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By Jon Paul Hoornstra
Contributing Sports Writer
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Nick Eddy, an All-American running back at Notre Dame who played four seasons in the NFL with the Detroit Lions, died on Dec. 31. He was 81.
Born in Dunsmuir, California, in 1944, Eddy starred at Notre Dame as a running back and return specialist from 1963-66. He was a key contributor to the Fighting Irish’s 1964 and 1966 national championship teams (the former was a split championship with Alabama), and earned consensus All-American honors as a senior.
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"Since I could remember, my father was, to say the least, a devoted Notre Dame fan," Eddy told the campus newspaper in 1966. "As I grew I found myself the same way — there was only one thing I hoped for, being able to enroll at Notre Dame and to play for the Fighting Irish."
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In the 1966 Heisman Trophy vote, Eddy finished third behind Steve Spurrier and Bob Griese, reflecting his impact in South Bend.
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The Lions selected Eddy in the second round of the 1966 NFL Draft (24th overall). He played five seasons in Detroit, appearing in 29 games from 1968-72.
During his time with the Lions, Eddy appeared as himself in the film adaptation of George Plimpton's book Paper Lion.
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Eddy rushed for 523 yards on 152 carries and added 24 receptions for 237 yards, scoring five total touchdowns in his professional career. His time in Detroit was affected by knee injuries, sidelining him for the entire 1971 season and limiting him to just two games in 1972.
After a December 1972 game against the Los Angeles Rams, Eddy's playing career ended at age 28.
After retiring from professional football, Nick returned to California's Central Valley, where he worked in insurance sales and also volunteered coaching high school football and track. Later in life, Eddy became a special education teacher at a Modesto junior high school.
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Eddy told author Eric Hansen that most of the students he came in contact with had no idea who he was before he entered their lives.
“I’ve never been one to wear my uniform around or my letterman’s jacket or toot my horn that much,” Eddy told Hansen. “That’s just how I am.”
Eddy is survived by his wife, Jean, their children, and their grandchildren.
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