Jimmy Conzelman

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Jimmy Conzelman
Position(s):
Quarterback
Jersey #(s):
1
Born: March 6, 1898(1898-03-06)
St. Louis, Missouri
Died: July 31, 1970 (aged 72)
St. Louis, Missouri
Career Information
Year(s): 19201929
College: Washington - St. Louis
Professional Teams

Playing career

Coaching career

Career Stats
Coaching Record     87-63-18
Rushing TDs     16
Games played     104
Stats at NFL.com
Career Highlights and Awards
Pro Football Hall of Fame

James Gleason Dunn, (Jimmy Conzelman) (March 6, 1898 - August 5, 1970) was a former professional football player and coach in the National Football League. He was the head coach of the Chicago Cardinals.

A halfback at Washington University in St. Louis, he began his post-college career as a member of the Great Lakes Navy team that won the 1919 Rose Bowl. One of his Great Lakes teammates was George Halas, who recruited him for his 1920 Decatur Staleys team in the newly formed American Professional Football Association, which later changed its name to the National Football League.

After one season with the Staleys, Conzelman moved on to the Rock Island Independents, where he began his career as a player-coach. He stayed with the Independents through seven games of the 1922 season before jumping to the Milwaukee Badgers for the remainder of the season and the 1923 season. Offered an NFL franchise in Detroit in 1925 for a reported $100 investment, Conzelman became an NFL owner. Although the team was fairly successful on the field (8-2-2 in 1925 and 4-6-2 in 1926), the team received little support from the Detroit fans.

Eventually he returned the franchise to the league and in 1927 joined the Providence Steam Roller as player-coach. Conzelman as a quarterback suffered a knee injury in 1928, but as a coach, he led the team to an 8-1-2 record and the NFL title. Conzelman left Providence in 1930 to try his hand at other careers. But, in 1940, the popular Irishman was lured back into the NFL with the Chicago Cardinals. He helped the team stay strong during the challenging World War II years before leaving to work in Major League Baseball. In 1946, Conzelman returned to the Cardinals. The following year, his Cards won the NFL title and in 1948 a second straight division title.

He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1964.

[edit] External links

Preceded by
Frank Coughlin
Rock Island Independents Head Coaches
1921-1922
Succeeded by
Herb Sies
Preceded by
Budge Garrett
Mikwaukee Badgers Head Coaches
1922-1924
Succeeded by
Hal Erickson
Preceded by
None
Detroit Panthers Head Coaches
1925-1926
Succeeded by
None
Preceded by
Jim Laird
Providence Steam Roller Head Coaches
1927-1929
Succeeded by
Ed Robinson
Preceded by
Ernie Nevers
Chicago Cardinals Head Coaches
1940-1942
Succeeded by
Phil Handler
Preceded by
Phil Handler
Chicago Cardinals Head Coaches
1946-1948
Succeeded by
Curly Lambeau