Frank Nunley
Encyclopedia
Frank Hembre Nunley is a former American football
player. He played college football for the University of Michigan
and spent ten seasons in the National Football League (NFL)
, all with the San Francisco 49ers
. Selected in the third round (62nd overall) of the 1967 NFL Draft
, the former linebacker
possessed the unique nickname
of Fudgehammer due to his sweet disposition off the field.
Nunley anchored the 49ers teams in the 1970s that ran an innovative "flex" defense under Dick Nolan
and presented a tough competition to the Dallas Cowboys, twice losing NFC Championship games to the Cowboys in the seventies.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player. He played college football for the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
and spent ten seasons in the National Football League (NFL)
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
, all with the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
. Selected in the third round (62nd overall) of the 1967 NFL Draft
1967 NFL Draft
The 1967 National Football League Draft was part of the Common Draft in the first year in which the NFL and AFL held a joint draft of college players on March 14–15.-Player selections:-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:...
, the former linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
possessed the unique nickname
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
of Fudgehammer due to his sweet disposition off the field.
Nunley anchored the 49ers teams in the 1970s that ran an innovative "flex" defense under Dick Nolan
Dick Nolan
Richard Nolan is a Minnesota politician.Richard Nolan may also refer to*Dick Nolan , American football player, father of Mike Nolan, former head coach of San Francisco 49ers...
and presented a tough competition to the Dallas Cowboys, twice losing NFC Championship games to the Cowboys in the seventies.