Nick Chickillo
{{Short description|American football player (1930–2000)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Nick Chickillo
| image = Nick Chickillo.jpg
| number = 68
| position = Linebacker / guard
| birth_date = {{birth date|1930|10|17}}
| birth_place = Scranton, Pennsylvania, U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|2000|2|5|1930|10|17}}
| death_place =
| height_ft = 5
| height_in = 11
| weight_lbs = 220
| high_school = West Scranton
(Scranton, Pennsylvania)
| college = Miami (FL) (1949–1952)
| draftyear = 1953
| draftround = 15
| draftpick = 172
| pastteams =
- Chicago Cardinals ({{NFL Year|1953}})
- Pittsburgh Steelers ({{NFL Year|1954}})*
| pfr = C/ChicNi20
}}
Nicholas Angelo Chickillo (October 17, 1930 – February 5, 2000) was an American professional football player who played one season with the Chicago Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Cardinals in the fifteenth round of the 1953 NFL draft after playing college football at the University of Miami.
Early life and college
Nicholas Angelo Chickillo was born on October 17, 1930, in Scranton, Pennsylvania. He attended West Scranton High School in Scranton.
Chickillo was a member of the Miami Hurricanes from 1949 to 1952 and a three-year starter from 1950 to 1952.{{cite web | url=http://www.profootballarchives.com/players/c/chic00600.html | title=NICK CHICKILLO | publisher=Pro Football Archives | accessdate=27 April 2025}} He was inducted into the school's athletics hall of fame in 1987.{{cite web | url=https://www.umsportshalloffame.com/nick-chickillo.html | title=Nick Chickillo | publisher=University of Miami | accessdate=28 April 2025}} His hall of fame bio notes that "Chickillo was one of the truly great 60-minute men in Hurricane football history. Chickillo was a stand-out player on both the offensive and defensive line while playing in the glory days of the early 1950's."
Professional career
Chickillo was selected by the Chicago Cardinals in the 15th round, with the 173rd overall pick, of the 1953 NFL draft.{{cite web | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/C/ChicNi20.htm | title=Nick Chickillo | publisher=Pro Football Reference | accessdate=27 April 2025}} He played in all 12 games, starting nine, for the Cardinals during the 1953 season and recovered two fumbles.
On September 9, 1954, Chickillo was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a 20th round pick in the 1955 NFL draft, conditional on if Chickillo remained with the Steelers through the first six games of the regular season.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-herald/171297881/ | title=Steelers Are Rated | work=The News-Herald | date=September 10, 1954 | agency=United Press | accessdate=28 April 2025 | pages=8}} He was released by the Steelers on September 21, 1954.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-duluth-news-tribune/171298047/ | title=Pitt Steelers Cut 8 Players; Get 2 Rookies From Lions | work=The Duluth News Tribune | date=September 21, 1954 | agency=Associated Press | accessdate=28 April 2025}} Chickillo's trade to the Steelers and quick release were met with surprise by the media. It was later revealed that Chickillo had informed the Cardinals he would be joining the United States Army in 1955.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tribune/171299372/ | title=Chickillo 'Informed' Honesty Doesn't Pay | work=The Tribune | date=November 20, 1954 | accessdate=28 April 2025}}
Personal life
Football players Tony Chickillo and Anthony Chickillo are his son and grandson, respectively.{{cite web|url=http://www.foxsports.com/collegefootball/story/Defensive-end-Anthony-Chickillo-to-become-third-generation-Miami-Hurricane-020111 |title=Chickillo to become 3rd-generation 'Cane |work=foxsports.com |date=June 6, 2014 |access-date=March 25, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150325182404/http://www.foxsports.com/collegefootball/story/Defensive-end-Anthony-Chickillo-to-become-third-generation-Miami-Hurricane-020111 |archive-date=March 25, 2015 }} Nick served in the United States Army. He died on February 5, 2000.
References
{{reflist}}
{{Chicago Cardinals 1953 draft navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chickillo, Nick}}
Category:American football linebackers
Category:American football guards
Category:Miami Hurricanes football players
Category:Chicago Cardinals players
Category:Pittsburgh Steelers players
Category:Players of American football from Scranton, Pennsylvania