Monday, September 14, 2020

1939 Jim McMillen NFL All-Time Team

 LOOKING BACK
By Chris Willis, NFL Films
Jim McMillen, Bears Guard (1924-1928) 
(Color image by John Turney, PFJ)

PFJ continues this week with another All-Time Team. This one was done in 1939 by Jim McMillen, who played 5 seasons at guard for the Chicago Bears from 1924-1928. He started 66 of 69 career games for the Bears, including many games on the Red Grange 1925-1926 famous barnstorming tour. He was selected First Team All-Pro three times by Chicago Tribune (1926-28) and twice each by Collyers Eye Magazine (1924, 1926) and Green Bay Press-Gazette (1925, 1928). Probably could've played longer but went into pro wrestling.

In 1939 McMillen choose his professional football All-Time Team. Mostly teammate heavy, McMillen selected:

Ends- Don Hutson, Gaynell Tinsley

Tackles- Ed Healey, Link Lyman

Guards- Hunk Anderson, Mike Michalske

Center- Mel Hein

Quarterback- Benny Friedman

Halfbacks- Red Grange, Dutch Clark

Fullback- Bronko Nagurski

 McMillen's biggest surprsies was at end, going away from Bears great Bill Hewitt and selecting Tinsley. He said:

"(Hutson and Tinsley) would have been stars in pro football in any era."

He also thought that Red Grang and Bronko Nagurski were "the two greatest of all-time..."

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