Iowa History Daily: On January 30, 1973, the Houston Oilers made Iowa State Quarterback George Amundson the first Cyclone ever selected in the 1st Round of the NFL Draft. An Iowa State standout, Amundson led the Cyclones to the school’s first bowl game.
Born in Oregon, Amundson grew up in South Dakota where he excelled in football at Aberdeen Central High School. Selected to the Argus Leader all-state first-team both as a linebacker and quarterback, Amundson decided to take his talents to Iowa State.
Amundson, a standout for the Cyclones in both track and football, started his career in Ames as a quarterback before injuries forced him to tailback for the 1971 season. Setting a school record with 1,260 yards and 15 touchdowns, Amundson etched his name in Cyclone lore by leading the school to its first ever bowl game. The following year, as a senior, Amundson moved back to quarterback where he became the first Cyclone to top 2,000 yards of total offense in a season.
Amundson’s 2,387 yards set a Big Eight Conference mark and earned him Big Eight Player of the Year honors, beating out Nebraska's Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Rodgers. Drafted by the Houston Oilers with the 14th overall pick in the 1973 NFL Draft, Amundson played the following two seasons with the Oilers and his final NFL season with the Philadelphia Eagles. #IowaOTD #IowaHistoryDaily #IowaHistoryCalendar
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