Courtesy of Paolo Aldrighetti
With Texas, Florida, California, and Georgia becoming factories of NFL talent, the Constitution State has taken a back seat when it comes to sending talent to the league. With that being said, the state’s Southeastern region has a long history of quality talent from the league’s early days into the modern era. These athletes were names to root for in a state that only had an NFL team to call its own for a single season in 1926. Split between the New York and Boston sports markets, CT can be polarizing in its sports allegiances, so the offseason gives The College Voice the opportunity to highlight the community members who made an impact on the field without sparking debates between Giants and Patriots fans.
Andy Hillhouse
The first Southeastern Connecticut player, Andy Hillhouse, born in Willimantic, joined the league in 1921 as a member of the Buffalo All-Americans. The team existed from 1920 to 1923 and, even for such a short-lived franchise, Hillhouse was around for a fraction of its history, only playing in a single game at the halfback position. Before his time in the league, he played at Rutherford High School in NJ, where he was inducted into the Rutherford Hall of Fame. After graduating high school, he attended Brown University and played in the first Rose Bowl in 1916 versus Washington State, and was a letterwinner for the nearby Ivy League university.
Walt Ellis
Born in the Noank section of Groton in 1898, Walter Joseph Ellis became the first and only All-Pro nod from the region. Ellis attended the University of Detroit Mercy after graduating from Suffield High School where he was a captain of the team in 1922. He joined the Columbus Tigers in 1924, playing and starting in eight games at left tackle. In 1925 he started another nine games for the Tigers before returning to Detroit to play a single game for the Detroit Panthers. In 1926 he joined the Chicago Cardinals and transitioned to right tackle, playing 10 games and starting nine of them, earning him his first-team All-Pro nod. 1927 would be his last season in which he played eight games for the Cardinals and only started four of them.
Harold “Pinky” Lester
The first New London-born player, Harold “Pinky” Lester, would be a true unicorn if he played in the league today. Standing at five feet six inches tall and weighing 160 pounds, he would be a uniquely small player in the modern era. Even at that size, Lester played eight games and started five of them at left end (now wide receiver) for the Providence Steamrollers in 1926. Before joining the Steamrollers, he attended Providence High School and did not enroll in college post-graduation. As a high schooler, he was a two-time all-state player before joining the Pawtuxet Athletic Club and also attempting to make a career out of semi-pro baseball. After his athletic career he became the Chief of Police for the East Providence Police Department until his retirement in 1966.
Arthur “Pop” Williams
The second Steamroller on the list hailed from Jewett City in 1906. Pop Williams was a back for Providence between 1928 and 1931 before joining the Brooklyn Dodgers for his last game in the league in 1932. Williams, as a rookie, started five out of the seven games he played in, where he rushed and received four combined touchdowns on the championship-winning team. Over the rest of his career he would play in 32 more games, starting 18 of them and putting up another nine touchdowns. The UConn and Killingly graduate would play and start in six games for the Mount Vernon Cardinals of the American Association in 1937, scoring one touchdown.
Lou Palazzi
Lou Palazzi, the second NFL player from Groton, became the first player on this list to be drafted to the NFL. Palazzi moved to Dunmore, Pennsylvania, for high school and was an all-scholastic center and co-captain of the team. He then was a walk-on with the Penn State roster, eventually becoming captain and was named to the AP All-East team in 1943. Graduating during the height of the Second World War, Palazzi joined the Army Air Corps and played football during his service to raise money for the war effort. He then received his Master’s degree in industrial engineering before entering the league in 1947 after being drafted by the New York Giants 56th overall in the 7th round of the 1943 NFL draft. He played two seasons in 1946 and 1947, appearing in 16 games. After his playing career he spent some years doing landscape work and teaching in Pennsylvania. Even after his playing days he could not leave the game he loved and became an umpire for the NFL from 1952 to 1981, refereeing Super Bowls IV, VII, and XI.
