Best of Jersey 30

While some jersey numbers scream stardom, number 30 often flies under the radar. But don't be fooled! This introduction will unveil the hidden gems who donned number 30 throughout NFL history. We'll explore the careers of these talented players, from elusive running backs to lockdown defenders. Prepare to be surprised by the impact these athletes left on the game, proving that greatness can come in all uniform numbers, even the seemingly unassuming 30.

To get the ball rolling we are supplied by the Pro Football Hall of Fame, who gives us our starting point for these great players:

Clarke Hinkle

Born April 10, 1909, in Toronto, Ohio, was the stud fullback of 1929 to 1931 from Bucknell University, Clarke Hinkle. This legend was blessed with great foot speed and mobility which gave him excellent range, both on offense and the defensive side of the ball. He first achieved fame and notoriety in 1929, when he led the East in scoring with 128 points. Clarke Hinkle’s collegiate football records are celebrated in the College Football Hall of Fame after his induction in 1971. Hinkle joined the Green Bay Packers in 1932 and he was the answer to counter the Bears Bronko Nagurski, as the two battled head to head on many occasions. During his 10 years with the Green Bay Packers, Hinkle was named first- or second-team all-league each year! In 1964 Clarke Hinkle was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

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Ollie Matson

Born May 1, 1930, in Trinity, Texas, was the University of San Francisco’s stud halfback of 1949 to 1951, Ollie Matson. Ollie finishied as a contender for the Heisman Trophy. After that season, he turned around and won the silver and bronze medals in the 1952 Olympic Games! The College Football Hall of Fame proudly placed a display in honor of Ollie Matson in their legendary museum in 1976. In 1952 Matson was the number one overall pick by the Chicago Cardinals in the NFL Draft. He played well for the Cards but was traded to the Rams in 1959 for nine players! You can learn more about that trade here. Ollie racked up over 12,000 yards of total offense in the League and was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1972.

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Bill Willis

Born October 5, 1921 - Bill Willis was a tackle from Ohio State University who alsp played on the early Cleveland Browns teams in the AAFC and NFL. He was gifted with the quickness, size and strength to become a very formidable blocker in the Buckeye offense during his playing days at the school. This superstar of the gridiron ended up in the Hall of Fame for his great play.

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Alex Wojciechowicz

Born August 12, 1915 in South River, New Jersey, was two-way Pro Football hall of Fame Center and Linebacker, Alex Wojciechowicz. Wojciechowicz played college football for the Fordham Rams from 1935 to 1937 and was a member of the line that became known as the Seven Blocks of Granite. He was selected by the Detroit Lions in the first round of the 1938 NFL Draft and played for the Lions from 1938 to 1946. He was selected as a first-team All-NFL player in 1939 and 1944. In 1946, he was released by the Lions and then sold to the Philadelphia Eagles, for whom he played from 1946 to 1950. He won two NFL championships with the Eagles, in 1948 and 1949.

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The legendary athletes, teams, events and people that made contributions and memories in the sporting games we love. Enjoy this chronicled collection of the greatest stories of sport.

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Terrell Davis

Born October 28, 1972, in San Diego, California - Terrell Davis was a running back out of Long Beach State & Georgia. Davis transferred to the University of Georgia from Long Beach State. During his first season with the Georgia Bulldogs, Davis backed-up future NFL starting running back Garrison Hearst. After Hearst graduated, Davis became the top running back during the 1993 season. The Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrined Terrell Davis in 2017.

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The Substantial Players wearing 30 not yet in the HOF are:

• Ahman Green
• Bill Brown
• Lawrence McCutcheon
• Mike Brown
• Mark van Eeghen
• Mike Minter
• Bernie Parrish
• Ron Johnson
• Mike Rozier
• Jason McCourty
• Chad Scott
• Todd Gurley
• Frank Pollard
• Stump Mitchell
• Brian Mitchell
• James Jones
• Timmy Newsome
• Bruce Gossett
• LaRon Landry
• Issiac Holt
• Bernie Casey
• Dan Reeves
• Dave Meggett
• Wray Carlton
• Ernie Jackson
• Cleo Miller
• Bradley McDougald
• Carl Garrett
• Charles Godfrey
• Wayne Wilson
• Steve Sewell
• Bryant Salter

A speical thanks to the Pro Football Reference website for information they share on these great players. Check them out at Pro-Football-Reference.com

1. Terrell Davis
2. Bill Willis
3. Clarke Hinkle
4. Ahman Green
5. Brian Mitchell
6. Todd Gurley
7. Ollie Matson
8. Lawrence McCutcheon
9. Alex Wojciechowicz
10. Bernie Parrish

Do you agree or disagree with our list? We would love to get your feedback, so email us at PigskinDispatch@gmail.com.

A speical thanks to the Pro Football Reference website for information they share on these great players. Check them out at Pro-Football-Reference.com

The Image used above is courtesy of Google Gemini and others from Wikimedia Commons. It is pleasing to see such vivid images of the jerseys that point out the uniform number and help us identify the legends that wore it.

Love the football jersey designs and evolution wait till you check out the History of American Football Jersey. Here are some common questions about jerseys.

-Who is the most famous NFL player that wore Number 30? There are plenty of legends and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees that wore the number 30, legend Clark Hinkle is probably the most significant number 30 in NFL history, see more on him here: Clark Hinkle Bio Page.

-What are American football jerseys made of? Modern jerseys are a mix of synthetic fibers such as polyester or a blend of different materials such asspandex, for more check out our in-depth study of The Make up and Materials of Football Jerseys.

-What are some of the unique football jerseys in history? Gridiron jerseys with logos on the front were some what of fad once upon a time. Check this story titled Football Jerseys with Emblems.

-Whose college football jersey was the first to be retired? Red Grange's Number 77 Ilinois Illini jersey was the first college uni to be shelved in 1925. There were a couple more about the same time and we chatted with a college football expert historian help divulge College Football and its First Retired Jerseys.

-When did football jerseys start having numbers on them? Though there was documented talk of it since 1894, players did not all wear digits in a game until the 1905 Iowa State at Drake game, check this out more on this story The Origins Of Football Player Numbers.

-Who are some of the most famous NFL players at each jersey number? From Red Grange's jersey number 77 to Tom brady's iconic number 12 there are a slew of players from NFL history that made their digits proud. Want to know more , you are in the right place as we covered all 100 jersey numbers and the best to wear each: About Football By Numbers.