Frank Tripucka
After a standout college career at Notre Dame, Frank Tripucka's professional football career started in 1949 with the Detroit Lions of the NFL. Tripucka played with the Chicogo Bears and the Dallas Texans between 1950 and 1952, mainly as a backup QB. His most action coming in 1952 when he completed 86 of 174 jpasses for Dallas in 6 games.
Tripucka came North to Canada and joined the Saskatchewan Roughriders late in 1953 and took over the starting QB job with the Riders. From 1954 to 1958, Trickucka was the Rider's starting QB, throwing for over 2000 yards in each season, with a career high 3274 yards in 1956. Tripucka was a West All-Star in 1954 (there were no CFL All-Stars until 1962).
Tripucka was traded to Ottawa in the off-season before 1959 in a big 5 for 1 deal,, but struggled with the Rough Riders. With a young Canadian QB named Russ Jackson on hand, Tripucka was eleased and returnd to Saskatchewan where he became the head coach for the rest of the 1959 season and played in two games.
Tripucka returned to the States and the newly founded AFL in 1960. Initially, Tripucka was to be a coach with the Broncos, but he took over as the starting QB. Tripucka threw the first touchdown pass in the history of the AFL and in that first season threw for oer 3000 yards and 24 touchdowns.
Tripucka was released by Denver partway through the 1963 season and he returned to the CFL and Saskatchewan to back up Ron Lancaster.
Frank Tripucka passed away on September 12, 2013.
Complete AFL / NFL Statistics for Frank Tripucka
Tripucka Traded to Chicago - June 6, 1950
Tripucka and Riders to Part Company - December 9, 1958
Ottawa Hopes to Acquire Tripuck - January 20, 1959
tripucka Traded to Ottawa in 5 for 1 Deal - March 28, 1959
Tripucka Takes Over as Saskatchewan Head Coach - October 3, 1959
Tripucka Plots His Plays - October 5, 1959
Tripucka Treads on Precarous Ground - September 23, 1959
Frank Tripucka Improves With Football Age - September 18, 1962
Frank Tripucka Keeps Denver On Top - October 22, 1962
Tripucka Returns to Saskatchewan - September 19, 1963
Tripucka Stil Flips For Notre Dame - October 28, 1966
| Year | Team | GP | PA | PC | % | Yds | TD | Int | Sacked | Yds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1953 | SASK | 4 |
94 | 49 | 62 | 703 | 4 | 5 | ||
| 1954 | SASK | 14 |
259 | 152 | 56.7 | 2003 | 14 | 14 | ||
| 1955 | SASK | 16 |
257 | 158 | 61.5 | 2306 | 11 | 17 | ||
| 1956 | SASK | 16 |
383 | 216 | 56.4 | 3274 | 13 | 22 | ||
| 1957 | SASK | 16 |
343 | 172 | 50.1 | 2589 | 12 | 29 | ||
| 1958 | SASK | 13 |
338 | 189 | 55.9 | 2766 | 20 | 27 | ||
| 1959 | OTT | 8 |
145 | 79 | 54.5 | 1119 | 4 | 14 | 12 | 104 |
| 1959 | SASK | 2 |
45 | 27 | 60 | 311 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 1963 | SASK | 7 |
66 | 38 | 57.6 | 435 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Year | Team | TC | Yds | Avg | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1953 | SASK | 5 | -77 | -15.4 | 0 | |
| 1954 | SASK | 25 | -125 | -5 | 0 | 3 |
| 1955 | SASK | 36 | -155 | -4.3 | 0 | 8 |
| 1956 | SASK | 31 | -138 | -4.5 | 0 | 9 |
| 1957 | SASK | 29 | -95 | -3.4 | 3 | 9 |
| 1958 | SASK | 26 | -58 | -2.2 | 0 | 9 |
| 1959 | OTT | 3 | -3 | -1 | 0 | |
| 1959 | SASK | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 1963 | SASK | 4 | -8 | -2 | 0 | 2 |
| Year | Team | F | FL |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1953 | SASK | ||
| 1954 | SASK | ||
| 1955 | SASK | 4 | |
| 1956 | SASK | 3 | |
| 1957 | SASK | 0 | |
| 1958 | SASK | 1 | |
| 1959 | OTT | 1 | |
| 1959 | SASK | 0 | |
| 1963 | SASK | 0 |
| Year | Team | P | Yds | Avg | Long | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1953 | SASK | 31 | 1463 | 47.1 | ||
| 1954 | SASK | 16 | 686 | 42.8 | 55 | |
| 1955 | SASK | 7 | 242 | 34.5 | 58 | |
| 1956 | SASK | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1957 | SASK | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1958 | SASK | 19 | 936 | 49.2 | 80 | 4 |
| 1959 | OTT | 52 | 2057 | 39.6 | 58 | 1 |
| 1959 | SASK | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1963 | SASK | 4 | 185 | 46.2 | 65 | 1 |
Tripucka had one fumble recovery in 1963.
