The figure to keep Pollard from becoming a free agent is $10.1 million. That'sjust the way the times were back then," Pollard would say. He registered 29 receptions for 298 yards (10.3-yard avg. Halas is a name rightfully synonymous with the founding of the NFL. [25] In Week 11, Pollard had 80 rushing yards, and six catches for 109 yards and two touchdowns in a 40-3 win over the Vikings, earning NFC Offensive Player of the Week. In that same time frame, Zeke has nine in 572 carries about one every 63 rushing attempts. Tony isn't the only Pollard living his dream. Marshall's Washington team was the last to sign a black player - after the government threatened to revoke the team's lease on their publicly funded stadium if they did not. Pollard then signed with the NFL's Akron Pros, whom he led to a championship in his rookie season. Tony isn't the only Pollard living his dream. "When he was six years old, he said 'Mom, I'm going to the NFL.' [23], In Week 5, against the Los Angeles Rams, Pollard had a 57-yard rushing touchdown. My sincere hope is that by standing up against systemic racism in the NFL, others will join me to ensure that positive change is made for generations to come.". They had to cut to a commercial and then my phone just blew up with people saying 'they're talking about your grandfather'.". Pollard and Thorpe were pro football's highest-paid players, the main attractions. The same didn't happen in the coaching ranks. The Fritz Pollard Association that certifies that NFL teams have complied with the Rooney Rule is also a tax exempt 501 (c) (6) organization. That quest had also been his own - to get his father into the US Pro Football Hall of Fame. "He's the one that taught everybody how to barbeque.". Who could blame him? On November 19, 1922, Pollard and Paul Robeson lead the Badgers to victory over the great Jim Thorpe and his Oorang Indians. Fritz III gave his permission to name it the Fritz Pollard Alliance (FPA). The Rooney Rule, however, doesn't require hiring of Black coaches, only interviewing them, said Solomon. He has amassed 1,279 scrimmage yards and 12 touchdowns while sharing load with Elliott. Pro Football Hall of Fame (inducted 2005), https://www.britannica.com/biography/Fritz-Pollard, Ohio History Central - Biography of Frederick D. Pollard, Pro Football Hall of Fame - Biography of Fritz Pollard, Fritz Pollard - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). He has a better burst. I said 'No you're not, sit down.' One of his team-mates, Irving Fraser, later told Pollard's biographer Jay Berry: "When he was tackled, they'd all pile on him and see if they could make him quit. But in the 1916 season, Brown beat Yale and Harvard on consecutive weekends. [1] He helped the team reach the playoffs, while making over 1,200 receiving yards, 20 touchdowns and being named All-District 16-AAA. "They threw rocks at me and called me all kinds of names. George Halas Bears, then called the Staleys, also claimed the title with a 10-1-2 record. Reality television is a place where anything and everything is on the table. If I figured a hotel or restaurant didnt want me, I stayed away. "And it's not even close.". "Opposing players make it a point of pride to rough him as much as possible. In 2022, with the Steelers' Mike Tomlin and recently-named Texans head coach Lovie Smith, that percentage is 6.3%. "It was bad for white people to come and watch Black people who have jobs.". And believe us, Fritz got some service after that.". [2], Pollard accepted a football scholarship from the University of Memphis. BBC Sport looks at some of the stories that make Super Bowl LVII one of the most exciting yet as the Kansas City Chiefs face the Philadelphia Eagles. Speaking of food, the running back's family owns a restaurant called "Pollard's BBQ" located in Memphis. At his first game, he had to get dressed in the owner's cigar shop and was abused by his own team's fans. But Fritz would get up laughing and smiling every time. The Pollard family will now have to switch to Cowboys fans now that they have family ties with the team. But not all teams were integrated until Bobby Mitchell joined the Washington (Commanders) in 1962. This article is about the football pioneer. ), ten touchdowns with one kickoff return for a touchdown. Pollard had a subpar game in a 140 defeat to Washington State, but he became the first African American to play in the Rose Bowl game. He also saw how it changed between then. (Story), What Happened To Ed Hochuli? Pollard tied an NCAA record with seven kickoff returns for touchdowns. In 1919, he