Legendary athlete Charley Trippi, who played for the Georgia Bulldogs and Chicago Cardinals, died peacefully at his home in Athens, Georgia, Wednesday at the age of 100.
Trippi was considered to be one of the most versatile players in the history of football and famously signed a then-record $100,000 contract in 1947, according to People. He led the Cardinals to a championship win in Jan. 1947 and continued to show his passion and dedication to the team for another nine years, People reported.
Charley Trippi, Oldest Member of Football Hall of Fame, Dead at 100 https://t.co/U5L6CGLK8U
— People (@people) October 20, 2022
Trippi’s long-standing career resulted in a series of accolades and moments of triumph. He was inducted into the National College Football Hall of Fame in 1959, into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame and State of Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in 1965 and into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1968. The legendary athlete holds the title of being one of only four players from Georgia to have his jersey retired, according to People.
In his official Pro Football Hall of Fame bio, Trippi reflected on the versatility that made him stick out in the NFL. “In those days, the more things a player did, the more pay he could demand,” Trippi said. “I could run, kick, pass and catch, and that made me a valuable property.” (RELATED: Mississippi State University Football Player Sam Westmoreland Dies At Age 18)
“He was perhaps the greatest all-around football player on our campus,” said University of Georgia head coach Kirby Smart. “Many historians and observers have said that. And from reading about him, I understand why,” Smart said, according to People.