1. Earl Francis "Jug" Girard was an American football player.
48 Facts About Jug Girard
1. 2.
Jug Girard played ten seasons in the National Football League as an end, halfback, quarterback, punter, kickoff returner, defensive back, and punt returner.
3.
Jug Girard played for the Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions, and Pittsburgh Steelers.
4.
Jug Girard won two NFL Championships with the Lions in 1952 and 1953.
5.
Jug Girard played college football at the University of Wisconsin in 1944 and 1947 and was selected as a first-team All-American halfback at age 17 in 1944.
6.
Jug Girard was a star athlete in multiple sports, including baseball, basketball, and football, in high school.
7.
Jug Girard gained acclaim for his play at the halfback position.
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Jug Girard lived up to the hype, as he became a star player as a 17-year-old freshman.
9.
Jug Girard was selected by the undefeated 1944 Ohio State Buckeyes football team as the most valuable player on the teams that the Buckeyes played against.
10.
In November 1945, Jug Girard was discharged from the Army, but reenlisted a day later to continue in the military for another year.
11.
Jug Girard returned to the University of Wisconsin as a student in January 1947, and rejoined the football team for the 1947 season.
12.
Jug Girard was selected by the Green Bay Packers with the seventh pick in the first round of the 1948 NFL draft.
13.
Jug Girard was offered a $7,500 per year contract by the New York Yankees of the All-America Football Conference, indicating in early January 1948 that he intended to sign with that team.
14.
Two days later, Jug Girard agreed to join the Packers for an undisclosed sum.
15.
Jug Girard's mother refused to sign the contract with the Packers, and as a result Jug Girard's formal signing with the Packers did not occur until his 21st birthday on January 25,1948, at which time it was reported that he would be paid $8,000 for the 1948 season.
16.
Jug Girard appeared in 10 games for the Packers in 1948, punting eight times for a 40-yard average.
17.
Jug Girard played for the Green Bay Packers basketball team after the 1948 football season.
18.
At the time, Jug Girard was training in Florida with the Cleveland Indians minor league baseball team in Dayton, Ohio.
19.
Jug Girard was inducted into the Wisconsin State League Baseball Hall of Fame in 1952.
20.
Jug Girard led the Packers, and ranked eighth in the NFL, with 881 passing yards.
21.
Jug Girard ranked seventh in the NFL in passer rating, led the NFL with three blocked punts, rushed for 198 yards, and led the NFL with 69 punts, including a career-long 72-yard punt.
22.
Jug Girard ranked ninth in the NFL with 1,079 yards of total offense.
23.
In November 1949, Jug Girard signed to play with the Oshkosh, Wisconsin, basketball team in the Wisconsin State Basketball League.
24.
Jug Girard agreed to join the team at the end of the NFL season.
25.
One day after retiring from professional baseball, Jug Girard signed a contract to return to the Packers for the 1950 season.
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That fall, Jug Girard was limited to the role of punter, appearing in 10 games, none as a starter.
27.
Jug Girard punted 71 times for an average of 38.2 yards per punt.
28.
In July 1951, Jug Girard signed his fourth one-year contract with the Packers.
29.
Jug Girard intercepted five passes and caught 10 passes, including two touchdown catches.
30.
Jug Girard appeared in 11 game for the 1952 Lions, several as a starting halfback, replacing Doak Walker who was injured in the second game of the 1952 season.
31.
Jug Girard gained 538 yards from scrimmage and scored four touchdowns for the 1952 Lions, compiling 222 rushing yards and 316 receiving yards.
32.
In late July 1953, Jug Girard again signed to play for the Detroit Lions.
33.
Jug Girard appeared in 11 games for the 1953 Lions, but his playing time was limited due to the return of Doak Walker to the lineup.
34.
Jug Girard gained only 73 rushing yards and 24 receiving yards in 1953.
35.
In 1954, Jug Girard helped lead the Lions to the NFL Championship Game for the third consecutive year.
36.
Jug Girard became one of Bobby Layne's favorite targets, leading the team with seven touchdown catches.
37.
Jug Girard returned 12 kickoffs for 248 yards and punted 63 times for a 41-yard average.
38.
On December 19,1954, Jug Girard caught the game-winning catch from Layne with 50 second remaining in the game to defeat the Cleveland Browns in the final regular season game.
39.
Jug Girard continued to play for the Lions in 1955 and 1956 as a punter and end.
40.
Jug Girard gained 307 receiving yards in 1955, but his production fell in 1956.
41.
On December 2,1956, Jug Girard came into a game against the Chicago Bears on a fourth down play with nine yards to go.
42.
Jug Girard lined up in punt formation, but he faked the punt and passed the ball 20 yards for first down to Dorne Dibble.
43.
Jug Girard was dubbed "Mr Versatility" in Detroit, having played for the Lions as an offensive end, halfback, punter, kickoff specialist, punt returner, kickoff returner, and some defense as well.
44.
Jug Girard punted 68 times for a 40.5 yard average.
45.
Jug Girard announced his retirement from football in 1958, but then attempted a comeback with the Steelers in August 1958.
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Jug Girard lived in the Detroit area after retiring from football.
47.
Jug Girard ran a bar called "The Lion's Den" and later worked as a manufacturer's representative.
48.
Jug Girard died in Rochester Hills, Michigan, in 1997, at age 69.