View source for Chuck Bednarik

{{Short description|Slovak-American football player (1925–2015)}}
{{Use American English|date=April 2020}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2023}}
{{Infobox gridiron football biography
| name        = Chuck Bednarik
| image       = ChuckBednarik1952Bowman.jpg
| caption     = Bednarik {{circa}} 1952
| number      = 60
| position    = [[Linebacker]] <br> [[Center (gridiron football)|Center]]
| birth_date  = {{birth date|1925|5|1|mf=y}}
| birth_place = [[Bethlehem, Pennsylvania]], U.S.
| death_date  = {{death date and age|2015|3|21|1925|5|1|mf=y}}
| death_place = [[Coopersburg, Pennsylvania]], U.S.
| height_ft   = 6
| height_in   = 3
| weight_lb   = 233
| high_school = [[Liberty High School (Bethlehem, Pennsylvania)|Liberty]] <br> (Bethlehem, Pennsylvania)
| college     = [[Penn Quakers football|Penn]] (1945–1948)
| draftyear   = 1949
| draftround  = 1
| draftpick   = 1
| pastteams   =
* [[Philadelphia Eagles]] ({{NFL Year|1949|1962}})
| highlights  =
* 2× [[List of NFL champions (1920–1969)|NFL champion]] ([[1949 NFL Championship Game|1949]], [[1960 NFL Championship Game|1960]])
* 10× First-team [[All-Pro]] ([[1950 All-Pro Team|1950]]–[[1957 All-Pro Team|1957]], [[1960 All-Pro Team|1960]], [[1961 All-Pro Team|1961]])
* 8× [[Pro Bowl]] ([[1951 Pro Bowl|1950]]–[[1955 Pro Bowl|1954]], [[1957 Pro Bowl|1956]], [[1958 Pro Bowl|1957]], [[1961 Pro Bowl|1960]])
* [[NFL 1950s All-Decade Team]]
* [[NFL 50th Anniversary All-Time Team]]
* [[NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team]]
* [[NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team]]
* [[Philadelphia Eagles Hall of Fame]]
* [[Philadelphia Eagles 75th Anniversary Team]]
* [[Philadelphia Eagles#Retired numbers|Philadelphia Eagles No. 60]] retired
* [[Maxwell Award]] (1948)
* [[List of unanimous All-Americans in college football|Unanimous All-American]] ([[1948 College Football All-America Team|1948]])
* Consensus [[College Football All-America Team|All-American]] ([[1947 College Football All-America Team|1947]])
* Second-team All-American ([[1946 College Football All-America Team|1946]])
* 3× First-team All-Eastern ([[1946 All-Eastern football team|1946]], [[1947 All-Eastern football team|1947]], [[1948 All-Eastern football team|1948]])
*[[AP All-Time All-America college football team#First team|First-team AP All-Time All-American]] (2025)
| statlabel1  = Games played
| statvalue1  = 169
| statlabel2  = Games started
| statvalue2  = 166
| statlabel3  = [[Interception]]s
| statvalue3  = 20
| statlabel4  = Interception yards
| statvalue4  = 268
| statlabel5  = [[Fumble]] recoveries
| statvalue5  = 21
| statlabel6  = Defensive [[touchdown]]s
| statvalue6  = 1
<!--Military service-->
{{Infobox military person
| embed         = yes
| name          = Chuck Bednarik
| allegiance    = {{USA}}
| branch        = [[File:US Army Air Corps Hap Arnold Wings.svg|20px|U.S. Army Air Forces seal]] [[United States Army Air Forces|U.S. Army Air Forces]]
| serviceyears  = 1942–1946
| unit          = [[Eighth Air Force]]
| rank          = Staff Sergeant
| battles       = [[World War II]]
| signature = Chuck bednarik football player signature.jpg
}}
| pfr         = B/BednCh00
| HOF         = chuck-bednarik
| CollegeHOF  = 1697 
}}

