Elmer Layden Elmer Francis Layden ( May 4 , 1903 – June 30 , 1973 ) was an American football player , coach , college athletics administrator , and professional sports executive . He played college football at the University of Notre Dame where he starred at fullback as a member of the legendary " Four Horsemen " backfield . Layden played in the National Football League ( NFL ) in 1925 and 1926 with three different clubs , the Hartford Blues , the Brooklyn Horsemen , and the Rock Island Independents . He began his coaching career during the same two seasons at Columbia College in Dubuque , Iowa , now known as Loras College . Layden then served as the head coach at Duquesne University from 1927 to 1933 and at his alma mater , Notre Dame , from 1934 to 1940 , where he also held the position of athletic director . From 1941 to 1946 , Layden was the commissioner of the NFL . He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a player in 1951 . Playing career . Layden was born in Davenport , Iowa , where he attended Davenport High School ( now Davenport Central High School . ) At Notre Dame , he played fullback alongside quarterback Harry Stuhldreher , left halfback Jim Crowley , and right halfback Don Miller ; the four collectively earned the nickname of " The Four Horsemen of Notre Dame " from legendary sportswriter Grantland Rice , and are still considered one of the best backfields in college football history . Named an All - American during his senior year , Layden culminated his collegiate career in the 1925 Rose Bowl against Stanford , returning two interceptions for touchdowns in Notre Dame ' s 27 - 10 victory . The Four Horsemen were reunited for a professional football game in 1925 by the Waterbury Blues as they played the Cleveland Bulldogs . The game though resulted in a 13 - 6 Hartford loss , with the Blues reportedly spending $ 5 , 000 on the Horsemen for just one game . Coaching career . After his playing days , Layden was head football coach at Columbia College ( Dubuque , Iowa ) in 1925 - 26 , where he compiled an 8 - 5 - 2 record . From 1927 to 1933 he was head coach at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh , going 48 - 16 - 6 and winning the 1933 season ' s Festival of Palms Bowl ( a precursor to the Orange Bowl ) on New Year ' s Day , 1934 . Also in 1934 , he became head coach and athletic director at Notre Dame , a few years after his legendary mentor Knute Rockne was killed in a airplane crash . Layden led the Irish for seven years and posted an overall 47 - 13 - 3 docket . His 1935 squad posted one of the greatest wins in school history by rallying to defeat Ohio State 18 - 13 . His 1938 team finished 8 - 1 , losing only to USC in the season finale . This loss cost them a possible consensus national championship , but the team was named national champion by the Dickinson System . Like Rockne before him , Layden was a goodwill ambassador for Notre Dame . He was able to schedule a home - and - home series with Michigan after meeting with Fielding H . Yost , healing a rift between the two schools . The two teams had not met since 1909 , when , after eight straight losses to the Wolverines , the Irish posted their first win . They were scheduled to meet again in 1910 , but Michigan canceled the game and refused to play the Irish again . By the time they met again in 1942 - 43 , Layden had left Notre Dame and Frank Leahy had taken his place . Unlike the easygoing Layden , Leahy was intense , and after the Irish had thrashed Michigan by a score of 35 - 12 in 1943 , Wolverine coach and athletic director Fritz Crisler never scheduled the Irish again . While Layden was a solid , competent coach , he was subjected to criticism during his later years at Notre Dame . Critics felt that his teams played too conservatively and lacked scoring punch . Consequently it was felt that they lost games they should have won . Commissioner . Arch Ward , a journalist for the " Chicago Tribune " , was offered the position of commissioner of the NFL in 1940 and 1941 , but he turned it down both times . After his second refusal , Ward suggested Layden for the position and Layden was given the job by some of the owners . To some it seemed as Ward had dictated the hiring of Layden and Mara , Bell , and Marshall were resentful . Nevertheless , Layden left Notre Dame in February 1941 to become Commissioner of the NFL , a post that was renamed upon his taking the job - previous heads of the league were called " president s " . He was the first commissioner / president to have not been a founding member of the league . In five years as Commissioner , Layden saw the NFL through the World War II years , in which teams had to use many men of inferior abilities as replacements while most of the regulars were fighting in the war ( as did Major League Baseball ) . During this period a few teams temporarily merged due to lack of manpower , most notably the Pittsburgh Steelers with the Philadelphia Eagles ( who were nicknamed the Steagles ) . The Cleveland Rams ceased operations for the 1943 season . As NFL commissioner , Layden had once conducted an investigation into a betting scam , without advising the owners , which did not reveal any conspiracy . Layden ' s tenure as NFL commissioner came to an end in January 1946 . After Brooklyn owner Dan Topping withdrew his team from the league to join the new All - America Football Conference , the remaining owners agreed not to renew Layden ' s contract , feeling that he was too much of a gentleman and not forceful enough . Layden was succeeded by Bert Bell . Later years . After leaving the NFL , Layden embarked on a successful business career in Chicago , where he died at the age of 70 . He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1951 as a charter member . Personal life . Layden married Edith Davis on October 25 , 1926 .