National Football Foundation

A 6-foot-2, 205-pound defensive halfback who also saw limited action at quarterback on offense, Arnold Chonko was a standout player at Ohio State under College Football Hall of Fame head coach Woody Hayes. He maintained a 3.6 GPA in medicine, and starred on the Buckeyes’ baseball team as well. Chonko played more than 200 minutes in each of his three seasons. He compiled 11 interceptions in the 1964 season, including a program-record three in one game against Indiana. Chonko was named to the Academic All-Big Ten, All-Big Ten and All-America teams and participated in the 1965 East-West Shrine Game. He later became the namesake of Ohio State’s outstanding defensive back award. Chonko completed his medical school, internship, residency and fellowship at Ohio State, and now serves as a Professor of Medicine at Kansas University. He was inducted into the Parma Senior High School (Ohio) Hall of Fame in 2007.