Enrico “Rocky” Uguccioni
Another wartime graduate, Rocky Uguccioni from New London also served the country as a member of the Navy before joining the league in 1944 as a member of the Brooklyn Tigers. Before he joined the NFL or the Navy, he was a multisport athlete at Bulkeley High School. He was All-State in baseball, basketball, track, and football. After graduating high school he enrolled in Murray State before joining the Tigers as a receiver who ended up playing 10 games, starting one, and racking up seven catches for 94 yards. He even added value on special teams, returning one punt for a 12-yard touchdown. After his time in the NFL, he played for the Fleet City Naval team, one of the independent military service teams, in 1945. He then joined the Ottawa Trojans of the Ontario Rugby Football Union (ORFU) in 1947 before playing his final season of football for the Hamilton Tigers in the Big Four/Interprovincial Rugby Football Union (IRFU), which later became the East Division of the now Canadian Football League.
Pat Cannamela
After surviving the Second World War, the NFL began blossoming into a national story of resiliency. During this era, we would see New London native Pat Cannamela drafted to the Dallas Texans with the 112th overall pick in the 11th round of the 1952 NFL Draft. Before his time in the league he played linebacker for Chapman Technical High School before spending two years at Ventura College in California. At Ventura, he was honored with a Little All-American Honorable Mention, All-Western State Conference, All-Southern California Junior College, and the Most Valuable Player of the team. After those two years, he earned an athletic scholarship to play at USC, where he became a Second Team All-American in 1950 and co-captain and first-team All-American as a linebacker and guard in 1951. After being drafted into the NFL he only played one season in Dallas, suiting up for 12 games and making most of his impact on special teams as a kicker who missed his only field goal attempt but went eight of 10 on extra points. He also recovered two fumbles during the season before joining the Army. Cannamela’s life was tragically taken during an armed robbery in 1973 in Los Angeles but he has since been honored by being inducted posthumously into the USC Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007 and the Chapman football field being honored in his name.
John Contoulis
John Contoulis’ entry into the NFL was quite peculiar, being drafted by two different teams, both of which he would never suit up for. First drafted by the Minnesota Vikings 213th overall in the 1962 NFL Draft and 27th overall by the New York Titans, rebranded into the New York Jets in 1963. He would eventually enter the league in 1964 for the New York Giants, where he would play with Hall of Fame Quarterback Y.A. Tittle. Before entering the league, he was a standout player for New London High School before attending UConn. With the Huskies, he became captain in 1962, an all-time letter winner from 1960-1962, a first-team All-American in 1962 as an offensive tackle, and all-conference as a tackle in 1962. Once in the league, Contoulis switched positions to become a defensive tackle and played 12 games, started in four, and racked up half a sack. After his single season in the league, he became a beloved physical education teacher in the Groton area.
Ron Lamb
Born in New London, Ron Lamb moved to McCormick, South Carolina, where he played football and basketball. He stayed in SC for college at the University of South Carolina from 1963-1965, playing in 30 games and racking up 326 yards from scrimmage. He was drafted 190th overall in the 1966 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys but was cut before the season began. He joined the Montreal Beavers in the Continental Football League as a running back from 1966 to 1967 before getting another shot in the NFL with the Denver Broncos in 1968. In Denver, he appeared in three games, got 22 carries for 63 yards and an additional seven catches for 87 yards before he was sent mid-season to the Cincinnati Bengals. Cincinnati would end up being Lamb’s home until 1971, when he appeared in 46 games and totaled 187 yards on the ground and through the air. After his time in Cincinnati, he would have a brief stint in Atlanta, appearing in seven games without a single touch before heading to Washington, but did not end up making the final roster. He would try his luck with the Jacksonville Sharks of the World Football League, and retired with them in 1974 before running a restaurant in South Carolina in his later years.
