Leo Nomellini, Italian-American Professional Football Defensive Tackle | Wikipedia
Leo Nomellini, Italian-American Professional Football Defensive Tackle | Wikipedia
Born June 19, 1924; raised in Chicago, Illinois
Leo Nomellini was born on June 19, 1924, in Italy and raised in Chicago, Illinois. He attended Crane High School. After serving in the Marine Corps, he played college football at the University of Minnesota. The San Francisco 49ers selected him in the first round of the 1950 NFL Draft. He played 14 seasons in the NFL, mostly as a defensive tackle. He earned All-Pro honors on both offense and defense. Nomellini was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1969 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 1977. In the NFL, he played 174 games and was selected to the All-NFL team six times. In the offseasons, he competed as a professional wrestler and won multiple tag team titles. He retired from wrestling in 1965. Nomellini remained connected to both football and wrestling throughout his life. He died in 2000. His early years in Chicago shaped his path to national recognition.
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