The Play” coaching star quarterback John Elway and the Cardinal, died Friday. He was 91.
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.
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 played for Stanford from 1954-56. He was a two-time All-America selection as a defensive tackle and was was selected the school's Defensive Player of the Century in fan voting.
“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 was drafted in the fourth round by Browns in 1957 and played his entire 11-year NFL career with the franchise, never missing a game and earning two Pro Bowl selections. He helped the Browns win the 1964 NFL title.
Wiggin was an assistant with the San Francisco 49ers from 1968-74 before being taking over as head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs in 1975. He replaced Hall of Fame coach Hank Stram and had a 11-24 record before being fired during the 1977 season.
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.
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FILE - Paul Wiggin, defensive tackle for Stanford 1954-56, talks to a local radio station at a reception for players being enshrined into the College Football Hall of Fame, Aug. 10, 2006, in South Bend, Ind. (AP Photo/Joe Raymond, File)
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — Republican U.S. Sen. Steve Daines of Montana dropped his bid for reelection to a third term in a surprise withdrawal just minutes before a Wednesday filing deadline for candidates.
Daines, 63, said in a statement that he wrestled with the decision for months before deciding to retire. He said he looked forward to spending time with his seven grandchildren and more time in Montana.
Montana U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme, who is also a Republican, entered the race shortly before the deadline for major party candidates in the state to file for the November election.
Almost immediately he was endorsed by President Donald Trump, who also praised Daines — and essentially confirmed the senator’s role in engineering Alme to become as his successor.
“Sadly for our Country, Steve’s Term is up,” Trump said, “and he has decided to leave the Senate and, ‘pass the torch’ to Kurt Alme, my TRUMP 45 and TRUMP 47 U.S. Attorney.”
Other lawmakers have also used last-minute withdrawals to set up a handpicked successor. Last fall the House censured Rep. Chuy Garcia, an Illinois Democrat, for how he engineered his retirement and succession plan.
The maneuvering among Republicans in Montana came on the same day that former University of Montana President Seth Bodnar launched an independent campaign for Daines’ seat.
Democrats have been broadly sidelined by the state’s voters in recent years, and Bodnar’s decision to run without party backing underscores their diminished status. Montana Democrats control no statewide offices following the 2024 defeat of three-term incumbent Sen. Jon Tester.
No well-known Democrats entered the Senate race by Wednesday’s deadline.
Republicans have a slim majority in the Senate, holding 53 seats to Democrats’ 45 plus two independents.
Daines is the 15th senator to announce his retirement since the 2024 election, the most in any single term going back to 2013.
“Prior to public service, I spent 28 years in the private sector. While I found those years very rewarding, they didn’t compare to the fulfillment I’ve found in public service,” Daines said in a statement. “I’m energized, encouraged, and ready for what comes next.”
Bodnar, a 47-year-old native of Grove City, Pennsylvania, graduated first in his class from West Point and served in the Army special forces before working as an executive at GE Transportation.
In a video message, he said America’s political system is broken and elected officials in Washington are looking out only for people who are wealthy and connected.
“The American dream is getting crushed, and both parties are to blame. They pit us against each other while they line their own pockets,” Bodnar said. “We need a new approach, an independent senator who will fight for hardworking Montanans.”
The GOP’s Senate fundraising group, the National Republican Senatorial Committee, criticized Bodnar as “an early champion” of allowing transgender athletes to participate in college sports during his eight years leading the University of Montana.
“Now, Both Ways Bodnar wants Montanans to believe he’s transitioning from a Democrat to a fake independent,” the committee said.
A spokesperson said Bodnar’s allegiances are to the people of Montana, not a political party, when asked if he would align with Democrats or Republicans if elected.
“When Seth gets into the Senate, he will fight for new leadership and negotiate a role that gives Montanans the strongest possible voice,” Roy Loewenstein said.
If he collects the 13,327 voter signatures needed to qualify, Bodnar would appear on the general election ballot, not during the primary.
Federal Election Commission campaign filings show Daines had raised more than $8 million since his last election in 2020. He had about $5 million in cash on hand as of Dec. 31, according to the filings.
If the race heats up, it could be pricey. Total spending in the 2024 Senate race between Tester and Republican Tim Sheehy topped $300 million, a record for a congressional race on a per-voter basis, according to party officials.
Daines was an executive at Right Now Technologies before his election to the House in 2012.
He served one term before a successful 2014 run for the Senate seat formerly held by Democrat Max Baucus. Daines won by a wide margin over a little-known opponent after Baucus’ would-be Democratic successor, former Lt. Gov. John Walsh, dropped out of the race following reports that he plagiarized parts of his thesis while attending the U.S. Army War College.
In 2020, Daines beat Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock by 10 percentage points. At that time the campaign was the most expensive in Montana political history.
Associated Press writers Bill Barrow in Atlanta and Maya Sweedler in Washington contributed.
FILE - Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., speaks at the Senate Finance Committee confirmation hearing for Scott Bessent, President-elect Donald Trump's choice to be Secretary of the Treasury, at the Capitol in Washington, Jan. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis, File)
FILE - University of Montana President Seth Bodnar speaks during spring commencement at the Adams Center in Missoula, Mont., on May 10, 2025. (Ben Allan Smith/The Missoulian via AP, File)
FILE - University of Montana President Seth Bodnar, right, and his wife, Dr. Chelsea Bodnar, ride in the university's homecoming parade in Missoula, Mont., Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025. (Ben Allan Smith/The Missoulian via AP, File)