'''Charles Philip Bednarik''' (May 1, 1925 – March 21, 2015), nicknamed "'''Concrete Charlie'''", was an American professional [[American football|football]] [[linebacker]] and [[Center (gridiron football)|center]] who played in the [[National Football League]] (NFL). He played [[college football]] for the [[Penn Quakers football|Penn Quakers]], and was selected with the [[List of first overall NFL draft picks|first overall pick]] of the [[1949 NFL draft]] by the [[Philadelphia Eagles]], where he played his entire 14-year NFL career from 1949 through 1962. Bednarik is ranked one of the hardest hitting tacklers in NFL history,<ref>[https://www.si.com/nfl/2007/07/25/25-0hardest-hitters-in-nfl-history#gid=ci0255c9d090052515&pid=chuck-bednarik-center-linebacker "Hardest Hitters in NFL History,"] ''Sports Illustrated'', July 25, 2007</ref> and was one of the league's last [[One-platoon system|two-way players]].

On November 20, 1960, Bednarik knocked [[1960 New York Giants season|New York Giants]] star halfback [[Frank Gifford]] unconscious with a tackle that was called "professional football's most notorious concussion". Bednarik's career-altering tackle of the Giants' star is remembered in football lore as "[[The Hit (Chuck Bednarik)|The Hit]]".<ref name="New York Times">{{cite news |last1=Anderson |first1=Dave |title=Chuck Bednarik's Hit on Frank Gifford Still Echoes |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/21/sports/football/21anderson.html |work=New York Times |date=November 11, 2010}}</ref>

He was inducted into the [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]] in 1967, his first year of eligibility, and the [[College Football Hall of Fame]] in 1969. He was named to the [[NFL 50th Anniversary All-Time Team|NFL 50th Anniversary All Time Team]], the [[NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team|NFL 75th Anniversary All Time Two Way Team]], and the [[NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team|NFL 100th Anniversary All Time Team]].

==Early life and education==
Bednarik was born in [[Bethlehem, Pennsylvania]], on May 1, 1925, to Charles Albert Bednarik and Mary A. (Pivovarnicek) Bednarik. Five years earlier, his parents had emigrated from [[Široké]], a village in eastern [[Slovakia]] near [[Prešov]], and settled in Bethlehem, where his father worked for [[Bethlehem Steel]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Goldstein |first=Richard |author-link=Richard Goldstein (writer, born 1942) |date=March 21, 2015 |title=Chuck Bednarik, Eagles' Man of Concrete, Dies at 89 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/22/sports/football/chuck-bednarik-famed-football-tough-guy-dies-at-89.html |work=New York Times}}</ref> His father never learned to read or write English and so could not advance to foreman.<ref name=":3">{{Cite journal |last=Schulian |first=John |date=March 21, 2015 |title=Chuck Bednarik, the last of the 60-minute men, was a stalwart at both linebacker and center for the 1960 NFL champion Philadelphia Eagles |url=https://vault.si.com/vault/1993/09/06/concrete-charlie-chuck-bednarik-the-last-of-the-60-minute-men-was-a-stalwart-at-both-linebacker-and-center-for-the-1960-nfl-champion-philadelphia-eaglese-1960-nfl-champion-philadelphia-eagles |journal=Sports Illustrated |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200702223859/https://vault.si.com/vault/1993/09/06/concrete-charlie-chuck-bednarik-the-last-of-the-60-minute-men-was-a-stalwart-at-both-linebacker-and-center-for-the-1960-nfl-champion-philadelphia-eagles |archive-date=2020-07-02}}</ref> He first attended school at SS. Cyril & Methodius, a Slovak parochial school in Bethlehem taught in [[Slovak language|Slovak]].

