Emlen Tunnell
Emlen Tunnell, sometimes known by the nickname “The Gremlin”, was one of the greatest defensive backs in the NFL. Tunnell became a three-sport athlete and excelled at football, baseball, and basketball at Radnor High School in Radnor, Pennsylvania. The University of Toledo offered the best scholarship opportunity for Tunnell. He accepted. Tunnell played college football at the University of Toledo in 1942, he also served in the United States Coast Guard from 1943 to 1946. Upon leaving the service, he entered the University of Iowa and played football for two seasons until an eye operation forced him to drop out of school.
He was well-liked by his teammates who nicknamed Tunnell “The Gremlin.” Tunnell led the team with 541 yards of total offense and 28 pass completions and ranked second on the team with 333 rushing yards in 1946. In 1947, Tunnell set a program single-game record against Indiana when he caught six passes, (three for touchdowns), for 155 yards in a 27-14 win. He hitchhiked to New York in 1948 and asked the New York Giants for a tryout. When he arrived in New York City, Tunnell spoke with Giants owner Tim Mara about trying out for the team. After signing his one-year, $5,000 contract, Tunnell was given an opportunity to play on both sides of the ball.
Tunnell concentrated on defense. In 1949, Tunnell grabbed an astounding 10 interceptions for 251 return yards and led the NFL by returning two of the picks for scores. Between 1949 and 1952, he was known as one of the best pass defenders and punt returners in the NFL. He could pick off passes, but he rarely missed when he went to make a tackle. His brilliant pass coverage and unerring tackling made him the first player to receive widespread public acclaim as a defensive back. In 1950, Tunnell began a string of nine Pro Bowl appearances.
During the 1951 season, The Gremlin snagged nine interceptions and led the NFL in punt returns (34) and return yards (489), and scored three touchdowns. At the same time, he was recognized as the most dangerous punt returner in the league. He was often called the Giants’ “offense on defense”. From 1952 through the 1955 season, Tunnell frustrated quarterbacks by picking off 28 total passes and leading the NFL in fumble recoveries with six in 1952. When the Giants won the 1956 NFL Championship game for the first time since 1946, he had six pick-offs for 87 return yards and was a tackling machine.
In 1958, The Gremlin looked mortal, tallying just one pick, his lowest total at that point in his career. After the 1958 season, Green Bay Packers purchased Tunnell from the Giants. Also, the Packers hired Giants defensive coordinator Vince Lombardi as their head coach. In three years with the Packers, Tunnell saw reduced playing time, but helped to bolster the defense with his experience. Tunnell did not intercept a pass for the first time in his career during the 1961 season. He started only one game, and it was evident that his days were numbered.
However, he appeared in 13 games for the 1961 Packers team that won the NFL championship. After the season, he called it quits. When he retired as a player, he held NFL career records for interceptions (79), interception return yards (1,282), punt returns (258), and punt return yards (2,209) along with 1,215 kick return yards for another score. He also added 16 fumble recoveries. He was also the first defensive specialist elected to the Hall of Fame, the first Black football player to be a scout and the first Black man on a coaching staff. Tunnell remained with the Giants for a total of 11 years from 1948 to 1958.
During that time, he was selected as a first-team All-Pro six times, played in eight Pro Bowls, and set franchise records that still stand with 74 intercepted passes for 1,240 interception return yards and four touchdowns. Emlen. Tunnell was a star for the Giants’ 1956 NFL championship team. He was the first Black man to play for the New York Giants and also the first to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He has been named a member of the NFL’s 1950s All-Decade Team, 50th and 100th Anniversary All-Time Teams, and has been placed in the Giants’ Ring of Honor.