Hall of Fame
Mel Hein is widely considered the greatest football player in Washington State history. He played three seasons as a center for the Cougars (1928-30), was named All-West Coast in 1929 and received All-America status the following season as a senior. He was a member of the Cougars’ 1930 team that earned a berth in the Rose Bowl and his No. 7 was the first jersey retired in Washington State history. Hein played in the NFL (1931-45) with the New York Giants, starting at center and linebacker, and was named first or second team All-NFL in 13 of his 15 seasons. He was a member of NFL championship teams in 1934 and 1938 and was the first center in league history to be named MVP when he won the award in 1938. The Giants also retired his No. 7. Following his playing career, Hein was the head coach of the All-America Football Conference’s Los Angeles Dons in 1947 and served as the supervisor of officials for the American Football League and American Football Conference. He is a charter member of the College Football Hall of Fame (1954) and the Pro Football Hall of Fame (1963). In 1969, Hein was named one of the 11-best players of all-time and was the center on the NFL’s 50th Anniversary Team. In 1994, he was a member of the NFL’s 75th Anniversary Team. Five years later, the Sporting News ranked him No. 74 on its list of greatest players of all-time. Hein received the WSU Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1983. He is a member of the State of Washington Sports Hall of Fame and the Inland Northwest Sports Hall of Fame.
