Boston sent the negotiation rights to George Connor to…
Boston sent the negotiation rights to George Connor to Chicago and received tackle Mike Jarmoluk. Connor had been drafted by the Giants before his rights moved to Boston, but he wanted to play in his hometown of Chicago. Jarmoluk was an established NFL lineman, yet the Yanks surrendered the rights to a player who became a Hall of Fame cornerstone for the Bears, leaving Boston with the weaker long-term return.
Boston Yanks Received
- player Mike Jarmoluk
Chicago Bears Received
- other rights to George Connor
Trade Analysis
What Changed Hands
George Connor's path to Chicago involved more than the original draft. The Giants selected him fifth overall in the 1946 NFL Draft, and his rights later moved to the Boston Yanks. Connor wanted to play in his hometown, however, and Boston ultimately sent his negotiation rights to the Bears. Chicago gave up tackle Mike Jarmoluk, a two-year NFL veteran, to obtain those rights and then signed Connor.
Why the Value Moved
The Bears were buying the opportunity to sign a premier prospect who had made his preferred destination clear. That still carried risk: rights have value only if the player signs and performs. Chicago got both. Connor played eight seasons for the Bears and became one of the leading linemen and linebackers of his era, eventually entering the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Jarmoluk was a legitimate professional player, but his career did not approach Connor's combination of peak performance and historical stature.
How the Outcome Looks
Boston's return should not be treated as nothing. Receiving an experienced tackle for a player who was resisting other destinations offered immediate roster utility and resolved a difficult negotiating position. Yet that context cannot overcome the scale of the result. Chicago secured a Hall of Fame player in his preferred city and kept him throughout his NFL career. The Yanks received a conventional veteran return for rights that became one of the Bears' most valuable postwar acquisitions.
Final Verdict
Chicago Bears Win. Chicago earns an A+ because Connor became exactly the type of foundational star a team hopes to secure when trading for player rights. Boston receives a D because Jarmoluk's value, while real, was far below the eight seasons and Hall of Fame career Chicago gained. The decisive point is not merely Connor's reputation; it is that the Bears successfully converted uncertain negotiation rights into elite, sustained production.