Top 10 All-Time NFL Huskies Are Led by 'The King,' Other Royalty

They used to joke that Hugh McElhenny was a professional player when he ran around the field for the University of Washington football program seven-plus decades ago. Super talented and always well compensated.

That he was better paid as a Husky running back in 1949-51 than he was for eventually packing the football across the NFL.

Wink, wink.

Except that it was all true for an extra-swift player known as "The King."

Years and years after the NCAA statute of limitations had long expired, McElhenny actually confirmed all of these financial arrangements in a day-long interview nearly 20 years ago on the outskirts of Las Vegas, where he lived in retirement.

"I'm too old to give a sh*t," he said at the time.

You can read his confession here from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. His pay-for-play career was described in even greater detail in my book "How Seattle Became a Big-League Sports Town: From George Wilson to Russell Wilson." All of it was encouraged by the presiding UW school president at the time, too.

McElhenny was the UW's Jessie James — he got away with it.

Right or wrong, it was a sign of the post-World War II times, when college programs felt they had to pay more to restore their teams to respectability.

McElhenny was given a monthly stipend over and above his scholarship allowance by USC for a year, this coming after Alabama, Georgia and nearly every other major-college program offered him something extra back then.

Still alive at 92, he ranks No. 1 on our list of Huskies who have played in the NFL. Pro football, and a steady paycheck out in the open, was the right place for him.

He's one of two Hall of Fame inductees from the school. The guy was really good.

Top 10 NFL Huskies All-Time

1) Hugh McElhenny, RB, 1952-64

The King spent 13 seasons in the NFL with the San Francisco 49ers, Minnesota Vikings, New York Giants and Detroit Lions. He finished with 11,375 multi-purpose yards, able to go the distance at any time whether rushing, receiving or returning kicks. The California native had an 89-yard touchdown run and a 94-yard punt return for a score for the 49ers. A 6-time Pro Bowl and a 5-time All-Pro selection, he was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1970. The 49ers retired his No. 39 jersey.

2) Warren Moon, QB, 1984-2000

After six years in the CFL, Moon joined the NFL for 17 seasons, the latter number tying him with fellow UW quarterback Chris Chandler for the longest career at the next level by a Husky. Moon played for the Houston Oilers, Minnesota Vikings, Seattle Seahawks and Kansas City Chiefs. He was a 9-time Pro Bowl selection. He threw for 49,328 yards in the NFL, on top of 21,228 yards in the CFL. Moon was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006. The Tennessee Titans, the offshoot of the Oilers, retired his No. 1.

3) Corey Dillon, RB, 1997-2006

The running back from South Seattle, who spent all of a season and one fall quarter at the UW, rushed for 11,241 yards over 10 years with the Cincinnati Bengals and New England Patriots. He was a 4-time Pro Bowl selection. He broke two NFL records, rushing for 246 yards as a rookie for the Bengals in 1997, eclipsing a Jim Brown standard, and he set the all-time single-game mark of 278 yards in 2000, which has since been broken. He played in and won Super Bowl XXXIX, scoring a deciding touchdown. He's awaiting a Hall of Fame induction.

4) Ray Mansfield, C, 1963-76

Mansfield was the starting center for the Pittsburgh Steelers in their Super Bowl victories in 1975 and 1976. He is one of three Huskies to play in two Super Bowl wins, with the others Kevin Gogan (Dallas Cowboys) and Harald Hasselbach (Denver Broncos). Mansfield spent 14 seasons in the NFL, 10 as the Steelers' first-team center. The 6-foot-3, 250-pounder played 182 consecutive games at that position until giving way to Mike Webster, one of the game's greatest centers of all-time. Originally from Kennewick, Washington, Mansfield spent his rookie year with the Philadelphia Eagles and his first two years with the Steelers as a starting defensive tackle. He was a 2-time Pro Bowl pick. He was nicknamed "The Ranger."

5) Olin Kreutz, C, 1998-2011

A notoriously tough player, Kreutz spent 14 seasons in the NFL, all but one with the Chicago Bears before finishing up with the New Orleans Saints. The 6-2, 292-pound center was selected to the Pro Bowl 6 times. Always hot tempered, the Hawaii native was widely known for getting in fights and punching and breaking the jaws of UW teammate Sekou Wiggs and Bears teammate Fred Miller, drawing a $50,000 fine from the NFL for the latter skirmish.

6) Lawyer Milloy, SS, 1996-2010

Milloy played 15 seasons for the New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills, Atlanta Falcons and Seattle Seahawks. He was a 4-time Pro Bowl selection at strong safety. He was the starter in a pair of Patriots' Super Bowls, losing in 1997 to the Green Bay Packers and winning in 2002 over the St. Louis Rams. In 2000, he was widely regarded as the NFL's top safety and signed a 7-year, $35-million contract, with a $6-million signing bonus, that made him the highest-paid player safety in the league.

7) Lincoln Kennedy, OT, 1993-2003

Named after two assassinated presidents, Kennedy played a dozen NFL seasons for the Atlanta Falcons and Oakland Raiders. He was a 3-time Pro Bowl choice in consecutive years. The highest drafted Husky offensive lineman ever (No. 9), he started 142 of 169 games in the NFL. The 6-6, 335-pounder lined up both at left guard and right tackle. Considered the anchor of the Raiders' offensive line, he appeared in Super Bowl XXXVII in 2003, losing to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 48-21.

8) Budda Baker, FS, 2016-to date

Similar to Lawyer Milloy, Baker became the highest-paid NFL safety after the third of his four pro seasons, receiving a 3-year, $59-million contract from the Arizona Cardinals. At one point, he was the highest-compensated safety in league history. He's a 3-time Pro Bowl pick and 2-time All-Pro selection.

9) Jake Kupp, OG, 1964-75

The grandfather of Cooper Kupp and father of Craig Kupp, the current NFL wide receiver and former pro quarterback, Jake played a dozen seasons for the Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins, New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons. The 6-3, 248-pounder came to the league as a tight end, but the Cowboys converted him into a starting left guard before the Redskins put him back at tight end. He played two stints with the Saints, was named to the Pro Bowl once and inducted into the Saints Hall of Fame.

10) Jeff Jaeger, PK, 1987, 1989-99

Jaeger played a dozen seasons for the Cleveland Browns, Oakland and Los Angeles Raiders, and the Chicago Bears. He made 85 percent of his kicks and was named to the Pro Bowl in 1991. Jaeger led the NFL in scoring two years later with 132 points. He made 16 out of 28 kicks at 50 yards or longer, including a 54-yarder.

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