On This Date: Former College Hoopers Tackling November 24 NFL Gridiron

November 24th, 2023 - 8:17

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 24 in football at the professional level (especially in 1957, 1963, 1974 and 1996):

NOVEMBER 24

  • Cleveland Browns rookie HB Al Akins (forward was letterman for Washington in 1944 after lettering with Washington State previous two years) rushed for a 50-yard touchdown in 42-17 AAFC win against the Buffalo Bisons in 1946.

  • Cincinnati Bengals QB Ken Anderson (swingman finished Augustana IL career in early 1970s as fifth-leading scorer in school history with 1,044 points) threw four touchdown passes in a 33-6 win against the Kansas City Chiefs in 1974. Bengals rookie DL Bob Maddox (two-time MVP for Frostburg State MD shot 60.7% from floor in three seasons) recovered a fumble for TD.

  • Detroit Lions LB Roosevelt Barnes (collected 14 points and 23 rebounds in 24 games for Purdue's 1980 Final Four team after scoring 39 points in 43 games previous two seasons) returned an interception 70 yards against the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1983. Lions TE Ulysses Norris (Georgia hooper in 1975-76) caught two touchdown passes from Eric Hipple in 45-3 win against the Steelers.

  • Cleveland Browns HB Bill Boedeker (teammate of DePaul All-American George Mikan in mid-1940s) opened the game's scoring with a six-yard rushing touchdown in 14-6 win against the Chicago Hornets in 1949.

  • Cleveland Browns rookie FB Jim Brown (#2-scorer with 14 ppg for Syracuse as sophomore in 1954-55 before averaging 11.3 as junior) rushed for four touchdowns - one of them for 69 yards - in a 45-31 win against the Los Angeles Rams in 1957. Rams E Elroy "Crazy Legs" Hirsch (starting center for Michigan in 1944) caught two second-quarter TD passes from Norm Van Brocklin.

  • Chicago Bears FB Rick Casares (Florida's scoring and rebounding leader both seasons as All-SEC second-team selection in 1951-52 and 1952-53) rushed for two touchdowns in a 27-7 win against the Detroit Lions in 1957.

  • Indianapolis Colts TE Joe Dean Davenport II (appeared in two NCAA playoff games for Arkansas in 1999 under coach Nolan Richardson Jr.) caught a career-high three passes from QB Peyton Manning in a 23-20 win against the Denver Broncos in 2002.

  • Chicago Bears TE Mike Ditka (averaged 2.8 ppg and 2.6 rpg for Pittsburgh in 1958-59 and 1959-60) caught seven passes for 146 yards in a 17-17 tie against the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1963.

  • New York Giants DB Scott Eaton (three-year Oregon State letterman averaged 6 ppg and 2.8 rpg) secured his third interception of month in 1968.

  • New York Giants rookie DB Percy Ellsworth (appeared in all four of Virginia's NCAA tourney contests for 1995 Midwest Regional finalist) provided an interception for second straight game in 1996.

  • New York Giants rookie E Tod Goodwin (West Virginia hoops letterman in 1932-33) scored the game's lone touchdown with a 55-yard pass from Ed Danowski (Fordham hoops letterman in 1932-33) in a 10-0 win against the Philadelphia Eagles in 1935.

  • 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 touchdown passes from Drew Brees in a 34-27 setback against the Baltimore Ravens in 2014.

  • Dallas Cowboys CB Cornell Green (Utah State's all-time leading scorer and rebounder when career ended in 1961-62) returned a fumble recovery 20 yards for touchdown in 27-17 setback against the Cleveland Browns in 1963.

  • Miami Dolphins QB Bob Griese (sophomore guard for Purdue in 1964-65) threw three touchdown passes - of them to SE Karl Noonan (member of Iowa's basketball squad in 1963-64) - in a 34-10 AFL win against the Boston Patriots in 1968. Nine years later, Griese threw six TD passes in a 55-14 NFL win against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1977.

  • Cleveland Rams TB Parker Hall (Ole Miss hoops letterman in 1938) threw two second-half touchdown passes in a 47-25 defeat against the Chicago Bears in 1940.

  • San Diego Chargers SS Rodney Harrison (averaged 7.4 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 3 apg and 1.6 spg for Western Illinois in 1992-93) intercepted two passes in a 28-14 win against the Kansas City Chiefs in 1996.

  • 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) threw two second-half touchdown passes in a 21-7 win against the Green Bay Packers in 2002.

  • St. Louis Cardinals QB Charley Johnson (transferred from Schreiner J.C. to New Mexico State to play hoops before concentrating on football) threw two second-half touchdown passes in a 24-17 win against the New York Giants in 1963.

  • 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) caught a 66-yard touchdown pass from Joe Flacco in 19-3 win against the New York Jets in 2013.

  • San Francisco 49ers RB Terry Kirby (averaged 3.4 ppg as Virginia freshman in 1989-90 and 2.1 as sophomore in 1990-91) had 11 pass receptions in a 19-16 win against the Washington Redskins in 1996.

  • Oakland Raiders DB Ronnie Lott (Southern California hooper as junior in 1979-80) returned two interceptions a total of 47 yards in a 38-14 win against the Cincinnati Bengals in 1991.

  • Chicago Bears QB Johnny Lujack (averaged 3.4 ppg as starting guard for Notre Dame in 1943-44) threw two second-half touchdown passes in a 28-7 win against the Detroit Lions in 1949.

  • New York Giants DE George Martin (Oregon hoops teammate of freshman sensation Ron Lee in 1972-73) registered three sacks and returned an interception 56 yards for touchdown in 34-3 win against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1985.

  • Chicago Bears B Keith Molesworth (three-year hoops letterman for Monmouth IL in late 1920s) scored a touchdown in his third consecutive contest in 1932.

  • Chicago Cardinals FB Ernie Nevers (All-PCC second-five hoops choice for Stanford in 1924-25) rushed for three touchdowns in a 19-0 win against the Dayton Triangles in 1929.

  • New York Yankees TB Ace Parker (Duke hoops letterman in 1936) threw two second-quarter touchdown passes in a 38-28 AAFC setback against the Chicago Rockets in 1946.

  • Chicago Bears E Dick Plasman (Vanderbilt two-year starting hoops center named to 1936 All-SEC Tournament second five) caught a 58-yard touchdown pass in 47-25 win against the Cleveland Rams in 1940.

  • New England Patriots TE John Tanner (JC recruit averaged 3.5 ppg and 3.4 rpg for Tennessee Tech in 1968-69) opened game's scoring by catching a touchdown pass from Jim Plunkett in 27-17 win against the Baltimore Colts in 1974.

  • Tennessee Titans WR Kendall Wright (Baylor hooper as freshman in 2008-09) scored game-winning touchdown - 10-yard pass from Ryan Fitzpatrick - with 10 seconds remaining in a 23-19 nod over the Oakland Raiders in 2013.