View source for Dick Bielski

{{Short description|American football player and coach (1932–2023)}}
{{Use American English|date=April 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2023}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name         = Dick Bielski
| image        = Dick Bielski - 1955 Bowman.jpg
| upright     = .9
| caption      = Bielski on a 1955 Bowman football card
| height_ft    = 6
| height_in    = 1
| weight_lbs   = 224
| position     = [[Fullback (gridiron football)|Fullback]], [[End (gridiron football)|end]], [[placekicker]]
| number       = 36, 31
| birth_date   = {{birth date|1932|9|7}}
| birth_place  = [[Baltimore|Baltimore, Maryland]], U.S.
| death_date   = {{death date and age|2023|10|15|1932|9|7}}
| draftyear    = 1955
| draftround   = 1
| draftpick    = 9
| high_school  = [[Patterson High School (Baltimore)|Patterson]] (Baltimore)
| college      = [[University of Maryland, College Park|Maryland]]
| pastteams    =
* [[Philadelphia Eagles]] ({{NFL Year|1955}}–{{NFL Year|1959}})
* [[Dallas Cowboys]] ({{NFL Year|1960}}–{{NFL Year|1961}})
* [[Baltimore Colts]] ({{NFL Year|1962}}–{{NFL Year|1963}})
| pastcoaching =
* [[History of the Indianapolis Colts|Baltimore Colts]] ({{NFL Year|1964}}–{{NFL Year|1972}})<br>Wide receivers
* [[Washington Redskins]] ({{NFL Year|1973}}–{{NFL Year|1976}})<br>Wide receivers
* Baltimore Colts ({{NFL Year|1977}}–{{NFL Year|1981}})<br>Wide receivers
* [[Washington Federals]] ({{USFL Year|1983}}–{{USFL Year|1984}})<br>Offensive coordinator
| highlights   =
* [[Pro Bowl]] ([[1962 Pro Bowl|1961]])
* [[College football national championships in NCAA Division I FBS|National champion]] ([[1953 Maryland Terrapins football team|1953]])
* First-team All-[[Atlantic Coast Conference|ACC]] ([[1954 All-Atlantic Coast Conference football team|1954]])
| statlabel1   = Games played
| statvalue1   = 114
| pfr          = BielDi00
|death_place=[[Towson, Maryland]], U.S.}}

'''Richard Adam Bielski''' (September 7, 1932 – October 15, 2023) was an American professional [[American football|football]] player and coach.  He played in the [[National Football League]] (NFL) for the [[Philadelphia Eagles]], [[Dallas Cowboys]], and [[History of the Indianapolis Colts|Baltimore Colts]]. Bielski played [[college football]] at the [[University of Maryland, College Park|University of Maryland]].

==Early years==
Bielski was named an All-Maryland Scholastic Association [[Fullback (American football)|fullback]] in [[Patterson High School (Baltimore, Maryland)|Patterson Park High School]].

Bielski accepted a football scholarship with the [[University of Maryland, College Park|University of Maryland]], where he played as a [[Fullback (gridiron football)|fullback]], [[linebacker]], and [[placekicker]].

In [[1954 Maryland Terrapins football team|1954]] he was a preseason [[All-America]]n candidate, but injuries affected his level of play during the season. Still, he was able to finish his college career averaging more than five yards per carry. At the end of the year, he was selected to play in the [[Chicago College All-Star Game]], [[Senior Bowl]], and the [[North-South Shrine Game]], where he was voted the outstanding player of the game.

==Professional career==
===Philadelphia Eagles===
Bielski was selected by the [[Philadelphia Eagles]] in the first round with the ninth overall pick of the [[1955 NFL draft]], becoming the highest-drafted [[running back]] from Maryland. During his first years, he made a team record two 50-yard field goals. In 1958, he was converted into an [[End (gridiron football)|end]]. After the 1959 season, the Eagles left him off their list of players who were exempt from the [[1960 NFL expansion draft]].

===Dallas Cowboys===
Bielski was acquired by the [[Dallas Cowboys]] in the [[1960 NFL expansion draft]].<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.profootballhof.com/news/1960-draft/ | title=1960 NFL Draft | access-date=April 30, 2020}}</ref> He was involved in the record for the shortest [[touchdown]] pass in league history, after catching an [[Eddie LeBaron]] pass from the 2-inch line against the Redskins on October 9, 1960.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/redskins/longterm/1997/history/allart/dw1960a.htm | title=Redskins Finally Win One, 26-14 | access-date=April 30, 2020}}</ref> He had 4 receptions for 38 yards.

