2019 NFL Week 15 Predictions

The weather may be colder, but the football is only heating up from here, with many teams on the cusp of elimination. These last few weeks are the most important in any given football season, with any game being make or break. Who is going to get knocked out this week, and who is going to stay alive? Let’s find out with my picks for this weekend’s games.

Playoff Scenarios

AFC Clinching Scenarios

Ravens Clinch AFC North: Win or Steelers loss/tie

Ravens Clinch First Round Bye: Win + Patriots loss/tie, or win + Chiefs loss/tie, or tie + Chiefs loss

Ravens Clinch Home-Field Advantage: Win + Patriots loss + Chiefs loss/tie

Bills Clinch Playoff Berth: Win

Patriots Clinch Playoff Berth: Win/tie

Clinched: Ravens, Chiefs

AFC Elimination Scenarios

Broncos Eliminated: loss, or Steelers win/tie, or Titans/Texans tie

Raiders Eliminated: loss + Steelers win/tie, loss + Texans/Titans tie, or tie + Colts loss + Titans clinch at least a tie in strength of victory

Colts Eliminated: loss, or tie + Steelers win/tie

Browns Eliminated: loss + Steelers win/tie, loss + Texans/Titans tie, or tie + Steelers win

Already Eliminated: Dolphins, Jets, Bengals, Chargers, Jaguars

NFC Clinching Scenarios

Packers Clinch Playoff Berth: Win + Rams loss/tie, or tie + Rams loss

Niners Clinch Playoff Berth: Win/tie, or Rams loss/tie, or Vikings loss + Packers loss

Seahawks Clinch Playoff Berth: Win + Rams loss/tie, or win + Vikings loss, or win + Packers loss + Vikings tie, or tie + Rams loss

Clinched: Saints

NFC Elimination Scenarios

Bears Eliminated: loss + Vikings win, or loss + Rams win

Already Eliminated: Giants, Falcons, Cardinals, Lions, Redskins, Buccaneers, Panthers
Last Week’s Score: 9-7

Overall Score: 130-78

Thursday Night Football: New York Jets (5-8) @ Baltimore Ravens (11-2)

Lamar Jackson has become the second quarterback in NFL History to rush for 1,000 yards in a season. If that doesn’t give him the MVP, I don’t know what will. They had a defensive battle against the Buffalo Bills, but in the end they came out on top and clinched a spot in the playoffs. Now they control their destiny to not only win the AFC North, but can nab the #1 seed and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs with a little bit of shenanigans. The Ravens are going to do their part and crush the New York Jets.

Prediction: Ravens

Philadelphia Eagles (6-7) @ Washington Redskins (3-10)

The Redskins have finally been eliminated from playoff contention. The Redskins got beaten down and have some key injuries to Ryan Kerrigan, Derrius Guice, and Dwayne Haskins. Respect to Dwayne for his toughness, but this game proved that Washington has learned nothing from the RGIII situation. Haskins shouldn’t have been playing on that bad ankle. The Eagles beat the New York Football Giants in overtime on Monday Night Football, putting themselves in position to overtake the Dallas Cowboys and first place in the NFC East. They’ll do just that, even with a bunch of practice squad receivers. The Redskins are going to do everything in their power to hand Philly the game. Let’s hope they don’t screw it up.

Prediction: Eagles by 20

Houston Texans (8-5) @ Tennessee Titans (8-5)

Man, the Texans got smacked last week. They let the Broncos put up 38 points. Even with that loss, they’re still technically in first place of the AFC South. Now, we’ll have to see if they can hold on to that lead because they got a pivotal matchup against the Tennessee Titans. The Titans are riding a four game winning streak thanks to yet another lights-out performance from Ryan Tannehill. He completed 78% of his passes and threw for 391 yards. Honestly, he is the guy going forward in Tennessee, and if I were Mike Vrabel, I’d build the offense around him. I’m going to pick the Texans to rebound, win this game and be in position to clinch the division.

Prediction: Texans

Miami Dolphins (3-10) @ New York Giants (2-11)

For the second week in a row, the Miami Dolphins are going back to the Meadowlands. They barely lost to the Jets, but they remembered they had to preserve the tank. Now they have a super tough test in store in terms of the New York Football Giants, who have lost their ninth straight game. Right now this game is all about draft position. The Giants have the second pick, and the Dolphins have the fourth pick. In this crapfest, I’m going to pick the Giants to continue to tank and secure the second pick in the draft.

