Ernest Raymond Steele (November 2, 1917 – October 16, 2006) was an

American football American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team with ...

running back A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive American football plays#Offensive terminology, handoffs from the quarterback to Rush (American football)#Offen ...

in the

National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...

for the

Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team plays ...

, and the "

Steagles The Steagles were the team created by the temporary merger of Pennsylvania's two National Football League (NFL) teams, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Philadelphia Eagles, during the 1943 season. The two franchises were compelled to field a sin ...

", a team that resulted in the temporary merger of the Eagles and

Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in , the Steel ...

in 1943. A graduate of Highline High School in

Burien, Washington Burien ( ) is a suburban city in King County, Washington, King County, Washington (state), Washington, United States, located south of Seattle on Puget Sound. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, Burien's population was 52,066, which ...

(which made him a charter member of its Athletic Hall of Fame in 1999), he played

college football College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States. Unlike most ...

at the

University of Washington The University of Washington (UW, simply Washington, or informally U-Dub) is a public research university in Seattle, Washington. Founded in 1861, Washington is one of the oldest universities on the West Coast; it was established in Seattle a ...

and was drafted in the tenth round of the

1942 NFL Draft The 1942 National Football League Draft was held on December 22, 1941, at the Palmer House Hotel in Chicago. Two members of the draft class have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Bill Dudley, the first overall selection by the Pit ...

by the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played in two NFL championship games for the Philadelphia Eagles. After ending his football career, Steele opened a diner and sports bar in Seattle, named "Ernie Steele's." It became a landmark and operated under that name until he sold it in 1993. After the sale it was known for eight years as Ileen's Sports Bar, but the back was called "The Ernie Room." Since 2001, it has been a drag bar called Julia's. Steele died in Seattle, Washington, on October 16, 2006.

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* 1917 births 2006 deaths People from Bothell, Washington American football running backs Highline High School alumni Washington Huskies football players Philadelphia Eagles players Steagles players and personnel {{runningback-1910s-stub