Wheeling native Chuck Howley went to Warwood High School and later attended West Virginia University, where he did something no one else has ever accomplished—he earned varsity letters in five sports: football, track, wrestling, diving, and trampoline. He was named Southern Conference Athlete of the Year in 1956.

In 1958, Howley joined the NFL’s Chicago Bears but left after a knee injury. He returned to football in 1961 with the Dallas Cowboys and played linebacker for 12 seasons. He was a six-time All-Pro and played in six Pro Bowls. In the 1971 Super Bowl, he became the only player from a losing team ever to win MVP. The next year, Dallas won the Super Bowl.

After retiring in 1973, Howley ran a business in Texas. He was inducted into the WVU Sports Hall of Fame in 1991 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2023. WVU retired his #66 jersey that same year.