Prediction: Dolphins

Chicago Bears (7-6) @ Green Bay Packers (10-3)

I’m surprised that the 200th meeting of the NFL’s oldest rivalry isn’t on primetime television. The Chicago Bears are in a dangerous position right now. They need to win out essentially to get in the playoffs. Mitchell Trubisky has played well over the past couple of weeks, throwing for 300+ yards and leading the Bears to crucial wins over the Detroit Lions and the Dallas Cowboys. Mitch needs to play the perfect game to upend A-Rod and the Packers at home, and for Khalil Mack to be the killing machine he’s supposed to be. I’m expecting this to be a close game, and I’m going to pick the Packers to come out on top.

Prediction: Packers

New England Patriots (10-3)  @ Cincinnati Bengals (1-12)

A lot of people are giving up on New England after they lost back to back games, although this one had a little bit of referee shenanigans. Now they’re in to Cincinnati, and they’re going to easily rebound. This is basically going to be like playing a game of Madden on rookie.

Prediction: Patriots

Seattle Seahawks (10-3) @ Carolina Panthers (5-8)

The Seahawks were upset last week on Sunday Night Football, but still have a playoff spot locked up. Now they play a rebuilding Carolina Panthers, whose interim head coach will be in for a bad time. The Seahawks are going to win and win big.

Prediction: Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-7) @ Detroit Lions (3-9-1)

Jameis Winston is having the best season of his career. He is three touchdowns away from beating his career high, and already has hit his career highs in passing yards, interceptions, and sacks. Like my friend Brodie says, if they get a better defense and Jameis cuts down in his turnovers, the Bucs could be scary next year. Now they’re playing the fellow sadsack Lions, who have lost their sixth consecutive game, the second longest losing streak in the league behind the Giants. I just think that this is going to be the game where Jameis Winston looks like the franchise guy he’s supposed to be as the Bucs blow the Lions out of the water. As long as Jameis doesn’te decide to throw a b unch of picks.

Prediction: Buccaneers

Denver Broncos (5-8) @ Kansas City Chiefs (9-4)

Congratulations to the Chiefs for not only beating the Patriots, but clinching the AFC West. Everyone in the NFL rejoiced that day, and the Chiefs now have another shot at the big dance. Getting a first round bye though, will require a nice amount of shenanigans. But The Chiefs could have a tough challenge in the Denver Broncos, who have seemed to finally found their answer at quarterback in Drew Lock. If you guys remember back a couple of months ago, The Chiefs won in a close game thanks to the injury to Patrick Mahomes. Well, Pat’s healthy this time around, and I think that the wrath of Mahomes will be poured out on the Broncos. This game will not be pretty.

Prediction: Chiefs

Jacksonville Jaguars (4-9) @ Oakland Raiders (6-7)

This is an important game in the history of the Oakland Raiders. The reason is that this week’s game is the soon to be Las Vegas Raiders’ final game in Oakland before the move next year. I’m sure that the Raider Nation is going to be very appreciative and not completely boo the Raiders off the field and destroy the place. Raider fans don’t have a violent reputation or anything, the Black Hole is a shadow of what it used to be. Last week Jacksonville was murdered by the Chargers, letting Rivers not only get out of his slump, throwing for 314 yards and three touchdowns without throwing a single pick. I’m going to pick the Raiders to end their time in Oakland on a high note with a win. I just hope they get out of there as fast as they can. The hatred and rioting will be legendary.

Prediction: Raiders

Cleveland Browns (6-7) @ Arizona Cardinals (3-9-1)

Two former Heisman Trophy winning teammates at Oklahoma are going to duke it out. These teams may still be in the rebuilding stage, but this should still be a pretty entertaining game to watch. The Browns continue to have problems, with Odell allegedly wanting out of Cleveland, and Freddie Kitchens losing the team. It’s obvious that he isn’t the right answer at head coach, and the Browns will once again be on the search. The Cardinals lost a close one to the Steelers. They played well, but at the end of the day they were outcoached by Mike Tomlin. The Cardinals have the potential to be an electrifying team, it just takes some time for a proper rebuild. I’m taking the Browns to win in a shootout.