signed on to play for the Akron Pros in the American Professional Football Association, which was renamed the NFL in 1922. "He literally kept the NFL from folding," Towns said. Kansas CIty Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes' touchdowns from his biggest games this season ahead of Sunday night's NFL Super Bowl against the. Updates? There are twoBlack head coachesin the NFL in 2022. Tony Randall Pollard (born April 30, 1997) is an American football running back for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). "He detests crowds and avoids the spotlight whenever possible," Gibbons wrote. He was the school's first black athlete a triple threat when it came to sports in football, track and boxing. 1. The Kansas City Chiefs will face the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl 57 on Sunday, 12 February - where is it being played and how to follow on the BBC. Teams would take kick-offs short, so that Pollard could be gang-tackled as soon as he received the ball. Everything you need to know about Brian Flores' lawsuit against NFL. Gibbons went on to describe an incident that happened atan Akron restaurant as Pollard sat with a group of teammates. As we head into the Super Bowl, here are 10 amazing facts on the incredible journey of Fritz Pollard, one of the first African-American players to play professional football and also the first to become a head coach. He was so swift and agile that even those who scoffed -- and worse -- at a Black player, couldn't help but cheer when he ran for three50-yard touchdowns in one game. "This is a man who paved the way, who showed there is hope. Hes 17th in the league in rushing on just 16 carries, but his 7.7 average is the best among all running backs with at least three carries. He was posthumously inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2005. They taught Fritz that he could never retaliate, despite the provocation he was sure to face. In 1921, he became the first African-American head coach in the National Football League (NFL). While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Pollard's legacy lives on through his grandson Fritz D Pollard III (and children Meredith Pollard Russell and Marcus Pollard) his other grandson Dr Stephen Towns and granddaughter Stephanie Towns. Newspaper articles at the time, who described Pollard as a "colored" coach, praised his stellar football IQ. Pollard attended Albert G. Lane Manual Training High School in Chicago, also known as "Lane Tech," where he played football, baseball, and ran track. In 2020, there are three black coaches - the same as when the rule was instituted. 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That is a heavy, heavy workload, and if there is one thing I give head coach Mike McCarthy credit for, its understanding this. Along with becoming the league's first African-American head coach, he also was its first. Fritz Pollard, an All-America halfback from Brown University was a pro football pioneer in more ways than one. Instead, he let his play speak for itself. As his team returned from one game in Gilberton, the train's windows were shot out. He also worked as director of an army YMCAand coached football at Lincoln University. More than 12,000 people came out to Wrigley to see a much-hyped contest that ended in a scoreless tie. That's how good the 5-9 Pollard was. As ESPN's Bill Barnwell noted, Pollard has now touched the ball just eight times in his career after his 30th snap of a given game. Is Dallas becoming unaffordable due to rising housing costs, inflation and stagnating pay? In 1937, Fritz Pollard retired from pro football and pursued a career in business. He is the sonof a despised race. Fritz Pollard, an All-America halfback from Brown University was a pro football pioneer in more ways than one. "All of us got played by the NFL," he said. ", In February 2021, Dungywrote an open letter to NFL ownersabout the league's lack of minority hires. As well as being a running back, he was a defensive back, receiver, kicker, punt returner and kick-off returner. "Even if it helps just one person in the same situation as my great-grandfather, with the odds stacked against them, to persevere and make something of themselves, then it was worth it. Yet, Pollard's humble, quiet ways never changed. [24] In Week 8, against Chicago, Pollard had 13 carries for 141 yards and three rushing touchdowns in the 4929 win, and was named Ground Player of the Week. Is Dallas becoming unaffordable due to rising housing costs, inflation and stagnating pay? As a player, coach and team