He attended [[Bethlehem Catholic High School|Bethlehem Catholic]] and later [[Liberty High School (Bethlehem, Pennsylvania)|Liberty High School]] in Bethlehem, where he played [[high school football|football]]. In later life, Bednarik visited Slovakia three or four times.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Chuck Bednarik {{!}} Pro Football Hall of Fame |url=https://www.profootballhof.com/players/chuck-bednarik/ |access-date=2024-11-07 |website=pfhof |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-06-28 |title=The Chuck Bednarik File |url=https://pennathletics.com/news/2016/6/28/5772ef65e4b0028e72363afd_131492714529984383.aspx |access-date=2024-11-08 |website=University of Pennsylvania Athletics |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Vilikovská |first=Zuzana |date=April 11, 2015 |title=Concrete Charlie, American football hero, felt Slovak - The Slovak Spectator |url=https://spectator.sme.sk/c/20056853/concrete-charlie-american-football-hero-felt-slovak.html |access-date=2024-11-08 |website=spectator.sme.sk |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=1996-03-09 |title=MARY A. BEDNARIK, 89; MOTHER OF EX-CENTER FOR PHILADELPHIA EAGLES |url=https://www.mcall.com/1996/03/09/mary-a-bednarik-89-mother-of-ex-center-for-philadelphia-eagles/ |access-date=2024-11-08 |website=The Morning Call |language=en-US}}</ref> He went off to war before finishing high school, but was awarded a diploma and graduated in exchange for his service,<ref name=":3" /> an experience shared by football great [[Gino Marchetti]].<ref name=":7">{{Cite web |date=2014-04-15 |title=Where are they now: Gino Marchetti |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/where-now-gino-marchetti-190151922--nfl.html |access-date=2024-10-10 |website=Yahoo Sports |language=en-US}}</ref>

===Military service===
Bednarik entered the [[United States Army Air Force|U.S. Air Force]], where he served as a [[Consolidated B-24 Liberator|B-24]] [[Air gunner|waist gunner]] with the [[Eighth Air Force]]. During [[World War II]], Bednarik flew on 30 combat missions over [[Nazi Germany]]. He was awarded the [[Air Medal]], four [[Oak Leaf Clusters]], the [[European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal]], and four [[Service star|Battle Stars]] for his military service.<ref name=":0" /><ref>[http://www.profootballhof.com/history/general/war/worldwar2/page1.aspx "Football and America: World War II,"] Professional Football Hall of Fame.</ref> His first mission was over [[Berlin]] on August 27, 1944, and last was over [[Zwiesel]] on April 20, 1945. After one mission, his flak-riddled plane crashed during a landing, and after skidding off the runway he had to kick out a window and jump 20 feet to the ground. He had the word MOTHER coming out of a blossoming flower tattooed on his forearm, so he could be identified if his plane was shot down.<ref name=":3" />

===College===
Following [[World War II]], in 1945, Bednarik entered the [[Penn Quakers football|University of Pennsylvania]] in [[Philadelphia]] at 20 years old,<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":0" /> where he was a 60-minute man, excelling as both center and linebacker,<ref name=":2" /> and sometimes as a punter for the Penn Quakers Football team. He married Emma Margetich in 1948. They first met at the Croatian Hall in Bethlehem.<ref name=":3" />

At Penn, Bednarik was a two-time [[All-America|Consensus All-American]] in 1947 and 1948.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> Along with two of his teammates on the 1947 Penn team, [[George Savitsky]] (1991)<ref>{{Cite web |title=George Savitsky (1991) - Hall of Fame |url=https://footballfoundation.org/hof_search.aspx?hof=1700 |access-date=2024-11-07 |website=National Football Foundation |language=en}}</ref> and tailback [[Skip Minisi|Tony "Skip" Minisi]] (1985),<ref>{{Cite web |title=Skip Minisi (1985) - Hall of Fame |url=https://footballfoundation.org/hof_search.aspx?hof=1634 |access-date=2024-11-07 |website=National Football Foundation |language=en}}</ref> and his coach, [[George Munger (American football)|George Munger]] (1976),<ref>{{Cite web |title=George Munger (1976) - Hall of Fame |url=https://footballfoundation.org/hof_search.aspx?hof=1698 |access-date=2024-11-07 |website=National Football Foundation |language=en}}</ref> Bednarik was voted entry into the [[College Football Hall of Fame]] (1969).<ref name=":2" /> In 1948, Bednarik placed third in [[Heisman Trophy]] voting and won the [[Maxwell Award]] for outstanding college player that year.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2">{{College Football HoF|id=1697}}</ref> He was seventh-place for the Heisman in 1947 and second-team All-America in 1946.<ref name=":2" /> In 1969, he also was voted by a panel of sportswriters, coaches, and College Football Hall of Fame players as "the greatest [[Center (gridiron football)|center]] of all-time."<ref name=":2" />