Prediction: Browns

Minnesota Vikings (9-4) @ Los Angeles Chargers (5-8)

The Chargers have been eliminated from playoff contention, and Rivers has gotten out of his slump, with back to back games with a QBR of over 100. I wish that the Chargers won a game or two more, because they’re way too talented to have this kind of record. The Vikings easily dispatched of the Detroit Lions, remaining one game behind the Packers. I’m going to pick the Vikings to beat the Chargers on the road, and get ready for a very pivotal NFC North matchup against the Packers on the night before Christmas Eve.

Prediction: Vikings

Atlanta Falcons (4-9) @ San Francisco 49ers (11-2)

The Niners and the Saints had the game of the year last week, with the Niners proving that they’re the top team in the NFC. All the Niners have to do is win this week and they’ve officially locked up a playoff berth. If the Niners beat the Rams next week, then not only have they locked up the NFC West, but they’ll all but guaranteed to have the top seed in the NFC. Atlanta beat down the Panthers and their new head coach Perry Fewell. This game isn’t going to be like the Niners-Saints game last week, but more of a complete and utter beatdown. I’m going with San Fran.

Prediction: Niners

Los Angeles Rams (8-5) @ Dallas Cowboys (6-7)

Don’t worry Cowgirl fans, Garrett will be fired after y’all lose in the divisional round. That is, if y’all even make it to the playoffs. The Dallas Cowboys have lost three games in a row, and now four of their last five games. Now they squandered what should’ve been an easy runaway division lead. The Eagles are in the driver’s seat now. Next week is pivotal because the winner of that game wins the dumpster fire that is the NFC East. The LA Rams had a statement win last week against the Seahawks, potentially ruining their chances of winning the NFC West. For both of these clubs, winning is the name of the game if they want to get to the big dance. I’m going with the LA Rams to keep up their momentum, and potentially bury the Cowboys.

Prediction: Rams

Sunday Night Football: Buffalo Bills (9-4) @ Pittsburgh Steelers (8-5)

Last week was a minor setback for the Bills, but all they have to do now is win and they’re in for the second time this millennium, and the second time in three years. This is the best Buffalo has looked in years, and with a mountain of shenanigans, The Bills could win the AFC East and get a first round bye in the playoffs. They have a tough test in a battered but still valiant Pittsburgh Steelers squad with their third string QB, Devlin ‘Duck’ Hodges. Hodges. Honestly, my pick for coach of the year this year is Mike Tomlin. Why? Because he’s lost his megastar running back and receiver in the off-season, his starting and backup quarterbacks, and James Connor, yet still has the Steelers in the thick of the playoff hunt. This game is going to be a tight defensive battle, but I’m going to pick the Bills to lock up a playoff spot.

Prediction: Bills

Monday Night Football: Indianapolis Colts (6-7)  New Orleans Saints (10-3)

The Saints came up short in a game for the ages. More than 130 first downs, 900 combined yards, and 93 combined points. Wow. What a game. They still have a chance at possibly getting a first round bye, but still don’t have much to worry about in the playoff scope since they’ve already clinched the NFC South. Now they play the Colts, who are in ‘win now mode,’ because the next game they lose, they are done. They lost to the Buccaneers in a shootout last week, even with Jameis’ attempt at giving them the game. I’m going to go with the New Orleans Saints to eliminate the Colts, and try to get the second seed in the NFC.

Prediction: Saints

The Life & Legacy of Gale Sayers

Gale Sayers is the example of someone’s career being cut down in his prime. Alongside Barry Sanders, Sayers can hold the claim to be arguably the most elusive runner in the history of the NFL, constantly making people miss with his blazing speed, which earned him the nickname ‘The Kansas Comet.’ Like a comet, his greatness left many defenders in the dust, and he was already gone before we could truly appreciate his talent. Here is a look at the life and legacy of Gale Sayers.

