Age: 24
3rd
season in pro football & with Packers
College: Gonzaga
Height: 5’11” Weight: 195
Prelude:
“The Gray
Ghost of Gonzaga” was an All-West Coast and Little All-American selection in college
for his play at halfback. He was chosen by the Packers in the seventh round of
the 1941 NFL draft and backed up Cecil Isbell at tailback. His statistical
totals were thus modest during his first two seasons as he rushed for a total
of 409 yards, caught 10 passes for 66 yards, passed for 364 yards and five
touchdowns, and returned 10 kickoffs for a 24.7-yard average and 11 punts for
an average of 9.3 yards, and scored six TDs. Canadeo made up for lack of ideal
size and speed with determination, savvy, and versatility. With the departure
of Isbell, he saw more action in 1943 in combination with rookie Irv Comp.
1943 Season Summary
Appeared in all
10 games
[Bracketed
numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]
Rushing
Attempts – 94
[6]
Yards – 489 [5]
Yards per
attempt – 5.2 [3]
TDs – 3 [6,
tied with seven others]
Pass
Receiving
Receptions – 3
Yards – 31
Yards per
catch – 10.3
TDs – 2
Passing
Attempts – 129
[3]
Completions –
56 [3]
Yards – 875 [3]
Completion
percentage – 43.4 [4]
Yards per
attempt – 6.8 [3]
TD passes – 9
[3, tied with Roy Zimmerman]
Most TD
passes, game – 3 vs. Detroit 10/10
Interceptions
– 12 [5, tied with Sid Luckman]
Passer rating
– 51.0 [3]
Kickoff
Returns
Returns – 10
[6]
Yards – 242 [5]
Average per
return – 24.2 [3]
TDs – 0
Longest
return – 43 yards
Punt Returns
Returns – 8
[12, tied with Lou Brock]
Yards – 93 [12]
Average per
return – 11.6
TDs – 0
Longest
return – 22 yards
Interceptions
Interceptions
– 2 [20, tied with eighteen others]
Return yards
– 15
TDs – 0
Punting
Punts – 3
Yards – 102
Average – 34.0
Punts blocked
– 0
Longest punt
– 39 yards
Scoring
TDs – 5 [10,
tied with Tony Bova, Hamp Pool & George Wilson]
Points – 30 [14,
tied with Tony Bova, Hamp Pool & George Wilson]
Awards & Honors:
1st
team All-NFL: AP, INS, NY Daily News
2nd
team All-NFL: UPI, Pro Football Illustrated, Chicago Herald-American
Packers went 7-2-1
to finish second in the NFL Western Division.
Aftermath:
Canadeo was
with the Packers for three games in 1944 before leaving for World War II
military duty. Upon his return to the team in ’46, he was utilized more as a
halfback. He led Green Bay in rushing for four straight seasons, receiving
second-team All-NFL honors from UPI and Pro Football Illustrated in 1948 and
first-team recognition from UPI and INS in ’49, a year in which he ran for 1052
yards, becoming the third player in NFL history to cross the thousand-yard
rushing threshold and the first to do so without leading the league. Canadeo’s ground-gaining
totals dropped off thereafter as HB Billy Grimes took over more of the rushing
duties, but he averaged 25.7 yards on a career-high 16 kickoff returns in 1950
and set another high in ’51 with 22 pass receptions for 226 yards. His career,
spent entirely with the Packers, finally ended after the 1952 season. Overall,
he rushed for a then-team record 4197 yards on 1025 carries (4.1 avg.) with 26
TDs, caught 69 passes for 579 yards and five scores, passed for 1642 yards and
16 touchdowns, returned 46 punts for an 11.2-yard average and averaged 23.1
yards on 75 kickoff returns, and intercepted 9 passes on defense. He scored a
total of 31 touchdowns. Canadeo remained active with the Packers following his
retirement, as a broadcaster and also a member of the team’s board of
directors. The club retired his #3 and he was inducted into the Pro Football
Hall of Fame, Class of 1974.
--
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