In 1999, ''[[Sports Illustrated]]'' included him on its All-Century Team for college football.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Maisel |first=Ivan |date=August 16, 1999 |title=Team of the Century |url=https://vault.si.com/vault/1999/08/16/team-of-the-century |journal=Sports Illustrated |volume=91 |issue=6}}</ref>

The [[Chuck Bednarik Award]] is awarded annually by the [[Maxwell Football Club]] to the best defensive player in college football.<ref name=":0" />

==Professional career==
Bednarik was the first player selected overall in the [[1949 NFL draft]], by the [[Philadelphia Eagles]], where he went on to start on both offense as a [[Center (gridiron football)|center]] and on defense as a [[linebacker]] for the Eagles. He played 14 years for the Eagles (1949–1962).<ref name=":1" /> As a center, he proved to be a strong blocker and quick off the ball; and as a linebacker he was instinctive and could think like a coach.<ref name=":3" />

Bednarik was a member of two Eagles' NFL Championship teams, in [[1949 Philadelphia Eagles season|1949]] (a 14–0 win over the [[Los Angeles Rams]]) and again in [[1960 Philadelphia Eagles season|1960]] (a 17–13 win over the [[Green Bay Packers]]). At 35 years old, in his twelfth season, he had been playing center, and had not been at middle linebacker for two years<ref name=":3" /> During the Eagles fifth game, left linebacker [[Bob Pellegrini]] suffered a broken leg and coach [[Buck Shaw]] asked Bednarik if he would step in at  linebacker too, and Bednarik enthusiastically agreed; becoming a two-way player again.<ref name=":4">{{Cite news |last=Wulf |first=Bo |title=NFL 100: At No. 54, Eagles' Chuck Bednarik was the last of the 60-minute men |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/2727276/2021/07/31/nfl-100-at-no-54-eagles-chuck-bednarik-was-the-last-of-the-60-minute-men/ |access-date=2024-11-07 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

Bednarik played 58 minutes in the [[1960 NFL Championship Game]].<ref name=":1" /> In the final play of that game, Bednarik was the last Eagles defensive player between the [[Green Bay Packers]]' [[Jim Taylor (fullback)|Jim Taylor]] and the end zone. Bednarik tackled Taylor at the Eagles' eight-yard line, and remained atop Taylor as the final seconds ticked off the clock, ensuring the Packers could not run another play and preserving a 17–13 Eagles victory and the 1960 NFL championship.<ref>{{cite news | last=Longman | first=Jere | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/07/sports/football/07eagles.html | title=Eagles' 1960 Victory Was an N.F.L. Turning Point | work=[[The New York Times]] | date=January 6, 2011 | access-date=January 6, 2011}}</ref> Once the clock ran out, Bednarik said, "'You can get up now, Jim, this game is over....'"<ref name=":0" /> The controversy surrounding this play led to the NFL putting in a rule penalizing defensive players for not allowing an offensive player to get up off the field.<ref name=":3" />

Eagle quarterback [[Norm Van Brocklin]] was named the game's MVP. After the game, Bednarik told Eagles receiver [[Pete Retzlaff]] that he felt like [[Paul Revere]]'s horse, "'The horse did all the work ... but Paul Revere got all the credit.'"<ref name=":3" />

=== Gifford hit ===
{{Main|The Hit (Chuck Bednarik)}}
On November 20, [[1960 Philadelphia Eagles season|1960]], in a game between the Eagles and [[New York Giants]] at the original [[Yankee Stadium (1923)|Yankee Stadium]], Bednarik knocked Giants running back [[Frank Gifford]] out of football for over 18 months in one of the most famed tackles in NFL history, often referred to simply as [[The Hit (Chuck Bednarik)|The Hit]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/distant-replay-chuck-bednariks-legendary-hit-on-frank-gifford|title=Chuck Bednarik's legendary hit on Frank Gifford|author=Fox Sports|work=FOX Sports|access-date=March 21, 2015}}</ref> Bednarik's clothesline tackle of Gifford dropped Gifford immediately to the ground, and Gifford immediately went unconscious. Gifford was transported from the field on a stretcher and then to a local hospital, where he was diagnosed with a deep [[concussion]].<ref>[https://www.sportscasting.com/the-facts-and-fiction-behind-chuck-bednariks-hit-on-wide-receiver-frank-gifford/ "Facts and fiction behind Chuck Bednarik's hit on wide receiver Frank Gifford,"] Sportscasting</ref>

