| Born: | (1896-02-28)February 28, 1896 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Died: | September 8, 1951(1951-09-08) (aged 55) Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S. |
| Career information | |
| Position(s) | Tackle |
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (191 cm) |
| Weight | 220 lb (100 kg) |
| College | Notre Dame |
| Career history | |
| As coach | |
| 1921 | Rock Island Independents |
| As player | |
| 1921 | Rock Island Independents |
| 1921 | Detroit Tigers |
| 1921 | Green Bay Packers |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Career stats | |
| |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Service |  U.S. Navy |
| Years of service | 1917–1919 |
| Battles / wars | World War I |
Francis Edward Coughlin (February 28, 1896 – September 8, 1951) was an American football player and coach.
Biography
War and college football
During World War I, Coughlin served in the United States Navy aboard a minesweeper. After the war, he played at the collegiate level at the University of Notre Dame. He was named captain of the 1920 football squad after the team's current captain, George Gipp withdrew from the University.
NFL career
For the 1921 season, Coughlin was named as a player-coach for the Rock Island Independents of the American Professional Football Association, which was renamed the National Football League in 1922.
On October 16, 1921, down 7-0 to the Chicago Cardinals, Coughlin scored two touchdowns to help give the Independents a 14-7 lead in the second quarter. Team owner Walter Flanigan ordered tackle Ed Healey to relieve Coughlin. Once Coughlin was safely on his way toward the sideline, Healey delivered a message to Jimmy Conzelman from Flanigan, it read: "Coughlin was fired! The new coach was Conzelman!" This act marked the first and only time an owner hired a new coach in the middle of a game. Coughlin then spent the rest of the 1921 season playing for the Detroit Tigers and the Green Bay Packers.
After football
In 1923, Coughlin became a prosecutor in St. Joseph County, Indiana. From 1945–1949, he served as the assistant Attorney General of Indiana, under Governors Ralph Gates and Henry Schricker.
References
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on September 5, 2016. Retrieved December 28, 2012.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ Maxymuk, John (August 2, 2012). NFL Head Coaches: A Biographical Dictionary, 1920–2011. McFarland Press. p. 364. ISBN 978-0786465576.
- "Coughlin to Lead Notre Dame". The New York Times. March 10, 1920.
- Braunwart, Bob; Carroll, Bob (1983). "The Rock Island Independents" (PDF). Coffin Corner. 5 (3). Pro Football Researchers Association: 1–7. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 22, 2012.
| Rock Island Independents head coaches | |
|---|---|
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| 1919 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football—national champions | |
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*selected national champion by NCF |