Brian Vertefeuille
As the NFL established itself, one theme came to prominence: Southeastern Connecticut was protecting the league’s best quarterbacks. This continued with Brian “Bones” Vertefeuille, who would go on to protect a 23-year-old Dan Fouts in his second season in a future Hall of Fame career. Vertefeuille was drafted by the San Diego Chargers 314th overall in the 1974 NFL Draft out of Idaho State University. Drafted as a tackle, he would be listed as third-string left guard. Before his time in Idaho, he was an All-CCIL and All-State lineman for Windham High School in Willimantic. He helped lead the school to its first perfect season in 1968. In the NFL he suited up for 14 games and even started in one before joining the Shreveport Steamers in the World Football League in 1975 before the league folded midway through the season. He would then go up north to join the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Toronto Argonauts for four and three games, respectively, in 1976. After his playing days he began remodeling swimming pools and coaching at Windham High School. It appears he is now retired and returned to San Diego.
Phil Murphy
The trend of playing with Hall of Famers continues with Phil Murphy who played next to Jack Youngblood for two back-to-back 11.5-sack seasons. Before the league, Murphy played at Xavier High School in Middletown, Connecticut, where he became the first NFL player from the school and helped them to their first No. 1 ranking in the state. He is a member of Xavier’s Hall of Honors and would go to South Carolina State University, where he would play from 1976-79. During his time in South Carolina, he would earn a slew of accolades, including first-team All-Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) in 1979, MEAC Football Defensive Player of the Year (1979), American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) I-AA All-American, Sheridan Broadcasting Network (SBN) All-American, Kodak All-American First Team selection, Associated Press Third Team Little All-American, and Defensive MVP of the Senior Bowl. He was also a thrower for South Carolina State, where he set the school and MEAC record for shot put from 1979 to 2007, was a four-time MEAC shot put champion, and two-time MEAC discus champion. He was drafted to the Los Angeles Rams 82nd overall in the 1980 draft, where he would play in 1980 and ‘81. He would play 32 games and total 1.5 sacks and a fumble recovery. He had a brief stint in the USFL with the Washington Federals and Los Angeles Express in 1983. After his playing days he was inducted into the South Carolina State Athletic Hall of Fame, Xavier High School Hall of Fame, South Carolina State Centennial Football Team, and Middletown Hall of Fame.
Tim Riordan
Outside of all of the trench play out of Southeastern CT, we find Tim Riordan, the one NFL QB from the region. Riordan was born and raised in New London, attending New London High School before going to Temple University. In Philadelphia he would log 20 touchdowns to 21 picks in 27 games. His 1982 season was very efficient with a 63.6% completion percentage and 137.8 passer rating, pushing the Temple captain to be drafted 73rd overall in the third round of the 1984 NFL Supplemental Draft to the St. Louis Cardinals. He would instead play in the USFL from 1984-1985 for the Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars, where he would go 27/47 for 363 yards and a touchdown. He would make his return to the NFL in 1987 as the fifth QB on a 12-3 New Orleans Saints team. Riordan would appear in a single game and total a single rush for three yards. After his playing days, he returned to Connecticut, working in admissions for the Saint Thomas More School and in the local hotel industry, which he appears to be doing at the time of writing.
