In 1920, the American Professional Football Association began play in the East and Midwest with legend Jim Thorpe as its first commissioner. That coincided with the 31st season of Illinois football. The NFL and central Illinois have been strongly linked from the beginning. With the league’s 101st season kicking off in full gear on Sunday, here are 101 local ties to the NFL, courtesy staff writer BOB ASMUSSEN:
Chicago Bears owner and coach George Halas is hoisted on the shoulders of players in the dressing room after the team beat the Washington Redskins 73-0 in the 1940 NFL Championship game. The former Illini — known as ‘Papa Bear’ — played for Bob Zuppke and was part of the 1918 Big Ten championship Illinois team.
1. George Halas
“Papa Bear” played for Bob Zuppke at Illinois before coaching and founding the Decatur Staleys/Chicago Bears. He is one of the original fathers of what became the NFL. Pretty easy to see why he tops this list.
2. Red Grange
“The Galloping Ghost” was to football what Babe Ruth was to baseball and Bobby Jones was to golf. The superstar at Illinois is credited with legitimizing the NFL by signing with the Bears after the 1925 college season.
Bears legend Dick Butkus stands on the sideline during a game between the Bears and the New York Giants.
3. Dick Butkus
He is considered the greatest linebacker of all time (not going to argue with him) and has the award named in his honor to prove it. The Bears icon was just honored with a statue at Illinois last October.
4. Ray Nitschke
A fullback/linebacker at Illinois, he became a Pro Football Hall of Famer with the Green Bay Packers, anchoring the team’s defense in the 1960s. He had ball skills too, intercepting 25 passes during his Green Bay career.
5. Bobby Mitchell
Like Nitschke, he was a top player at Illinois who flourished in the NFL. And like Nitschke, he earned a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, entering in 1983. Originally drafted by the Browns, he starred at receiver/running back after his trade to Washington.
6. Super Bowl I
Nitschke played against the Chiefs, recording six tackles in a 35-10 win on Jan. 15, 1967 at the Coliseum in Los Angeles.
7. Super Bowl II
Nitschke was back, racking up five more tackles in a 33-14 romp against the Raiders. Nitschke and pals limited Oakland quarterback Daryle Lamonica to 15 of 34 passing and sacked him three times at the Orange Bowl in Miami.
8. The pride of Danville
Zeke Bratkowski played at Schlarman in the late 1940s before finding stardom at Georgia. Drafted in the second round by the Bears, he played 14 seasons in the NFL with Chicago, the L.A. Rams and Green Bay. He won two Super Bowl rings with the Packers as Bart Starr’s backup.
9. Game changer
You won’t find Preston Pearson’s name listed often in the Illinois football media guide. But he is in the basketball book. A starting guard for Harry Combes, the Freeport native was picked in the 12th round of the 1967 NFL draft by the Baltimore Colts. Despite no college experience, he made the team and spent 14 years in the NFL. He won Super Bowls with the Steelers and Cowboys, making five appearances in the big game, the most by a former Illini.
10. Toast to Tony
In 1986, Tony Eason became the first former Illini to start at quarterback in the Super Bowl. Unfortunately for Eason and the Patriots, it was against Mike Ditka’s Bears. As you know, Chicago won 46-10. Eason played eight seasons with New England and the New York Jets.
11. Mr. Viking
Mendota native Bill Brown was picked in the second round of the 1961 draft by the Chicago Bears. The former Illini running back moved to Minnesota in 1962 and spent 13 seasons with the Vikings. He played in three Super Bowls, dropping all three.
12. Sealed the deal
A second-round draft pick by the Raiders, former Illini linebacker Jack Squirek made the play of the game in Super Bowl XVIII. With 12 seconds left before halftime, he intercepted a pass from Washington quarterback Joe Theismann at the 12 and raced into the end zone for a 21-3 Los Angeles lead. The Raiders rolled 38-9.