Early Life & College Career

Gale Eugene Sayers was born on May 30, 1943 in Wichita, Kansas, but was raised in Omaha, Nebraska. His family was very athletic, with his younger brother Ron eventually playing for the San Diego Chargers, and his older brother Roger a successful track and field athlete. Gale lettered in football and track at Omaha Central High School, and set a state record with a 24 foot, 10.5 inch long jump. Sayers was recruited by several schools before settling with the University of Kansas. In a 2010 interview, Sayers said he initially wanted to go to the University of Iowa, but decided against it after coach Jerry Burns didn’t have time to meet with him during a visit. As a sophomore for the Jayhawks, he led the Big Eight and was second in the NCAA in rushing, with 1,125 yards. In one notable game against Oklahoma State, Sayers ran for a then record 283 yards. In 1963, Sayers set an NCAA record with a 99 yard touchdown run, and finished the season with 917 yards and was named an All-American. In his senior season, he had 1,142 all purpose yards and was named an All-American. The Jayhawks later retired his #48 jersey.

Chicago Bears

Gale Sayers was drafted fourth overall by the Chicago Bears in 1965, and was also drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFL Draft. After taking some time, Sayers decided to play for George Halas’ Bears. In his rookie season, he scored a then record 22 total touchdowns, 14 rushing, six receiving, and two punt/kick return touchdowns, with 2,272 all purpose yards. One notable game his rookie year was against the San Francisco 49ers, where he scored 6 rushing touchdowns in a 61-20 rout. He was also named rookie of the year. In his second year, he led the NFL with 1,231 rushing yards. He also led the team in receiving, with 34 catches, 447 yards and 6 touchdowns. He became the first halfback to win the rushing title since 1949. In 1967, Sayers shared the workload with good friend Brian Piccolo, who was diagnosed with embryonal cell carcinoma, an aggressive form of germ cell testicular cancer. Their friendship was the inspiration of the movie Brian’s Song, where Sayers was portrayed by the future Lando Calrissian, Billy Dee Williams. Even though he was splitting carries, Sayers still ran for 880 yards, and returned four punts and kickoffs for touchdowns. In the 1968 season, Sayers started strong with a 205 yard game against the Green Bay Packers. However, the next week against the San Francisco 49ers, he tore several ligaments, including his ACL, MCL, and his meniscus in his right knee. Despite that, he ran for 856 yards in nine games and was named a first-team All-Pro. In 1969, Sayers came back and was the only player to run for more than 1,000 yards and was named the NFL’s comeback player of the year. In the 1970 preseason, Sayers suffered bone bruises on his left knee. These bruises hampered Sayers a great deal, so much so that he sat out four games, then played another game before sitting out the rest of the season after surgery. During his time off, he took classes to become a stockbroker. After more surgery and rehab, Sayers attempted a comeback in 1971. In his first game back, he carried the ball 8 times for 30 yards. The next week against the Niners, Sayers had an ankle injury that ultimately ended his career. Gale’s final statistics are 991 carries, 4,956 rushing yards and 70 touchdowns. He also had 112 catches, 1,307 yards and 9 touchdowns, along with eight kick return touchdowns. In 1973, he married Ardythe Bullard. Twenty-one years later in 1994, the Bears retired his #40 jersey alongside former teammate Dick Butkus’ #51.

Later Years

After retiring from football, Sayers worked in the athletic department at his alma mater for a few years before accepting an athletic director’s gig at Southern Illinois University Carbondale in 1976, a position he would hold until 1981. Three years later, Sayers founded the Crest Computer Supply Company in the Chicago area. It was later renamed Sayers 40 Incorporated, a technology consulting and implementation firm serving Fortune 1000 companies nationally with offices in Vernon Hills, Illinois, Canton Hills, Massachusetts, Clearwater, Florida, and Atlanta, Georgia. He currently serves as the chairman of the company. In September 2013, Sayers sued the NFL for negligence for treatment for concussions. In March 2017, it was revealed by his wife Ardythe that Gale was diagnosed with dementia in 2013.

