Joe Childress
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Robertsdale, Alabama, U.S.
Houston, Texas, U.S.
 Childress in 1961 | |||||||||||||
| No. 35 | |||||||||||||
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| Positions | Halfback, fullback, flanker | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born | October 26, 1933 Robertsdale, Alabama, U.S. | ||||||||||||
| Died | May 5, 1986 (aged 52) Houston, Texas, U.S. | ||||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 202 lb (92 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school | Robertsdale (Robertsdale, Alabama) | ||||||||||||
| College | Auburn | ||||||||||||
| NFL draft | 1956: 1st round, 7th overall pick | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
Playing | |||||||||||||
Coaching | |||||||||||||
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| Awards and highlights | |||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||
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Joe Childress (October 26, 1933 – May 5, 1986) was an American professional football running back in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Auburn Tigers.
Childress was a two-time All-American at Auburn and was considered the finest fullback in the country during his junior and senior seasons. He led the Southeastern Conference in rushing and scoring his junior season in 1954 and was named the Gator Bowl MVP. Childress led Auburn with 1,677 yards rushing his senior season in 1955.[1]
Professional career
Childress was selected in the first round of the 1956 NFL draft by the Chicago Cardinals. For his entire career, he played for the Chicago Cardinals and St. Louis Cardinals, primarily as a backup running back. He was known as an excellent receiver out of the backfield and a punishing blocker. His best season came in 1963 when he led the Cardinals in rushing and gained over 1000 yards from scrimmage while filling in for the injured John David Crow. His best rushing game came on September 22, 1963, when he gained 136 yards on 22 carries against the Philadelphia Eagles. Later in the season against the Eagles, he caught a 78-yard touchdown pass from Charley Johnson.[2]