13. It’s a snap
Remember those Super Bowls the Buffalo Bills played in during the 1990s? Well, former Illini Adam Lingner worked in all four of them. He was the long snapper for the “wide right” kick by Scott Norwood in Super Bowl XXV. Lingner’s snap was considered to be right on the money and not a factor in the miss. Lingner played 13 seasons with the Bills and Chiefs.
14. Oh, Henry
Former Illini Henry Jones, a first-round pick by Buffalo in 1991, played in three Super Bowls with the Bills. He spent 12 seasons as a defensive back with Buffalo, Minnesota and Atlanta.
15. Ring it up
Former Illini running back Howard Griffith scored an FBS record eight rushing touchdowns in a game. But he will tell you his favorite moments in football came during Denver’s Super Bowl wins after the 1997 and 1998 seasons. Good call.
16. The Incredible Holc
Illinois career leading rusher Robert Holcombe (about time for him to go into the school’s Hall of Fame, correct?) won a Super Bowl title with the St. Louis Rams in 2000. A second-round draft pick by the Rams spent seven seasons with St. Louis and Tennessee.
18. Houston, we have a tackle
A standout at Illinois for John Mackovic and Lou Tepper, Brad Hopkins was the 13th pick in the first round of the 1993 draft by the Oilers. He started 13 seasons with the Oilers/Texans, and played in Super Bowl XXXIV.
19. Finding a niche
Ron Turner moved Floridian Jameel Cook to fullback in the late 1990s with good results. Picked in the sixth round of the 2001 NFL draft, Cook spent nine seasons with the Bucs and Texans. He was part of Tampa Bay’s title team in 2003.
20. Indiana connection
Ken Dilger came to Illinois from Mariah Hills, Ind., in the early 1990s intending to play quarterback. Instead, he moved to tight end, where he started for three seasons. The Colts took him in the second round of the 1995 draft. He stayed in Indianapolis for seven seasons before finishing his career with Tampa Bay. He won a Super Bowl ring in 2003, playing on the same team as Cook and Simeon Rice (more on him later).
21. With the second pick in the 1996 draft ...
The Jacksonville Jaguars selected Illinois linebacker Kevin Hardy. The 1995 Butkus Award winner spent nine productive seasons with the Jags, Cowboys and Bengals. He was recently selected for the Illinois Athletics Hall of Fame.
22. With the third pick in the 1996 NFL draft ...
The Arizona Cardinals selected Illinois linebacker/defensive end Simeon Rice. He put together a Pro Football Hall of Fame-level career in his 12 seasons, piling up 122 sacks. He won a Super Bowl with the Bucs.
Former Illini quarterback Jeff George — the No. 1 overall pick in the 1990 NFL draft by the Indianapolis Colts — played games for five NFL franchises during his 12-year professional career, including in 1999 with the Minnesota Vikings. George finished his NFL career with 27,602 passing yards and 154 touchdowns.
23. By George
No Illini will ever go higher in the draft than Jeff George did in 1990. The Purdue transfer, who had another year of eligibility, was the No. 1 pick overall by the Indianapolis Colts. His son, Jeff Jr., later played QB for the Illini.
24. Trivia time
Who was the first Illini taken in the first round of the NFL draft? It’s a trick question because Tony Butkovich actually spent his last college season at Purdue, where he led the nation in rushing. In 1944, Butkovich was the 11th pick overall by the Cleveland Rams. Sadly, the Lewistown High School product never played in the NFL. He was killed in action during World War II at Okinawa.
25. Pride of Rantoul
Longtime Illinois assistant coach Greg McMahon still loves coming back home to Rantoul. He has done well for himself since his time at Illinois, winning a Super Bowl with the New Orleans Saints and a national title earlier this year at LSU. McMahon is a special teams guru.
26. Short stay
Sean Payton spent one season on the Illinois staff, working as quarterbacks coach for Lou Tepper in 1996. The former Eastern Illinois quarterback turned out to be a keeper as a coach. In 2006, New Orleans hired him as coach and he is still there. Only Bill Belichick has a longer current tenure than Payton, who has a Super Bowl title and multiple playoff appearances.