Legacy

In 1977, Sayers was inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame alongside Frank Gifford, Forrest Gregg, Bill Willis, and Bart Starr. A fun fact about Sayers, is that he holds the distinct honor of being the youngest person ever inducted into the Hall of Fame, with him being 34 at the time. Many people regarded Sayers’ running style as peerless in the open field. He had blazing speed, running the 100 yard dash in 9.7 seconds. Billy Dee Williams, who played Sayers in Brian’s Song, called his running style to that of ballet or poetry. The only other running back who has that level of fluidity, speed, and the ability to cut on a dime, is fellow Hall of Famer Barry Sanders. Sayers is still regarded as one of the greatest players in Chicago Bears history, and is the ultimate story of what could’ve been. If there were some of the medical advancements during the 1960s like they have today, who knows how much greater Gale Sayers could’ve been.

 

The Life & Legacy of Dick Butkus

In honor of Halloween being tomorrow, this week’s legend has garnered the reputation to be one of the most feared players in the history of the NFL. Butkus was one of the meanest, and most respected players of all time, along with Joe Greene, Jack Lambert, Ray Lewis, and Lawrence Taylor. He was the heart and soul of the Chicago Bears defense during a time when the Bears were not very good at all. Although his career was cut short, his legacy still reverberates today when we see violent players in the league. Here’s a look back at the life & legacy of Dick Butkus

Early Life & Collegiate Career

Richard Marvin Butkus was born on December 9, 1942 in Chicago, Illinois. He was the youngest of eight, and he grew up in the Roseland neighborhood on the south side. His dad worked for the Pullman-Standard Railroad Company, and his mom worked 50 hours per week at a laundromat. He was a fan of the Chicago Cardinals and his older brother tried out for the team, but didn’t make the cut due to a bad knee. While in high school, Dick worked with his brothers as part of a moving company. He also played football at Vocational High School in Chicago as a punter, linebacker, fullback and kicker, excelling at fullback and linebacker. In his first year on the varsity team, Vocational surrendered only 55 points in eight games. He accepted a scholarship to the University of Illinois, the alma mater of such Chicago greats as Red Grange and George Halas. While he was a student at the U of I, he got married to Helen Essenburg. Butkus played center and linebacker, and was a huge part of the Illini’s Rose Bowl win against Washington in 1964, and was named the team’s MVP. According to the university, Butkus had 374 tackles in his three seasons, 97 in 1962, 145 in 1963, and 132 in 1964. Illinois later retired his #50 jersey, with the only other jersey retired at Illinois belonging to fellow Bears Hall of Famer Red Grange.

NFL’s Most Feared Player

The Chicago Bears selected Butkus with the third overall pick in the 1965 NFL Draft, and The Denver Broncos picked him with the ninth overall pick in the AFL Draft. The Bears also selected Hall of Fame running back Gale Sayers with the second of their three top 10 first round picks. The Bears offered Butkus less money, but they landed him because he wanted to play for his hometown team. As a rookie, Butkus replaced Hall of Fame linebacker Bill George, who went to the LA Rams. Butkus made an immediate impact as a rookie, with five picks and six recovered fumbles. He finished third in the rookie of the year voting, which was won by fellow teammate Gale Sayers. He was voted as a first team All-Pro and went to his first of eight straight pro bowls. The next season, Butkus was a second team All-Pro, and he would be an All-Pro for the rest of his career.  In that 1969 season, Butkus scored his first points, sacking Steelers quarterback Dick Shriner in the endzone for a safety. In that game, he had 25 tackles as the Bears recorded their only win of the season. In 1969 and 1970, Butkus was voted to be the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year. in 1970, Butkus appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated with the caption “The Most Feared Man in the Game,” and a panel of coaches also said that if they were starting a team from the ground up, they’d build it around Butkus. Before the 1971 season, Butkus underwent preventative surgery on his right knee. He had torn ligaments all the way back in high school, but kept playing anyway due to strong muscles. Butkus had 117 tackles that season along with four interceptions. One famous moment is against the Washington Redskins, where the Bears lined up for a PAT. after a botched snap, the kicker threw the ball to Butkus in the endzone for the game winning score. Butkus later said that it was his favorite play of his career. Despite having a ton of tackles, Butkus wasn’t named as an All-Pro that season. In 1972, there was some controversy after Butkus published Stop-Action, a memoir covering the last week of the 1971 season. The Bears lost the final five games and Butkus used this as an outlet to vent his frustrations. In particular, Butkus eviscerated the Detroit Lions. After the Lions beat the Bears in 1972, linebacker Mike Lucci told Butkus to shut up and play football. He had another productive year, and he was elected his final Pro Bowl. In the 1973 season, Butkus pounced on a fumble against the Houston Oilers for the only touchdown of his career. However, his season was cut short after nine games due to a lingering right knee injury. This injury forced him to retire in 1974 at the age of 31.

