Frank Varrichione facts for kids

The young and athletic Varrichione as a rookie in 1955, wearing Notre Dame green.
Date of birth:	(1932-01-14)January 14, 1932
Place of birth:	Natick, Massachusetts, U.S.
Date of death:	January 6, 2018(2018-01-06) (aged 85)
Place of death:	Framingham, Massachusetts, U.S.
Quick facts for kids Career information
Position(s):	Tackle
Height:	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight:	255 lb (116 kg)
College:	Notre Dame
NFL Draft:	1955 / Round: 1 / Pick: 6
Drafted by:	Pittsburgh Steelers
Organizations
Career highlights and awards
ProBowls - 5 Pittsburgh Steelers Legends team
Career stats
Playing stats at DatabaseFootball.com

Frank Joseph Varrichione (born January 14, 1932 – died January 6, 2018) was an American football player. He was a key part of the 1953 University of Notre Dame football team. This team shared the college national championship with an amazing 9 wins, 0 losses, and 1 tie. Frank also played for eleven seasons in the National Football League (NFL).

In college, Frank was named a Third-team All-American in 1954. This meant he was one of the top 33 players in college football. He was the very first lineman picked in the 1955 NFL draft, as the sixth player chosen overall. Frank played six seasons for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Later, he was traded to the Los Angeles Rams in 1961, where he played for five more years. During his career, Frank was chosen for the NFL Pro Bowl five times. This showed he was a top offensive lineman.

Biography

Early Life

Frank Varrichione was born on January 14, 1932, in Natick, Massachusetts. His parents, Joseph and Mary Varrichione, came to the United States from Italy in 1913. They first arrived in Boston before moving to Natick. Frank was the youngest of ten children in a Catholic family.

Frank was big and strong even as a young boy. He started playing football in 9th grade at Natick High School. He finished high school early. Then he went to a Catholic prep school called St. Thomas Aquinas in Rochester, New York. There, football recruiters from the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana, noticed him.

College Football Career

After prep school, Frank received a scholarship to play football at Notre Dame. He weighed 210 pounds as a freshman in 1951. He was expected to play right away because the team's offensive line needed help. Frank became a starter as a freshman, the only one on offense for the 1951 Fighting Irish team.

However, Frank's first year was affected by an injury. He got hurt in a game against the University of Pittsburgh on October 27, 1951. Luckily, the injury was not serious enough to end his season. By the game on November 8 against the University of Oklahoma, Frank was back on the field.

During his junior year, Frank improved his defensive skills. He was coached by Notre Dame's head coach, Frank Leahy. Frank did very well in his defensive role. In an October 1953 game against the Pitt Panthers, he scored two points with a safety. This play helped Frank earn national Lineman of the Week honors from the Associated Press.

Frank also became famous at Notre Dame for a clever play. As an offensive tackle, he helped Notre Dame get a tie against the University of Iowa. With no timeouts left and time running out in the first half, Frank suddenly pretended to be injured. This stopped the clock, allowing Notre Dame to score a critical touchdown. His dramatic "flop" at a key moment earned him the nickname "Faintin' Frank." He also received many sarcastic flowers and "get-well-soon" cards from upset Iowa fans.

The tie against Iowa was the only game Notre Dame didn't win that year. They finished with a 9-0-1 record. The 1953 Fighting Irish football team then shared the 1953 College Football Championship. Frank's talent was recognized in his senior season. He was named a Third-team NFA All-American for 1954.

Playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers

As a four-year starter for the famous Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Frank Varrichione was a highly desired player. He was chosen in the first round of the 1955 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was the 6th player picked overall and the first offensive lineman chosen. When a Pittsburgh newspaper writer called him to tell him he was drafted, Frank said he expected no trouble agreeing on money. He wanted to play professional football "as long as I can last." Frank was right, and by early February, he had signed a contract with the Steelers for the 1955 season. His first pro deal paid him $8,000 for the year, which was a lot for an offensive lineman back then.

Frank quickly adapted to the professional game. He was chosen for the 1955 Pro Bowl Game, which took place in January after his rookie season. He played for the East team, which won a close 31-30 game against their rivals.

By 1957, Frank was not as eager to sign his next NFL contract. He remained unsigned when the Steelers started training camp at St. Bonaventure University in Olean, New York. He didn't get a raise. After talking to team president Art Rooney, Frank signed on August 6 to play for another year. This completed the team's 45-man roster. He missed three days of practice. Even though he had partial deafness and wore a special helmet with a hearing aid, Frank had another good season. He was chosen for his second Pro Bowl at the end of the year.

Frank was chosen for the Pro Bowl again in 1960. He was one of five Pittsburgh Steelers named to the East team. After the season, he was given a new three-year contract with the Steelers. This was the longest contract of his career. It seemed like the six-year veteran Pro Bowler would finish his career with the Steelers.

Playing for the Los Angeles Rams

In April 1961, Frank Varrichione's life changed. The Pittsburgh Steelers, with whom he had just signed a three-year deal, traded him to the Los Angeles Rams. In return, the Steelers received defensive tackle Lou Michaels. Steelers head coach Buddy Parker told the press that they didn't want to lose a top offensive lineman like Frank. But the trade was necessary to get much-needed defensive strength. The trade was a direct exchange, with no other players or money involved. Frank would play the rest of his career with the Rams.

After the 1961 season, Frank thought about retiring because of family reasons. "My wife is expecting her fourth child, and this traveling around is awfully tough," he told the press. "She doesn't want me to play anymore." Frank first told Rams general manager Elroy "Crazylegs" Hirsch that he planned to quit. But Frank eventually changed his mind. By the start of training camp for the 1962 season, he was ready to play for the Rams again.

Frank and his Rams teammate Joe Carollo, who also went to Notre Dame, played every single offensive play of the 1963 NFL season. This was 14 games in total. By his 11th and final season, Frank, playing right tackle, was honored by his teammates. They chose him as the offensive captain of the team.

Frank Varrichione played in 133 NFL games during his 11-year career. He never became rich from playing football. His highest contract with the Rams was just $20,000 per year. Frank was chosen for five NFL Pro Bowl teams: in 1955, 1957, 1958, 1960, and 1962.

Life After Football

Frank was somewhat prepared for life after football. He had never earned enough playing the game to live comfortably. While playing for the Steelers, he ran a drive-in restaurant in Natick. During his time with the Rams, he sold real estate in the off-season.

Frank retired from football in 1965 and moved to Michigan. There, he worked in sales for a trucking company. After three years, Frank returned to Natick to take over his family's paint contracting business. He retired briefly in 1986 but came back two years later to run a coffee shop with his wife. He finally retired for good in 1992.

In 1995, Frank Varrichione was named to the Boston section of the Italian-American Sports Hall of Fame.

Frank Varrichione passed away on January 6, 2018, at the age of 85.

See also