{{Short description|American football player (1926–2012)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}} {{Infobox NFL biography | name = John Panelli | image = John Panelli - 1950 Bowman.jpg | caption = Panelli on a 1950 Bowman football card | number = 33, 34 | position = Linebacker, fullback | birth_date = {{Birth date|1926|5|7|mf=y}} | birth_place = Morristown, New Jersey, U.S. | death_date = {{death date and age|2012|3|2|1926|5|7}} | death_place = Royal Oak, Michigan, U.S. | height_ft = 5 | height_in = 11 | weight_lb = 200 | high_school = Morristown <br> (Morristown, New Jersey) <br> Cheshire Academy <br> (Cheshire, Connecticut) | college = Notre Dame | draftyear = 1949 | draftround = 2 | draftpick = 12 | pastteams = * Detroit Lions ({{NFL Year|1949|1950}}) * Chicago Cardinals ({{NFL Year|1951|1953}}) | highlights = * 2× National champion (1946, 1947) | statlabel1 = Rushing yards | statvalue1 = 157 | statlabel2 = Rushing average | statvalue2 = 2.9 | statlabel3 = Receptions | statvalue3 = 4 | statlabel4 = Receiving yards | statvalue4 = 27 | statlabel5 = Fumble recoveries | statvalue5 = 6 | statlabel6 = Interceptions | statvalue6 = 5 | pfr = PaneJo20 }}
'''John Rocco "Bulldog" Panelli''' (May 7, 1926 – March 2, 2012)<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.johnpanelli.com/other-milestones/milestones.htm | title=John Panelli - Man of Action }}</ref> was an American professional football player. He played college football at the University of Notre Dame. He went on to play two seasons in the National Football League (NFL) for the Detroit Lions, and another three for the Chicago Cardinals.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.wxyz.com/dpp/sports/football/lions/former-lions-player-john-panelli-dead-at-85|title=Former Lions player John Panelli dead at 85|publisher=ABC 7|access-date=March 5, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130210005744/http://www.wxyz.com/dpp/sports/football/lions/former-lions-player-john-panelli-dead-at-85|archive-date=February 10, 2013}}</ref>
Born and raised in Morristown, New Jersey, Panelli starred at Morristown High School, earning all-state honors as a student and a nomination by ''The Star-Ledger'' decades after his graduation for inclusion on its All-Century team.<ref>via Associated Press. [http://www.nj.com/sports/njsports/index.ssf/2012/03/john_panelli_standout_at_morri.html "John Panelli, standout at Morristown High, Notre Dame and NFL, dies at 85"], NJ.com, March 4, 2012. Accessed March 15, 2018. "Ex-Notre Dame running back and NFL player John Panelli, a standout fullback at Morristown High School in the 1940s, has died.... Panelli, an All-State selection at Morristown High and a nominee of The Star-Ledger’s New Jersey High School All-Century team, went on to play fullback and linebacker for Notre Dame’s 1946 and 1947 national championship teams, averaging 7.5 yards a carry his senior year."</ref>
Panelli died after a sudden illness on March 2, 2012. He was 85.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/notre-dame-backfield-wizard-john-paneilli-dies/article2358516/|title=Notre Dame backfield wizard John Panelli dies|publisher=The Globe and Mail|access-date=March 5, 2012}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{Footballstats |nfl= |espn= |cbs= |yahoo= |si= |pfr=P/PaneJo20 |rotoworld= |dbf=PANELJOH01 }} * {{Find a Grave|86240307}}
{{1946 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football navbox}} {{1947 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football navbox}} {{Lions1949DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Panelli, John}} Category:1926 births Category:2012 deaths Category:American football fullbacks Category:American football linebackers Category:Detroit Lions players Category:Chicago Cardinals players Category:Morristown High School (Morristown, New Jersey) alumni Category:Notre Dame Fighting Irish football players Category:Players of American football from Morristown, New Jersey Category:Players of American football from Oakland County, Michigan Category:Cheshire Academy alumni Category:20th-century American sportsmen
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