[1] In this era, college freshmen were not eligible to play varsity sports, but Podolak won the starting quarterback job for Iowa as a sophomore.

In his first college start, Podolak was named “Offensive Player of the Week” after the game against the Arizona Wildcats, a 42–7 Iowa victory.

[5] Podolak was selected in the second round of the 1969 NFL/AFL draft, 48th overall, by the Kansas City Chiefs, and the team won Super Bowl IV in his rookie season.

[8] In the Chiefs' playoff loss to the Miami Dolphins on Christmas Day in 1971 (still the longest game in NFL history), Podolak had a playoff-record 350 total yards: 85 rushing, 110 receiving, and 155 on returns.

In 1982, he began working as a commentator for Iowa Hawkeye football games on WHO radio in Des Moines and a statewide network.