Jack Jacobs " Indian " Jack Jacobs ( August 7 , 1919 – January 12 , 1974 ) was an American and Canadian football player in the National Football League and Western Interprovincial Football Union . He was a charter member of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1963 . Early life . Jacobs was born in Holdenville , Oklahoma , and played high school football at Muskogee High School . He was popularly known as " Indian Jack " because he was a Creek man , at a time when the use of such terminology was not seen as offensive . College career . Jacobs played college football at the University of Oklahoma . Considered a phenomenal all - round player and starting quarterback , Jack averaged 47 . 84 yards per kick in 1940 ( which remains an OU record ) with a career average of 42 . 10 . He holds the record for passing percentage in a game completing 8 out of 8 passes ( 1 . 000 ) ( OU v . Kansas 1941 ) . Jacobs accumulated the most offense yardage in 1940 / 1941 ( junior & senior years ) . As a defensive back , Jacobs is tied with seven other players for the record number of interceptions in a game ( 3 ) ( 1941 OU v . Marquette ) . Professional career . National Football League . Jacobs was drafted in the second round of the 1942 NFL Draft . He played quarterback , defensive back , tailback , halfback , punter in the National Football League with the Cleveland Rams ( 1942 – 1945 ) , the Washington Redskins ( 1946 ) and the Green Bay Packers ( 1947 – 1949 , see ( http : / / www . packers . com / news - and - events / article - 1 / Letters - To - Lee - Remmel / 94cefa36 - 5aa4 - 11df - a3b6 - 528cc843f916 ) and led the league in punting in 1947 . Also see ( http : / / www . nfl . com / players / jackjacobs / careerstats ? id = JAC740296 ) . Western Interprovincial Football Union . Jacobs then joined the Western Interprovincial Football Union as a quarterback for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers ( 1950 – 1954 ) , where he won the Jeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy in 1952 . Though Jacobs did not invent the forward pass , he is widely recognized as one of the key figures in making the forward pass an integral part of professional football . His exciting passing game drew thousands of fans to Blue Bombers games , instigating the need for the city to build a larger stadium , Winnipeg Stadium ( now called Canad Inns Stadium ) . As a Blue Bombers Jacobs completed 709 of 1 , 330 passes for 11 , 094 yards , at that time the all - time leading passer for the Western Interprovincial Football Union . In 1951 , he became the first professional football player to throw for 3 , 000 yards in a season with 3 , 248 . Also he was first player to throw for more than 30 touchdowns with 33 . The next season Jacobs threw 34 touchdowns and amassed 2 , 586 yards . Jacobs had 104 touchdown passes to only 53 interceptions . With Jacobs as their starting quarterback the Bombers compiled a record of 46 wins , 27 losses and three ties . They lost the Grey in 1950 to the Toronto Argonauts ( 13 - 0 ) and again in 1953 to the Hamilton Tiger - Cats ( 12 - 6 ) . Winnipeg Stadium , built in 1953 , was nicknamed " The House That Jack Built " because of Jacobs ' contribution to the success of the team . Jacobs was twice a Grey Cup finalist , was named the all - western quarterback twice , and was one of the original inductees to the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in June 1963 . He was also inducted into the American Indian Athletic Hall of Fame in 1977 , and Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame in 2002 , the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame and Museum in 2004 . Several records he set while at the University of Oklahoma still stand . Other Pro Football . Jack Jacobs asked for his outright release from the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in February 1956 . After being waived out of the WIFU , Jacobs signed a contract with the London Lords ( ORFU ) as the Head Coach . Jacobs also played most of the season for the Lords . In 1957 , Jacobs added the role of General Manager to his duties with the London Lords . Jacobs played in one exhibition game in 1957 . After serving as an assistant coach in the CFL , Jacobs returned to the field as a player in 1964 . Jacobs suited up for the Toledo Tornadoes ( UFL ) and saw action primarily as a punter although he did see some action at quarterback as well . Jack Jacobs put on the pads for one final game on July 18 , 1966 . Jacobs dressed for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in an exhibition game . Postfootball . In 1955 , Jacobs was a scout for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and later , was a coach for the London Lords of the Ontario Rugby Football Union ( ORFU ) for two seasons . He also worked as an assistant coach for the Hamilton Tiger - Cats , Montreal Alouettes and the Edmonton Eskimos . Jacobs was also an actor who played a professional football player in the 1948 movie , " Triple Threat " . Jacobs died in 1974 in Greensboro , North Carolina from a sudden heart attack .