Former NFL player of year Kutner dies at 83

TYLER, Texas -- Malcolm "Mal" Kutner, the NFL player of the year in 1947 and an All-Pro end in 1947-48 for the Chicago Cardinals, has died after an extended illness. He was 83.

Kutner died Friday in Tyler, according to the Lloyd James Funeral Home.

Kutner starred at the University of Texas and was an All-American after the 1941 season. He also ran track and played basketball for the Longhorns.

After serving in World War II, Kutner joined the Cardinals, where he played offensive halfback and defensive end. He played for the Cardinals from 1946-50 before retiring to enter the oil business in Texas.

Kutner was inducted into the National Football Foundation's College Hall of Fame in 1974 and the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in 1994.