owner, he was as important as any single figure in helping to put the league on a course to become the sprawling multibillion-dollar juggernaut that it is today. He called the team Redskins in 1933, a racial slur that was only dropped in July this year amid mounting pressure. RELATED: Defense leads the way in Memphis' 44-34 win over North Texas. "It was a literal fight," she says. When the clerk refused, Sprackling pounded on the desk bell and shouted, "If there isn't a room for Fritz Pollard, none of us wants one." In 40 college games, Pollard recorded 941 rushing yards and 1,292 receiving yards. Everything he learnt from his brothers was about to be put to the test. Against all these handicaps, Fritz Pollard plays with dauntless spirit. Pollard, a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, died in 1986. When Pollard played, the NFL was new, rough and tumble, a backyard type of experiment, said Towns. Only 5 feet 7 inches (1.7 metres) and 150 pounds (68 kg), Pollard won the grudging acceptance of his teammates at Brown University in Rhode Island in 1915, leading the team to a victory over Yale and an invitation to the Tournament of Roses game in Pasadena, California. '", RELATED: Cordova High School alum Quinton Bohanna makes Dallas Cowboys 53-man roster. [8], Pollard criticized Lincoln's administration, saying they had hampered his ability to coach and had refused to provide adequate travel accommodations for the team. The final was 13-0 with Robeson scoring both touchdowns in his finest pro football performance. They had some prejudiced people there. He also played for the Milwaukee Badgers, Hammond Pros, Gilberton Cadamounts, Union Club of Phoenixville and Providence Steam Roller. Find more Cowboys coverage from The Dallas Morning News here. There have been 24 in total, with three currently among the 32 teams, despite about 70% of NFL players being from ethnic minorities. "They couldn't find anything so I said 'you're looking in the wrong papers'," says Fritz III. The next year, he was named co-head coach as he continued to play for the Pros. In 1921, Pollard became the league's first black coach and in 1923 its first black quarterback. Thirty percent of assistant NFL coaches are Black. "Fans have, perhaps, noticed that after staging one of his brilliant runs for a touchdown he seeks a place of seclusion sometimes even going so far to duck underneath the stands.". Florence Griffith Joyner Jackie Joyner-Kersee Wilma Rudolph Althea Gibson. Pollard would probably recognize all of this as progress for both black people and the game, but chances are he would call on the NFL to do more to increase the number of black head coaches, front office executives and team owners. Zeke is 25th in rushing and averaging 3.9 per carry. During 19181919, he led the team to a victorious season defeating Howard University's Bisons 130[5] in the annual Thanksgiving classic as well as Hampton University (70) on November 9, 1918, and teams of military recruits at Camp Dix (190) on November 2, 1918,[6] and Camp Upton (410). "Crack Lincoln University Team Coached by Fritz Pollard". In his freshman year, he was the only black player in the Ivy League and Brown's win over Yale saw them earn an invite to the Rose Bowl in January 1916. Pollard's magic on the field created a following for the NFL. His case is typical of a process called 'racial stacking' which still influences the number of black head coaches we see today. Pollard. AKA: Sharon K Fritz, Sharon Fritz-Pollard, Sharon K Pollard. After his playing career, he'd moved to New York with the Harlem Renaissance still in full swing and had become a talent agent, booking black entertainers for films and white nightclubs. Yet after he retired, the doors he forced open were slammed shut by a 'gentleman's agreement' that saw African-Americans banned from 1934 until 1946. "My dad was a single parent, and when he wasn't working all the hours he did it was phone call after phone call, meeting after meeting, trying to get my great-grandfather's name out there.". He was the first African American selected to a backfield position on Walter Camps All-America team (1916) and the first African American head coach in the National Football League (NFL), with the Akron Pros in 1921. Get the latest news. Its more than fair to wonder about the opposite.More from Cowboys-Chargers, Poor clock management made game-winning kick longer than it needed to be, Cowboys were very comfortable playing in SoFi Stadium, Cowboys gained much-needed confidence from a victory the Chargers bungled away, Tony Pollard, Ezekiel