Shot Putter to Shot Caller: The Multi-Sport Legend of Sam Francis

Harrison Samuel “Sam” Francis was born on October 26, 1913, in Dunbar, Nebraska. He is celebrated as one of the greatest all-around athletes in Nebraska history, excelling in both football and track & field before becoming the NFL’s first overall draft pick.

Francis was a great player; he finished as the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy after the 1936 season. Earlier in 1936, Sam finished 4th in the Shot put at the Summer Olympic Games in Berlin. Sam Francis was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1977. Francis was the first overall pick in the 1937 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles, but the Eagles traded his rights to the Chicago Bears soon after, where he played for four seasons.

Later, he played for the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Brooklyn Dodgers before attending the University of Iowa to pursue his master’s degree and serving in the US Army during World War II.

Accolades and Accomplishments

College Career (Nebraska Cornhuskers):

• 1936 Heisman Trophy Runner-up (finished 2nd to Larry Kelley of Yale).
• 1936 Unanimous First-team All-American (Fullback).
• College Football Hall of Fame Inductee (1977).
• Member of two Big Six Conference championship teams in football (1935, 1936).
• One of only four athletes named First-Team All-American in both football and track.
• Nebraska retired his No. 38 jersey (posthumously, in 2017).

Olympic & Track Accomplishments:

• Finished 4th in the Shot Put at the 1936 Summer Olympic Games in Berlin.
• 1937 NCAA Shot Put National Champion.
• Two-time All-American in the Shot Put.

Professional Career (NFL):

• 1937 NFL Draft: 1st overall pick by the Philadelphia Eagles.
• Pro Teams Played For (1937–1940): Chicago Bears (1937–1938), Pittsburgh Pirates (now Steelers, 1939), and Brooklyn Dodgers (1939–1940).
• Career Rushing Stats: 40 games played, 253 carries for 873 yards and 5 rushing touchdowns.
• His rights were traded from the Eagles to the Bears for Pro Football Hall of Famer Bill Hewitt and cash, immediately following the draft.
• Note: His professional career was interrupted by service in the U.S. Army during World War II, where he retired with the rank of Colonel.

Here Are More Stories of Nebraska Football Legends