Lenny Simonetti

Leonard Patrick "Meatball" Simonetti (November 20, 1919 – August 14, 1973) was an American football tackle who played three seasons in the All-America Football Conference (AAFC) between 1946 and 1948 for the Cleveland Browns. Simonetti was a standout as a fullback at his Ohio high school before switching to tackle while at the University of Tennessee in the late 1930s and early 1940s. After a stint in the U.S. Army during World War II, Simonetti signed with the Browns. Cleveland won the AAFC championship in 1946, repeating in 1947 and 1948. Simonetti was sent to the Baltimore Colts in 1949, but did not play for the team. After leaving football, he became a weighmaster in Ohio. He died of a heart attack in 1973.

High school and college

Simonetti played high school football at New Philadelphia High School in New Philadelphia, Ohio, where he was an all-Ohio fullback on teams coached by John Brickels. He enrolled at the University of Tennessee and continued to play football for the Volunteers between 1939 and 1941. Simonetti enlisted in the U.S. Army during World War II and served in the Philippines. Cleveland finished the year with a 12–2 record and advanced to the AAFC championship. Team captain Jim Daniell, however, was dismissed from the team the week before the title game after getting arrested following an altercation with Cleveland police. He was sold to the Baltimore Colts in January 1949 along with Ben Pucci and Don Stanton. He left football, however, before playing a game for the team.

Later life and death

After his football career, Simonetti worked as a weighmaster for the state of Ohio in Bolivar. He was injured in a car accident in 1971 and died two years later of a heart attack. He and his wife Florence had one child.