Walt Kiesling

As a player

Duluth Eskimos (1926, 1927)
Pottsville Maroons (1928 )
Chicago Cardinals (1929-1933)
Chicago Bears (1934 )
Green Bay Packers (1935, 1936)
Pittsburgh Pirates (1937, 1938)

As coach

Pittsburgh Pirates (1939, 1940)
Pittsburgh Steelers (1941-1942)
Phil -Pitt STEAGLES (1943 )
Card -Pitt (1944 )
Pittsburgh Steelers (1954-1956)

4x All-Pro selection ( 1929-1932 ) 1 2 team
NFL 1920s All- Decade Team
Pro Football Hall of Fame (1966 )
NFL Champion (1936 )

Andrew Walter " Walt " Kiessling ( born May 27, 1903 in St. Paul, Minnesota, USA, † March 2, 1962 ) Nickname: gravel, a U.S. American football player and coach was in the National Football League ( NFL).

Playing career

Kiessling played University of St. Thomas Football. He came in both the offensive line and in the defensive line for use. In 1926, he signed a professional contract with the Duluth Eskimos and was player of Halfback John McNally with whom he remained friends until his death. Both changed after two years in Duluth at the Pottsville Maroons. After another game year there is Kiesling the Chicago Cardinals joined. Coinciding with Kiessling tied the Cardinals with Ernie Nevers one of the first star players of the fledgling NFL to the team. Kiessling was one of the offensive line players Nevers in 1929 to a record of six touchdowns scored in a game against the Chicago Bears helped.

1934 ran Kiessling on for a year for the Chicago Bears. Kiessling remained with his team unbeaten this year and could win all 13 games. However, the NFL playoff lost against the New York Giants at 30:13.

1935 Walt Kiesling has been committed by the Green Bay Packers, who were coached by Curly Lambeau and the already numerous choices players like Clarke Hinkle, Arnie Herber or Charles Goldberg had in their ranks. Coinciding with Kiesling moved his friend McNally to the team from Green Bay and with the wide receiver Don Hutson was one of the best pass receiver of the time committed. 1936 The team could be strengthened again and Kiessling won with his team the NFL championship. The Boston Redskins had to admit defeat with 21:6. After two more years playing at the Pittsburgh Pirates Kiessling ended his playing career in 1938.

Coaching career

In 1937, John McNally Head Coach was at its coaching staff closed at the Pirates and Kiessling as assistant coach. After McNally had left the team from Pittsburgh after the 1939 season, Kiessling became the new head coach of the team, which was renamed in 1940 in Steelers. Kiessling drew it in person only to work as assistant coach and always took over as coach in the Pirates / Steelers only sporadically. In 1943 he was together with Greasy Neale of the Head Coach of the Phil -Pitt STEAGLES. Because of World War II players were scarce and Steelers had to join together to form a lottery syndicate with the Philadelphia Eagles. 1944 a syndicate was formed with the Cardinals and Kiessling coached the team along with Phil Handler. From 1945 Kiessling was for four years of playing assistant coach Curly Lambeau at the Packers, before he returned in 1949 to the Steelers in the same function. From 1954 he was again head coach of the team. He held for three years and then sat down to rest due to health problems The Office.

The name of Walt Kiesling is closely connected with one of the biggest mistakes ever made a coach in the NFL. 1955 drafteten the Steelers a young quarterback from Pittsburgh. Kiessling put Johnny Unitas, however not one, but pushed him off to a semi- professional team. He held to keep the moves it too stupid. Weeb Ewbank was looking for 1956, head coach of the Baltimore Colts, a replacement quarterback for his team and therefore asked for the Steelers after. The owner of the Steelers Art Rooney was initially not ready to let pull Unitas, but Kiesling sat by Unitas and moved to Baltimore. Johnny Unitas was one of the best playmakers of all time in no time.

Walt Kiesling died in 1962 and is buried at Christ Our Redeemer Catholic Cemetery in Pittsburgh.

Honors

Kiessling was elected four times to the All- Pro. He is a member of the NFL 1920s All- Decade Team and since 1966 in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

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