Francis Edward Coughlin (February 28, 1896 – September 8, 1951) was an American football player and coach.
| Born: | February 28, 1896 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Died: | September 8, 1951 (aged 55)[1] Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S. |
| Career information | |
| Position(s) | Tackle |
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (191 cm) |
| Weight | 220 lb (100 kg) |
| College | Notre Dame |
| Career history | |
| As coach | |
| 1921 | Rock Island Independents |
| As player | |
| 1921 | Rock Island Independents |
| 1921 | Detroit Tigers |
| 1921 | Green Bay Packers |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Career stats | |
| |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Service |  U.S. Navy |
| Years of service | 1917–1919 |
| Battles / wars | World War I |
Biography
editWar and college football
editDuring World War I, Coughlin served in the United States Navy aboard a minesweeper.[2] After the war, he played at the collegiate level at the University of Notre Dame. He was named captain of the 1920 football squad[3] after the team's current captain, George Gipp withdrew from the University.
NFL career
editFor the 1921 season, Coughlin was named as a player-coach for the Rock Island Independents of the American Professional Football Association, which was renamed the National Football League in 1922.
On October 16, 1921, down 7-0 to the Chicago Cardinals, Coughlin scored two touchdowns to help give the Independents a 14-7 lead in the second quarter. Team owner Walter Flanigan ordered tackle Ed Healey to relieve Coughlin. Once Coughlin was safely on his way toward the sideline, Healey delivered a message to Jimmy Conzelman from Flanigan, it read: "Coughlin was fired! The new coach was Conzelman!" This act marked the first and only time an owner hired a new coach in the middle of a game.[4] Coughlin then spent the rest of the 1921 season playing for the Detroit Tigers and the Green Bay Packers.
After football
editIn 1923, Coughlin became a prosecutor in St. Joseph County, Indiana. From 1945–1949, he served as the assistant Attorney General of Indiana, under Governors Ralph Gates and Henry Schricker.[2]
References
edit- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on September 5, 2016. Retrieved December 28, 2012.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ a b Maxymuk, John (August 2, 2012). NFL Head Coaches: A Biographical Dictionary, 1920–2011. McFarland Press. p. 364. ISBN 978-0786465576.
- ^ "Coughlin to Lead Notre Dame". The New York Times. March 10, 1920.
- ^ Braunwart, Bob; Carroll, Bob (1983). "The Rock Island Independents" (PDF). Coffin Corner. 5 (3). Pro Football Researchers Association: 1–7. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 22, 2012.