Red Grange
Bringing in Red Grange pretty much helped save the NFL. How? Getting Grange, an outstanding collegiate player, gave the NFL and the Bears credibility. It helped bring people in to watch games. In fact, Halas came up with the idea to take the Bears across the country on something called a Barnstorming Tour, playing teams across the great United States.
The “Galloping Ghost” was signed by the Bears in 1925. The Bears had some competition but Grange wanted to go to Chicago. He got a lot of flack for his choice but he and the Bears persevered. His play on the field helped save the Chicago Bears and the NFL.
Grange was quite worn out on the tour and was criticized for it. But he stuck with it and kept on going until he was seriously injured and the tour had to be canceled.
The next tour was much easier on the team and on Grange. It was a successful event and helped to put professional football at the forefront of the nation’s mind making it a popular sport.
He went on to do other things related to sports and even coached running backs for the Bears. George Halas even asked Grange to be the head coach of the Bears but Grange declined.
Grange was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1963.