On This Date: Former College Hoopers Tackling November 27 NFL Gridiron

November 27th, 2023 - 8:45

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 27 in football at the professional level (especially in 1955 and 2005):

NOVEMBER 27

  • Cleveland Bulldogs E Carl Bacchus (three-year Missouri hoops letterman in mid-1920s) opened the scoring with a 65-yard touchdown reception in 32-7 win against the Chicago Cardinals in 1927.

  • Houston Texans LB Connor Barwin (played 34 games for Cincinnati in 2005-06 and 2006-07) contributed four sacks and seven solo tackles in a 20-13 win against the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2011.

  • Kansas City Chiefs LB Bobby Bell (first African-American hooper for Minnesota in 1960-61) returned a kickoff 53 yards for touchdown in 31-17 AFL win against the Denver Broncos in 1969. Broncos RB Wandy Williams (led Hofstra in scoring with 19.9 ppg in 1967-68) rushed for a TD.

  • Detroit Lions E Cloyce Box (combined with twin brother Boyce to help West Texas A&M win Border Conference hoop championship in 1943) had nine pass receptions for 155 yards and three touchdowns in a 48-24 win against the Green Bay Packers in 1952. Three TD passes for Lions QB Bobby Layne (Texas hooper in 1944-45) occurred in second quarter.

  • Cleveland Browns E Pete Brewster (forward-center was Purdue's fourth-leading scorer as junior and senior) caught two touchdown passes (16 and 41 yards) from Otto Graham (Big Ten Conference runner-up in scoring as Northwestern sophomore in 1941-42 and junior in 1942-43) in a 35-35 tie against the New York Giants in 1955. Graham finished with three TD passes.

  • Miami Dolphins WR Chris Chambers (played hoops briefly for Wisconsin under coach Dick Bennett in 1997-98) caught three touchdown passes in a 40-21 win against the Dallas Cowboys in 2003. Dolphins DE Jason Taylor (averaged 8 ppg and 5.4 rpg for Akron in 1994-95) returned a fumble recovery 34 yards for touchdown. Two years later, Taylor had three sacks in a 33-21 win against the Oakland Raiders in 2005.

  • Buffalo Bills FL Elbert Dubenion (solid rebounder and defensive player for Bluffton OH in late 1950s) caught six passes for 134 yards in a 38-38 AFL tie against the Denver Broncos in 1960. Broncos SE Lionel Taylor (led New Mexico Highlands in scoring average with 13.6 ppg in 1955-56 and 20.3 in 1956-57), who caught three second-half touchdown passes from Frank Tripucka (80, 24 and 35 yards), finished game with nine receptions for 199 yards.

  • Pittsburgh Steelers rookie DB Tony Dungy (roommate of Flip Saunders averaged 2.6 ppg for Minnesota in 1973-74 under coach Bill Musselman) intercepted a pass in second consecutive contest in 1977.

  • Dallas Cowboys TE Billy Joe Dupree (scored four points in total of four basketball games for Michigan State in 1971-72) caught two touchdown passes in a 51-7 win against the Seattle Seahawks in 1980.

  • New York Giants E Ray Flaherty (four-sport Gonzaga athlete including hoops) caught two fourth-quarter touchdown passes in a 13-7 win against the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1932.

  • Baltimore Ravens TE Todd Heap (grabbed 14 rebounds in 11 games for Arizona State in 1999-00) caught two second-half touchdown passes in a 42-29 setback against the Cincinnati Bengals in 2005.

  • 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 24-12 win against the Cleveland Browns in 2005.

  • Chicago Bears E Luke Johnsos (Northwestern hoops letterman in 1927 and 1928) opened the game's scoring with a 49-yard touchdown catch in 7-7 tie against the Portland Spartans in 1932.

  • Buffalo Bills rookie E Jim Lukens (Washington & Lee VA hoops letterman) caught a 14-yard touchdown pass from George Ratterman (third-leading scorer with 11.7 ppg for Notre Dame in 1944-45) in 38-14 AAFC win against the Baltimore Colts in 1949. Ratterman finished game with three TD passes. Colts B John North (Vanderbilt hoops letterman in 1943) caught an 80-yard touchdown pass from Y.A. Tittle.

  • Providence Steam Roller E Eddie Lynch (top hoops scorer for Catholic DC as junior and senior) opened game's scoring by catching a touchdown pass in 14-7 win against the New York Yankees in 1927.

  • Philadelphia Eagles QB Donovan McNabb (averaged 2.3 points in 18 games for Syracuse in 1995-96 and 1996-97) threw four touchdown passes in a 48-20 win against the Arizona Cardinals in 2008.

  • Cleveland Browns WR Jordan Norwood (collected one rebound and one assist in four basketball games for Penn State in 2006-07) opened game's scoring with a 24-yard touchdown reception on pass from Colt McCoy in 23-20 setback against the Cincinnati Bengals in 2011.

  • San Francisco 49ers E R.C. Owens (led small colleges with 27.1 rpg in 1953-54 while also averaging 23.5 ppg for College of Idaho) caught six passes for 152 yards and two touchdowns in a 30-22 win against the Baltimore Colts in 1960.

  • Green Bay Packers E Steve Pritko (Villanova two-year hoops letterman) caught two second-quarter touchdown passes in a 41-21 setback against the Chicago Cardinals in 1949.

  • Washington Redskins E-P Pat Richter (three-year Wisconsin hoops letterman in early 1960s) averaged 46 yards on six punts in a 72-41 win against the New York Giants in 1966.

  • Miami Dolphins WR Otto Stowe (collected 12 points and five rebounds in four Iowa State basketball games in 1968-69) caught six passes for a career-high 140 receiving yards - including two touchdowns - in a 31-10 win against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1972.

  • New York Jets DB Rashad Washington (collected two points, two assists and five rebounds for Kansas State in eight games in 2000-01) had a sack in 21-19 setback against the New Orleans Saints in 2005.

  • Pittsburgh Steelers rookie HB Sid Watson (averaged 4.1 ppg as Northeastern freshman in 1951-52) had a 62-yard pass reception touchdown from Jim Finks (led Tulsa with 8.9 ppg as sophomore in 1946-47) in 23-14 setback against the Washington Redskins in 1955.

  • B Doug Wycoff (Georgia Tech hoops letterman in 1926) supplied the Staten Island Stapletons' only touchdown with a five-yard rush in 7-6 win against the New York Giants in 1930.