Ernie Blandin

Ernest Elmer Blandin (June 21, 1919 – September 16, 1968) was an American professional football player who was a tackle for six seasons with the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Colts in the All-America Football Conference (AAFC) and later the National Football League (NFL).

Blandin was a standout as a tackle playing college football for the Tulane Green Wave, earning consensus All-American honors as a senior in 1941. Blandin was selected to play for the Philadelphia Eagles, but he instead joined the military and served in the Pacific theater of World War II.

Upon his discharge, he signed with the Browns of the AAFC and played on the team for two seasons. The Browns won the league championship in both of those years. Blandin was then sent to the Colts, where he remained through the 1950 season. He played one more year of professional football in 1953 with the second iteration of the Baltimore Colts.

Biography Early life

Ernie Blandin was born June 21, 1919, in Augusta, Kansas.

He played football from his days at Leon High School in Leon, Kansas, starting out as a fullback until being moved to tackle during his collegiate years. Blandin was a three-sport athlete in high school, winning a total of 11 letters in football, basketball, and track and field.

College career

Blandin attended Tulane University and played for the Tulane Green Wave football team between 1939 and 1941. He was part of an offensive line that was one of the largest in the country at the time: the linemen averaged 214 pounds.

Blandin was named a consensus All-American after the 1941 season,

Later life, death, and legacy

After retiring from football, Blandin made his home in Pikesville, Maryland where he worked in sales for the Fruehauf Trailer Corporation and the Ford Motor Company.

Blandin died September 16, 1958 in a nursing home in Randallstown, Maryland after a long illness.

Blandin was inducted into the Greater New Orleans Sports Hall of Fame in 1987. He is also a member of Tulane's sports hall of fame.