Rudy Bukich
Encyclopedia
Rudolph Andrew Bukich is a former American football
quarterback
in the National Football League
between 1953 and 1968. He played college football
at the University of Southern California
. In 1964 he tied a National Football League record with 13 consecutive pass completions, and in 1965 he was the second leading passer in the NFL.
. He then transferred to the University of Southern California
. During his senior year, Southern California went to the 1953 Rose Bowl
. After the starting quarterback (an All-American) was sidelined with injuries, Bukich came in and conducted a drive, completing all but two of his passes, that resulted in the only score, for USC to defeat Wisconsin
, 7-0. Bukich was selected as the Most Valuable Player in the game. After his career, he was inducted into the USC Trojan Hall of Fame and, later, into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame.
in the second round of the 1953 NFL Draft
by the Los Angeles Rams
. He would go on to play for the Washington Redskins
, Chicago Bears
, and the Pittsburgh Steelers
. Bukich's greatest performances were during his second stint with the Chicago Bears. He was a quarterback with the Bears when they won the 1963 NFL Championship. (Billy Wade was quarterback in the championship game.) In 1964
he tied a record with 13 consecutive pass completions, and in 1965
he was the second leading passer in the NFL
.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
between 1953 and 1968. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
. In 1964 he tied a National Football League record with 13 consecutive pass completions, and in 1965 he was the second leading passer in the NFL.
High school career
Bukich was the starting quarterback in his senior year at Roosevelt High School in St Louis, Missouri, on a team that did not win a game. He played one game as wingback when Roosevelt tried to upset eventual league champions Cleveland by surprising Cleveland by playing the single wing.College career
Bukich earned a football scholarship to the University of Iowa as a wingbackRunning back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
. He then transferred to the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
. During his senior year, Southern California went to the 1953 Rose Bowl
1953 Rose Bowl
The 1953 Rose Bowl was a college football bowl game played on January 1, 1953 at the end of the 1952 college football season. It was the 39th Rose Bowl Game. It was the first-ever Rose Bowl appearance by the Badgers and the first appearance for the Trojans since the 1948 Rose Bowl. This game was...
. After the starting quarterback (an All-American) was sidelined with injuries, Bukich came in and conducted a drive, completing all but two of his passes, that resulted in the only score, for USC to defeat Wisconsin
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
, 7-0. Bukich was selected as the Most Valuable Player in the game. After his career, he was inducted into the USC Trojan Hall of Fame and, later, into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame.
Professional career
Bukich was selectedNFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
in the second round of the 1953 NFL Draft
1953 NFL Draft
The 1953 National Football League Draft was held on January 22, 1953.-Player selections:-Round one:* HOF Member of the Professional Football Hall of Fame-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:...
by the Los Angeles Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
. He would go on to play for the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
, Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, and the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
. Bukich's greatest performances were during his second stint with the Chicago Bears. He was a quarterback with the Bears when they won the 1963 NFL Championship. (Billy Wade was quarterback in the championship game.) In 1964
1964 NFL season
The 1964 NFL season was the 45th regular season of the National Football League. Before the season started, NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle reinstated Green Bay Packers running back Paul Hornung and Detroit Lions defensive tackle Alex Karras, who had been suspended for the 1963 season due to...
he tied a record with 13 consecutive pass completions, and in 1965
1965 NFL season
The 1965 NFL season was the 46th regular season of the National Football League.Because the Green Bay Packers and Baltimore Colts ended up tied in the Western Conference standings after the regular season ended, a conference playoff game was held in Green Bay. Although the Packers had defeated the...
he was the second leading passer in the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
.