Cardinals Hall Of Famer Charley Trippi Dies At 100

Former back had Ring of Honor ceremony in 2012

Oct 19, 2022 at 05:15 PM

Darren Urban

azcardinals.com

Charley Trippi (left) in his playing days, and when he had his Ring of Honor ceremony in 2012.

Charley Trippi once considered what it would've been like to play in the modern-day NFL.

"I would love that opportunity," he said. "I wouldn't worry about the money part. I just enjoyed competing.

"Maybe I'd be playing better with better football players and have better linemen, probably."

Trippi, the Hall of Fame running back who was the first overall pick in the NFL draft in 1947 and helped the Cardinals win a championship in his rookie season, passed away at his Georgia home Tuesday. He was two months shy of his 101st birthday.

Trippi was part of the Cardinals' initial batch of Ring of Honor inductees when State Farm Stadium opened in 2006 (he was honored in a ceremony for the ROH in 2012) and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1968.

Trippi was also a guest of the team when they played in the Super Bowl in the 2008 season.

"Charley Trippi will always enjoy a special place in the history of the National Football League, the Cardinals franchise and especially in the hearts of our family," Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill said in a statement. "My grandfather signed him to be part of the 'Million-Dollar Backfield' and he was a key part of the Cardinals NFL championship team of 1947, my grandmother's first as owner and on which my dad was a ballboy. I had the pleasure of getting to know Charley in more recent years and hearing his stories from such an important time for the Cardinals and the NFL.

"Our condolences go out to the Trippi family and especially to the University of Georgia community to which he had such a strong connection."

Charley Trippi tries on a helmet on Jan. 17, 1947 after signing his first NFL contract. Cardinals coach Jimmy Conzelman looks on.

Trippi had been the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy in 1946.

The 'Million-Dollar Backfield' started with quarterback Paul Christman and fellow backs Pat Harder and Elmer Angsman. Trippi was the final piece, signed by then-owner Charles Bidwill to a massive at-the-time four-year, $100,000 contract in 1947.

Bidwill passed away soon after, but Trippi helped lead the Cardinals to a 28-21 win over the Eagles in the NFL title game later that year. The Cardinals won in part because they had the foresight to wear basketball shoes to play on the frozen field.

"We put on a pretty good football game considering the elements," Trippi said. "That's not something you want to do every week. It was quite an experience, really, playing on a frozen field in sneakers."

Trippi returned a punt 75 yards for a touchdown to seal the win, and also had a 44-yard rushing score.

Trippi ended up seeing time in his Cardinals' career at quarterback, running back, wide receiver, punter and kick returner. His all-everything approach led him to finishing with 3,506 yards and 23 touchdowns rushing; 2,547 yards and 16 touchdowns passing; 1,321 yards and 11 touchdowns receiving.

He added 1,457 yards on kickoff returns and 864 yards on punt returns over 99 career games.

"He was physical. He was fast. And he could play defense," said Bill Bidwill, the future Cardinals owner who was a ballboy for the 1947 team. "He could pass the ball. Any place on the field he could play. And he was a real star."