27. Pro background
Bob Ligashesky has been on Lovie Smith’s staff since 2016, serving as the Illini’s special teams coordinator. That marked his return to college coaching after 12 seasons in the NFL with seven different franchises.
28. Smart decision
Had he remained as a college coach, Austin Clark would be sitting out the season this fall with the rest of the Illini. Instead, the former Illinois defensive line coach is about to start his first season in charge of outside linebackers for the Miami Dolphins.
29. Big Bub
Sean Bubin went from starring at Rantoul High School to three seasons as a starting offensive tackle for Ron Turner at Illinois in the early 2000s. Jacksonville picked him in the fifth round of the 2004 NFL draft. He also spent time with Lions, Patriots and in NFL Europe.
30. Illini AD got a taste of the pros
Josh Whitman played his final season as a starting tight end at Illinois in 2000. Before he began his career in administration, the current Illinois athletic director spent time with the Chargers, Dolphins, Seahawks and Bills.
31. Short stay
The beer was flowing at Memorial Stadium in 2002, when the Bears relocated to Champaign while Soldier Field was being renovated. Chicago went 3-5 in eight home games at their temporary field.
32. Brady bunch
Tom Brady is second in passing yards in NFL history entering Sunday’s game against the Saints, his first one with Tampa Bay. Of those 74,571 yards, 328 happened in Champaign during that aforementioned 2002 Bears season when he helped the Patriots rally to beat the Bears 33-30 at Memorial Stadium.
33. The name says it all
Illinois has had two players picked in the first round of two NFL drafts. The first came in 1996 (see: Kevin Hardy, Simeon Rice above). The second was in 2012, when linebacker/defensive end Whitney Mercilus and receiver A.J. Jenkins went to the Texans and 49ers, respectively. Mercilus remains with the team, which opened Thursday night with a 34-20 road loss against the Chiefs.
34. Watch him go
Before Mikel Leshoure became a second-round draft pick of the Lions in 2011, the Champaign native and 2006 News-Gazette Player of the Year ran by opponents while at Centennial and at Illinois.
35. Reggie Hodges
Centennial graduate carved out punting career after playing at Ball State. He took shots with the Rams, Eagles, Colts, Seahawks, Patriots, Jets, Titans and Browns.
36. Trent Sherfield
Danville graduate is on Arizona Cardinals’ roster after signing as an undrafted free agent in 2018. He was a standout at Vanderbilt.
37. Justin March
The Danville graduate and linebacker re-signed with Cowboys on Monday after the 2010 News-Gazette Player of the Year was initially cut last Saturday by Dallas.
38. Pierre Thomas
The 2002 N-G All-State Player of the Year from Thornton Fractional South and future Illini had a solid NFL career running the ball. He spent nine years in the league with the Saints, 49ers and Washington and won a Super Bowl with the Saints.
39. Antwaan Randle El
The 1996 N-G All-State Player of the Year starred at quarterback for Indiana before becoming a standout receiver for nine seasons with the Steelers and Washington. He is currently an NFL assistant with the Buccaneers.
40. It’s a Bears family
Frank Kmet — the1987 N-G All-State Player of the Year — had a cup of coffee with the Bears, the team his son (Cole) is about to make his NFL debut with on Sunday after the tight end from Notre Dame was the Bears’ top draft pick back in April.
41. John Mackovic
Before a successful four-year stint with the Illini from 1988-91, the future Texas coach ran the Chiefs for four seasons. He made one playoff appearance.
42. Lovie Smith
Entering his fifth season at Illinois, Smith came to Champaign in 2016 after working the previous two decades in the NFL. He was head coach with the Bears and Tampa Bay. He reached the Super Bowl in 2007 with the Bears, losing to the Colts.
