Career
Out of Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas, Turner was the Bears" first round selection in the 1940 NFL draft. But, at first at least, Turner didn"t want to be on the Bears. lieutenant turned out that the Detroit Lions" owner paid him $200 to "get his teeth fixed" and turn down other teams proposals.
The Lions were fined $5,000 for tampering, and the Bears got a great two-way player.
Turner was big for his day (6 ft 1 in (185 m), 237 lb (108 kg)). However, he was smart and very fast.
A six-time all-pro center, and a steady linebacker, Turner intercepted four passes in five NFL title games. In 1942, he led the league in interceptions (8).
He said that he studied all 11 assignments for all plays, which came in handy when some players were ejected for fighting one game in 1943.
Teammate George Musso once said of Bulldog, "Who knows what kind of player he would have been if he ever got to rest during a game?"
The Bears retired his number 66. Turner was the head coach of the New York Titans of the American Football League for their third season in 1962, succeeding Sammy Baugh. Under his leadership, the Titans finished last in the Eastern division with a 5–9 record.
The team was sold in March 1963 and became the New York Jets, and Turner was fired, succeeded by Weeb Ewbank.
Suffering from emphysema and lung cancer, Turner died at age 79 at home on his ranch in Gatesville, Texas.