Throwback Thursday: 1940 NFL All-Decade Team

Here's a look at the 1940 NFL All-Decade Team. The team was selected by Pro Football Hall of Fame voters retroactively in 1969.

Quarterback
Sammy Baugh, Washington Redskins
Sid Luckman, Chicago Bears
Bob Waterfield, Cleveland/Los Angeles Rams

Halfback
Tony Canadeo, Green Bay Packers
Bill Dudley, Pittsburgh Steelers/Detroit Lions/Washington Redskins
George McAfee, Chicago Bears
Charley Trippi, Chicago Cardinals
Steve Van Buren, Philadelphia Eagles
Byron "Whizzer" White, Pittsburgh Steelers/Detroit Lions

Fullback
Pat Harder, Chicago Cardinals/Detroit Lions
Marion Motley, Cleveland Browns/Pittsburgh Steelers
Bill Osmanski, Chicago Bears

End
Jim Benton, Cleveland/Los Angeles Rams
Jack Ferrante, Philadelphia Eagles
Ken Kavanaugh, Chicago Bears
Dante Lavelli, Cleveland Browns
Pete Pihos, Philadelphia Eagles
Mac Speedie, Cleveland Browns
Ed Sprinkle, Chicago Bears

Tackle
Al Blozis, New York Giants
George Connor, Chicago Bears
Bucko Kilroy, Philadelphia Eagles
Buford "Baby" Ray, Green Bay Packers
Vic Sears, Philadelphia Eagles
Al Wistert, Philadelphia Eagles

Guard
Bruno Banducci, Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers
Bill Edwards, New York Giants
Garrard Ramsey, Chicago Cardinals
Bill Willis, Cleveland Browns
Len Younce, New York Giants

Center
Charley Brock, Green Bay Packers
Clyde "Bulldog" Turner, Chicago Bears
Alex Wojciechowicz, Detroit Lions/Philadelphia Eagles

This NFL decade was jumbled a bunch due to World War II. Many players and coaches left their teams for the war. The Eagles and Steelers even had to join forces to form the Steagles in 1943 in order to survive. The 1940s were the final decade of single-platoon football. Since the 1950s we've had the specialization of offensive and defensive players. There was also strong competition from a rival league in the latter half of the decade. The All-America Football Conference. It was nice to see the voters include some of those AAFC players. Marion Motley, Dante Lavelli, Mac Speedie, and Bill Willis of the Browns and Bruno Banducci of the 49ers. Although it is a surprise to see Browns quarterback Otto Graham absent from the team. He should be on the team with the other quarterbacks but not at the expense of any of them.

The 1940s All-Decade team might have more players not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame than any other All-Decade team. Dante Lavelli, Pete Pihos, George Connor, Bill Willis, Bulldog Turner, and Alex Wojciechowicz are the only linemen on the team that are also honored in Canton. That's six of 21 players. There is better Hall of Fame representation among the backs. Whizzer White, Pat Harder, and Bill Osmanski are the only players not honored in Canton. White probably would be if he hadn't gone on to more important things and played more than 3 seasons. If I had to pick one player that deserves Hall of Fame honors I'd pick Bruno Banducci.