November 28, 2016

Highlighted Year: Bill Daddio, 1942

End/Placekicker, Chicago Cardinals


Age: 26
2nd season in pro football & with Cardinals
College: Pittsburgh
Height: 5’11” Weight: 204

Prelude:
Daddio was known for his speed at end and placekicking ability in college. He scored a touchdown on a 71-yard interception return in the 1937 Rose Bowl and received some All-American recognition in 1937 and ‘38. Daddio was chosen by the Cardinals in the fifth round of the 1939 NFL draft but spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Pitt before joining the Cards in 1941. He caught five passes for 39 yards as a rookie, intercepted a pass, and kicked four field goals out of eight attempts and 8 of 9 PATs.

1942 Season Summary
Appeared in all 11 games
[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Kicking
Field goals – 5 [1]
Most field goals, game – 2 vs. Green Bay 10/4
Field goal attempts – 10 [3]
Field goal percentage – 50.0 [1]
PATs – 8 [9, tied with Dick Erdlitz]
PAT attempts – 8 [9, tied with four others]
Longest field goal – 38 yards vs. Green Bay 10/4, at Pittsburgh 11/22

Pass Receiving
Receptions – 11
Yards – 108
Yards per catch – 9.8
TDs – 1

Interceptions
Interceptions – 1
Int. return yards – 4
Int. TDs – 0

Scoring
TDs – 1
Field Goals – 5
PATs – 8
Points – 29 [18]

Cardinals went 3-8 to finish fourth in the NFL Western Division.

Aftermath:
Daddio spent the next three years in the Navy during World War II and, upon his return to pro football, joined the Buffalo Bisons of the AAFC in 1946 as a player/coach and saw action in three games. Daddio went on to be head coach at Allegheny College from 1947 to ’51 and was a long-time assistant coach and scout at both the college and pro levels.

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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