American football player (1934–2010)
American football player
Joseph Burel Nicely (November 26, 1934 – September 24, 2010) was an American professional football offensive guard in the Canadian Football League (CFL) for the Montreal Alouettes . He also was a member of the Washington Redskins in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at West Virginia University .
Early life
Nicely attended Rupert High School.[ 1] To play football, he had to walk 6 to 8 miles home after each practice.[ 2]
He accepted a football scholarship from West Virginia University , where he became a starter at offensive guard offense and a middle guard on defense.[ 2] As a senior, he missed three games with a broken bone in his hand. He participated in the Blue–Gray Football Classic , Senior Bowl and Chicago College All-Star Game .[ 3]
Professional career
Nicely was selected by the Baltimore Colts in the third round (35th overall) of the 1958 NFL draft .[ 4] He was waived before the start of the season on September 9.[ 5]
On September 12, 1958 , he signed with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League .[ 6] He appeared in 5 games as a backup at offensive guard and offensive tackle . He was released on October 14.[ 7]
On January 28, 1959 , he signed with the Washington Redskins , where he was tried at center .[ 8] On September 15, he was placed on the team's reserve list with an injury and was later signed to the taxi squad .[ 9]
In 1960 , Nicely was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the expansion draft . He suffered from a blood infection that turned out to be Hepatitis C and did not make the team.[ 10]
Personal life
Nicely had three fingers cut off from his right hand in an accident he had during his youth.[ 2] He died on September 24, 2008.[ 11]
References
^ "Joe Nicely" . Archived from the original on August 4, 2019. Retrieved February 27, 2020 .
^ a b c "WVU s Nicely was one of greats on offensive line" . Fox Sports . October 8, 2010. Retrieved February 27, 2020 .
^ Johnson, Chuck (August 16, 1958). "Grid All-Stars slay inept Detroit Lions" . Milwaukee Journal . p. 12. Retrieved February 27, 2020 . [permanent dead link ]
^ "1958 NFL Draft" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Retrieved February 27, 2020 .
^ "Colts Place Joe Nicely On Waivers" . September 10, 1958. Retrieved February 27, 2020 .
^ "Ex-Redskins castoff, may join the Walker A Lift?" . September 13, 1958. Retrieved February 27, 2020 .
^ "Big Four Teams Declare Selections of Imports" . Retrieved February 27, 2020 .
^ "Redskins Sign WVU's Nicely" . January 29, 1959. Retrieved February 27, 2020 .
^ "Redskins Sign WVU's Nicely" . September 16, 1959. Retrieved February 27, 2020 .
^ "Dallas Loses Guard" . August 24, 1960. Retrieved February 27, 2020 .
^ "Burel J. Nicely Obituary" . Legacy.com . Retrieved February 27, 2020 .
External links