View source for George Musso

{{Short description|American football player (1910–2000)}}
{{Use American English|date=March 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name        = George Musso
| image       = George Musso.jpg
| image_size  =
| alt         = 
| caption     = 
| number      = 16
| position    = [[Guard (gridiron football)|Guard]] <br> [[Tackle (gridiron football position)|Offensive tackle]]
| birth_date  = {{birth date|1910|4|8|mf=y}}
| birth_place = [[Collinsville, Illinois]], U.S.
| death_date  = {{Death date and age|2000|9|5|1910|4|8|mf=y}}
| death_place = [[Edwardsville, Illinois]], U.S.
| height_ft   = 6
| height_in   = 2
| weight_lb   = 262
| high_school = [[Collinsville High School|Collinsville]]
| college     = [[Millikin Big Blue football|Millikin]] (1929–1932)
| pastteams   =
* [[Chicago Bears]] ({{NFL Year|1933|1944}})
| highlights  =
* 4× [[List of NFL champions (1920–1969)|NFL champion]] ([[1933 NFL Championship Game|1933]], [[1940 NFL Championship Game|1940]]-[[1941 NFL Championship Game|1941]], [[1943 NFL Championship Game|1943]])
* 2× First-team [[All-Pro]] ([[1935 All-Pro Team|1935]], [[1937 All-Pro Team|1937]])
* 3× [[Pro Bowl|NFL All-Star]] ([[1940 National Football League All-Star Game (January)|1939]]–[[1942 National Football League All-Star Game (January)|1941]])
* [[NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team]]
* [[Chicago Bears#Top 100 greatest Bears of all-time|100 greatest Bears of All-Time]]
| statlabel1  = Games played
| statvalue1  = 128
| statlabel2  = Starts
| statvalue2  = 84
| pfr         = MussGe20
| HOF         = george-musso 
}}

'''George Francis Musso''' (April 8, 1910 – September 5, 2000) was an American professional [[American football|football]] [[Guard (gridiron football)|guard]] and [[Tackle (gridiron football position)|offensive tackle]] who spent his entire 12-year career for the [[Chicago Bears]] of the [[National Football League]] (NFL). He was inducted into the [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]] in 1982.

==Early life==
Musso was the son of a coal miner who starred in high school sports in Collinsville, Illinois, and was therefore offered an athletic grant to attend James [[Millikin University]]. His father, who initially planned to pull him out of school after he completed his "primary" education, grudgingly allowed George to attend college.

==College career==
Musso attended [[Millikin University]] and was a standout in [[American football|football]], [[basketball]], [[baseball]], and [[track and field|track]]. Millikin was in the "[[Little 19]]" conference that included such teams as Eureka, Lombard, and Augustana. In 1929, Musso played against future President [[Ronald Reagan]], who played guard for [[Eureka College]] and weighed about 175 pounds; Eureka lost to Musso and Millikin 45–6. Musso was already larger than most linemen of his era, playing college ball at 6' 2", 255 pounds. In 1933, Musso played in the East-West All-Star game, held in Chicago; it was there he first got the attention of [[George Halas]].

==Professional career==
Halas, who had doubts the small school Musso could make it in the NFL, offered Musso a $90 a game contract (this was half rate for regular players at that time). Musso agreed and, although he struggled at first, became the centerpiece of the Bears line for 12 years. One reason the Bears of that era were called "Monsters of the Midway" was their imposing size—Musso, who played professionally at 270 pounds, was one of the largest Bears and one of the largest players in the league. His teammates called him "Moose." He played offensive tackle until 1937 when he moved to guard. He was the first to win All-NFL at two positions; tackle (1935), and guard (1937). He played middle guard or [[nose tackle]] on defense his entire career.

Musso captained the [[Chicago Bears]] for nine seasons, playing on the line with other NFL notables as [[Link Lyman]], [[Joe Kopcha]], [[Walt Kiesling]], [[Bulldog Turner]], [[Joe Stydahar]], and [[Dan Fortmann|Danny Fortmann]]. He played in seven [[NFL]] championship games, with the Bears winning four (1933, 1940, 1941, and 1943).  He was inducted to the [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]] in 1982. Of note, in 1935 as an NFL lineman, Musso played against [[Gerald Ford]] of [[University of Michigan|Michigan]] in the 1935 College All-Star game.

==After the NFL==
Musso retired to Edwardsville, Illinois, and began a restaurant business. He served as the [[Madison County, Illinois]], sheriff and treasurer from the 1950s through the 1970s. He died in his home in Edwardsville in 2000.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*''Pro Football Hall of Fame:'' [http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.jsp?player_id=159 Member profile]
*{{Find a Grave}}

{{Navboxes
| title = George Musso—championships, awards and honors
| list1 =
{{1933 Chicago Bears}}
{{1940 Chicago Bears}}
{{1941 Chicago Bears}}
{{1943 Chicago Bears}}
{{1982 Football HOF}}
{{Pro Football Hall of Fame members}}
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Musso, George}}
[[Category:1910 births]]
[[Category:2000 deaths]]
[[Category:American football offensive tackles]]
[[Category:American football offensive guards]]
[[Category:Chicago Bears players]]
[[Category:Illinois sheriffs]]
[[Category:Millikin Big Blue baseball players]]
[[Category:Millikin Big Blue football players]]
[[Category:Millikin Big Blue men's basketball players]]
[[Category:Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:People from Collinsville, Illinois]]
[[Category:American people of Italian descent]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Illinois]]
[[Category:20th-century Illinois politicians]]
[[Category:American men's basketball players]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]