43. Speaking of Bears-Colts
Lovie Smith probably didn’t have fond memories of Kelvin Hayden on that rainy February night in Miami in 2007 when the former Illini defensive back/wide receiver returned a crucial interception for a touchdown in the Colts’ eventual 29-17 triumph.
44. Runs in the family
Olin Kreutz played at a high level under center during most of Lovie Smith’s tenure coaching the Bears. Now, Olin’s son, Josh, will try to do the same for Smith at Illinois after the younger Kreutz, a Loyola Academy offensive lineman, committed to the Illini this past summer.
Former Illini offensive lineman David Diehl, left, celebrates on the field at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., after the New York Giants stunned the previously unbeaten New England Patriots by winning Super Bowl XLII 17-14 on Feb. 3, 2008. Diehl won two Super Bowls as a member of the Giants, with the former Chicago Brother Rice standout playing 11 seasons in New York.
45. David Diehl
A standout at Chicago Brother Rice, the offensive lineman didn’t become a full-time starter at Illinois until his senior year in 2002. The Giants noticed, taking him in the fifth round of the 2003 NFL draft. He moved immediately into the starting lineup and became a two-time Super Bowl winner during his 11 seasons in New York.
46. Cameron Lee
Oakwood graduate now has a podcast about the Bears, the same team he played for briefly in 2017. The offensive lineman also had stints with the Saints, Ravens and Bengals after a stellar college career at Illinois State.
47. Jim Grabowski
One of the stars of the 1964 Rose Bowl team at Illinois, the running back was the ninth overall pick of the Packers in the 1966 NFL draft. After five seasons in Green Bay, the College Football Hall of Famer finished his playing days with the Bears.
48. J.C. Caroline
The nation’s leading rusher at Illinois in 1953 actually opened his pro career in Canada. In 1956, he started a 10-year run with the Bears as a defensive back. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1980.
49. It’s been 17 years
Since a former Illinois quarterback threw a pass in an NFL season. Kurt Kittner attempted 114 during the 2003 season for the Falcons.
50. Pride of Tuscola
Former Illini and Tuscola standout Fred Wakefield, an undrafted free agent, played on both offense and defense for the Cardinals and Raiders.
51. Kirby Wilson
He played receiver for Mike White in the early 1980s, then started a college coaching career with stops at Southern Illinois, Wyoming and Iowa State. Other than a year at Southern Cal, he has been a pro assistant since 1997. He is currently the running backs coach with the Raiders, who are about to start their first season playing in Las Vegas.
52. Coaching for the rival
Former Illini player and assistant coach Luke Butkus is back in the NFL with the ... gasp ... Packers. Not sure what uncle Dick thinks about his family member consorting with the enemy. But blood is thicker than water.
53. Ron Zook
Before he came to Illinois in 2005, Ron Zook worked for the Steelers, Chiefs and Saints. After he was fired at Illinois, he returned to the NFL as a special teams assistant, then coordinator with the Green Bay Packers.
54. Mike Phair
Worked at Illinois for Bill Cubit in 2015 and was retained by Lovie Smith. Phair left for the Colts in 2018. He is now in his first season as defensive line coach with the Carolina Panthers.
55. Ron Turner
He was hired at Illinois in 1997 after four seasons as Dave Wannstedt’s offensive coordinator with the Chicago Bears. After he was fired at Illinois in 2004, he returned to the Bears as offensive coordinator. This time, for Lovie Smith.
56. Todd Peat
The Champaign Central graduate spent six seasons as an NFL offensive lineman with the Cardinals and Raiders. Son, Andrus, is still in the league as an offensive lineman with the Saints.
57. Nick Allegretti
The friendly offensive lineman has had a very good 2020. In February, the Kansas City Chiefs rookie won a Super Bowl. In the spring, Allegretti got engaged to longtime girlfriend Christa Chillon. The Chiefs opened the season Thursday night.
