February 18, 2016

Highlighted Year: Don Geyer, 1937

Halfback/Fullback, Cincinnati Bengals



Age: 23
1st season in pro football
College: Northwestern
Height: 5’10” Weight: 192

Prelude:
Geyer was a member of the Northwestern team that won the Big Ten title in 1936 and was selected to the East-West Shrine and College All-Star games. He joined the Bengals (no relation to the current NFL franchise, other than being the namesake), who entered the second major-league American Football League in its second season.

1937 Season Summary
Appeared in all 7 games
[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Scoring
TDs – 4 [5, tied with Butch Beatty, Al Nichelini & Jerry Donnell]
Field Goals – 4 [1]
Extra Points – 5
Points – 41 [1]

Awards & Honors:
1st team All-AFL: League

Bengals went 2-3-2 to finish fourth in the AFL.

Aftermath:
Geyers’ pro football career was brief as the league folded following the 1937 season (although the Bengals continued on as an independent team in ‘38). He was an assistant coach at the Univ. of Cincinnati and later enlisted in the Navy during World War II.

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Highlighted Years features players who were consensus first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)
Passing: Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating
Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)
Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)
All-Purpose: Total Yards
Defense: Interceptions, Sacks
Kickoff Returns: Average
Punt Returns: Average
Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

**NFC/AFC since 1970