Streator High School renames football field after legend Doug Dieken

Streator High School’s football field now officially shares its namesake with NFL legend and native Streatorite Doug Dieken.

Dieken played 14 seasons in the NFL, all for the Cleveland Browns and was their radio color analyst from the time he retired in 1985 through 2021 before he retired for a second time.

“When they called me and told me I said I was humbled and I am,” Dieken said. “This is a great honor.”

Dieken graduated from Streator High School in 1967, where he was a multi-sport athlete but most of all an all-state receiver for the Bulldogs. From there, he moved to the tight end position for the University of Illinois where he was named team MVP and made First Team All Big 10.

The Cleveland Browns drafted Dieken in the sixth round of the 1971 NFL Draft and moved him to offensive tackle, where he started every single game every season except his first season. Even there, he played all 14 games.

Dieken was joined on the field by his friends and family, which included some former classmates whether they played with him on the field or not. He even received congratulations from University of Illinois Head Coach Bret Bielema

Streator Athletic Director Nick McGurk said there wasn’t a question of who to name the stadium after.

“You have conversations about who the best football players or who are the best athletes to come out of Streator High School, those Mt. Rushmore conversations,” McGurk said. “We can all agree or disagree on that but everybody has Doug Dieken on that list.”

McGurk said over 125 people came together to make this happen because that’s what Streator does: When something needs to be done, people come together.

Come together they did: Thousands of fans crowded into the newly christened Doug Dieken Stadium Friday night for a rivalry game that dates back to 1894.

McGurk also said Streator’s welding class will be creating a plaque to place on a pedestal near the field’s north gate, which will be ready by the spring.