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from 1966 to 1968, where he was a split end and kickoff returner, and wore number 87. He led the
Huskies twice (1967 and 1968) in receiving and scoring, and in 1968 led the team in all-purpose yards and kickoff returns. His 22 career touchdowns set an NIU record. Curiously, he caught the same number
338:
in the 4th quarter, the only
Packers touchdown in a 30–13 defeat. Spilis spent the entire 1972 preseason with the Packers, but in spite of his increased role in 1971, some felt he would have to fight for a job for 1972. He was released in the team's final roster cuts before the start of the regular
351:
After his playing days, Spilis received multiple honors from his alma mater. He was named to NIU's All-Century Team and
Century's Five Best Players in 1999 and was named the #9 player in Huskie Stadium history in 2015. Spilis was also honored in 2015 as part of the 50th anniversary celebration of
321:
Spilis played for the
Packers in 1969, 1970 and 1971. He played in 12 of the team's 14 games in 1969, and played in all 14 games in both 1970 and 1971. His final year, 1971, was easily his most productive pro season. He started in 11 of 14 Packers games, after starting only six games total in the
312:
in the 2nd round in 1967 and John
Robinson in the 4th round in 1968. But neither panned out for the Packers. Dunaway appeared in just two games with the Packers with zero catches before playing in only more 11 games elsewhere in the NFL after that. Robinson never appeared in an NFL regular season
253:
of passes—46—in each of his three years at NIU. He was honored as team co-captain and co-MVP in 1968, and was a selection for the
College All-Star Game in 1969. He was also selected to play in the All-American Bowl, but was unable to play due to a broken leg.
343:. The 1971 Packers had been one of the weakest teams in the league in the passing game. Out of 26 teams, they were last in pass attempts, 25th in completions, 25th in first downs by passing, 24th in passing yards, and 23rd in touchdown passes.
273:. Spilis went, by far, the highest any Northern Illinois player had been taken in the NFL draft; the previous high had been the 16th round. No other NIU Huskie would go as early as the third round until running back
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308:, were 31 and 32 years old respectively. In both the 1967 and 1968 drafts, the Packers had invested a pick in a wide receiver in the first four rounds--
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Huskie
Stadium by being commemorated on one of 22 full-size window clings honoring NIU football greats displayed on businesses in downtown DeKalb.
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in the third round of the 1969 NFL draft. He was the 8th wide receiver selected, one round before the
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previous two seasons. He gained playing time that had been given the previous year to
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in the 3rd round in 1994, and none would be taken as a higher overall pick until the
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UPI, "Packers cut two veterans", Kenosha News, September 12, 1972, p. 11.
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had retired after the 1967 season, and the remaining leading receivers,
296:'s last several years as head coach, but by 1969 change was in the air.
682:"Window portraits celebrate NIU athletics, relationship with DeKalb"
601:"Spinning The Sports", Ironwood Daily Globe, July 13, 1972, page 7.
500:"1969 Green Bay Packers Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees"
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475:"Korcek: Johnson my vote for Huskie Stadium's greatest athlete"
553:"Dave Dunaway Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College"
373:"John Spilis Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College"
578:"Green Bay Packers at Los Angeles Rams - October 24th, 1971"
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The
Packers' wide receivers corps had changed little during
449:"NIU Has a Long History of Players Getting Drafted"
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655:"Huskie Stadium's 50 Greatest: No. 9 John Spilis"
339:season. The Packers replaced Spilis with rookie
334:. Spilis caught a 32-yard touchdown pass from
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326:at wide receiver, playing split end opposite
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878:Northern Illinois Huskies football players
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120: / round: 3 / pick: 64
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888:Players of American football from Chicago
240:and played three seasons with the team.
644:Northern Illinois Athletics 2016, ibid.
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621:"1971 NFL Standings & Team Stats"
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7:
16:American football player (born 1947)
680:Gillespie, Rhonda (July 31, 2015).
473:Korcek, John (September 3, 2015).
248:Spilis played college football at
14:
528:"Green Bay Packers Draft History"
269:chose Hall of Fame wide receiver
76:6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
873:American football wide receivers
447:Vance, Bryan M. (May 1, 2014).
224:(October 14, 1947) is a former
257:The Packers and the 1969 draft
1:
232:(NFL). He was drafted by the
883:People from Dolton, Illinois
289:in the first round in 2009.
250:Northern Illinois University
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625:Pro-Football-Reference.com
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557:Pro-Football-Reference.com
532:Pro-Football-Reference.com
504:Pro-Football-Reference.com
427:Pro-Football-Reference.com
377:Pro-Football-Reference.com
236:in the third round of the
868:Green Bay Packers players
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740:1969 NFL draft selections
261:Spilis was chosen by the
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423:"1969 NFL Draft Listing"
277:was also drafted by the
230:National Football League
84:205 lb (93 kg)
21:American football player
98:Dolton (IL) Thornridge
285:picked defensive end
154:Career NFL statistics
45:Personal information
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283:San Diego Chargers
238:1969 NFL/AFL draft
222:John Arthur Spilis
89:Career information
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735:Green Bay Packers
661:. August 25, 2015
398:"John Spilis Bio"
279:Green Bay Packers
263:Green Bay Packers
234:Green Bay Packers
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133:Green Bay Packers
108:Northern Illinois
66:Chicago, Illinois
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62:(age 76)
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39:Wide receiver
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827:Dan Eckstein
822:Rich Voltzke
802:Bruce Nelson
797:Dave Hampton
792:Doug Gosnell
761:
757:Dave Bradley
689:. Retrieved
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432:December 30,
430:. Retrieved
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380:. Retrieved
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341:Leland Glass
328:Carroll Dale
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310:Dave Dunaway
306:Carroll Dale
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94:High school:
18:
858:1947 births
832:Dick Hewins
812:Tom Buckman
782:Ken Vinyard
772:Bill Hayhoe
762:John Spilis
453:Hustle Belt
324:Jack Clancy
302:Boyd Dowler
171:Receptions:
25:John Spilis
852:Categories
807:Lee Harden
752:Rich Moore
691:January 4,
686:Shaw Local
665:January 4,
630:January 4,
587:January 4,
562:January 4,
537:January 4,
509:January 4,
484:January 4,
479:Shaw Local
458:January 4,
407:January 4,
382:January 4,
356:References
188:Touchdowns
114:NFL draft:
56:1947-10-14
837:John Mack
777:Ron Jones
317:NFL years
298:Max McGee
35:Position:
104:College:
244:College
228:in the
81:Weight:
73:Height:
347:Honors
68:, U.S.
30:No. 85
50:Born:
693:2024
667:2024
632:2024
589:2024
564:2024
539:2024
511:2024
486:2024
460:2024
434:2023
409:2024
384:2024
304:and
141:1971
137:1969
118:1969
209:PFR
182:446
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