Bednarik was criticized after the game by Giants players and fans for apparently celebrating Gifford's injury. A ''[[Sports Illustrated]]'' photo of Bednarik standing over an unconscious Gifford became iconic, showing Bednarik in mid-celebration, right above Gifford as he lay unconscious on the field. Bednarik defended himself by saying that he was celebrating the fumble caused by the hit, which the Eagles recovered and clinched the victory for the Eagles, sending the team to 1960 NFL Championship Game.<ref name=":0" /> Years later, Gifford called the hit "a clean shot", and said, "Chuck hit me exactly the way I would have hit him."<ref name="New York Times"/> Gifford said, "'I didn't bear him any resentment and never have....'"<ref name=":0" /> The play has been called "one of the most iconic plays in [[National Football League|NFL]] history."<ref>[https://www.denverpost.com/2014/08/31/chuck-bednarik-as-tough-as-they-come/ "Chuck Bednark: As tough as they come"], ''[[The Denver Post]]'', August 31, 2014, retrieved May 2, 2024</ref>

===Quarrel with Noll===
Bednarik had a famous quarrel with future hall of fame coach [[Chuck Noll]], who as a [[Cleveland Browns]] player, had smashed him in the face during a fourth-down punting play. A few years later, Bednarik punched Noll in an on-field confrontation after a game, which was being televised. [[National Football League Commissioner|NFL commissioner]] [[Bert Bell]] was upset about hurting the family-friendly image he wanted for the league,<ref name=":4" /> and subsequently fined Bednarik $500 and ordered him to apologize to Noll for the punch. According to Bednarik, when he gave the apology, Noll simply responded, "Bullshit."

[[File:Chuck bednarik football player 1 by bill cramer.jpg|thumb|Bednarik in 2004]]

===Accomplishments and legacy===
Bednarik was elected to the [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]] in 1967,<ref name=":1" /> and was named to the NFL 50th Anniversary All Time Team as the center,<ref>{{Cite news |date=September 7, 1969 |title=Unitas QBs NFL Team |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tampa-tribune-nfl-50th-anniversary-t/48315094/ |work=Tampa Tribune |pages=34}}</ref> the NFL 75th Anniversary All Time Two Way Team (center and linebacker),<ref name=":1" /> and the NFL 100th Anniversary All Time Team as a linebacker.<ref>{{Cite web |title=NFL 100 |url=https://www.nfl.com/100/all-time-team/roster |access-date=2024-11-07 |website=NFL.com |language=en-US}}</ref> He was named to the NFL All Decade Team for the 1950s as a center.<ref>{{Cite web |title=NFL's All-Decade Teams {{!}} Pro Football Hall of Fame {{!}} Pro Football Hall of Fame |url=https://www.profootballhof.com/news/2020/04/news-nfls-all-decade-teams/ |access-date=2024-11-07 |website=pfhof |language=en}}</ref> He was selected All NFL nine times (as a center in 1950, and a linebacker in 1951–1957 and 1960), and played in eight [[Pro Bowl]]s.<ref name=":1" /> The Eagles retired his number 60 in 1987. They named him to their 75th Anniversary Team in 2007, where they honored Bednarik as the best center and middle linebacker in team history, Bednarik later saying, "'On that day ... I felt like [[Benjamin Franklin]].'"<ref name=":0" /> In 2021, ''[[The Athletic]]'' named him the 54th greatest player ever.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Athletic's 100 Greatest Players of All-Time (2021) |url=https://futurefootballlegends.com/Athletic_100/ |access-date=2024-11-20 |website=futurefootballlegends.com}}</ref>

He was MVP of the 1954 Pro Bowl, taking back an interception for a touchdown, recovering three fumbles, and even punting when the punter got injured.<ref name=":3" />

