American · Lucca, Italy · Born 19 June 1924 · Died 2000-10-1749ers Hall of Fame tackle nicknamed 'The Lion', the franchise's first-ever draft pick who played 174 consecutive games over 14 seasons and was named All-Pro on both offense and defense.
Born on 19 June 1924 in Lucca, Italy, Leo Nomellini emigrated to Chicago as an infant and had to forgo high school sports to help support his family, working in a foundry instead. He first played football with a Marine Corps team at Cherry Point, North Carolina, before serving in combat during World War II in the invasions of Saipan and Okinawa. Enrolling at the University of Minnesota as a 22-year-old freshman in 1946, Nomellini became a two-time consensus All-American tackle and also won the Big Ten heavyweight wrestling championship. He was selected as the San Francisco 49ers' first-ever draft pick in franchise history in 1950. Nomellini never missed a game across his 14-year career, playing 174 consecutive regular-season contests and 266 games in total including 10 Pro Bowl appearances. Remarkably, he was named All-Pro on offense in 1951 and 1952 before shifting to a purely defensive role, where he earned further All-Pro honors in 1953, 1954, 1957 and 1959 — one of the few players in NFL history recognized as an elite performer on both sides of the ball. Nomellini's number 73 was retired by the 49ers, and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1969 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 1977. He also had a notable career as a professional wrestler during and after his football career. Nomellini died on 17 October 2000 at age 76.
Being the 49ers' first-ever draft pick and one of the few players named All-Pro on both offense and defense
How They Played
Powerful, agile lineman effective at both offensive and defensive tackle
Lasting Impact
One of the most durable and versatile linemen in NFL history
American Athletes