Tom Woodeshick

Thomas Woodeshick ( ; born December 3, 1941) is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL).

Early life Woodeshick was born on December 31, 1941, in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. He attended Hanover Township High School in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, where he excelled as a linebacker and halfback on the school's football team. As a senior, the Wyoming Valley Football Conference coaches named him as a running back to the conference All-Star Team. In 1993, he was inducted into the Luzerne County Sports Hall of Fame.

College football Woodeshick played college football at West Virginia University (WVU) as a running back, from 1960–62. In his senior year, Woodeshick had 433 rushing yards, 141 receiving yards, and three touchdowns on an 8–2 team. Woodeshick was named All-Southern Conference, was chosen to play in the 1963 Senior Bowl and later was named a member of the 1960–69 WVU All-time football team. Over his WVU career, he had over 1,000 total yards rushing and receiving, along with 183 yards returning kickoffs. In 2013, he was inducted into WVU's Sports Hall of Fame. In 2016, he was an inaugural member of WVU’s Mountaineer Legends Society.

Professional football Woodeshick was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the fourth round of the 1963 American Football League (AFL) draft (28th overall), and by the Philadelphia Eagles in the eighth round of the 1963 NFL draft (102nd overall). He signed with both teams, resulting in a legal dispute. It was determined that the Bills contract was invalid because he signed before the AFL draft had occurred and therefore the Bills had no signing rights at the time. Woodeshick thought that this additional focus on him, and the fact that he outran Eagles star Timmy Brown in the 40-yard dash, gave him an increased opportunity to make the Eagles team.

The Eagles had a very poor team in 1968. They began the season 0–11 and finished 2–12, the team owner was in bankruptcy, and a notoriously difficult fan base was very hostile toward the team. Woodeshick was a rare bright spot on the team. He rushed for 947 yards at 4.4 yards per carry, and had 36 receptions for another 328 yards. He was selected to the Pro Bowl and was named second-team All-Pro by the Associated Press (AP). He was third in the league in rushing behind Leroy Kelly and Ken Willard.

Woodeshick regretted he was not able to rush for 1,000 yards that year. In the final game of the season, he needed another 133 yards against the Minnesota Vikings to reach 1,000 yards. By the third quarter he had gained 80 yards and needed only 53 more.

Woodeshick was second-team All-Pro again in 1969 (per the AP, United Press International, and Pro Football Weekly), rushing for 831 yards at 4.5 yards per carry, with 22 receptions.

In the early 1970s he was hampered by knee injuries. He said at the time of being cut:I'm extremely bitter. There's no avoiding it. I wanted to go out like a pro and a champion. Not so much for myself but for the fans here. Nobody deserves a winner more than they do. Sports Illustrated deemed him the best Eagle to wear number 37.

NFL career statistics Legend Bold Career high

Year Team Games Rushing Receiving GP GS Att Yds Avg Lng TD Rec Yds Avg Lng TD 1963 PHI 14 0 5 18 3.6 11 0 1 −3 −3.0 −3 0 1964 PHI 13 1 37 180 4.9 13 2 4 12 3.0 8 0 1965 PHI 13 0 28 145 5.2 14 0 6 86 14.3 60 0 1966 PHI 14 4 85 330 3.9 21 4 10 118 11.8 44 1 1967 PHI 14 13 155 670 4.3 41 6 34 391 11.5 43 4 1968 PHI 14 14 217 947 4.4 54 3 36 328 9.1 55 0 1969 PHI 12 12 186 831 4.5 21 4 22 177 8.0 15 0 1970 PHI 6 6 52 254 4.9 57 2 6 28 4.7 10 0 1971 PHI 11 5 66 188 2.8 19 0 6 36 6.0 11 1 1972 STL 4 0 5 14 2.8 6 0 1 2 2.0 2 0Career 115 55 836 3,577 4.3 57 21 126 1,175 9.3 60 6

Personal life He had received his Bachelor's degree from WVU in 1963, and later attended graduate school in Philadelphia at the University of Pennsylvania and Temple University. He is also a popular public speaker.

After retirement, Woodeshick was a broadcaster for the Philadelphia Bell of the short-lived World Football League, was a columnist for the Philadelphia Inquirer, and had two years coaching at Moravian College.

He made an uncredited appearance as a member of the 325th Evac in the climactic football game in the film M*A*S*H, where he and former Eagle teammate Jack Concannon are shown passing a joint. Eagles great Timmy Brown, whom Woodeshick had bested in the 40-yard dash years earlier, was also in the movie, but as one of the stars.

Year Title Role Notes1970 M*A*S*H Football Player – 325th Evac. Uncredited