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Paul Nathan Seal (born February 27, 1952) is an American former professional football player. He played college football as a tight end for the University of Michigan from 1971 to 1973 and professional football as a tight end in the National Football League (NFL) for the New Orleans Saints from 1974 to 1976 and for the San Francisco 49ers from 1977 to 1979. In his six-year NFL career, Seal totaled 106 receptions, 1,586 receiving yards and seven touchdowns.[1]
 Seal from 1974 Michiganensian | |||||||||
| No. 84, 85 | |||||||||
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| Position: | Tight end | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | February 27, 1952 Detroit, Michigan, U.S. | ||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 222 lb (101 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Pershing (MI) | ||||||||
| College: | Michigan | ||||||||
| NFL draft: | 1974 / round: 2 / pick: 36 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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Seal was born in Detroit, Michigan, in 1952. He attended Pershing High School in Detroit.[1]
Seal enrolled at the University of Michigan in 1970 and played college football as a tight end for Bo Schembechler's Michigan Wolverines football teams from 1971 to 1973.[2]
As a junior, Seal started all 12 games at tight end for the 1972 Michigan Wolverines football team that compiled a 10-1 record, outscored opponents 264-57, and finished the season ranked #6 in the final AP Poll.[3] Playing for a run-oriented offense, Seal was the leading receiver for the 1972 Wolverines with 18 receptions for 243 yards and three touchdowns.[4]
As a senior, Seal started all 11 games at tight end, was a team co-captain and was voted the Most Valuable Player on the undefeated 1973 Michigan Wolverines football team that compiled a 10-0-1 record, outscored opponents 330–68, and finished the season ranked #6 in the final AP Poll.[5] For the second straight year, Seal was Michigan's leading receiver with 14 catchers for 254 yards and three touchdowns.[4] At the end of the 1973 season, Seal was selected by the United Press International (UPI) as the second-team tight end on the 1973 College Football All-America Team.[6]
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Seal was selected by the New Orleans Saints in the second round (36th overall pick) of the 1974 NFL draft.[1] Seal was also the top draft pick of the Detroit Wheels of the World Football League, but he opted to sign with the Saints in April 1974.[7] He played three seasons with the Saints from 1974 to 1976. As a rookie in 1974, Seal appeared in 14 games and had career highs with 32 receptions, 466 receiving yards, and three receiving touchdowns.[1] In 1975, Seal was the Saints' starting tight end in all 14 games and totaled 28 receptions, 414 receiving yards, and one touchdown.[1]
In early September 1977, the Saints traded Seal to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for offensive lineman John Watson.[8] Seal played for the 49ers for three seasons from 1977 to 1979, appearing in 43 games, nine as a starter, and totaled 37 receptions for 634 receiving yards and three touchdowns.[1] Seal's longest reception of his NFL career came on a 47-yard touchdown bomb from Jim Plunkett in December 1977 against the Dallas Cowboys.[1][9]
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