He proved extremely durable, playing in 169 of 172 games in his 14 seasons with the [[Philadelphia Eagles]],<ref name=":1" /> and two of his only three games missed were at the beginning of his rookie year.<ref name=":0" /> He spoke with coach [[Greasy Neale|Earle "Greasy" Neale]] after those games and asked to be traded if we was not going to play. He became a starter, playing linebacker and center, after that.<ref name=":3" /> He was the last of the NFL's "Sixty-Minute Men", players who played both offense and defense on a regular basis.<ref name=":2" /> Neale would give the induction speech for Bednarik when he joined the hall of fame.<ref name=":1" />

Bednarik's nickname, "Concrete Charlie," originated from his off-season career as a concrete salesman for the Warner Company, not from his reputation as a ferocious tackler.<ref name=":4" /> Sportswriter Hugh Brown of ''[[Philadelphia Bulletin|The Evening Bulletin]]'' in [[Philadelphia]], credited with bestowing Bednarik with the nickname, remarked that Bednarik "is as hard as the concrete he sells."

Bednarik served as an analyst on the [[HBO]] program ''[[Inside The NFL]]'' for its inaugural season in 1977–78.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Inside the NFL |url=https://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/inside-the-nfl/cast/1030181129/ |access-date=2024-11-07 |website=TVGuide.com |language=en}}</ref> The show was based in Philadelphia at its debut, with Bednarik and [[Al Meltzer|"Big" Al Meltzer]] as the hosts.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Archives |first=L. A. Times |date=2006-12-10 |title=HBO show celebrates 30th year |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2006-dec-10-sp-nflinsidedog10-story.html |access-date=2024-11-07 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref>

In 2021, ''The Athletic'' ranked the top 100 NFL players of all time, with Bednarik at 54.<ref name=":4" /> In 1999, he also was ranked number 54 on ''[[The Sporting News]]''' list of the 100 Greatest Football Players, making him the highest-ranking player to have spent his entire career with the Eagles, the highest-ranking offensive center, and the eighth-ranked linebacker in all of professional football.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Sporting News 100 Greatest Players of All-Time (1999) |url=https://futurefootballlegends.com/Sporting_News_100/ |access-date=2024-11-07 |website=futurefootballlegends.com}}</ref>

[[File:Chuck bednarik football player 2 by bill cramer.jpg|thumb|Bednarik in 2004]]
In 2010, Bednarik was ranked 35th on the [[NFL Network]]'s "The Top 100: NFL's Greatest Players". Ranked one spot ahead of Bednarik at #34 was [[Deion Sanders]], a player for whom Bednarik had held open contempt in regards to being a two-way player.<ref name=":4" />

General manager Ernie Accorsi called Bednarik "'the John Wayne of football.'"<ref name=":4" />

==NFL career statistics==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! colspan="2"| Legend
|-
| style="background:#ffe6bd; width:3em;"|
| Won the [[History of the National Football League championship|NFL championship]]
|-
| style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"|
| Led the league
|-
| style="width:3em;"| '''Bold'''
| Career high
|-
| style="width:3em;"| <u>Underline</u>
| Incomplete data
|}

