John F. Wiley
John Franklin "Smiling Jack" Wiley (April 18, 1920 – March 25, 2013) was an American football player and coach.
 Wiley on a 1948 Bowman football card | |
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 18, 1920 Wind Ridge, Pennsylvania |
| Died | March 25, 2013 (aged 92) Rock Hill, South Carolina |
| Playing career | |
| 1946–1950 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| Position(s) | Tackle |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1951–1954 | Waynesburg |
| 1955–1961 | Pittsburgh (line) |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 22–9–1 |
Playing career
Wiley played tackle for Waynesburg College and appeared in the first televised game in U.S. history against Fordham at Randalls Island, New York. He took a break from football as he served in the Army during World War II, rising to the rank of captain.
After World War II, Wiley played for the Steelers and coaches Jock Sutherland and John Michelosen from 1946 to 1950, and he was remembered by team chairman Dan Rooney as contributing to one of the team's most successful pre-Super Bowl periods.[1]
Coaching career
Wiley was the head football coach at Waynesburg University in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania for four seasons, from 1951 to 1954, compiling a record of 22–9–1.[2]
Wiley left Waynesburg to become an assistant at Pitt, where he is credited with recruiting Mike Ditka and Marty Schottenheimer. He left coaching in 1961 to become a salesman and later regional manager for the L.G. Balfour Jewelry & Taylor Publishing Company.[1]
References
- DiPaola, Jerry. "Ex-Waynesburg coach, Pitt assistant Wiley dies". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Retrieved March 26, 2013.
- "Waynesberg College Football Media Guide". Sidearm DMG. p. 79. Archived from the original on April 3, 2016. Retrieved February 14, 2011.