In [[1961 NFL season|1961]] he earned his only [[Pro Bowl]] berth, with career highs of 26 receptions for 377 yards and three [[touchdown]]s. He also took over the [[placekicker]] duties from [[Allen Green (American football)|Allen Green]] for the final five games of the season.

During the [[1962 NFL season|1962]] offseason, needing help on defense, the Cowboys traded Bielski to the [[History of the Baltimore Colts|Baltimore Colts]] in a three-team deal. The Colts sent a third round draft pick (#33, used to select Mike Fracchia) to the [[St. Louis Cardinals (NFL)|St. Louis Cardinals]], and in return the Cardinals sent [[Safety (American and Canadian football position)|safety]]/[[Punter (football)|punter]] [[Jerry Norton]] to the Cowboys.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2209&dat=19620905&id=obQrAAAAIBAJ&sjid=5v4FAAAAIBAJ&pg=7497,254847&hl=en | title=Packers Cut Agajanian | access-date=April 30, 2020}}</ref>

===Baltimore Colts===
In 1962, Bielski played as a placekicker and backup tight end. In 1963, he retired at the end of the season. In a nine-year career he had 107 receptions for 1,305 yards, 229 rushing yards and 12 [[touchdown]]s. He also kicked 58 [[conversion (gridiron football)|extra points]] and 26 [[Field goal (American and Canadian football)|field goals]].

==Coaching career==
In 1964, he was hired by the [[History of the Baltimore Colts|Baltimore Colts]] as the [[wide receivers]] coach under head coach [[Don Shula]].<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.nytimes.com/1972/12/21/archives/colts-discharge-sandusky-and-five-assistant-coaches-colts-discharge.html?_r=0 | title=Colts Discharge Sandusky And Five Assistant Coaches | work=The New York Times | date=December 21, 1972 | access-date=April 30, 2020}}</ref> In 1973, he was named the [[wide receivers]] coach with the [[Washington Redskins]].<ref>{{cite web| url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=HyovAAAAIBAJ&sjid=-NoFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5186,1342915 | title=Colts, 'Skins coaches no strangers | work=Beaver County Times | date=November 5, 1977 | access-date=April 30, 2020}}</ref> In 1977, he returned as the [[wide receivers]] coach for the [[History of the Indianapolis Colts|Baltimore Colts]]. In 1983, he was hired as the [[offensive coordinator]] for the [[Washington Federals]] in the [[United States Football League]]. In 1984, he was the team's head coach for the final 17 games of the season, going 3&ndash;14.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=EF4_AAAAIBAJ&sjid=ZlMMAAAAIBAJ&pg=958,91504& | title=Ray Jauch fired; Replaced by Bielski | work=The Windsor Star | date=March 1, 1984 | access-date=April 30, 2020}}</ref>

==Personal life and death==
Bielski married his high school sweetheart, Jo Bielski. They had been married 66 years at the time of her death in 2018.

Bielski lived in Ruxton, Maryland near his four children, Debbie, Ricky, Randy, and Jody, and lived with his granddaughter Niccole, her husband Spencer Dreiling and their son Mason.

Dick Bielski died on October 15, 2023, at the age of 91.<ref>[https://www.ruckfuneral.com/obituary/richard-bielski Richard Adam Bielski obituary]</ref>

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

{{navboxes|list=
{{1951 Maryland Terrapins football navbox}}
{{1953 Maryland Terrapins football navbox}}
{{1955 NFL Draft}}
{{Eagles1955DraftPicks}}
{{EaglesFirstPick}}
{{1968 Baltimore Colts}}
{{Super Bowl V}}
{{1960 Dallas Cowboys}}
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bielski, Dick}}
[[Category:1932 births]]
[[Category:2023 deaths]]
[[Category:American football ends]]
[[Category:American football fullbacks]]
[[Category:American football placekickers]]
[[Category:Baltimore Colts coaches]]
[[Category:Baltimore Colts players]]
[[Category:Dallas Cowboys players]]
[[Category:Maryland Terrapins football players]]
[[Category:Philadelphia Eagles players]]
[[Category:Orlando Renegades coaches]]
[[Category:Washington Redskins coaches]]
[[Category:Eastern Conference Pro Bowl players]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Baltimore]]