John Kuzman
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Coaldale, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Boonton, New Jersey, U.S.
| No. 24, 47, 41 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Tackle | ||||||
| Personal information | |||||||
| Born | March 31, 1915 Coaldale, Pennsylvania, U.S. | ||||||
| Died | January 29, 2008 (aged 92) Boonton, New Jersey, U.S. | ||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||
| Listed weight | 232 lb (105 kg) | ||||||
| Career information | |||||||
| High school | Bordentown Military Institute (Bordentown, New Jersey) | ||||||
| College | Fordham (1937-1940) | ||||||
| NFL draft | 1941: 7th round, 52nd overall pick | ||||||
| Career history | |||||||
| |||||||
| Career NFL/AAFC statistics | |||||||
| |||||||
John Kuzman (June 29, 1915 – January 29, 2008) was an American professional football tackle who played in the National Football League (NFL).
Kuzman was a three year starter at tackle for the Fordham Rams.[1] He played in the first televised football game in 1939 as a junior.[2]
Professional career
Kuzman was drafted by the Chicago Cardinals in the seventh round of the 1941 NFL draft.[3] He played one season with the team before joining the Navy after the outbreak of WWII. He was assigned to the Pre-Flight training program at Saint Mary's College of California, where he served as a physical training instructor.[4] Kuzman later was assigned to North Carolina Pre-Flight, where Ted Williams was among the pilot trainees.[2] After the war Kuzman was signed by the San Francisco 49ers and played in the team's inaugural season. He joined the Chicago Rockets, reuniting with former Fordham head coach Jim Crowley, for 1947.[5][2] Kuzman played for the Jersey City Giants of the minor league American Football League in 1948 and 1949.[6]