John F. Wiley | |
Birth Date: | 18 April 1920 |
Birth Place: | Wind Ridge, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
Death Place: | Rock Hill, South Carolina, U.S. |
Player Years1: | 1938–1940 |
Player Team1: | Waynesburg |
Player Years2: | 1946–1950 |
Player Team2: | Pittsburgh Steelers |
Player Positions: | Tackle |
Coach Years1: | 1951–1954 |
Coach Team1: | Waynesburg |
Coach Years2: | 1955–1961 |
Coach Team2: | Pittsburgh (line) |
Overall Record: | 22–9–1 |
John Franklin "Smiling Jack" Wiley (April 18, 1920 – March 25, 2013) was an American football player and coach. He played professionally a tackle for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL) from 1946 to 1950. Willey served as the head football coach at his alma mater, Waynesburg College—now known as Waynesburg University—in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, from 1951 to 1954, compiling a record of 22–9–1.
Wiley played college football as a tackle at Waynesburg College—now known as Waynesburg University—in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania and appeared in the 1939 Waynesburg vs. Fordham football game, the first televised American football game. His three older brothers—Robert, Asa, and Bill—also played football as Waynesburg. The youngest Wiley brother graduated from Waynesburg in 1941.[1] He served in the United States Army during World War II, attaining the rank of captain.
After World War II, Wiley played for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL) from 1946 to 1950, under head coaches Jock Sutherland and John Michelosen.[2]
Wiley was the head football coach at his alma mater, Waynesburg, for four seasons, from 1951 to 1954, compiling a record of 22–9–1.[3] [4]
Wiley left Waynesburg to become an assistant at Pitt, where he is credited with recruiting Mike Ditka and Marty Schottenheimer.[2]
Waynesburg left coaching in 1961 to become a salesman and later regional manager for the L.G. Balfour Jewelry & Taylor Publishing Company. He died on March 25, 2013, in Rock Hill, South Carolina.[2]