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 competed in college football and track and field at Central Michigan University. As an All-American for the Chippewas 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 on the East squad 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

References

External links

• Obituary