On This Date: Former College Hoopers Tackling December 9 NFL Gridiron

December 9th, 2023 - 11:06

Long before kneeling knuckleheads such as ill-informed GQ poster boy #ColonKrapernick and his supporters spurring politicized multiple anthems and league funding anti-cop activist groups, the NCAA Tournament commenced in 1939, which was one year after the NIT triggered national postseason competition. An overlooked "versatile athlete" feat occurring in 1938 likely never to be duplicated took place at Arkansas, where the quarterback for the football squad (Jack Robbins) repeated as an All-SWC first-team basketball selection, leading the Razorbacks (19-3) to the league title. After the season, Robbins became an NFL first-round draft choice by the Chicago Cardinals (5th pick overall) and senior football/basketball teammates Jim Benton (11th pick by Cleveland Rams) and Ray Hamilton (41st pick by Rams) went on to become wide receivers for at least six years in the NFL. Yes, they created a kneeling-in-admiration shatterproof achievement - three members of a league championship basketball squad who promptly were among the top 41 selections in same NFL draft.

Two years later, All-SWC first-team hoop selection Howard "Red" Hickey was instrumental in Arkansas reaching the 1941 Final Four before becoming an end for the Cleveland Rams' 1945 NFL titlist. Two-sport college teammate and fellow end O'Neal Adams scored five touchdowns for the New York Giants the first half of the 1940s. Another two-sport Hog who played for the Giants in the mid-1940s was Harry Wynne. An earlier versatile Razorback was Jim Lee Howell, who was an All-SWC first five hoop selection in 1935-36 before becoming a starting end for the Giants' 1938 NFL titlist and Pro Bowl participant the next year. Adams, Benton, Hamilton, Hickey and Howell combined for 77 touchdowns in an 11-year span from 1938 through 1948 when at least one of the ex-Razorback hoopers scored a TD in each of those seasons.

Hickey and ex-Hog All-SWC second-team hooper in 1929-30/NFL end Milan Creighton each coached NFL franchises. Many other ex-college hoopers also displayed their wares on the gridiron. Following is exhaustive research you can tackle regarding former college basketball players who made a name for themselves on December 9 in football at the professional level (especially in 1934 and 1962):

DECEMBER 9

  • Minnesota Vikings WR Tom Adams (two-time All-MIAC honoree set Minnesota-Duluth single-season mark for rebounds with 367 as senior in 1961-62) caught two passes from Fran Tarkenton for 45 yards in a 37-23 setback against the Detroit Lions in 1962.

  • San Francisco 49ers rookie RB Joe Arenas (averaged 6.2 ppg in 1949-50 and 1950-51 for Nebraska-Omaha) rushed for two touchdowns against the Green Bay Packers in 1951.

  • Minnesota Vikings LB Matt Blair (played in 1970 NJCAA Tournament for Northeastern Oklahoma A&M hoops team finishing in seventh place) intercepted two passes in a 10-3 win against the Buffalo Bills in 1979.

  • Minnesota Vikings rookie QB Todd Bouman (South Dakota State transfer averaged 7.1 ppg and 3.3 rpg for St. Cloud State MN from 1993-94 through 1995-96) passed for 348 yards and four touchdowns in a 42-24 win against the Tennessee Titans in 2001.

  • Philadelphia Eagles WR Harold Carmichael (starter two seasons for Southern LA averaged 9.8 ppg and 10.6 rpg in 1969-70) had five of his NFL-high 67 pass receptions for 146 of his NFL-high 1,116 yards in a 24-23 win against the New York Jets in 1973.

  • Philadelphia Eagles CB Jimmy Carr (three-year hoops letterman for Morris Harvey WV appeared in NAIA Tournament in 1953 and 1954) had an interception in his second straight game in 1962.

  • New York Giants rookie TB Ed Danowski (Fordham hoops letterman in 1932-33) had a game-high 83 passing yards and chipped in with 59 rushing yards (including fourth-quarter touchdown) in 30-13 win against the Chicago Bears in the 1934 NFL championship contest. Giants E Ray Flaherty (four-sport Gonzaga athlete including hoops) had two pass receptions for 28 yards in his second straight NFL title tilt. Bears B Keith Molesworth (three-year hoops letterman for Monmouth IL in late 1920s) completed 4-of-9 passes, returned four punts for 67 yards and punted nine times for 40.7-yard average. Bears B Gene Ronzani (among Marquette's top four scorers in 1931-32 and 1932-33) caught one pass for 23 yards and returned an interception 16 yards.

  • Chicago Bears TE Mike Ditka (averaged 2.8 ppg and 2.6 rpg for Pittsburgh in 1958-59 and 1959-60) caught six passes for 155 yards in a 30-14 win against the Los Angeles Rams in 1962.

  • Miami Dolphins QB Bob Griese (sophomore guard for Purdue in 1964-65) threw two first-quarter touchdown passes in a 28-10 win against the Detroit Lions in 1979.

  • Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR Vincent Jackson (Northern Colorado's scoring leader with 13.6 ppg in 2003-04 while also contributing 5.6 rpg and 3.1 apg) caught six passes for 131 yards in a 23-21 setback against the Philadelphia Eagles in 2012.

  • Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Brad Johnson (part-time starting forward for Florida State as freshman in 1987-88 when averaging 5.9 ppg and shooting 89.1% from free-throw line) passed for 305 yards in a 15-12 win against the Detroit Lions in 2001.

  • St. Louis Cardinals QB Charley Johnson (transferred from Schreiner J.C. to New Mexico State to play hoops before concentrating on football) passed for 302 yards and five touchdowns (two for more than 70 yards) in a 52-20 win against the Dallas Cowboys in 1962.

  • Green Bay Packers RB Aaron Jones (collected six points and six assists in eight basketball games for Texas-El Paso in 2013-14 under coach Tim Floyd) rushed for at least one touchdown in his fifth consecutive contest in 2018.

  • Washington Redskins QB Billy Kilmer (UCLA hooper under legendary coach John Wooden in 1959-60) threw three second-half touchdown passes in a 34-24 setback against the Dallas Cowboys in 1972. Two years later, Kilmer threw three second-quarter TD passes in a 23-17 win against the Los Angeles Rams in 1974.

  • Chicago Bears QB Johnny Lujack (averaged 3.4 ppg as starting guard for Notre Dame in 1943-44) rushed for three touchdowns and rookie HB Brad Rowland (four-sport participant for McMurry TX in late 1940s and early 1950s) rushed twice for 16 yards in a 45-21 win against the New York Yanks in 1951.

  • New York Jets RB Elijah McGuire (collected 10 points and 13 rebounds in 16 basketball games for Louisiana-Lafayette in 2015-16) rushed for game-winning touchdown with 1:17 remaining in 27-23 win against the Buffalo Bills in 2018.

  • Houston Oilers TE Bob McLeod (all-time leading rebounder for Abilene Christian TX with 1,237 from 1957-58 through 1960-61 also ranks among school's top 10 career scorers) caught five passes for 114 yards - including a career-long 55-yard touchdown from George Blanda - in a 32-17 AFL victory against the Oakland Raiders in 1962.

  • Philadelphia Eagles QB Donovan McNabb (averaged 2.3 points in 18 games for Syracuse in 1995-96 and 1996-97) threw two first-half touchdown passes in a 24-14 win against the San Diego Chargers in 2001.

  • Buffalo Bills TE Robert Royal (collected 10 points and six rebounds in five Louisiana State basketball games in 2000-01) caught two first-quarter touchdown passes in a 38-17 win against the Miami Dolphins in 2007.