Elliott run all over Chargers defense, Rookie LB Micah Parsons records first NFL sack while lined up at DE, 5 takeaways from Cowboys-Chargers, including the best game from Dallas linebackers in years, Cowboys were very comfortable playing in SoFi Stadium: That was our home game, National reaction to Cowboys-Chargers: Greg Zuerlein drills game-winning FG; Tony Pollard shines. Pollard was illegally hit during games and, if he landed on the ground, white players would pile on top of him and beat him, according to newspaper accounts. "You couldn't eat in the restaurants or stay in the hotels," Pollard told the New York Times in 1978. Carolinas Christian McCaffrey is the only back ranked in the top 15 also averaging fewer than four yards per carry. Yet, Solomon said, Black men still aren't given equal opportunity to coach the teams they, perhaps, played for. There are three awards in his name at Brown and in the 1970s, when his grandson Fritz III played football there, a local shop owner refused to take his money and said: "My father took me to see your grandfather play. For this reason the FPA has in recent years been vocal in flagging potential violations of the rule while seeking to enhance it. [8], Pollard was considered one of the best kickoff return specialists in college football, tying a FBS record with seven career kick-return touchdowns, 87 kickoff returns (second in school history), 2,616 kickoff return yards (second in school history), 30.1 kick-return average (school record) and 4,680 all-purpose yards (second in school history). After service in World War I, Pollard became head football coach at Lincoln University (Pennsylvania) and began playing professional football for Akron in the informal Ohio League in 1919. Tony Pollard broke his left . Marshall was an avowed segregationist who owned the Washington football franchise from its inception in 1932 to his death in 1969. Don't let anyone tell you 'no'. But he combated such treatment with tricks he learned from his brothers. [22] In Week 5, against the New York Giants, Pollard totaled 103 scrimmage yards in the 4420 victory. MEMPHIS, Tenn. Pollard's BBQ is back open on Sundaysbut you better have your Cowboys gear on. USA TODAY. Fritz Pollard, the NFL's first African-American head coach, was a true pioneer of the sport. All Rights Reserved. He finished with 101 carries for 435 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns to go along with 28 receptions for 193 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown. As he walked on, he wouldheartaunts shouted from the stands. Here are five things Cowboys fans might not know about the running back and special teams ace: Pollard was raised in Memphis and decided to stay in the city when he made his college choice. After he was let go by Akron (which had changed its name to the Indians) in 1926, Pollard continued to promote integration in professional football as a coach of the barnstorming Chicago Black Hawks (192832) and the New York Brown Bombers (193537). Some of the worst violence took place in Pollard's home town of Chicago. [6], As a junior, even though he shared the backfield with Darrell Henderson, he totaled 78 carries for 552 yards (7.1-yard avg. Its difficult to imagine the game without black players. In Akron, Pollard became the first black head coach and quarterback in the NFL and the most vocal advocate for black players in the formative years of the league. We look at why having two black quarterbacks in the Super Bowl is such a big moment for the NFL, and profile star men Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts. Pollard was one of the first two along with Bobby Marshall African-Americans in the National Football League in 1920. It was the best game I'd ever seen.". "Sometimes they would just pick him up, take him to camp and wouldn't ask for a dime," Torria said. In 1916 Pollards outstanding play led Brown to a season of eight victories and one defeat, including wins over both Yale and Harvard. (Complete Story), The Life And Career Of NFL Co-Founder Carl Storck (Story), The Life And Career Of Jim Thorpe (Complete Story), Top 20 Most Underrated Coaches In NFL History (Complete List), The Life And Career Of QB Jim Plunkett (Complete Story), The Life And Career Of Deion Sanders (Complete Story). Pollard was wickedly smart and, while playing halfback at Brown as the school's first Black player, he majored in chemistry, earning almost all As. Tony Pollard Is a Special Runner. "After I told them about the historically black newspapers, a guy in Mississippi called back and said 'did you