Ralph Guglielmi

#3 · Washington Commanders
Retired 14 Years In The NFL
🏆 Unanimous All-American (1954)
Ralph's
HAIR
8.1
HeyTC AI Rating

Questions about Ralph Guglielmi or the Commanders?

Ralph Guglielmi Legacy

HEYTC AI
Ralph Guglielmi was Notre Dame's quarterback whisperer—the kind of two-way player who made Frank Leahy call him "the greatest passer" in Irish history. Starting as a freshman in 1951, he ran that offense with the precision of a surgeon and the grit of a linebacker, posting a 26-3-2 record while sharing backfields with future Hall of Famers. His 1954 unanimous All-America season and fourth-place Heisman finish cemented his college legacy, though his NFL journey proved humbler—a journeyman who bounced between five teams but never lost the bearing of a champion. He passed in 2017, leaving behind a life that transcended football: businessman, restaurateur, and the kind of Notre Dame man who understood the weight of wearing that uniform.
Ralph Guglielmi passed away on January 23, 2017 at the age of 83.

Ralph Guglielmi Rating Breakdown

Season
Subpar
Fantasy
Subpar
Playoffs
Non-Factor
Overall
Cooked
4 years with the Commanders

Ralph Guglielmi Career Stats via Wikipedia

4,119 Pass Yards
24 Touchdowns
52 INTs
0.0% Comp %
8.1 HAIR

Frequently Asked Questions About Ralph Guglielmi

How does Jayden Daniels compare to Ralph Guglielmi?

Jayden Daniels, the Commanders' electric current starter, laps Ralph Guglielmi's pro output—4,119 yards and 24 TDs over seven seasons—before Daniels even sniffs Year 2. Guglielmi's Notre Dame days shone brighter with All-America nods and Frank Leahy's "greatest passer" tag, but today's Daniels has arm zip and wheels Guglielmi could only dream of in that run-stuffing '50s era.

Is Ralph Guglielmi in the Pro Football Hall of Fame?

Nope, Ralph Guglielmi never made it to Canton—no Pro Football Hall of Fame bust for the guy who slung it for four teams, including the Commanders. His solid Notre Dame legacy earned a National Football Foundation nod in 2001, but NFL numbers like 46.6% completions and that 8.12 rating kept Hall voters looking elsewhere.

How would Ralph Guglielmi perform in today's NFL?

Guglielmi's gunslinger arm from Notre Dame—3,117 college yards, 18 TDs—might feast under pass-happy rules with no bump-and-run thugs, but his 46.6% pro completion and 52 picks scream '50s struggles against blitzes. He'd be a gritty backup like a young Kurt Warner prototype, carving niches in spread offenses, not starting Sunday tickets.

How does Ralph Guglielmi compare to Joe Theismann?

Joe Theismann owned the Commanders spotlight with a 52.07 rating, Super Bowl arm candy, and way more snaps than Guglielmi's journeyman 8.12 mark across 27 starts and 4,119 yards. Ralph was the two-way Notre Dame stud who spelled Eddie LeBaron in '59; Joe was the franchise face—think apple pie vs. a solid cannoli.