On This Date: Former College Hoopers Tackling December 8 NFL Gridiron

December 8th, 2023 - 9:29

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 8 in football at the professional level (especially in 1968):

DECEMBER 8

  • Cleveland Browns DB Erich Barnes (played hoops briefly for Purdue as sophomore in 1955-56) returned an interception 40 yards for touchdown in 24-21 win against the Washington Redskins in 1968.

  • Kansas City Chiefs LB Bobby Bell (first African-American hooper for Minnesota in 1960-61) had two interceptions in a 40-3 AFL win against the San Diego Chargers in 1968. Chiefs DE Buck Buchanan (earned hoops letter as Grambling freshman in 1958-59) recorded a safety and QB Len Dawson (Purdue hooper in 1956-57) threw three first-half touchdown passes - including a 68-yarder to Frank Pitts.

  • Cleveland Browns TE Jordan Cameron (redshirt freshman forward for BYU in 2006-07 before playing briefly for Southern California in 2008-09 under coach Tim Floyd) had nine pass receptions for 121 yards in a 27-26 setback against the New England Patriots in 2013.

  • New Orleans Saints TE Jimmy Graham (part-time starter for Miami FL averaged 4.2 ppg and 4.2 rpg from 2005-06 through 2008-09) caught two of his NFL-high 16 touchdown passes from Drew Brees in a 31-13 win against the Carolina Panthers in 2013.

  • Denver Broncos DB Charlie Greer (played seven basketball games for Colorado in 1965-66 as sophomore) had two interceptions in a 33-27 AFL setback against the Oakland Raiders in 1968.

  • Miami Dolphins QB Bob Griese (sophomore guard for Purdue in 1964-65) threw two second-quarter touchdown passes in a 38-7 AFL win against the Boston Patriots in 1968.

  • Los Angeles Rams E Red Hickey (three-time All-SWC selection and member of Arkansas' 1941 Final Four team) caught two second-half touchdown passes from Bob Waterfield in a 38-17 win against the Green Bay Packers in 1946.

  • Los Angeles Rams E Elroy "Crazy Legs" Hirsch (starting center for Michigan hoops in 1944) had two touchdown catches in a 42-17 win against the Green Bay Packers in 1957.

  • Minnesota Vikings 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) threw three touchdown passes in a 24-22 win against the Detroit Lions in 1996. Six years later with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Johnson threw four TD passes in a 34-10 win against the Atlanta Falcons in 2002.

  • St. Louis Cardinals QB Charley Johnson (transferred from Schreiner J.C. to New Mexico State to play hoops before concentrating on football) passed for 315 yards - including four touchdowns (three for more than 40 yards) - in a 38-14 win against the Philadelphia Eagles in 1963.

  • Phoenix Cardinals RB Johnny Johnson (averaged 11.2 ppg, 6.5 rpg and 3.2 apg in 1988-89 after majority of hoop team members walked off San Jose State squad) rushed for two second-quarter touchdowns in a 20-14 setback against the Washington Redskins in 1991.

  • Baltimore Ravens WR Jacoby Jones (part-time starter averaged 3.4 ppg and 3.7 rpg for Lane TN in 2004-05 and 2005-06) returned a kickoff 77 yards for touchdown in 29-26 win against the Minnesota Vikings in 2013.

  • Minnesota Vikings QB Joe Kapp (backup forward averaged 1.8 ppg and 1.2 rpg for California's PCC champions in 1957 and 1958) rushed for two touchdowns in a 30-20 win against the San Francisco 49ers in 1968. Vikings rookie DB Charlie West (collected two points and one rebound in two UTEP games in 1967-68 under Don Haskins) returned three kickoffs for 120 yards.

  • Frankford Yellow Jackets E Chuck Kassel (Illinois hoops letterman in 1925 and 1926) contributed game's lone touchdown with a 10-yard pass reception in 7-0 win against the New York Giants in 1928.

  • Cleveland Browns rookie HB Bill Lund (hooper for Case Western Reserve OH) opened the game's scoring with a 22-yard touchdown reception in 66-14 AAFC win against the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1946.

  • Baltimore Colts rookie TE John Mackey (Syracuse hooper in 1960-61) caught two touchdown passes from Johnny Unitas (61 and 27 yards) in a 41-10 win against the Minnesota Vikings in 1963.

  • Rookie E Eggs Manske (point guard led Northwestern to share of 1933 Big Ten Conference crown) supplied the Philadelphia Eagles' only score with a pass reception touchdown in 13-6 setback against the Green Bay Packers in 1935.

  • Buffalo Bills TE Keith McKeller (starting center for Jacksonville State's 1985 NCAA Division II championship team led Gulf South Conference in rebounding each of his first three seasons and finished second as senior) had 10 pass receptions in a 30-27 win against the Oakland Raiders in 1991.

  • B Keith Molesworth (three-year hoops letterman for Monmouth IL in late 1920s) rushed for both of game's touchdowns to power the Chicago Bears to a 13-0 win against the Chicago Cardinals in 1935.

  • San Francisco 49ers WR Terrell Owens (UTC hooper from 1993-94 through 1995-96 started five games) had 12 pass receptions - including two fourth-quarter touchdowns from Jeff Garcia (including game winner with 12 seconds remaining) in a 31-27 win against the Dallas Cowboys in 2002.

  • Arizona Cardinals rookie WR Nate Poole (sank all four free-throw attempts in two basketball games for Marshall in 1997-98) provided a career-high six pass receptions - including touchdown from Jake Plummer - in 23-20 win against the Detroit Lions in 2002.

  • Oakland Raiders WR Art Powell (averaged 10.5 ppg and 8.2 rpg for San Jose State in 1956-57) had three touchdown catches in a 41-27 AFL win against the San Diego Chargers in 1963.

  • Pittsburgh Steelers rookie WR Antwaan Randle El (member of Indiana's 1999 NCAA Tournament team) had a career-high eight pass receptions in a 24-6 setback against the Houston Texans in 2002.

  • Washington Redskins QB Norm Snead (averaged 7.8 ppg in four Wake Forest games as senior in 1960-61) passed for 350 yards - including three touchdowns - in a 34-21 setback against the Baltimore Colts in 1962. Six years later with the Philadelphia Eagles, Snead threw three TD passes in a 29-17 win against the New Orleans Saints in 1968.

  • Los Angeles Rams rookie HB Jack Wilson (Baylor hoops letterman in 1942) caught a 13-yard touchdown pass from Bob Waterfield in 38-17 win against the Green Bay Packers in 1946.

  • Philadelphia Eagles QB Roy Zimmerman (San Jose State hoops letterman as center in 1938 and 1939) threw three touchdown passes in a 40-14 win against the Boston Yanks in 1946. One of them was a 59-yarder to HB Bosh Pritchard (four-sport letterman for VMI. Six years earlier with the Washington Redskins as a rookie, Zimmerman returned kickoff 37 yards and had 61-yard punt in a 73-0 setback against the Chicago Bears in the 1940 NFL championship game. Bears B Ray Nolting (Cincinnati hoops letterman in 1936) had a 23-yard rushing TD in title tilt while rookie lineman teammate Joe Mihal (scored four points in five basketball games for Purdue in 1936-37) caught one pass for 13 yards and registered one sack. Ray Flaherty (four-sport Gonzaga athlete including hoops) coached the Redskins.