Honoring Wisconsin Badgers Wrestling Legend: Bob Konovsky

Badger Notes is set to remember our legends in an 8-part summer series that will honor and highlight Wisconsin Badgers wrestling standouts from the past and showcase their accomplishments not only to the Badgers program – but also their contributions to the sport of wrestling.

Wisconsin Badgers Legend Bob Konovsky: 1953 – 1956

Bob Konovsky came to Madison from the south side of Chicago in the early 1950s. During his life Konovsky had quite an athletic prowess. Wrestling, football, and wrestling – the other kind.

For the Wisconsin Badgers Wrestling program, Konovsky was a senior captain, three-time Big Ten Champion, two-time finalist at the NCAA Championships and a three-time All-American.

But that is not all that he did. In addition to starring on the Wisconsin wrestling team – Konovsky was a starting offensive guard on the Wisconsin football team. He was named an All-Big Ten selection following his senior season and that earned him a shot at professional football.

#OnThisDay: January 17, 1956

Bob Konovsky was drafted by the Chicago Cardinals with the fourth pick of the seventh round (77th overall). #NFLBadgers x #RedSea

— NFL Badgers (@NFLBadgers) January 17, 2021

After leaving Wisconsin via the NFL draft – he was selected in the seventh round by the Chicago Cardinals, and also had stints with the Chicago Bears and Denver Broncos.

Following his NFL career in which he totaled 49 games played, he retired following the 1961 season. But that wasn’t the end of his athletic journey. Bob Konovsky began a professional wrestling career under the name ‘Killer Konovsky’ and was a Hollywood actor!

Bob Konovsky aka ‘Killer Konovsky’ passed away in 1982 and has since been inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.

Stay tuned to Badger Notes for coverage of the Wisconsin Badgers wrestling program and check out some of the others that are apart of our 8-part summer series to remember our legends.

Part 1 – Lee Kemp

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