Jim Podoley

Jim Podoley

No. 24
Positions	Halfback, end
Personal information
Born	(1933-09-16)September 16, 1933 Mount Morris, Michigan, U.S.
Died	January 24, 2010(2010-01-24) (aged 76) Bowie, Maryland, U.S.
Listed height	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Listed weight	200 lb (91 kg)
Career information
High school	Mount Morris
College	Central Michigan (1953–1956)
NFL draft	1957: 4th round, 40th overall pick
Career history
Washington Redskins (1957–1960) New York Giants (1961)*
* Offseason or practice squad member only
Awards and highlights
Pro Bowl (1957) Second-team Little All-American (1956) Central Michigan Chippewas No. 62 retired
Career NFL statistics
Rushing yards 746 Rushing average 3.6 Receptions 78 Receiving yards 1,461 Total touchdowns 13 Stats at Pro Football Reference

James "Poodles" Podoley (September 16, 1933 – January 24, 2010) was an American professional football halfback and end who spent four seasons with the Washington Redskins in the National Football League (NFL).

College career

Born in Mount Morris, Michigan, Podoley played college football at Central Michigan University. Podoley was also an All-American jumper and hurdler for the Central Michigan Chippewas track and field team. He finished seventh in the long jump and 220 yards hurdles at the 1954 NCAA track and field championships.

Professional career

Often called "Poodles" because of his last name, Podoley was selected in the fourth round of the 1957 NFL draft. At 24, Podoley had an impressive debut as the leader of the so-called Papoose Backfield that featured fellow Redskins rookies Don Bosseler, 21, and halfback Ed Sutton, 22. He accounted for 996 of the 2,260 yards that the threesome gained from scrimmage and six of their 19 touchdowns, a performance that earned him a roster spot in the Pro Bowl game.

Hobbled by various injuries, Podoley never fully regained his early form in the next three seasons. In July 1961, he was involved in a three-team trade with the Redskins, Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants. The Giants acquired Podoley and end Joe Walton from the Redskins, the Redskins obtained end Fred Dugan from the Cowboys and placekicker John Aveni, end Jerry Daniels and defensive halfback Dave Whitsell from the Giants and the Cowboys received placekicker Allen Green as well as a sixth-round draft from the Giants, a pick that was used to draft George Andrie one year later. However, Podoley never played for the Giants after he opted for retirement at 27 years of age because of football-related health issues.

Podoley died from melanoma on January 24, 2010, at the age of 76 in Bowie, Maryland. He was survived by his wife of 53 years, Patricia, along with four children and nine grandchildren.

NFL career statistics

Legend
	Led the league
Bold	Career high

Year	Team	Games		Rushing					Receiving
		GP	GS	Att	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD	Rec	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD
1957	WAS	12	12	114	442	3.9	33	2	27	554	20.5	82	4
1958	WAS	10	7	48	169	3.5	9	0	16	381	23.8	66	4
1959	WAS	11	5	18	83	4.6	25	0	18	282	15.7	48	2
1960	WAS	10	7	29	52	1.8	9	0	17	244	14.4	41	1
		43	31	209	746	3.6	33	2	78	1,461	18.7	82	11

External links

• Obituary