Johnny McNally

John Victor "Blood" McNally (November 27, 1903 – November 28, 1985) was an American football player who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Early life
A native of New Richmond, Wisconsin McNally was an intelligent and unathletic youth who graduated from high school at age 14. He blossomed into an athlete while at Saint John's University in Collegeville, Minnesota, where he became the captain of the basketball team and a letterman in track, baseball, and football, all in his junior year.

"Johnny Blood"
With one year of college eligibility left, McNally and a friend decided to join a professional football team. While passing by a movie theater, McNally saw the title of the film Blood and Sand on the marquee. He turned to his friend and said, "That's it. You be Sand. I'll be Blood."

Using the alias "Johnny Blood" &mdash; an alias that became his nickname &mdash; McNally was able to play professional football without losing his college eligibility.

Career highlights
McNally played in the National Football League for 14 seasons, with five different teams. In his prime, McNally was 6'1" and 188 lbs., known for his speed, agility, and pass-catching ability. He got his professional start in 1925 with the Milwaukee Badgers, where he became famous as the "Vagabond Halfback" for his off-the-field behavior and spontaneity. In 1926 and 1927 he played for the Duluth Eskimos,with fellow Pro Football Hall Of Famer, Ernie Nevers, and in 1928 he played with the Pottsville Maroons.

Between 1929-1933, 1935-1936, he played with the Green Bay Packers where he helped the Packers win four championships. He helped lead the Packers to three in a Row Championships 1929-1931, as well as in 1936.

In 1937, he moved on to the Pittsburgh Steelers (then called the Pirates), where on his first play he ran back a kick 92 yards for a touchdown. He ended his NFL career in 1939 as the head coach of the Pirates. One day in 1941, McNally took a day off from his coaching duties for the Kenosha Cardinals minor league football team and played one game with the Buffalo Tigers of the third American Football League. From 1950-1952, he coached football at Saint John's where he amassed 13-9 record during his three year stint. When leaving Saint John's, he told incoming head coach John Gagliardi that "nobody can win at Saint John's." Gagliardi has gone on to become the winningest head coach in college football regardless of division and still coaches at Saint John's today.

Later in life
McNally's spontaneous and bizarre behavior didn't stop with his football career. On one occasion, out of boredom, he climbed to the top of a train, walked to the engineer's car, dropped through the ceiling, and spent the rest of the trip entertaining the drivers.

In the Second World War, McNally served as a cryptographer in India. He returned to Saint John's at age 42 to finish his economics degree and write a textbook on the subject.

McNally was inducted into the National Football League Pro Football Hall of Fame Class in 1963.

Johnny Blood's life and career are the basis for the character Dodge Connolly in the movie Leatherheads. The character was played by George Clooney.