Later Years

Butkus’ retirement came with four years left on his contract, which would give him $115,000 per year until 1977 along with a no trade or no cut clause, and was payable if surgery was needed. The contract also included necessary hospital and medical care, which Butkus said that he was denied. This led to a lawsuit against the Chicago Bears’ team doctor, asking for $600,0000 in compensatory damages, and $1 Million in punitive damages. It was settled out of court when the Bears agreed to pay him his contract in full. This caused a rift between the Bears, Halas, and Butkus. They weren’t on speaking terms for five years. In 1979, Butkus was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame alongside Yale Lary, Ron Mix, and Johnny Unitas After his retirement, Butkus became an actor and did various endorsements. Some movies he was in include The Longest Yard, Superdome, Spontaneous Combustion, Gremlins 2: The New Batch, and Any Given Sunday. He endorsed Prestone, a brand of antifreeze as well as Miller Lite. In 1985, Dick Butkus made his return to Chicago as a color analyst. He teamed with Wayne Larrivee and former Cardinals QB Jim Hart. In 1988, he went to CBS’ NFL Today for a year. He was originally going to be the head coach of the XFL’s Chicago Enforcers, but was replaced by Ron Meyer. He also founded the Butkus Foundation, which has helped create the Dick Butkus Center for Cardiovascular Wellness. He served as the league’s director of competition and color commentator for regional broadcasts. In August 2001, Butkus underwent quintuple bypass surgery to remove blockages in his arteries. After the surgery, he co-authored the OC Cure for my Heart with Dr. Lawrence J. Santora, who performed the surgery. Butkus is still married to his wife, and they had three kids; Matt, Ryan, and Nikki. Matt played as a lineman at USC and helps his dad out with philanthropy.  His nephew Lucas is an assistant offensive line coach for the Green Bay Packers. Even today, he is still an avid fan of Chicago sports, and is an icon in the Second City.

Legacy

USA Today called Butkus the standard by which all other middle linebackers are measured.Butkus quickly gained a reputation as one of the league’s meanest, and most violent players of all time. He snarled at players before the snap, and even on one occasion, poked an opposing player in the eye. Another example of Butkus’ violence is a game against the Minnesota Vikings. Butkus intercepted Fran Tarkenton, and rather than get the touchdown, he ran him over. Rather than put up points, he would want to hurt the opposing player. Another one I thought was both funny and horrifying was back in 1969, a Lions player called Butkus overrated. Understandably mad at this, Butkus chased him out of bounds and into the stands at Wrigley Field. To put it lightly, he was a killing machine. The NFL Network named Butkus the tenth greatest player of all time, as well as the most feared tackler. In 1985, the Butkus award was created, which honored the best linebacker in college, high school, and the pros. Now that you know a little bit about Butkus, I’ll leave you with a question: Who do you think is the most feared player in NFL History? Let me know in the comments, and have a happy Halloween!

