Fran Polsfoot

Who was Fran Polsfoot?

Francis Charles Polsfoot was an American football tight end in the National Football League for the Chicago Cardinals and the Washington Redskins. He later was an assistant coach with the Denver Broncos. Polsfoot played college football at Washington State University and was drafted in the third round of the 1950 NFL Draft. He caught 57 passes in the 1951 season for the Chicago Cardinals and was selected to the Pro Bowl. He started his coaching career with the University of Wisconsin, River Falls. In 1961 he joined the St. Louis Cardinals for the NFL as an assistant coach. Polsfoot later coached with the Houston Oilers, Cleveland Browns, and Denver Broncos. His NFL coaching career lasted over 20 years and he was an assistant coach for the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XII.

He was also a PAC-10 high hurdle champion for Washington State. Francis was married to Mary Hesterman and had two children, Sally Baldwin and Thomas Polsfoot. He had a brother, Curtis Frederic Polsfoot and a sister Bea Polsfoot. Both Francis and Curt had served in the Merchant Marines during World War II. Fran, as he liked to be called, battled brain cancer in 1984 and was an inspiration to those who watched his fight against the disease. He died on Good Friday, April 5, 1985.