Bones Weatherly

Bones Weatherly

Weatherly on a 1954 Bowman football card
No. 45, 84, 50
Position:	Linebacker
Personal information
Born:	(1928-12-26)December 26, 1928 Houston, Texas, U.S.
Died:	December 28, 2004(2004-12-28) (aged 76) Cuero, Texas, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Weight:	218 lb (99 kg)
Career information
High school:	Cuero (Texas)
College:	Rice (1945, 1947–1949)
NFL draft:	1949 / round: 8 / pick: 72
Career history
Chicago Bears (1950, 1952–1954)
Career highlights and awards
Second-team All-SWC (1949)
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Gerald Craft "Bones" Weatherly (December 26, 1928 – December 28, 2004) was an American professional football linebacker who played four seasons with the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Bears in the eighth round of the 1949 NFL draft after playing college football at the Rice Institute.

Gerald Craft Weatherly was born on December 26, 1928, in Houston, Texas.^[1] He attended Cuero High School in Cuero, Texas.^[1]

Weatherly was a lettermen for the Rice Owls of the Rice Institute in 1945, 1947, 1948, and 1949.^[1] He was named second-team All-Southwest Conference by both the Associated Press and United Press as a center in 1949.^[2][3] He was inducted into Rice's athletics hall of fame in 1974.^[4]

Weatherly was selected by the Chicago Bears in the eighth round, with the 72nd overall pick, of the 1949 NFL draft.^[5] He signed with the Bears on June 9, 1950.^[6] He played in six games, starting two, during the 1950 season, intercepting two passes for 58 yards and two touchdowns while also recovering one fumble.^[5] His two interception return touchdowns tied him for the league lead that year with Warren Lahr.^[7] Weatherly became a free agent after the 1950 season and missed the entire 1951 season due to being drafted into the United States Army.^[8] He played football at Fort Sam Houston while in the Army.^[8] He re-signed with the Bears on November 12, 1952.^[6] Weatherly appeared in five games, starting two, in 1952, recording three interceptions and one fumble recovery.^[5] He played in all 12 games, starting four, in 1953, totaling one interception and three fumble recoveries.^[5] He played in all 12 games for the second consecutive season, starting 11, in 1954, intercepting two passes for 56 yards.^[5] The Bears finished the year with an 8–4 record.^[9] Weatherly became a free agent after the 1954 season.^[6]

Weatherly died on December 28, 2004, in Cuero, Texas of "congestive heart failure secondary to cerebellar degeneration".^[8]