The Life & Legacy of Bronko Nagurski

Bronko Nagurski was another one of the NFL’s earliest stars, being renowned for his strength and size. Not only was he hall of fame football player, but he was also a renowned professional wrestler, winning multiple World Heavyweight Championships. He was a major part of Chicoago’s success during the Great Depression, and the NFL’s first dominant runner. Here’s a look back at the life and legacy of Bronko Nagurski.
Early Life
Bronislau ‘Bronko’ Nagurski was born in Rainy River, Ontario Canada on November 3, 1908. At the age of five, his family moved to International Falls, Minnesota. Growing up, Bronko helped out on his family’s farm, delivering groceries and working in the lumber yards as a teen. Bronko was signed to the University of Minnesota by coach Clarence Spears, who was in International Falls to meet with a different player. Spears saw Bronko using a plow without assistance, and legend has it that Spears asked for directions and Bronko used the plow to point the way, although Coach Spears admitted that he made the story up.
University of Minnesota
On the first day of practice, Spears tested Bronko on the ‘nutcracker drill,’ something similar to the Oklahoma drills except the defender took on two blockers instead of one. Going up against two All-Big Ten lineman, Bronko split through them and drove the fullback into a blocking dummy. Bronko did the same thing against three players, and Coach Spears knew he had a superstar. Nagurski became a renowned two way player, as a tackle on defense and a fullback on offense. His finest moment as a college player would be the 1928 finale against Wisconsin. He was wearing a corset to protect a cracked vertebrae, he recovered a fumble deep in the end zone, then had six straight carries for the go-ahead score, and caught a game sealing interception. In 1929, Bronko was a consensus All-American fullback, running for 737 yards, while also being named on some All-America teams at tackle, despite playing less games than others. Grantland Rice, a renowned sportswriter in that day, listed Bronko at two positions on his All-America team in 1929. In his three years at Minnesota, they had an 18-4-2 record, and won the Big Ten Championship in 1927. In 1951, Bronko was inducted into the charter class for the College Football Hall of Fame. His #72 jersey was later retired at the University of Minnesota.
Chicago Bears
Bronko made his NFL debut for the Chicago Bears in 1930, and was a dominant force at 6’2, 235 lbs. He was often the largest person on the field, completely dominating anyone who was in his way. One notable story of Bronko’s NFL career was during a run against the Washington Redskins, he split between two linebackers, stomped a DB, and ran over a safety, as well as cracking the wall at Wrigley Field. Many people doubt the validity of that statement, but still shows how dominant he was as a runner. He was the 1930’s version of Beastmode, dragging defenders with him after every run. From 1932-1934, Bronko was selected as an All-Pro fullback, and played for a few more years in Chicago before retiring to focus on wrestling full time. In 1936, he married his high school sweetheart Eileen Kane on December 28, 1936. They had five kids, Bronko Jr., Tony, Kevin, Genie, and Janice. Bronko Jr. played college football at Notre Dame, and became an all-star with the Canadian Football League’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
Wrestling Career
While playing football, Bronko was also building a reputation as a professional wrestler. Tony Stecher, brother of former world boxing champion Joe Stecher, introduced Bronko to professional wrestling and was his manager. He beat Tag Tagerson in his in-ring debut. In 1939, Bronko defeated the legendary Lou Thesz to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. He held it for 258 days before losing it to Ray Steele. He won it again after a year, but lost it to Sándor Szábo. He kept wrestling until he officially retired in 1960.
Return to Chicago and Coaching
In 1943, Bronko came out of retirement at the age of 35 as a tackle, before playing fullback in the 1943 NFL Championship Game against the Washington Redskins, which Chicago won. He retired for a second time, and became the backfield coach for the UCLA Bruins, but resigned after a year to go back to his farm. He briefly returned to football as the General Manager for the Tennessee semi-pro Sylvan Park Dead Cherokees. Bronko’s #3 jersey was later retired by the Chicago Bears.
Later Years
After retiring from wrestling, he went home to International Falls and opened a service station. In 1963, he was one of the seventeen charter members of the inaugural Pro Football Hall of Fame Class. Legend has it that he had the best business in town because he’d screw the gas caps on so tightly nobody else could get them off. At the age of 70, he retired from doing that and moved to Rainy Lake on the US-Canada border. In 1984, he did the opening coin toss for Super Bowl XVIII. He lived out the rest of his days quietly and he passed away on January 7, 1990 at the age of 81.
Legacy
Bronko has a very distinct honor of being part of the charter class of the College Football Hall of Fame, and the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Bronko was ranked #19 on the NFL’s Top 100 Greatest Players, and he helped bring more eyes to the NFL thanks to his massive size. After he passed in 1990, the city of International Falls, Minnesota opened the Bronko Nagurski museum. In 1999, the NCAA named Bronko as starting defensive tackle on their all century team, and was rated by ESPN as the 17th greatest college football player of all time. As for his professional wrestling accolades, he was inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2011, as well as the Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame in 1996. Bronko Nagurski was a megastar both on the gridiron and the squared circle, helping provide popularity to both respective fields. Although he may have only had eight or so years on the field, Bronko was a force to be reckoned with, and should go down as one of the most dominant players of all time.