Wildcat Wilson

George scored a career 37 touchdowns as a Husky, tying him with Joe Steele for a Husky record. His jersey #33 is also only 1 of 3 jerseys to be retired in Husky football history. Wilson had a standout game in the 1926 Rose Bowl. The legendary sportswriter Damon Runyon described it as such:[2]

George Wilson, the slashing back of the Washington team, was splashing the Crimson Tide at will. Then he got hurt" (Runyon). Wilson was knocked out late in the second quarter and did not return until the fourth quarter. With Wilson on the bench, Alabama rallied to score 20 straight points. Alabama was on the move again when Wilson re-entered the game. The Huskies stopped the Crimson Tide at Washington's 12. With Wilson leading the way, the Huskies drove down the field. Wilson hit John Cole with a 20 yard touchdown pass. It was too little, too late. Alabama won 20 to 19. The Rose Bowl statistics confirmed the legend of George Wilson. With Wilson in the game, Washington gained 317 yards and scored 19 points. With Wilson on the sidelines for 22 minutes Washington gained only 17 yards and Alabama scored all of its 20 points. After the bitter loss, Wilson graciously told reporters "That Mack Brown was all they said of him and more

In January 1926, Wilson participated in a series of West Coast exhibition games against Red Grange, whom he admired and wanted to play against, and the Chicago Bears.[3] His first game was with the Los Angeles Wildcats in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum; although he recorded 123 rushing yards, he also lost a fumble in the 17–7 loss.[4] With the San Francisco Tigers at Kezar Stadium, Wilson had 87 rushing yards to Grange's 41 before suffering a head injury in the fourth quarter, while the Tigers won 14–7.[5]

Wilson also led all-star teams in Portland, Oregon and Seattle, agreeing to participate on the conditions that he be paid in advance and game organizers provided an offensive line that could hold off the Bears; he described Chicago as having "the biggest and best line I ever saw on a football field."[6] His teammates for the games consisted of players from the Waterfront Athletic Club who also worked as longshoremen.[7] In Portland, Wilson only appeared on the field for six snaps before leaving prior to halftime in the 60–3 loss.[8] While playing for Seattle, he injured his right leg while tackling Grange as the Bears won 34–0.[9] Wilson's teammate Rollie Corbett broke his leg during the game, leading to Wilson, Grange, and Grange's agent C. C. Pyle setting up a fund to support him; the three donated $50 apiece.[10]

Later in January, Pyle approached Wilson about signing a contract with him worth $15,000.[11] During the summer, Grange and Wilson collaborated on the movie One Minute to Play, with Wilson serving as the antagonist to Grange's team. Due to California's summer heat and the film being set in an autumn Midwest, the film studio struggled to find extras willing to dress in warmer clothing. To solve this, Pyle promoted the movie's climactic final game as a genuine exhibition game with fans dressed in fall attire being granted free admission.[12]

Pyle also enticed Wilson to join the first American Football League as a potential rival for Grange. Pyle named Wilson president of the league's traveling team, the Wildcats, for the upcoming 1926 AFL season. While Wilson was also nominally named the team's owner, Pyle and Grange actually paid the bills and filed the franchise's ownership papers.

Based in Chicago and training in Rock Island, Illinois, Wilson's Wildcats finished fourth in the nine-team league, with Wilson among the leaders in rushing touchdowns.[13]

Upon the demise of the AFL, Wilson joined the Providence Steam Roller of the National Football League, for which he played for three years. The championship year of 1928 featured Wilson as he was credited with five touchdowns and four interceptions as the Steam Roller won its only NFL championship.

He was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1951, and the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame in 1991.[1]

• Washington Huskies football statistical leaders

• Grange, Red; Morton, Ira (1953). The Red Grange Story: An Autobiography. University of Illinois Press. ISBN 0252063295.