Daukas earned his second football varsity letter in 1942.[8] In week eight, he was matched up against his brother for the second time in his career.[9] At the end of the season, Daukas was elected co-captain for the 1943 season.[10] However, Meredith R. Cushing ended up serving as captain that year, as Daukas was called to serve in the United States Army for World War II.[11] While in the army, he played and coached for the Fort Warren, Wyoming, football team, leading them to "one of the best records in the Rocky Mountains", according to the Nashua Telegraph.[12] By the time Daukas was discharged in 1946, he had reached the rank of first lieutenant.[4]
Daukas returned to the Cornell football team in 1946, for his senior season.[8] At the end of the year, he was named honorable mention All-American by Associated Press (AP).[8] He was also selected to the Eastern College Football All-Star team, which played the New York Giants in an exhibition match.[4] In addition to playing football, Daukas also played baseball at Cornell for two seasons, earning letters in 1942 and 1947.[8]
Professional career
Daukas was not selected in either the 1947 NFL draft or the 1947 AAFC Draft, but was given a contract as an undrafted free agent with the Detroit Lions in the NFL, although he did not make the final roster with them.[4] Following the fourth game of the 1947 AAFC season,[13] the Brooklyn Dodgers, attempting to "bolster their [injury-]riddled squad," signed Daukas on September 26.[14] The move united him with his brother Nick, who was also a member of the Dodgers.[15] In a game against the New York Yankees, Daukas recorded a one-yard interception return.[16] He finished the season with four games played, one interception return for one yard, and one kickoff return for one yard, as the Dodgers ended the year with a record of 3–10–1.[1][13]
Before the 1948 AAFC season, Daukas assisted in coaching the centers at the University of Miami.[17] He was released by the Dodgers in August of that year,[18] and finished his professional career with a total of four games played, one interception for one yard and one kick return for one yard.[1] In 1949, Daukas served as the head coach of the newly-formed Long Island Lions.[19]
Daukas was inducted into the Nashua High School Athletic Hall of Fame and the Cornell University Athletic Hall of Fame, being inducted into the latter in 1994.[3]
