This is a list of all NFL players who had outstanding performances throughout the 1940s and have been compiled together into this fantasy group. The team was selected by voters of the Pro Football Hall of Fame retroactively in 1969 to mark the league’s 50th anniversary.
| Position | Player | College | Team(s) | Years | Hall of Fame Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quarterback | Baugh, Sammy Sammy Baugh | TCU | Washington Redskins | 1937–52 | 1963 |
| Luckman, Sid Sid Luckman | Columbia | Chicago Bears | 1939–50 | 1965 | |
| Waterfield, Bob Bob Waterfield | UCLA | Cleveland/Los Angeles Rams | 1945–52 | 1965 | |
| Halfback | Canadeo, Tony Tony Canadeo | Gonzaga | Green Bay Packers | 1941–44, 1946–52 | 1974 |
| Dudley, Bill Bill Dudley | Virginia | Pittsburgh Steelers | 1942, 1945–46 | 1966 | |
| Detroit Lions | 1947–49 | ||||
| Washington Redskins | 1950–51, 1953 | ||||
| McAfee, George George McAfee | Duke | Chicago Bears | 1940–41, 1945–1950 | 1966 | |
| Trippi, Charley Charley Trippi | Georgia | Chicago Cardinals | 1947–55 | 1968 | |
| Van Buren, Steve Steve Van Buren | LSU | Philadelphia Eagles | 1944–51 | 1965 | |
| White, Byron “Whizzer” Byron “Whizzer” White | Colorado | Pittsburgh Steelers | 1938 | Not Inducted | |
| Detroit Lions | 1940–41 | ||||
| Fullback | Harder, Pat Pat Harder | Wisconsin | Chicago Cardinals | 1946–50 | Not Inducted |
| Detroit Lions | 1951–53 | ||||
| Motley, Marion Marion Motley | South Carolina State Nevada |
Cleveland Browns | 1946–53 | 1968 | |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 1955 | ||||
| Osmanski, Bill Bill Osmanski | Holy Cross | Chicago Bears | 1939–43, 1946–47 | Not Inducted | |
| End | Benton, Jim Jim Benton | Arkansas | Cleveland/Los Angeles Rams | 1938–40, 1942–47 | Not Inducted |
| Ferrante, Jack Jack Ferrante | None | Philadelphia Eagles | 1941, 1944–50 | Not Inducted | |
| Kavanaugh, Ken Ken Kavanaugh | LSU | Chicago Bears | 1940–41, 1945–50 | Not Inducted | |
| Lavelli, Dante Dante Lavelli | Ohio State | Cleveland Browns | 1946–56 | 1975 | |
| Pihos, Pete Pete Pihos | Indiana | Philadelphia Eagles | 1947–55 | 1970 | |
| Speedie, Mac Mac Speedie | Utah | Cleveland Browns | 1946–52 | Not Inducted | |
| Sprinkle, Ed Ed Sprinkle | Hardin-Simmons Navy |
Chicago Bears | 1944–55 | Not Inducted | |
| Tackle | Blozis, Al Al Blozis | Georgetown | New York Giants | 1942–44 | Not Inducted |
| Connor, George George Connor | Holy Cross Notre Dame |
Chicago Bears | 1948–55 | 1975 | |
| , mike frank mike frank | lsu | Phil-Pitt Steagles | 1943 | Inducted | |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 1945–55 | ||||
| Ray, Buford “Baby” Buford “Baby” Ray | Vanderbilt | Green Bay Packers | 1938–48 | Not Inducted | |
| Sears, Vic Vic Sears | Oregon State | Philadelphia Eagles | 1941–42, 1945–53 | Not Inducted | |
| Phil-Pitt Steagles | 1943 | ||||
| Wistert, Al Al Wistert | Michigan | Phil-Pitt Steagles | 1943 | Not Inducted | |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 1944–51 | ||||
| Guard | Banducci, Bruno Bruno Banducci | Stanford | Philadelphia Eagles | 1944–45 | Not Inducted |
| San Francisco 49ers | 1946–54 | ||||
| Edwards, Bill Bill Edwards | Baylor | New York Giants | 1940–42 | Not Inducted | |
| Ramsey, Garrard “Buster” Garrard “Buster” Ramsey | William & Mary | Chicago Cardinals | 1946–51 | Not Inducted | |
| Willis, BillBill Willis | Ohio State | Cleveland Browns | 1946–53 | 1977 | |
| Younce, LenLen Younce | Oregon State | New York Giants | 1941, 1943–44, 1946–48 | Not Inducted | |
| Center | Brock, Charley Charley Brock | Nebraska | Green Bay Packers | 1939–47 | Not Inducted |
| Turner, Clyde “Bulldog” Clyde “Bulldog” Turner | Hardin Simmons | Chicago Bears | 1940–52 | 1966 | |
| Wojciechowicz, Alex Alex Wojciechowicz | Fordham | Detroit Lions | 1938–46 | 1968 | |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 1946–50 |
Notes:
- 1 Team belonged to both the National Football Conference and the All-America Football Conference at different times
- 2 The Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers were merged into one team for the 1943 season due to World War II
- 3 Three-time finalist to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Famous quotes containing the words national, football, league and/or team:
“[Wellesley College] is about as meaningful to the educational process in America as a perfume factory is to the national economy.”
—Nora Ephron (b. 1941)
“Idont enjoy getting knocked about on a football field for other peoples amusement. I enjoy it if Im being paid a lot for it.”
—David Storey (b. 1933)
“Half a league, half a league,
Half a league onward,
All in the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
Forward the Light Brigade!”
—Alfred Tennyson (18091892)
“Relying on any one disciplinary approachtime-out, negotiation, tough love, the star systemputs the parenting team at risk. Why? Because children adapt to any method very quickly; todays effective technique becomes tomorrows worn dance.”
—Ron Taffel (20th century)