===Regular season===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Team
! colspan="2"| Games
! colspan="5"| Interceptions
! colspan="4"| Fumbles
|-
! {{abbr|GP|Games played}} !! {{abbr|GS|Games started}} !! {{abbr|Int|Interceptions on defense}} !! {{abbr|Yds|Interception returns yardage}} !! {{abbr|Y/I|Yards per interception return}} !! {{abbr|Lng|Longest interception return}} !! {{abbr|TD|Interceptions returned for touchdowns}} !! {{abbr|FR|Fumbles recovered}} !! {{abbr|Yds|Fumble recovery returns yardage}} !! {{abbr|Y/F|Yards per fumble recovery return}} !! {{abbr|TD|Fumble recoveries returned for touchdowns}}
|-
! [[1949 NFL season|1949]] !! style="background:#ffe6bd;"|[[1949 Philadelphia Eagles season|PHI]]
| 10 || 7 || 0 || 0 || — || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || — || 0
|-
! [[1950 NFL season|1950]] !! [[1950 Philadelphia Eagles season|PHI]]
| 12 || 12 || 1 || 9 || 9.0 || 9 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 0.0 || 0
|-
! [[1951 NFL season|1951]] !! [[1951 Philadelphia Eagles season|PHI]]
| 12 || 12 || 0 || 0 || — || 0 || 0 || 2 || 5 || '''2.5''' || 0
|-
! [[1952 NFL season|1952]] !! [[1952 Philadelphia Eagles season|PHI]]
| 12 || 12 || 2 || 14 || 7.0 || 12 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 0.0 || 0
|-
! [[1953 NFL season|1953]] !! [[1953 Philadelphia Eagles season|PHI]]
| 12 || 12 || '''6''' || '''116''' || 19.3 || '''41''' || style="background:#cfecec;"| '''1''' || '''4''' || '''6''' || 1.5 || 0
|-
! [[1954 NFL season|1954]] !! [[1954 Philadelphia Eagles season|PHI]]
| 12 || 12 || 1 || 9 || 9.0 || 9 || 0 || '''4''' || 0 || 0.0 || 0
|-
! [[1955 NFL season|1955]] !! [[1955 Philadelphia Eagles season|PHI]]
| 12 || 12 || 1 || 36 || '''36.0''' || 36 || 0 || 0 || 0 || — || 0
|-
! [[1956 NFL season|1956]] !! [[1956 Philadelphia Eagles season|PHI]]
| 12 || 12 || 2 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 2 || 4 || 2.0 || 0
|-
! [[1957 NFL season|1957]] !! [[1957 Philadelphia Eagles season|PHI]]
| 11 || 11 || 3 || 51 || 17.0 || 37 || 0 || 2 || 0 || 0.0 || 0
|-
! [[1958 NFL season|1958]] !! [[1958 Philadelphia Eagles season|PHI]]
| 12 || 12 || 0 || 0 || — || 0 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 0.0 || 0
|-
! [[1959 NFL season|1959]] !! [[1959 Philadelphia Eagles season|PHI]]
| 12 || 12 || 0 || 0 || — || 0 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 0.0 || 0
|-
! [[1960 NFL season|1960]] !! style="background:#ffe6bd;"|[[1960 Philadelphia Eagles season|PHI]]
| 12 || 12 || 2 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 2 || 0 || 0.0 || 0
|-
! [[1961 NFL season|1961]] !! [[1961 Philadelphia Eagles season|PHI]]
| '''14''' || '''14''' || 2 || 33 || 16.5 || 33 || 0 || 0 || 0 || — || 0
|-
! [[1962 NFL season|1962]] !! [[1962 Philadelphia Eagles season|PHI]]
| '''14''' || '''14''' || 0 || 0 || — || 0 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 0.0 || 0
|-
! colspan="2"| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BednCh00.htm Career] !! 169 !! <u>166</u> !! 20 !! 268 !! 13.4 !! 41 !! 1 !! 21 !! 15 !! 0.7 !! 0
|}

===Postseason===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Team
! colspan="2"| Games
|-
! {{abbr|GP|Games played}} !! {{abbr|GS|Games started}}
|-
! [[1949 NFL Championship Game|1949]] !! style="background:#ffe6bd;"|[[1949 Philadelphia Eagles season|PHI]]
| 1 || 0
|-
! [[1960 NFL season#Postseason|1960]] !! style="background:#ffe6bd;"|[[1960 Philadelphia Eagles season|PHI]]
| 1 || '''1'''
|-
! colspan="2"| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BednCh00/gamelog/post/ Career] !! 2 !! 1 
|}

==Opinions on current NFL players==
Bednarik was an outspoken, even bitter critic of modern NFL players for playing on only one side of the ball, calling them "pussyfoots", noting that they "suck air after five plays" and that they "couldn't tackle my wife Emma". He even criticized [[Troy Brown]] of the [[New England Patriots]] and [[Deion Sanders]] of the [[Dallas Cowboys]],<ref name=":4" /> two players who also have played both offense and defense. Bednarik noted that Brown and Sanders saw time at both [[wide receiver]] and [[cornerback]], positions that did not require as much contact as he endured while playing both center and linebacker.<ref>Bowen, Les (no date).  ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=lLAF07lMKHoC&dq=troy+brown+bednarik+sanders&pg=PA36 Philadelphia Eagles]'', (MVP Books; {{ISBN|1610597427}}), pp. 36-37.</ref> He also believed a true two-way player had to play every down.<ref name=":3" />