58. Corey Liuget
Have we seen the last of the big lug in the NFL? A first-round pick by the Chargers in 2011, he played with Buffalo in 2019. It was his ninth season. According to his Twitter account, he has undergone six surgeries during his career.
59. Rashard Mendenhall
Illinois’ No. 10 career rusher was picked in the first round of the 2008 NFL draft by the Steelers. After six seasons and 4,236 rushing yards, Mendenhall retired. Post-football, Mendenhall is working as a writer for HBO.
60. Dave Wilson
Want to feel old? It’s been 40 years since quarterback Wilson played his one season at Illinois. He threw for a then-school record 3,154 yards. Tony Eason broke it the next season. Wilson is also the only Illini taken in the first round of the NFL’s supplemental draft. The Saints picked him in 1981.
61. Ted Karras
The former Illini offensive lineman from Indianapolis would like to win another Super Bowl ring this season. But if he does, it will be an upset. Karras signed with the Dolphins during the offseason after starting his career with New England. He won two titles with Tom Brady.
62. Tavon Wilson
Karras wasn’t the only ex-Illini riding the Brady train. Wilson, a second-round pick by the Pats in 2012, was part of the Patriots title team in 2015. Wilson, a safety, is now with the Colts after four seasons with the Lions.
63. More Patriots success
The start of the Patriots’ dynasty earlier this century also had former Illini Eugene Wilson along for the ride. The school’s all-time leader in pass breakups with 60 won Super Bowl rings with New England in 2004 and 2005 as a key part of Bill Belichick’s secondary.
64. Clayton Fejedelem
The defensive back with the too-good-to-be-true story — he walked on at Illinois after transferring from NAIA program St. Xavier — is part of the rebuild in Miami after playing his first four seasons in Cincinnati.
65. Justin Hardee
A receiver with the Illini, the backup corner has made a name for himself with the Saints as a special teams wizard.
66. Del’Shawn Phillips
Illinois’ leading tackler in 2017-18 earned a way on to Buffalo’s 53-man roster after spending 2019 on the Bills’ practice squad. He is a backup linebacker.
67. Dawuane Smoot
Jacksonville defensive end enters his fourth season with the Jaguars after they picked him in the third round of the 2017 draft.
68. Owner’s view
Smoot can share one common trait with the man who signs his paycheck: Jaguars owner Shahid Khan is also an Illinois graduate.
68. Malik Turner
No. 9 on Illinois’ career receptions list, the Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin alum is with the Cowboys. He caught 15 passes last season with the Seahawks.
69. Jihad Ward
A second-round pick by the Raiders in 2016, the defensive end is now with the Ravens. He has also played for the Cowboys and Colts.
70. Have leg, will travel
Former Illini kicker Chase McLaughlin is sixth on the school’s career scoring list. After spending time with five teams last season, he lost a training camp battle with the Colts. He is now on the Vikings practice squad.
71. Like father, like son
McLaughlin has been joined on the Vikings practice squad by former Illini linebacker Hardy Nickerson. The son of the longtime NFL standout and former Illini defensive coordinator who goes by the same name spent the previous three seasons with the Bengals.
72. G-Lew
Former Illini receiver Greg Lewis has made a successful transition from the field to coaching. He is in his fourth year as Chiefs receivers coach after working for the Eagles and Saints. He played eight years in the NFL, scoring a Super Bowl touchdown with the Eagles.
73. Brit Miller
The Illini linebacker from Decatur moved to fullback in the pros. He got on the field for the 49ers during the 2009 season and also had stops with the Panthers and Rams.
74. J for just missed
J Leman is one of the top tacklers in Illinois history. After the end of his standout career, he took multiple shots at trying to make an NFL roster. From 2008-11, Leman was on several practice and preseason rosters, but fell short of making the team. The NFL’s loss is BTN’s gain. The Champaign Central and Illinois grad is now an analyst for the network.
