William “the Refrigerator” Perry is one of the most recognizable and well known defensive lineman to have ever played in the NFL. This is largely due to a one yard touchdown run he had in Super Bowl XX as the game was already decided. The 330 pound fullback plowed through the Patriots defense and created a legend.
Perry is remembered as an all time great because he had the ability to be a run stuffing defensive tackle and a short yardage blocker for Walter Payton. Had Perry been one of these things his career would have been largely unnoticed. Perry was never a stellar Defender but was definitely an asset to the Bears. Perry had his best year in his second season, 1986; Perry had 84 tackles a mark he would never reach again.
The Green Bay Packers have started using their 337 pound nose tackle B.J. Raji as a power formation blocker in the playoffs and we may see a new wrinkle in that set that allows Raji the opportunity to touch the ball. At least that is what Raji is hoping for, after returning an interception in the conference championship game Raji has dubbed himself the “freezer”. Raji took an errant Caleb Hanie pass to the end zone and he looked impressive doing it, making some wonder if he could actually carry the ball. Raji became the heaviest NFL player to score a touchdown on that play breaking the mark established by Perry.
If Packers coach Mike McCarthy calls on Raji like Perry he will become a national sensation overnight, celebrated for his unusual accomplishment and skill set possessed by few players his size. Few players are celebrated for a one yard rush but Raji could etch his place in football lore if he can cross the goal line coming out of the backfield. We will have to wait in anticipation to see if Raji’s first touch on offense is as spectacular as Perry’s shuffle into the end zone 25 years ago, but I would suspect it won’t be graceful and the celebration will be wild and boisterous.
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