===Relationship with the Eagles===
Bednarik's former Eagles number, 60, has been retired by the Eagles in honor of his achievements<ref name=":0" /> with the team and is one of only nine numbers retired in the history of the franchise.<ref>[http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.aspx?PlayerId=22&tab=Highlights Chuck Bednarik] career highlights, Pro Football Hall of Fame</ref>

When the Eagles established their Honor Roll in 1987, Bednarik was one of the first class of inductees. He attended reunions for the 25th anniversary of the 1960 NFL Championship team in 1985 and the 40th anniversary of the 1948–49 NFL Championship team in 1988 (though he had not played for the 1948 team), held in pregame ceremonies at [[Veterans Stadium]].

Bednarik quarreled with current Eagles owner [[Jeffrey Lurie]] in 1996. Lurie declined to buy 100 copies of Bednarik's new book for $15 each for the entire team, as that was against NFL rules, and that grudge carried over into the Eagles' Super Bowl appearance in 2005, when he openly rooted against his former team.<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 5, 2005 |title=Bednarik still angry over 1996 meeting - NFL |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/playoffs04/news/story?id=1984482 |access-date=March 21, 2015 |website=ESPN.com|agency=Associated Press}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.utsandiego.com/uniontrib/20050205/news_mz1s5galery.html|title=Bednarik is rooting against the Eagles - The San Diego Union-Tribune|work=utsandiego.com|access-date=March 21, 2015}}</ref> He later resolved his differences with Lurie.<ref name=":4" /> He was a consistent critic of several league issues, including his pension, today's salaries, and one-way players.

During Eagles training camp in the summer of 2006, Bednarik and the Eagles reconciled, seemingly ending the feud between Bednarik and Lurie. At the same time, however, Bednarik made disparaging remarks regarding Reggie White, leading to a somewhat lukewarm reception of the reconciliation by Eagles' fans. In the edition of August 4 of [[Allentown, Pennsylvania|Allentown's]] [[The Morning Call|''Morning Call'']] newspaper, however, it was reported that Bednarik apologized, stating he had been confused, and meant to make the statement about former Eagles wide receiver [[Terrell Owens]].<ref>{{cite news | url = https://www.mcall.com/news/mc-xpm-2006-08-04-3686656-story.html | title = Bednarik: I meant T.O., not Reggie | publisher = [[The Morning Call]] | access-date = March 17, 2019 | first=Gordie | last=Jones | date=August 4, 2006}}</ref>

==Later life and death==

Bednarik was chairman of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission.<ref name=":0" />

Bednarik died at 4:23&nbsp;a.m. on March 21, 2015, in [[Coopersburg, Pennsylvania]], after having fallen ill the previous day. He was 89.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2015/03/21/eagles-hall-of-famer-chuck-bednarik-passes-at-age-89/|title=Eagles Legend Chuck Bednarik Passes At Age 89|work=cbslocal.com|date=March 21, 2015 |access-date=March 21, 2015}}</ref> Although the [[Philadelphia Eagles]] released a statement saying he died after a "brief illness", Bednarik's eldest daughter, Charlene Thomas, disputed that claim, saying he had [[Alzheimer's disease]] and had been suffering from dementia for years and that football-related injuries played a role in his decline.<ref>{{cite news |last=Olanoff |first=Lynn |title=Chuck Bednarik's daughter: Football-related injuries led to dementia and death |work=[[The Express-Times]] |date=March 21, 2015 }}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Chuck Bednarik Award]], awarded annually in Bednarik's honor to the best defensive player in college football

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Chuck Bednarik}}
*{{NFL.com player|chuck-bednarik}}
*{{Profootballhof|id=22|name=Chuck Bednarik}}
*{{cfbhof|id=1697|name=Chuck Bednarik}}
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsSFUtvknNk Video of "The Hit"] on [[NFL Films]]' on [[YouTube]] page
*{{Find a Grave}}

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