75. The old ball coach
It was great to see Mike White back in C-U when his protege David Williams was inducted into the Illinois Athletics Hall of Fame. Retired and living in California, White was part of Dick Vermeil’s Rams staff when it won Super Bowl XXXIV against the Tennessee Titans. He also had a two-year stint coaching the Raiders in the mid-1990s.
76. Offensive line guru
Harry Hiestand spent eight years with Ron Turrner as the Illinois offensive line coach before taking a string of jobs in college and the NFL. He had two separate stints with the Bears, the most recent in 2018-19.
77. Family business
Ron Turner’s son Cameron, who spent part of his childhood in Champaign, followed his dad into coaching. He is currently an offensive assistant with the Arizona Cardinals.
78. Worth the follow
Vontae Davis was the most recent Illini defensive back selected in the first round of the NFL draft, going to the Miami Dolphins in 2009. Davis was a terrific player who ended his career with the Bills by walking away at halftime of a game in September 2018. Want to know what Davis is up to? Here is his Twitter handle: @vontaedavis.
79. Stan the man
The second Illini to be selected in the first round of the NFL draft was Stan Wallace, who went to the Bears with the sixth pick in 1954. Wallace was a longtime businessman in Champaign after his playing days.
80. Familiar face
Former Illini assistant coach Mike Mallory is now on the staff with the Jaguars. His brother, Doug, is with the Falcons and brother, Curt, is the head coach at Indiana State.
81. Smart choice
Back in 1993, Bolingbrook quarterback Greg Williams was our pick as All-State Player of the Year. He went on to have a stellar career at North Carolina. Today, Williams is in his second season as cornerbacks coach with the Arizona Cardinals.
82. Another Hiestand
While we’re not sure where his dad is working, we know Harry Hiestand’s son, Mike, is on the Denver Broncos staff. He played linebacker at Illinois State.
83. Long time, no see
Bill Kollar worked three seasons on Mike White’s Illinois staff in the 1980s. He is in his sixth season as Broncos defensive line coach.
84. Almost the head coach
We can confirm that former Illini assistant coach Leslie Frazier was once under consideration to take over the Illini. The former Chicago Bears player is in his fourth season as the defensive coordinator of the Bills.
85. Another one from the coaching tree
Bill Callahan served on Mike White’s Illinois staff in the 1980s. He is currently the offensive line coach for the Browns, in his first season on the job, after coaching the Raiders to the Super Bowl in 2003.
86. Blooper reel
Former Illini offensive lineman Brandon Moore carved out a solid, nine-year career as an offensive lineman with the Jets from 2003-12, making the Pro Bowl in 2011. But Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez’s infamous butt fumble will be shown for years to come after Sanchez ran into Moore’s backside and lost the ball during a game against the Patriots in 2012.
87. CVS
Craig Ver Steeg served on Ron Turner’s staff as quarterback coach and recruiting coordinator from 1997-2000. He is now coaching running backs for the Ravens.
88. Pick them up
One of Lovie Smith’s early hires at Illinois was strength coach Joey Boese. He is now in his second year in the same job with the Cincinnati Bengals.
89. It’s been a while
Dan Roushar worked for two different head coaches while on the staff at Illinois. He was with Lou Tepper in 1995-96 and returned to work for Ron Turner in 2003-04. He is now the offensive line coach for the Saints.
90. Coach Mo
Aaron Moorehead had a vital role for Illinois on Ron Turner’s teams in 2000-01. After a five-year playing career with the Colts, Moorehead dove into coaching. He worked six college jobs before becoming the Eagles receivers coach this season.
91. Watch the language
Last time local media saw Joe Gilbert, the former Illini offensive line coach was using some rough words after the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl. Almost 10 years later, all is forgotten. Gilbert is in his second year as offensive line coach with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, left, talks with quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo (10) prior to Super Bowl LIV against the Kansas City Chiefs at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla., on February 2, 2020. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images/TNS)
92. From Charleston to the Bay Area
Jimmy Garoppolo started at quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers during Super Bowl LIV in February. Before he ascended to national prominence, the 28-year-old Illinois native starred in college just down Interstate 57 from Champaign at Eastern Illinois.
