John Karcis

John Karcis (December 3, 1908 – September 4, 1973), sometimes known by the nicknames "Bull" and Johnny "Five Yards", was an American football player and coach. A native of Monaca, Pennsylvania, he played college football as a fullback at Carnegie Tech from 1927 to 1930. He later played professionally in the National Football League (NFL) for the Brooklyn Dodgers, Pittsburgh Pirates, and New York Giants. He ranked third in rushing yardage in the NFL during the 1937 season. He appeared in 89 games over nine years in the NFL, tallying 1,799 yards and 152 receiving yards.

Carnegie Tech Karcis enrolled at the Carnegie Institute of Technology in 1927 and played at the fullback position for Carnegie's freshmen football team. He was described in The Pittsburgh Press as a "brilliant" and "gigantic" fullback who hit the line "viciously" and whose "plunging could not be stopped."

As a sophomore, Karcis led the 1928 Carnegie Tech Tartans football team to seven consecutive victories to open the season. Prior to a 1928 game with Carnegie Tech, Notre Dame coach Knute Rockne alerted his team to Karcis' abilities:They have a fullback named John Karcis who is stronger than Atlas. Karcis grew up eating raw meat and that thick Polish bologna. He just shreds opposing linemen when he carries the ball. That's the man we have to stop!

Karcis continued to play fullback for the Carnegie Tech teams of 1929 and 1930. Karcis was told by a doctor that he would not play football again. The Pirates had compiled losing records in each of their prior seasons. The 1936 team, with Karcis at fullback, compiled a 6–6 record and finished second in the NFL's Eastern Division. Karcis played for Pittsburgh from 1936 until 1938.

After the Pirates lost three straight games to open the 1938 season, head coach Johnny Blood decided to release Karcis, who was being paid the then-hefty sum of $485 per game. Rather than tell Karcis to his face, Blood arranged for Karcis to be given the wrong departure time for the team's train to an exhibition game in Boston. When Karcis arrived at the station, the train carrying the team had already left. Karcis called the team's offices and was told that Blood had released him.

New York Giants After his release by the Pirates, Karcis signed with the Patterson Panthers, a minor league club, for $50 per game. Karcis was then signed by the New York Giants on October 5, 1938. After losing two of their first three games, the Giants with Karcis in the lineup did not lose another game and won the NFL championship. In Karcis' home debut as a Giant, he recovered a Philadelphia fumble and returned it 77 yards for a touchdown and also set up the Giants' second touchdown. Karcis scored five touchdowns and tallied 181 rushing yards for the 1938 Giants.

Coaching career After his playing career ended, Karcis attended Slippery Rock State Teachers College where he received sufficient credits to become a high school teacher.

In July 1942, Karcis was hired as the backfield coach of the Detroit Lions. After the Lions lost the first three games of the 1942 season, team owner Fred L. Mandel Jr. fired head coach Bill Edwards and two of his assistants. Karcis was selected by Mandel to replace Edwards as head coach. Karcis was unable to turn the Lions around, as they lost the remaining eight games of the 1942 season, closing with a 0–11 record. Under Karcis, the Lions were shut out three times and failed to score more than seven points in a game. After the 1942 season, the Lions did not renew Karcis' contract.

In October 1943, Karcis signed with the New York Giants, seeking to make a comeback as a player at age 33. He took a two-month leave of absence from his work as an inspector with the American Bridge Company in Pennsylvania. To supplement his income, he also took a job working afternoons and evenings at a New York war plant. He appeared in eight games for the Giants in 1943, tallying 93 rushing yards on 31 carries (3.0 yards per carry). He remained at North Catholic through the 1949 season. He returned to coaching in 1957 as the football coach for West Deer High School. He coached the West Deer football team for three years, compiling a 9–21 record. At the end of the 1959 season, he resigned his post at West Deer to join the New Kensington school system. He worked as a math teacher at New Kensington High School.

Family, later years and legacy Karcis married Frances Taylor, the daughter of John T. Taylor who managed the U.S. Olympic swim teams at the 1924 and 1928 Summer Olympics. Karcis and his wife had two daughters, Alice (born c. 1938) and Joan (born c. 1941).

Karcis died in 1973, age 64, at Presbyterian University Hospital in Pittsburgh. He had been admitted to the hospital for cancer treatment.