On This Date: Former College Hoopers Tackling November 22 NFL Gridiron

November 22nd, 2023 - 9:47

Long before kneeling knuckleheads such as GQ poster boy #ColonKrapernick's Netflix licks against NFL "slavery" and politicized multiple anthems, 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 promptly selected 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 November 22 in football at the professional level (especially in 1931):

NOVEMBER 22

  • Cleveland Rams E Jim Benton (forward was Arkansas' third-leading scorer in SWC play as senior in 1937-38) caught 10 passes for 303 yards and one touchdown (70 yards) from Bob Waterfield against the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving Day in 1945.

  • New York Giants TE Kevin Boss (averaged 3 ppg and 2.7 rpg while shooting 51.9% from floor for Western Oregon in 2004-05 and 2005-06) caught two second-quarter touchdown passes from Eli Manning in a 34-31 win against the Atlanta Falcons in 2009.

  • Boston Redskins rookie E Sam Busich (Ohio State hoops letterman in 1935 and 1936) made his lone NFL touchdown reception in a 30-6 win against the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1936.

  • Portsmouth Spartans rookie TB Dutch Clark (four-time All-Rocky Mountain Conference hoops choice for Colorado College) rushed for two touchdowns in a 20-19 setback against the Chicago Cardinals in 1931. Cardinals FB Ernie Nevers (All-Pacific Coast Conference second-five hoops choice for Stanford in 1924-25) also rushed for two TDs.

  • New York Titans TE Thurlow Cooper (averaged 10.4 ppg for Maine in 1955-56 after averaging 6.7 ppg and 6.1 rpg previous season) had a career-high four pass receptions in 46-45 AFL win against the Denver Broncos in 1962. Titans WR Art Powell (averaged 10.5 ppg and 8.2 rpg for San Jose State in 1956-57) had two touchdown catches.

  • Baltimore Ravens PK Billy Cundiff (played in nine basketball contests with Drake in 1999-00 and 2000-01) converted five-of-six field-goal attempts in a 17-15 setback against the Indianapolis Colts in 2009.

  • Chicago Bears E Hoot Drury (SLU hoops letterman from 1928 through 1930) caught a 37-yard touchdown pass from Keith Molesworth (three-year hoops letterman for Monmouth IL in late 1920s) in 26-0 win against the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1931.

  • TE Darren Fells (UC Irvine's rebounding leader each of his last three seasons averaged 10.2 ppg and 6.3 rpg from 2004-05 through 2007-08) in rebounding each of last three seasons) opened the Arizona Cardinals' scoring by catching an 18-yard touchdown pass from Carson Palmer in 34-31 win against the Cincinnati Bengals in 2015.

  • Cincinnati Bengals LB James Francis (averaged 3 ppg and 3.6 rpg for Baylor in 1986-87 and 1987-88) had two interceptions - returning one 66 yards for touchdown - and chipped in with two sacks in a 19-13 setback against the Detroit Lions in 1992.

  • Cleveland Browns QB Otto Graham (Big Ten Conference runner-up in scoring as Northwestern sophomore in 1941-42 and junior in 1942-43) threw two first-half touchdown passes in a 20-16 win against the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1953.

  • Houston Texans WR DeAndre Hopkins (played in seven basketball games for Clemson in 2010-11) caught two touchdown passes in a 24-17 win against the New York Jets in 2015.

  • Pittsburgh Steelers RB John Henry Johnson (made 5-of-8 FGAs in five games for Saint Mary's in 1950-51) rushed for two touchdowns in a 44-17 win against the New York Giants in 1964.

  • Detroit Lions QB Bobby Layne (Texas hooper in 1944-45) threw four first-half touchdown passes in a 52-35 win against the Green Bay Packers in 1951. Packers B Dom Moselle (leading hoops scorer for Wisconsin-Superior in 1947-48 and 1948-49) caught a 48-yard TD pass from Tobin Rote.

  • New York Giants TB Tuffy Leemans (three-year hoops letterman for George Washington in mid-1930s) rushed for two touchdowns in a 21-21 tie against the Green Bay Packers in 1942. Giants E Will Walls (starting forward with Texas Christian for three years from 1935 through 1937) caught a 60-yard TD pass.

  • San Francisco 49ers rookie DB Ronnie Lott (Southern California hooper as junior in 1979-80) returned an interception 25 yards for touchdown in 33-31 win against the Los Angeles Rams in 1981.

  • Miami Dolphins SE Karl Noonan (member of Iowa's basketball squad in 1963-64) registered a career-long 51-yard touchdown catch from Bob Griese (sophomore guard for Purdue in 1964-65) in a 34-17 win against the Baltimore Colts in 1970.

  • San Francisco 49ers WR Terrell Owens (UT Chattanooga hooper from 1993-94 through 1995-96 started five games) caught two second-quarter touchdown passes from Steve Young in a 31-20 win against the New Orleans Saints in 1998. Eleven years later with the Buffalo Bills, Owens had a 98-yard touchdown reception en route to nine catches for 197 yards in 18-15 setback against the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2009.

  • In midst of securing a touchdown pass in four consecutive contests, Oakland Raiders TE Derrick Ramsey (grabbed three rebounds in two Kentucky games in 1975-76) opened game's scoring with 66-yard TD reception from Marc Wilson in 55-21 setback against the San Diego Chargers in 1981.

  • Los Angeles Rams DB Herb Rich (Vanderbilt hoops letterman in 1947) returned an interception 53 yards for touchdown in 21-13 win against the Baltimore Colts in 1952.

  • Dallas Cowboys QB Roger Staubach (Navy varsity hooper in 1962-63) threw two first-quarter touchdown passes in a 30-24 setback against the Houston Oilers in 1979.

  • Detroit Lions HB Doak Walker (Southern Methodist letterman as freshman in 1945-46) rushed for game-winning touchdown in fourth quarter of a 20-16 win against the Chicago Bears in 1953.