Former Chief Ed Podolak is stable after car accident

[Tribal Warfare]

Former Chief Ed Podolak is stable after car accident

Former Chiefs running back Ed Podolak, a longtime Iowa football commentator, suffered serious injuries after being struck by a car early Sunday morning in Scottsdale, Ariz.

He was in stable condition at a Scottsdale hospital Monday afternoon, according to Podolak’s daughter, Laura.

She made a statement to the Des Moines Register with details and said that police indicated that alcohol was not a factor.

Podolak, an Iowa announcer for 30 years, was in Arizona attending a friend’s wedding. The extent of his injuries wasn’t immediately known. He was struck while walking across the street from the hotel in which he was staying.

“My initial reaction was one of shock and reiteration of how quickly one’s life can change,” Iowa radio announcer Gary Dolphin said Monday night.

Former Iowa broadcaster Jim Zabel, who lives in Scottsdale, didn’t know of the accident until Monday.

“Eddie Podolak is a guy that has nine lives,” Zabel told The Register, “and he’s already survived three to four of them that I know of, including the NFL.

“If anybody can survive something like this, it’s Ed.”

Podolak played for the Chiefs during 1969-77 and was inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame in 1989.

He’s the Chiefs’ fourth all-time leading rusher with 4,451 yards and ranks fifth with 34 touchdowns.

On Christmas Day 1971 — the last Chiefs game in Municipal Stadium — Podolak turned in one of the best all-round performances in pro football history when he amassed an NFL single-game postseason record 350 yards in a double-overtime playoff loss to Miami. He had 85 rushing yards, 110 receiving yards and 155 yards on returns.

Laura Podolak added in her statement: “The Podolak family appreciates your concern, but requests privacy while Mr. Podolak continues to recover from his injuries.”

Reached later Monday, Laura Podolak told the Register that her father was “stable and alert. My dad is in good spirits and is continuing his recovery.”

[Rasputin]

Prayers and thoughts of Mojo for quick recovery

[spanky 52]

Hope he'll recover and be okay. He's one of the main reasons I became a Chief's fan.

[milkman]

Originally Posted by spanky 52

Hope he'll recover and be okay. He's one of the main reasons I became a Chief's fan.

Really?

[shakesthecat]

Originally Posted by spanky 52

Hope he'll recover and be okay. He's one of the main reasons I became a Chief's fan.

He's THE reason I'm a Chiefs fan.

Get well soon, Eddie!

[KCFalcon59]

Hope he has a speedy recovery.

[gblowfish]

Article was pretty quick to say "Alcohol was not a factor," as it has been a factor in all the other trouble Podolak's been in.

Party On, Eddie!

[mikey23545]

I will never, ever forget that Christmas day game.

Ed Podolak left absolutely everything on the field that day. It was the greatest single game any Chief has ever played in what turned out to be one of the greatest games in NFL playoff history.

I still can't believe such an effort was not rewarded by a victory.

Best wishes your way, Mr. Podolak.

[milkman]

Originally Posted by mikey23545

I will never, ever forget that Christmas day game.

Ed Podolak left absolutely everything on the field that day. It was the greatest single game any Chief has ever played in what turned out to be one of the greatest games in NFL playoff history.

I still can't believe such an effort was not rewarded by a victory.

Best wishes your way, Mr. Podolak.

It was on that day that the seeds of hate that I have for kickers were planted.

[mikey23545]

Originally Posted by milkman

It was on that day that the seeds of hate that I have for kickers were planted.

I certainly know what you mean, but I could never bring myself to harbor ill will towards Stenerud...He figured in many great moments in Chiefs history, and no man is perfect. Hell, Dawson had an interception on a possession in Miami territory that should have led to points, and I think it might have been a Podolak fumble that led to one of Miami's touchdowns.

I also remember how distraught Stenerud was after the game, in tears in the locker room. I don't think he ever recovered from that game till after he moved on to Green Bay and Minnesota...

[reschief]

Podolak always found a way into the endzone to score the touchdown through pure effort. The only other guy to do that for the Chiefs was Marcus Allen. Hope he recovers soon!

[milkman]

Originally Posted by reschief

Podolak always found a way into the endzone to score the touchdown through pure effort. The only other guy to do that for the Chiefs was Marcus Allen. Hope he recovers soon!

People have a tendency to glamorize his career, make it more than it was, probably because of that Christmas Day game.

Overall, Podolak was a pretty pedetrian player.

Vertitile, but nothing special.

He only had 40 TDs in his career.

Never ran for more than 750 yards in a season, and his highest total yards from scrimmage in a season was 1166.

Podolak was a grunt.

The type of guy that gives you everything he has, and I have a great deal of respect for that, but he was just an average player.

[reschief]

Originally Posted by milkman

People have a tendency to glamorize his career, make it more than it was, probably because of that Christmas Day game.

Overall, Podolak was a pretty pedetrian player.

Vertitile, but nothing special.

He only had 40 TDs in his career.

Never ran for more than 750 yards in a season, and his highest total yards from scrimmage in a season was 1166.

Podolak was a grunt.

The type of guy that gives you everything he has, and I have a great deal of respect for that, but he was just an average player.

Hmm. . .the numbers don't stand out too much. Probably my childhood brain that recalls things being greater than they actually were . . .along the line of the size of my elementary school being really big, when seen again as an adult, was actually small.

[**** THE KC Chiefs]

Stay down bitch.