CFL status International Role American football player Position(s) QB/LB/DB/HB/C Height 1.85 m | 1953 Chicago Cardinals Weight 91 kg Name Tony Curcillo Drafted by Arizona Cardinals | |
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Date of birth (1931-05-27) May 27, 1931 (age 84) Place of birth Long Branch, New Jersey NFL draft 1953 / Round: 6 / Pick: 63 College Ohio State Buckeyes football | ||
Anthony Curcillo Jr. (born May 27, 1931 in Long Branch, New Jersey) is a former Grey Cup champion football player in the National Football League and Canadian Football League.
Career
Curcillo was the starting quarterback for the Ohio State Buckeyes football team in 1950 and 1951 and played linebacker, tailback, and center in 1952. Although recruited by Wes Fesler, he would become Woody Hayes' first starting quarterback at Ohio State when Hayes was hired in 1951. Curcillo's running back from during the 1950 and 1951 seasons was Vic Janowicz, the winner of the 1950 Heisman Trophy and Curcillo's former teammate at Elyria High School.
Curcillo was drafted by the Chicago Cardinals in the 6th round of the 1953 NFL Draft. He could not beat out fellow rookies Jim Root and Ray Nagel for playing time at quarterback, so Curcillo played the 1953 season at defensive back and halfback.
After the 1953 season, Curcillo joined the United States Army. He was stationed at Fort Carson, where he played quarterback for the base football team in 1954 and 1955.
Curcillo rejoined the Cardinals in 1956, but did not receive any playing time behind Lamar McHan. Midway through the season he joined the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Interprovincial Rugby Football Union, a forerunner of the present day Canadian Football League. He replaced the controversial Ronnie Knox and on November 17, 1956 he passed for 518 yards in a playoff game against the Montreal Alouettes, still a CFL playoff record. When Bernie Faloney joined the Tiger-Cats in 1957, Curcillo became an all-star linebacker while also serving as the team's backup quarterback.