 Bukich with theChicago Bears in 1967 | |||||||||
| No. 10, 14 | |||||||||
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| Position: | Quarterback | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | (1930-09-15)September 15, 1930 St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. | ||||||||
| Died: | February 29, 2016(2016-02-29) (aged 85) San Diego, California, U.S. | ||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 195 lb (88 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Roosevelt (St. Louis, Missouri) | ||||||||
| College: | Iowa,USC | ||||||||
| NFL draft: | 1953: 2nd round, 25th pick | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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| Other | |||||||||
| Military career | |||||||||
| Allegiance |  United States | ||||||||
| Service |  U.S. Army | ||||||||
| Years of service | 1954–1956 | ||||||||
| Battles / wars | Cold War | ||||||||
Rudolph Andrew Bukich (September 15, 1930 – February 29, 2016) was an American professionalfootball player, aquarterback in theNational Football League (NFL) from 1953 to 1968. Known as "Rudy the Rifle" for his uncommon arm strength, he tied an NFL record with 13 consecutive pass completions in the1964 season. One year later, he was the second-leading passer in the league.[1] He playedcollege football at theUniversity of Southern California, after transferring from theUniversity of Iowa.[2]
Born and raised inSt. Louis,Missouri, Bukich was the son ofCroatian immigrants. He was starting quarterback in his senior year atRoosevelt High School, a team that did not win a game. Bukich played one game as wingback when Roosevelt tried to upset eventual league championsCleveland High School by attempting to surprise them by playing the single wing.
As a freshman, Bukich played at the University of Iowa[3] before transferring to the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. During his senior year in1952, USC played in theRose Bowl on New Year's Day. After the Trojans' primary passer,All-American halfbackJim Sears, was sidelined early in the first quarter with a broken leg,[4] Bukich came in and conducted a drive, completing all but two of his passes, that resulted in the only score of the game, and USC defeatedWisconsin, 7–0.[5] Bukich was selected as the Most Valuable Player in the game, and after his career, he was inducted into the USC Trojan Hall of Fame and theRose Bowl Hall of Fame (2004).
Bukich wasselected in the second round of the1953 NFL draft by theLos Angeles Rams. He later played for theWashington Redskins,[6][7]Chicago Bears, and thePittsburgh Steelers. He missed the1954 and1955 seasons while serving in theU.S. Army.[2]
Bukich's greatest performances were during his second stint with the Bears in the 1960s. He was a reserve quarterback with the Bears in1963 when they won theNFL championship (Bill Wade was the starter throughout the season). Bukich replaced Wade during Week Four against theBaltimore Colts after Wade completed just 5 of 21 passes. Bukich played the remainder of the game and completed 6 of 7 passes, including a pass toRonnie Bull for a touchdown that was the deciding margin of victory.[8][9]
After his playing days Bukich was a real estate developer in southern California.[2] In his later years he was diagnosed withchronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), and he died at age 85 inSan Diego in 2016.[10] He is interred atMiramar National Cemetery in San Diego.
