George William Izo was an American professional football player who was a quarterback for seven seasons in the National Football League.
21 Facts About George Izo
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George Izo played for the St Louis Cardinals, Washington Redskins, Detroit Lions, and the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1960 to 1966, having earlier played college football at the University of Notre Dame.
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George Izo attended Barberton High School, where he starred in basketball and baseball in addition to being an all-state quarterback.
4.
George Izo attended and played college football at the University of Notre Dame.
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George Izo earned his varsity letter during his sophomore year, but during the off-season he sprained his ankle during initiation into the Monogram Club.
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George Izo missed spring practice and did not return to the field until mid-season of his junior year.
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George Izo played in a total of 26 games and completed 132 passes in 317 attempts for 1,791 yards, 12 touchdowns and 32 interceptions.
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George Izo was drafted in the first round of the 1960 NFL Draft by the Chicago Cardinals.
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George Izo was chosen in the 1960 American Football League Draft as a "territorial selection" by the Titans of New York.
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George Izo chose the Cardinals over the AFL, and signed his $15,000 contract at Soldier Field in Chicago during a game against the Chicago Bears.
11.
The franchise moved to St Louis, Missouri one month after George Izo signed his contract.
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George Izo was traded at the end of training camp in 1961.
13.
On September 12,1961, George Izo was traded to the Washington Redskins for quarterback Ralph Guglielmi.
14.
In 1964, the Redskins traded Snead to the Philadelphia Eagles for quarterback Sonny Jurgensen and after backing him up for one year, George Izo asked to be traded.
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George Izo was released by the Lions on September 5,1966.
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George Izo played in four games during his time in Pittsburgh and was released on November 2,1966.
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George Izo moved back to Washington, DC three years later and became a partner in a wholesale food company; he worked in the food industry regularly.
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George Izo then married Deborah Spivey, with whom he had one daughter.
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George Izo died on June 10,2022, at a retirement home in Alexandria, Virginia.
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George Izo was 84, and suffered from Alzheimer's disease prior to his death.
21.
George Izo has made tours with Billy Kilmer, Ken Stabler, Paul Hornung and Earl Morrall, among others.