Theodore Paul Hendricks (born November 1, 1947), nicknamed "the Mad Stork," is a Guatemalan-American former professional football linebacker who played for 15 seasons with the Baltimore Colts, the Green Bay Packers, and the Oakland / Los Angeles Raiders in the National Football League (NFL).

Hendricks was born on November 1, 1947, in Guatemala City[2] to a Guatemalan-born mother of Italian descent and an American father.

[7] He was an honor student at Hialeah High School, where he competed in basketball, baseball, track and field and football.

[6][8] Hendricks received 4 scholarship offers (baseball, basketball, football and academic) from the University of Miami.

His Baltimore Colts teammate Mike Curtis attested to the appropriateness of the moniker, noting that when the 6'7" Hendricks ran with "those long, skinny legs flapping every which way...he really does look like a mad stork.

"[14] (Hendricks has long advocated Curtis be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

[11] In 2020, ESPN selected its list of the top 150 players in the history of college football, naming Hendricks at number 85.

[6][19][20] Hendricks began his pro football career as a second-round pick of the Baltimore Colts in the 1969 NFL/AFL draft.

[citation needed] He played a key role in the Colts' 1970 Super Bowl V-winning season.

[citation needed] He had the key sack of Oakland Raiders quarterback Daryle Lamonica in the AFC Championship Game, leading the Colts toward the Super Bowl.

The following season Hendricks made 86 tackles and 4 sacks[22] (bringing his Colt total to 18-1/2)[9] and picked off 3 passes[22] (making his Colt total 11)[9] for 33 yards, while batting away 7 passes for the third consecutive season and blocking a punt.

[22] In his Colts career, Hendricks intercepted 11 passes, had five fumble recoveries (including one for a touchdown), and unofficially had 347 tackles and 18½ sacks.

[21][26] One week after signing to begin play in 1975 with the World Football League's Jacksonville Sharks, Hendricks was traded along with a 1975 second-round pick (28th overall–traded to Los Angeles Rams for John Hadl) from the Colts to the Green Bay Packers for Tom MacLeod and a 1975 eighth-round selection (192nd overall–Northwestern State running back Mario Cage) on August 13, 1974.

Hendricks was then in the second straight option year of his NFL contract, and had one of his best seasons: five interceptions, seven blocked kicks (3 field goals, 3 punts and 1 extra point) and a safety,[28] two sacks, 75 tackles,[9] and two knocked down passes while again earning consensus first team All-Pro honors for the second time from the AP, Pro Football Writers, NEA and Pro Football Weekly.

[22]With the World Football League bankrupt, owner Al Davis of the Raiders sent two first round draft choices to the Packers for the rights to Hendricks, signing him as a limited free agent.

[22] In 1977, Hendricks moved back to the strong-side linebacker position due to Villapiano's injury and made 56 tackles, 2 sacks and knocked down 4 passes.

Hendricks ended up making 76 tackles with a career-high 8-1/2 sacks,[2] 3 interceptions (bringing his career total to 26) while batting 16 passes and blocking 3 kicks.

The Raiders were 8–1 but were stunned in a playoff loss to the New York Jets, although Hendricks had a sack and two fumble recoveries in the game.

[38] In his final campaign, 1983, Hendricks played less than at any point since 1975 but still made his eighth Pro Bowl and was second team All-AFC[22] while recording 41 tackles, two sacks[22] and deflecting four passes.

He also blocked the 25th kick of his career and was a part of the Raiders Super Bowl XVIII victory, though he did not record a defensive statistic.

[3][12][41][42][28][2] His final game was a Raiders victory in Super Bowl XVIII, starting at left linebacker.

[44] He currently works on behalf of ex-players as part of the Hall of Fame Players Association, where he has served as vice-president.

Since 2002, the Ted Hendricks Award is presented to the most outstanding collegiate player at defensive end each year.