E. J. Holub

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E. J. Holub
Date of birth January 5, 1938
Place of birth Flag of the United States Schulenburg, Texas
Position(s) LB, C
College Texas Tech
AFL Draft 1961 / Round 1
Jersey Number 55
Career highlights
AFL All-Star 1961, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1966
Honors KC Chiefs Hall of Fame, 1976
Stats
Statistics
Teams
1961-1962
1963-1970
AFL Dallas Texans
(AFL) Kansas City Chiefs
College Football Hall of Fame

Emil Joe Holub (born January 5, 1938 in Schulenburg, Texas) is a former American Football League and National Football League player. Collegiately, he played for Texas Tech.

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[edit] College

E.J. Holub graduated from Lubbock High School in 1957 and went on to attend Texas Tech University. As a member of the Texas Tech Red Raiders, Holub was a two-time All-American center, in 1959 and 1960. He was the first player in Texas Tech football history to have his jersey number (55) retired. He was inducted into the Athletic Hall of Honor at Texas Tech. He was also inducted into the National Football Foundation College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Indiana in 1986.

[edit] Pro Football

In 1961, the AFL's Dallas Texans drafted Holub. He started for the Texans and the Kansas City Chiefs as a linebacker and as a center.

Even after nine knee surgeries, Holub was a leader, a "holler guy", and he was a team player, enduring pain to lead his team. He would spend hours in the training room, watching blood and liquid drain from his knee, then go out to the field and perform as though he was suffering from no physical problem.

He was an American Football League All-Star in 1961, 1962, 1964, 1965 and 1966 and was the only player to start two Super Bowls at two different positions. He started Super Bowl I at linebacker, then started Super Bowl IV at center and was a driving force in helping the Chiefs defeat the Minnesota Vikings 23-7.

With Holub's knees wearing out, the Chiefs selected his eventual successor, Jack Rudnay, in the 1970 NFL Draft. Rudnay took over the starting center position during the 1970 season, and Holub subsequently retired.

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