Inductees

Steuber grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, and attended the city’s Christian Brothers College High School, where he starred as a halfback on the school’s football team. He attended the University of Missouri and played as an end on the Missouri Tigers football team under head coach Don Faurot starting in 1940. In 1941, he shifted to halfback and was assigned to kick extra points. He was third in the country in rushing that year with 855 yards as he and fellow halfback Harry Ice led a Missouri ground attack that ranked first in the nation. Missouri won the Big Six Conference championship and faced Fordham University in the Sugar Bowl at the end of the season, losing that game 2-0.

Steuber’s success continued in 1942 when he was named an All-American and ranked second in the country in rushing, gaining 1,098 yards.  He was also an effective passer, helping Missouri win the Big Six championship for the second year.  Steuber was named an All-American after the season.

Steuber was drafted by the NFL’s Chicago Bears and played briefly for the team before he joined the U.S. Navy and was transferred to Depauw University for training. Playing for Depauw’s football team in 1943, he led the nation in scoring.

After the war, Steuber signed with the Cleveland Browns of the AAFC, a new league set to start play in 1946. However, he was limited by a knee injury that year and was traded to the Los Angeles Dons after the Browns won the first AAFC championship game. Steuber only played in three games for the Dons due to another knee injury, and he was again traded to the Buffalo Bills. A broken back toward the end of the 1948 season ended his playing career for good. Steuber then settled in St. Louis, where he worked as a weekend sports announcer. He was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1971 and the University of Missouri’s Athletics Hall of Fame in 1990. His number 37 jersey is retired at Missouri.