know your grandfather averaged hundreds of yards a game?' It was Halas, who in 1922, suggested to the other owners that the name of the league be changed from the American Professional Football Association to the National Football League. That's because Pollard was an exceptional return man for Memphis. In 1920, with Pollard leading the team, the Pros went undefeated (8-0-3) to win the league's first championship. I had to duck the rocks and the fellas trying to hurt me.". Are you an NFL rookie? Updated January 24, 2023 3:22 PM. Eventually the hotel relented. "African-Americans have historically been drummed out of the quarterback position and shifted into more 'athletic' positions like wide receiver, defensive back or running back," says Professor N Jeremi Duru of American University in Washington DC, one of the leading experts in US sports law and discrimination. The same players that shunned Pollard four months earlier were now bringing him food. In 1917 he enlisted in the army, serving as a physical director in Maryland while coaching at the all-black Lincoln University in Pennsylvania. When Pollard was a rookie in 2019 (and when it wasnt necessarily true), the difference between his 5.3 yards per carry and Zekes 4.5 that season was explained away along these lines and by quite a few different people: When Zeke is in the game, the defense puts eight men in the box. He is closing in on 1,700 runs and receptions while just starting his sixth season. Not the way Solomon believes Pollard might have expected. The former Memphis standout is currently earning a base salary of $965,000 while carrying a cap charge of $1.131 million, via Spotrac. The faces inside the helmets may look different than they did a century ago, but the team owners are still mostly all white men who together wield an often uncompromising power in the game. If so, watch our guide to the key rules, the player positions and the ultimate aim of the game. [8] Paul Robeson was enlisted by Lincoln's alumni to coach the Thanksgiving 1920 game against Howard. It's kind of weird to say, but I love it," Terrion said. If Pollard wasn't allowed to stay at the hotel, they would all leave and head back to Rhode Island. "God had gifted me with a special talent to coach the game of football, but the need for change is bigger than my person goals," Flores said in a statement. Mother Amanda was a respected seamstress while father John was a successful businessman. They were the suburb's only black family. The Depression ended the Brown Bombers' run in 1938, and Pollard went on to other ventures, including a talent agency, tax consulting, and film and music production. Pollard's team won most of those games, said Towns. Five of the 11 men who had agreed to ban black players were, however. And it wont be a surprise if Pollard stays above 5.0 all season. He opened the Sun Tan Studios, where the likes of Duke Ellington and Nat King Cole rehearsed, and produced music videos called 'soundies'. "The first was Fritz Pollard. Pollard attended Melrose High School, where he played high school football. and 30 carries for 230 yards (7.7-yard avg.) Pollard left a legacy no one would soon forget in his years at UND. Its also possibly his way of talking around what seems to be a delicate situation. Yet he welcomed Pollard with a highly abusive racial slur, saying he was going to kill him. He became their player-coach the following season. In 1919, as more than 25 race riots erupted in major U.S. cities, Fritz Pollard, a former Brown University All-American running back, joined the Akron Pros, a pro football team that would later become a charter member of the NFL. The restaurant comes highly rated, too. NFL pioneer Fritz Pollard's life story more relevant than ever Published: Jun 17, 2020 at 05:18 PM Anthony Smith "Fritz Pollard: A Forgotten Man", directed and produced by NFL Network senior. Pollard, 25, has assumed a big role in 2022 as he preps for free agency. Mark Wahlberg pours tequila for fans at Dallas restaurant during thunderstorm, Luka Doncic-Kyrie Irving tandem clicks with joint 40-point displays in Mavs win vs. 76ers, Dallas Cowboys focused on adding another dynamic offensive weapon, 12 Dallas-Fort Worth restaurants that have closed in 2023, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones responds to Lakers star LeBron James comments. Pollard got all of 13 carries and turned it into 109 yards, his second biggest day as a pro. Despite his accomplishments in football, he was hardly immune to the discrimination African-Americans facedincluding before that 1916 Rose Bowl.