Pudge Wyman Arnold Douglas " Pudge " Wyman ( August 20 , 1895 – March 4 , 1961 ) was an American football player . He was an All - American fullback for the University of Minnesota from 1915 - 1916 and halfback for the Rock Island Independents in the first season of the National Football League in 1920 . He is credited with several NFL firsts , including the first touchdown , first kickoff return for a touchdown and first pass ing touchdown . Biography . Early years . Wyman was born in Minneapolis , Minnesota in 1895 and graduated from Johnson High School in St . Paul , Minnesota . University of Minnesota . Wyman enrolled at the University of Minnesota where he played in the backfield of the legendary Golden Gophers football teams of 1915 and 1916 coached by Dr . Henry L . Williams . Wyman was tall , weighed , and was one of best passers in the game . From 1915 - 1916 , Wyman and Minnesota end Bert Baston were " one of the greatest forward - passing combinations in the history of the gridiron . " In Baston ' s biography at the College Football Hall of Fame , the 1915 and 1916 Minnesota teams were described as follows : " Bert Baston was the receiver on a heralded Gopher passing partnership , hauling down the throws of Arnold ' Pudge ' Wyman . The two paced Minnesota through the air , while Bernie Bierman carried the ground attack as Minnesota compiled a record of 12 victories , a loss and a tie through the 1915 and 1916 campaigns . " During the 1916 football season , Wyman was laid up for several days with " lumbago . " Despite the illness , Wyman was selected in 1916 as a first - team All - American fullback by Walter Eckersall of the " Chicago Tribune " and a second - team All - American by the United Press and University of Michigan Coach Fielding H . Yost . World War I . In the spring of 1917 , with the United States ' entry into World War I , Wyman was inducted into the U . S . Army at Fort Snelling , Minnesota . Wyman received his commission as a lieutenant and was sent overseas as an artillery officer in August 1917 . He was assigned to the Fifth field artillery , where he remained throughout the war . He was promoted to the rank of captain shortly before the signing of the Armistice in November 1918 . After being discharged , Wyman returned to Minneapolis in May 1919 . Football coach . In the fall of 1919 , Wyman served as an assistant coach of the Minnesota Golden Gophers football team under head coach Henry L . Williams . Professional football . In the 1920 NFL season , Wyman played professional football for the Rock Island Independents in the first year of the American Professional Football Association , which changed its name in 1922 to the National Football League . On October 3 , 1920 , the first Sunday in league history , Wyman scored three touchdowns ( two on blocked punts and another on an 86 - yard kickoff return ) in a 45 - 0 victory over the Muncie Flyers . Wyman is credited with the first touchdowns on a blocked punt and the first kickoff return for a touchdown in league history . Because records are not available specifying the time of scoring in other games , the first touchdown ever in the NFL was scored either by Wyman or by Lou Partlow in a game for the Dayton Triangles . On October 10 , 1920 , the second week of the first NFL season , Wyman is credited with throwing the first touchdown pass in league history — a 35 - yard completion to Waddy Kuehl against Hammond . Wyman also had five interceptions in 1920 for Rock Island . Wyman played in six games for Rock Island in 1920 before retiring from football . Later years . Wyman died in 1961 at Minneapolis .