Tony Branoff Anthonios " Tony " Branoff ( born c . 1934 ) is a former American football player . He played at the halfback position for the University of Michigan from 1952 to 1955 . He was chosen as the Most Valuable Player on the 1953 Michigan Wolverines football team . He was the first sophomore to win the award . He also led the Wolverines in rushing in both 1953 and 1955 . Early years in Flint . Branoff grew up in Flint , Michigan , and played football for Flint Central High School in 1950 and 1951 . He scored two touchdown s , including a 75 - yard punt return against Kalamazoo as a senior . He was selected by the Associated Press to its All - Michigan football team in 1951 . He tore cartilage in his left knee during his senior year in high school , an injury that would continue to affect Branoff throughout his football career . University of Michigan . 1952 season . Branoff enrolled early at the University of Michigan in January 1952 . As a second - semester freshman , he appeared in all 9 games for Michigan ' s football team on both defense and offense , including 6 games as the team ' s starting right halfback . He broke into the starting lineup after Frank Howell was injured . He scored his first touchdown in a 28 – 13 win over Indiana on October 11 , 1952 . The Associated Press noted , " Tony Branoff , Michigan ' s burly second semester freshman from Flint , Mich . , came alive after the intermission and scored the touch down , that gave momentum to the Wolverines and a 14 – 6 lead . " In early November , he added a defensive touchdown as he recovered a fumble in the end zone against Illinois . He also scored a rush ing touchdown in a come - from - behind win over Purdue in mid - November 1951 . Branoff ' s best performance of the 1952 season came in a 49 – 7 win over Cornell on November 8 , 1952 ; Branoff gained 88 yards on 14 carries for an average of 6 . 3 yards per carry . 1953 season . As a sophomore in 1953 , Branoff started all nine games for Michigan at the right halfback position . He also handled punting duties for the 1953 team . In the opening game of the 1953 season , Branoff ran for two touchdowns in a 50 – 0 win over Washington . In the second game of the season , Branoff ran for two rushing touchdowns and kicked two extra points to lead Michigan to a 26 – 7 victory over Tulane . At the end of October 1953 , Branoff proved his value as a triple threat man as he " unreeled a spectacular 66 - yard pass play " to Bob Topp . In the final game of the 1953 season , Branoff led the Wolverines to a 20 – 0 win over Ohio State with a career - high 113 rushing yards on 17 carries for an average of 6 . 7 yards per carry . Branoff outgained all five Ohio State back s in the game , and also scored a touchdown on an interception return against Ohio State . Branoff was the Wolverines ' leading rusher in 1953 with 527 yards ( averaging 5 . 2 yards per carry ) and their leading scorer with 39 points ( 6 touchdowns and 3 extra points ) . Branoff also added 151 receiving yards and 1 receiving touchdown , 113 passing yards and 1 passing touchdown , 130 yards on kickoff return s , and 90 yards on punt returns . At the end of the 1953 season , Branoff was selected as the team ' s Most Valuable Player . His selection marked the first time that a sophomore was selected for Michigan ' s Most Valuable Player award . 1954 season . As a junior in 1954 , Branoff was slowed by a knee injury . He played in the first two games of the season , but gained only 28 yards in 10 carries . He did not play in the Iowa and Northwestern games . Head coach Bennie Oosterbaan said the loss of Branoff would be " a big blow " but noted that he would not permit Branoff to play against Iowa because , " we ' d rather lose all our games this season than have him injured for the rest of his life . His bad knee will heal all right if we give him enough time to rest . " Branoff attempted to come back from the injury in Michigan ' s homecoming game against Minnesota , gaining 38 yards on 6 carries and scoring his only touchdown of the 1954 season . The " Chicago Daily Tribune " described Branoff ' s performance against Minnesota as follows : " For the brief visits he made to the workyard , Tony Branoff , senior right half back who has been plagued with an ailing knee most of the season , was outstanding . Tony scored the first touchdown on successive smashes on 9 and 4 yards in the first quarter . " Branoff carried the ball only twice the following week against Indiana . In early November 1954 , Branoff hospitalized due to his injured knee , and Michigan coach Oosterbaan announced that Branoff was lost for the season . Branoff believes he was the first football player to receive an injection of cortisone . However , the cortisone did not resolve the cartilage problem in his knee , and he underwent knee surgery after the 1954 season . 1955 season . As a senior in 1955 , Branoff returned to the lineup , starting all 9 games for the Wolverines at the right halfback position . However , his mobility was limited because his knees were so heavily taped . He later recalled , " I was not the fastest player in the world , so I had to rely on being shifty . But you sort of lose your speed after you have operations and your knees need to be taped . " At the end of October 1953 , Branoff helped lead the Wolverines to a come - from - behind win against Iowa . Iowa led 21 - 13 in the fourth quarter , but Michigan scored three touchdowns in the final nine minutes of the game . Branoff scored the final touchdown on a play described by the " Chicago Daily Tribune " as follows : " Tony Branoff , whose knees are wrapped like an Egyptian ' s mummy ' s , rounded out a fine performance with a 31 yard touchdown run that was only so much frosting on this triumph . " In early November 1955 , Michigan lost its first game to Illinois by a score of 25 - 6 . Branoff scored Michigan ' s only points with a 17 - yard touchdown run in the second quarter and compiled 105 rushing yards on 17 carries for an average of 6 . 1 yards per carry . Despite the reduced mobility , Branoff was Michigan ’ s rushing leader for the second time in three years with 387 rushing yards , an average of 4 . 5 yards per carry , and 3 rushing touchdowns . After the 1955 season , Branoff was selected by the United Press as a first - team All - Big Ten halfback . He was also selected to play in the East – West Shrine Game and scored a touchdown on a 7 - yard run left end run in the fourth quarter . Professional football . Branoff was selected by the Chicago Cardinals in the 23rd round of the 1956 NFL Draft and signed with the Cardinals in May 1956 . He was also offered $ 16 , 000 to play in the Canadian Football League , but he chose not to play professional football , because of worry over the condition of his knees . He eventually had both knees replaced at age 65 . Later years . After graduating from Michigan , Branoff worked in sales for 10 years . In 1966 , he accepted a job with Cushing - Malloy book printers in Ann Arbor . He remained with the company for 37 years , retiring in 2003 . In June 1956 , Branoff was married to Marilyn Jane Frankensteen , daughter of former United Auto Workers leader Richard T . Frankensteen . Branoff and his wife had three sons , Anthony Branoff , Jr . , and twins , Terry and Timothy . He was divorced from his wife in 1972 and did not re - marry . Branoff died at his home in Saline , Michigan on December 20 , 2012 , at the age of 78 . He was buried at the Sunset Hills Cemetery in Flint .