George McAfee

In Ironton, McAfee quickly became a high school football star before enrolling at Duke University in 1937. At Duke, he excelled not only in football but also in baseball and track. As a centerfielder, he hit .353 for the Blue Devils, and in track, he won the Southern Conference title in the 100 meters during his senior year. On the football field, McAfee helped lead Duke to a 24-1-1 record over his three seasons. The 1938 squad, famously known as the “Iron Dukes,” went unscored upon throughout the regular season and remained unbeaten until the Rose Bowl, where USC scored a late touchdown to claim a 7-3 victory. During his senior season in 1939, McAfee led the Blue Devils in rushing, receiving, scoring, returns, interceptions, and punting, earning First Team All-American honors and the nickname “One-Play McAfee” for his knack for turning a game with a single play.

McAfee was chosen second overall in the 1940 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles but was quickly traded to the Chicago Bears, where he made an immediate impact. As a rookie, he showcased his game-breaking ability by returning a punt 75 yards, taking a kickoff 93 yards for a score, throwing a touchdown pass to defeat Green Bay, and returning an interception for a touchdown during the Bears’ historic 73-0 victory over Washington in the NFL Championship Game. The following season, McAfee led the league with 7.3 yards per carry and topped the NFL with 12 touchdowns, helping the Bears secure another NFL Championship. His outstanding play earned him First Team All-Pro honors and a selection to the Pro Bowl after the 1941 season.

His NFL career was interrupted by his service in the U.S. Navy during World War II, causing him to miss several prime years. After the war, he returned to the Bears and helped them capture another championship in 1946. He continued to excel as a return specialist, leading the league in punt return average in 1948 and setting an NFL career record for punt return average that still stands.

Throughout his career, McAfee totaled 1,920 rushing yards and 22 rushing touchdowns, 1,485 receiving yards and 11 receiving touchdowns, 25 interceptions, and 5,313 all-purpose yards with 39 total touchdowns. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1961 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1966. Duke, the Chicago Bears, and multiple sports halls of fame recognized his immense contributions to the game, and his No. 5 jersey was retired by the Bears.

After retiring from football in 1950, McAfee worked as an NFL official and later co-founded the McAfee Oil Company in Durham, North Carolina, where he lived a quiet life while remaining connected to Duke athletics.

Remembered for his breathtaking speed and ability to deliver game-changing plays, George McAfee earned praise from legends like Red Grange, who called him the most dangerous man he had ever seen with the football, and George Halas, who considered him one of the best backs he ever coached. Despite the interruption of his career by war, McAfee’s legacy remains firmly etched among the greatest in football history.