Doug DuBose
We had an NFL Champion on the list but no Super Bowl Champion until Doug DuBose in 1988. DuBose attended Montville High School, leading in rushing and scoring in 1981 with 1,702 yards and 25 touchdowns, earning him an All-State nod. He would attend Nebraska and make an immediate impact on offense and special teams. He redshirted his second season before breaking out in his sophomore year, totaling six 100-yard games. In his junior year he tallied his second 1,000-yard rushing season even though he missed two games due to a knee injury, earning himself 11th in the NCAA in all-purpose yards and All-Big Eight honors. The knee injury held DuBose out of his entire senior season as he was building a case to be one of the best running backs in college football. He ended his collegiate career as a 1985 First-Team All-Big Eight, 1984 First-Team All-Big Eight, 1985 Second-Team All-American, 1985 Honorable-Mention All-American, and 1984 Honorable-Mention All-American. The knee injury mixed with rumblings of illegal drug use in college left DuBose’s immense talents undrafted. The San Francisco 49ers would take a chance on him in 1987, where he would back up Hall of Famer Roger Craig and play alongside Hall of Famers Joe Montana, Steve Young, and Jerry Rice on offense and Ronnie Lott and Charles Haley on defense. In San Fran, DuBose appeared in 16 games, totaling 149 yards on the ground, another 94 through the air, rushing for two touchdowns, and logging 608 kick return yards on 32 attempts. He sustained another knee injury that landed him on injured reserve in 1988 and, after failing a drug test, was waived and joined the Sacramento Surge in the World League of American Football for a season. In his post-playing days, he was inducted into the Nebraska Hall of Fame.
Matt Shaughnessy
Southeastern CT hadn’t produced an NFL talent for almost 20 years until the drafting of Matt Shaughnessy, 71st overall in the third round of the 2009 NFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders. He went to Norwich Free Academy and went to Wisconsin, where he struggled with injuries throughout his entire collegiate career but earned second-team All-Big Ten Honors in 2007 and was an honorable-mention All-Conference selection in his senior year. Even with all of his collegiate injuries, he was remarkably healthy as a rotational end, playing in all 16 games in three out of his first four seasons. In Oakland he totaled 15.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery, 30 tackles for loss, and 123 tackles. He would then go to Arizona for a season and a half, when another knee injury would land him on the IR and he would not return to the league. In Arizona he stacked up three sacks, one FF, 12 tfls, and 53 tackles. He attempted to return to the league in 2016 with the New Orleans Saints but did not make the final roster. In his post-NFL years he has remained in Arizona as a firefighter in Phoenix.
Jordan Reed
The entire region has a single Pro Bowl Selection, and that honor belongs to Jordan Reed. The 6’2” TE was a problem for opposing defenses during his seven-year career, putting up 3,602 receiving yards on 355 receptions in 75 games. He caught 28 touchdowns as one of Kirk Cousins’ favorite targets, earning him a Pro Bowl selection in 2016. As Reed was emerging as one of the best tight ends in the league, a slew of injuries derailed his career. Hamstring strains, concussions, toe fractures, and many others forced Reed to miss 54 games in eight years, including the entire 2019 season before joining San Francisco in 2020. Reed was drafted to Washington in 2013 85th overall, out of the University of Florida, where he was recruited as a quarterback before swapping to tight end in his first year. After the position switch became an efficient chain mover, averaging 12 yards per catch. Even before his time in college, he was a quarterback and defensive back for the New London High School Whalers. Now he is working as the Co-Executive Producer of his company Off-Season TV and the Co-Founder of Brain Optimization Lab.
Tuzar Skipper
Tuzar Skipper, another Norwich Free Academy alum who turned into a decent journeyman linebacker in the NFL. While not born in Connecticut, but instead the Bronx, he has a long history in the southeast and was a solid impact for the Wildcats as a two-sport athlete in football and basketball. He was also a two-time all-area selection and two-time Connecticut all-state team member. Upon graduation he would attend Monroe College where he would make the second-team all-conference at the defensive end position in 2014 and 2015. In 2016 he would move over to Toledo until 2018, and made third-team All-MAC before going undrafted to the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2019. He would not end up playing for Pittsburgh, instead joining the 2019 New York Giants roster at linebacker and played in six games, logging three tackles, a QB hit, a fumble recovery, and half a sack. He would then join the Tennessee Titans in 2020 for four games, two of which he started, where he made five tackles. He bounced around the Giants, Steelers, Falcons, and Titans’ practice squads before being drafted by the Seattle Sea Dragons in the 2023 XFL Draft. He would end up joining the Arlington Renegades of the UFL in 2023, remaining with the team until 2025, and has not played football since.