93. Give him a listen
Tony Romo is arguably one of the best NFL broadcasters around these days. But before the former Dallas Cowboys quarterback of 11 seasons went into the booth for CBS alongside lead play-by-play announcer Jim Nantz, he perfected his craft in college at Eastern Illinois.
94. Punting with force
Steve Weatherford is the all-time Illini leader in career punting average — although current senior Blake Hayes may catch him — and Weatherford turned that special talent into a 10-year NFL career, primarily with the New York Giants and New York Jets.
95. Unfriendly confines
Throughout its history, Illinois has played multiple games in NFL venues. Of the 32 that will be used for the 2020 season, Illinois sports a combined 2-6 record in such venues. Illinois has wins in Miami (Hard Rock Stadium was ProPlayers Stadium in 1999 during the Illini’s 63-21 win against Virginia in the Micronpc.com Bowl) and Houston (NRG Stadium was Reliant Stadium in 2010 during the Illini’s 38-14 victory against Baylor in the Texas Bowl, but single-game losses at Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans (2002 Sugar Bowl against LSU) and Ford Field in Detroit (2008 regular-season game against Western Michigan) and an unsightly 0-4 record at Solider Field in Chicago.
96. Longtime radio presence
Doug Dieken was a steady tight end at Illinois from 1967-70 before parlaying that into a successful NFL career as an offensive lineman with the Browns. His connection to the franchise remains strong today, serving as the Browns’ radio analyst ever since his playing days ended during the mid-1980s.
97. He’s got game
Only one current Illinois assistant coach ever played in the NFL: running backs coach Mike Bellamy. The former Illini wide receiver, who turned into Jeff George’s favorite target, was a second-round draft pick of the Philadelphia Eagles in 1990.
98. Elite 11
If Brandon Peters becomes the next Illini quarterback to play in the NFL, he’ll join a short list. While Kurt Kittner was the last former Illini quarterback in the league, playing with the Falcons and Bears from 2002 to 2005, only 10 other Illini QBs have been with NFL teams: Perry Moss (Packers in 1948); Tommy O’Connell (Bears, Browns, Bills in 1953, 1956-57 and 1960-61); Mike Taliaferro (Jets, Boston Patriots, Bills from 1964-70 and 1972); Bob Naponic (Houston Oilers in 1970); Mike Wells (Vikings, Bengals from 1973-77); Dave Wilson (Saints from 1981-89); Tony Eason (Patriots, Jets from 1983-90); Jack Trudeau (Colts, Jets, Panthers from 1986-95); Jeff George (Colts, Falcons, Raiders, Vikings, Washington from 1990-2001) and Johnny Johnson (Lions in 1996).
99. Opting out
Yes, former Illini Geronimo Allison and Matt LaCosse are on NFL rosters this season. But Allison, a wide receiver with the Lions, and LaCosse, a tight end with the Patriots, have opted out this season because of concerns related to the coronavirus pandemic.
100. Whistle blower
Hugh “Shorty” Ray is listed among the Illinois alums in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Ray didn’t make his mark as a player or coach. He was honored because of his work as an official. With the support of George Halas, Ray was hired as a technical adviser and supervisor of officials in the early days of the NFL. He is credited with many of the rules changes that made the game more watchable.
101. Quite the trio
Jack Cornell, Carey Davis and John Holecek all left their mark at Illinois and in the NFL. Cornell, an offensive lineman, won a Super Bowl ring with the Ravens and Davis, a fullback, did the same with the Steelers. Holecek, a linebacker, had a stellar career with the Bills, Chargers and Falcons. But all three have important roles now, too, as high school coaches in the Midwest. Davis is at Hazlewood Central near St. Louis, while Cornell is at his alma mater, Quincy Notre Dame, and Holecek leads the powerhouse Loyola Academy program.