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Bill Dudley

1921 – 2010

American football player

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About Bill Dudley

Lived 1921 – 2010 (aged 88). Bill Dudley was an American aircraft pilot and american football player.

William McGarvey Dudley (December 24, 1921 – February 4, 2010), nicknamed "Bullet Bill", was an American professional football halfback, safety and return specialist who played in the National Football League (NFL) for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Detroit Lions, and Washington Redskins. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1966. He, along with Deion Sanders are the only players in NFL history to score touchdowns in six different ways (rushing, receiving, punt return, kickoff return, interception return, and fumble return)

Early life Dudley was born in Bluefield, Virginia and attended Graham High School. He made the football team his junior year, and in 1938 he kicked a 35-yard field goal in the season's finale and helped Graham beat favored Princeton High School, 10–7.

College career At the age of 16, Dudley was awarded an athletic scholarship by the University of Virginia football team by coach Frank Murray. After the season, he played in the East–West Shrine Game, where he intercepted four passes and threw for his team's touchdown in a 6–6 tie. During the 1942 season, he led the league in rushing with 696 yards on 162 carries and was then named to the All-Pro team.

Military service (1943–45) In 1942, the U. S. armed services began drafting all eligible young men to fight in World War II. Dudley originally enlisted and was sworn into the Naval Air Corps; however, they found out he needed to have his parents' consent, since he was not yet 21. In doing this, Dudley became the only NFL player to lead in four unique statistical categories. Dudley led his team in scoring during every one of his nine NFL seasons. He died in his home in Lynchburg, Virginia on February 4, 2010.

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Education
Graham High School
Positions held
Member of the Virginia House of Delegates
Awards
Pro Football Hall of Fame
Also known as
William McGarvey Dudley

People in Bill Dudley's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Bill Dudley's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Bill Dudley?

American football player (1921-2010)

When was Bill Dudley born?

Bill Dudley was born on 24 December 1921 in Bluefield.

When did Bill Dudley die?

Bill Dudley died on 4 February 2010 in Lynchburg.

What was Bill Dudley's occupation?

Bill Dudley was an aircraft pilot and american football player.

What nationality was Bill Dudley?

Bill Dudley was American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Bill Dudley

· Wikidata: Q454521

· DBpedia: Bill Dudley

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Bill Dudley. https://biography.guide/bill-dudley/

MLA: "Bill Dudley." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/bill-dudley/.

Chicago: "Bill Dudley." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/bill-dudley/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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