| Date of birth: | March 28, 1930 |
| Place of birth: | Mingo Junction, Ohio |
| Date of death: | November 6, 2017 (aged 87) |
| Place of death: | Natchez, Mississippi |
| Career information | |
|---|---|
| Position(s): | Linebacker |
| NFL Draft: | 1952 / Round: 7 / Pick 80 |
| Organizations | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| Career stats | |
| Games played | 155 |
| Interceptions | 16 |
| Fumble recoveries | 22 |
| Touchdowns | 2
|
| Playing stats at DatabaseFootball.com | |
Joseph Francis Fortunato (March 28, 1930 – November 6, 2017) was an American football linebacker in the National Football League.
Fortunato played 12 seasons for the Chicago Bears (1955–1966). As a linebacker, he made the Pro Bowl five times,[1] and was named to the NFL 300 Greatest Players team. He wore #31 with the Chicago Bears. Fortunato played fullback and linebacker for Mississippi State University, and made All-American in 1951. He is a member of the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame and the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame. Fortunato made his home in south Mississippi.
He spent two seasons as a coach with the Chicago Bears; 1967 as linebackers coach and 1968 as defensive coordinator.
In 2017, the Professional Football Researchers Association named Fortunato to the PFRA Hall of Very Good Class of 2017 [2]
Fortunato is one of only four players named to the National Football League 1950s All-Decade Team who isn't in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, as well as the only defensive player from the team currently in the hall.
Fortunato died on November 6, 2017.[3]
References[]
- ↑ Freedman, Lew (2008). Chicago Bears: The Complete Illustrated History. MVP Books. p. 81. ISBN 9780760332313. https://books.google.com/books?id=3BRE-VcghQgC&pg=PA81. Retrieved 11 February 2016.
- ↑ "PRFA Hall of Very Good Class of 2017". http://www.profootballresearchers.com/hall-of-very-good-2017.htm. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
- ↑ https://www.wcbi.com/mississippi-state-football-legend-joe-fortunato-passes-away/
External links[]
- Lifetime Statistics Pro Football Reference
- "MSU Legend Joe Fortunato", Dawgs' Bite
| Preceded by Jim Dooley |
Chicago Bears Defensive Coordinators 1968 |
Succeeded by Jimmy Carr |
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This biographical article relating to an American football linebacker born in the 1930s is a stub. You can help The American Football Database by expanding it. |