Paul Salata

Paul Thomas Salata (October 17, 1926 – October 16, 2021) was an American professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL), All-America Football Conference (AAFC) and Western Interprovincial Football Union (WIFU).

Biography

Paul Salata was born to a Serbian-born father and second generation Serbian-American mother. After his college football days at USC Salata played for the AAFC/NFL's San Francisco 49ers (1949–1950) and the AAFC/NFL's Baltimore Colts (1950). After the Colts franchise folded in 1950, he was declared draft-eligible and was subsequently drafted in the tenth round of the 1951 NFL draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. He scored the 49ers final touchdown in the All-American Football Conference, as well as the team's first TD in the NFL. He also played in the CFL, including with the Calgary Stampeders in 1952 and the Ottawa Rough Riders in 1953.

In later years, Salata became known for his creation in 1976 of the Mr. Irrelevant Award, awarded annually to the last overall pick in the year's NFL draft. After retiring from football, he joined his family's Southern California construction business. He played Tony Minelli in Angels in the Outfield (1951) and appeared, uncredited, in the 1953 film Stalag 17 as a prisoner.

Salata died on October 16, 2021, one day before his 95th birthday.