Washington Huskies: 30 greatest football players of all-time

During his time at the University of Washington, Hugh McElhenny established himself as one of the best players in school history. McElhenny went by many nicknames while rushing for the Huskies, including “Hurryin’ Hugh” and “The King”. He rightfully deserves a spot as one of the top-30 players in program history.

McElhenny, considered the greatest pure runner in Washington history, played in 28 games for the Huskies back in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Incredibly, he still holds some school records, including his 100-yard punt return from the 1951 season. That year, McElhenny was named an All-American.

A member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, College Football Hall of Fame and the inaugural Washington Hall of Fame, McElhenny was named to the All-Centennial team as well. In addition, he is a member of the East-West Shrine Game Hall of Fame. So there is really isn’t a Hall of Fame that he isn’t enshrined in when it comes to football.

As a junior and senior, McElhenny was named first-team UPI and AP All-Coast, as he was a member of one of the best backfields in program history alongside Roland Kirby. To cap off his college career, McElhenny finished eighth in the Heisman Trophy balloting in 1951, before being a first-round draft pick of the San Francisco 49ers.

In his NFL career, McElhenny was a six-time Pro Bowler, a five-time First-Team All-Pro and has his No. 39 jersey retired by the 49ers. He is one of the more decorated football players of all-time.