Professional Career
He moved on to the fledgling second version of the American Football League in 1936, where he played for the Pittsburgh Americans before shifting to the NFL the following year with the Cleveland Rams. Playing quarterback (as well as serving as the team's placekicker) for two seasons, Snyder finished the 1938 NFL season with 631 yards passing, while also showing excellent speed and mobility.
On February 13, 1939, Snyder was traded to the Chicago Bears and used at running back. After contributing throughout the campaign, he suffered a deep personal tragedy when his two-week-old son, Robert Calvin, died on November 30.
When he returned the next year, Snyder played exclusively at quarterback (and continuing as a kicker), but had the misfortune of playing on the same team as future Hall of Fame signal caller Sid Luckman. That frustration was soothed somewhat when the Bears went on to capture the 1940 NFL Championship with the biggest rout in the league's postseason history, defeating the Washington Redskins, 73–0.
After another season of play resulted in another championship for the Bears, with Snyder kicking three field goals in the 37-9 championship game victory, Snyder retired to become the University of Notre Dame's freshman football coach on July 10, 1942. His main focus was instruction in his area of expertise, the T-Formation, and his work undoubtedly proved to be successful when two quarterbacks under his tutelage, Angelo Bertelli and Johnny Lujack, went on to win the Heisman Trophy.
Snyder returned to the playing field with one more season with the Bears in 1943, notching a trio of league kicking records with 39 conversions, while also connecting on all 12 of his field goal attempts. During the November 14 contest against the New York Giants, Snyder scored on eight conversions during the Bears' high-scoring effort. After the season ended with another Bears' championship, he spent one year contributing to the war effort, serving as personnel manager of the Thompson Aircraft plant in his hometown of Toledo. A back injury suffered during his playing days had prevented Snyder from serving in the armed services. During this stretch, he also coached Libby High School, his alma mater, to an Ohio state title.
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