All the way famous

With the passing of Merlin Olsen, I’ve a hard time coming up with a list of native Utahn sports figures who became as famous as he did.

Others who might be on such a list are LaVell Edwards, Dick Motta and Steve Young (born in Salt Lake), though none is likely as famous as Olsen. Scott Mitchell was a Springville native who went on to start in the NFL. So did Rulon Jones and Hal Garner. Bruce Hardy was famous for a few years.

But Olsen was not only a 14-time Pro Bowl selection, he won an MVP as a defensive lineman.

There are plenty of non-native Utah sports figures who got famous: Jim McMahon, Ty Detmer, Danny Ainge, Andrew Bogut, Karl Malone, John Stockton, Urban Meyer, George Seifert, Billy McGill, Steve Smith and others.

Can you think of any Utah born sports figures who went on to become as famous as Olsen?