Bill Dudley

Bill Dudley

1921–2010

At 5 feet 10 inches and 182 pounds, the undersize Bill Dudley nearly missed his first day of training with the Pittsburgh Steelers because the guard at the gate didn’t believe he was a real player. Yet in 1946, he became the only player in NFL history to lead the league in rushing, interceptions, and punt returns in the same season.

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Dudley’s prowess was obvious at the University of Virginia, where he was “perhaps the greatest athlete in school history,” said the Associated Press. “As a senior in 1941, he had a hand in 206 of the 279 points the team scored on its way to an 8–1 record.” He led the nation in scoring that year and, in one of Virginia’s historic sports moments, carried the ball 17 times in its Thanksgiving Day victory over North Carolina—the first time Virginia had beaten the Tar Heels since 1932. Named the youngest-ever All-American at 19, he was the Steelers’ first pick in the 1942 NFL draft.

Dudley “excelled at every skill in his sport: running, passing, punting, place-kicking, blocking, defense, and returning kicks,” said The Washington Post. “Even in an era when leather-helmeted players stayed in the game on both offense and defense, his versatility was extraordinary.” Though not fast, he combined “balance, toughness, and a remarkable ability to elude tacklers,” earning him the nickname “Bullet Bill.” He retired in 1953, after playing for the Steelers, the Detroit Lions, and the Washington Redskins.

Dudley later entered the insurance business and served eight years in the Virginia legislature. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1966.