GEORGE TALIAFERRO NFL DEBUT

Notes

In 1949, the NFL drafted its first African American. George Taliaferro, Indiana’s star running back, a three time All American, was selected by the Chicago Bears in the 13th round of the 1949 NFL Draft. Although drafted by the NFL’s Chicago Bears, he did not play for them. Taliaferro had already signed with the Los Angeles Dons of the rival All-American Football Conference. The Gary, Indiana star, who had received a $4,000 signing bonus from the Dons, considered joining the Bears, but his mother reminded him that one of his family’s core values was trustworthiness. ‘‘I had to be a man of my word,’’ Taliaferro told the Dayton (Ohio) Daily News. ‘‘So, I never even bothered getting back to George Halas and the Bears.’’