Ed Podolak

Edward Joseph Podolak, born September 1, 1947, was an American professional football player who spent nine seasons at running back for the Kansas City Chiefs of the American Football League and National Football League. He played his college football for the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Podolak was born on a small farm near Atlantic, Iowa, the son of Joe, a farmer and military veteran, and Dorothy, a school teacher. He worked the farm while playing baseball in the summer, football in the fall, and basketball in the winter, with his parents allowing him to curtail farm duties during his athletic seasons. At Atlantic High School, he quarterbacked the Trojan football team to undefeated junior and senior seasons, winning conference titles both years, and played forward on a basketball team that reached two state tournaments. Although Iowa State University hired his high school coach, Howard Justice, to coach quarterbacks, Podolak chose to attend the University of Iowa, where college freshmen of that era were not yet eligible to play.