Dick Leftridge

{{Short description|American football player (1944–2004)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}

{{Infobox NFL biography

| name = Dick Leftridge

| image =

| image_size =

| alt =

| caption =

| number = 31

| position = {{AmFBpos|Fullback|long}}

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1944|4|14|mf=y}}

| birth_place = Hinton, West Virginia, U.S.

| death_date = {{death date and age|2004|02|27|1944|4|14|mf=y}}

| death_place = Morgantown, West Virginia, U.S.

| high_school = Hinton (WV)

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 2

| weight_lbs = 240

| college = West Virginia

| draftyear = 1966

| draftround = 1

| draftpick = 3

| afldraftyear = 1966

| afldraftround = 4

| afldraftpick = 26

| pastteams =

• Pittsburgh Steelers ({{Steelers season|1966}})

| statlabel1 = Games Played

| statvalue1 = 4

| statlabel2 = Rushes / yards

| statvalue2 = 8 / 17

| statlabel3 = Touchdowns

| statvalue3 = 2

| pfr = LeftDi00

}}

Jack Richard Leftridge (April 14, 1944 – February 27, 2004) was an American professional football player. He played fullback for a single season in the National Football League (NFL) with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Leftridge was born in Hinton, West Virginia and played college football at West Virginia University (WVU). Along with Roger Alford who entered in the same class, Leftridge was the first African American to play football at WVU.{{cite news|last=Loh|first=Stephanie|title=Coach who integrated WVU football team dies|url=http://www.register-herald.com/sports/x546334903/Coach-who-integrated-WVU-football-team-dies?keyword=secondarystory|access-date=May 24, 2011|newspaper=The Register-Herald|date=January 5, 2010}}

• 1963: 79 carries for 393 yards and 5 TD. 10 catches for 89 yards and 2 TD.{{cite web |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/dick-leftridge-1.html |title=Dick Leftridge Stats | College Football at Sports-Reference.com |access-date=2015-05-16 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518104558/http://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/dick-leftridge-1.html |archive-date=2015-05-18 }}
• 1964: 125 carries for 534 yards and 5 TD. 3 catches for 23 yards.
• 1965: 144 carries for 744 yards and 8 TD. 9 catches for 77 yards and one touchdown.

Leftridge was selected by the Steelers with the third overall selection of the first round of the 1966 NFL draft.{{cite web|title=Dick Leftridge (PFR bio)|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/L/LeftDi00.htm|publisher=Pro-Football-Reference.com|access-date=May 23, 2011}} He appeared in only four games in his professional career and his selection is considered by some as the worst draft pick in Steelers history.{{cite news|title=On the Steelers: Williams not the cornerback the Steelers need |url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11114/1141632-66-0.stm|access-date=May 23, 2011|newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|date=April 24, 2011}}