On This Date: Former College Hoopers Tackling November 28 NFL Gridiron

November 28th, 2023 - 9:38

Long before kneeling knuckleheads such as GQ poster boy #ColonKrapernick's Netflix licks at 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 28 in football at the professional level (especially in 1948 and 2004):

NOVEMBER 28

  • Tampa Bay Buccaneers LB Larry Ball (played eight hoops games for Louisville as sophomore in 1968-69 before persuaded by coach Lee Corso to concentrate on football) had an interception in 49-16 setback against the Oakland Raiders in 1976.

  • 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 32-yard touchdown pass from Eli Manning with 3:15 remaining to give the New York Giants a 24-20 win against the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2010.

  • TE Luther Broughton (forward scored five points in five games for Furman in 1994-95) scored both of the Philadelphia Eagles' touchdowns with fourth-quarter receptions from QB Donovan McNabb (averaged 2.3 points in 18 games for Syracuse in 1995-96 and 1996-97) in a 20-17 setback against the Washington Redskins in 1999.

  • Cleveland Browns FB Jim Brown (#2-scorer with 14 ppg for Syracuse as sophomore in 1954-55 before averaging 11.3 as junior) rushed for 146 yards on 20 carries and scored four touchdowns - three rushing/one receiving - in a 42-21 win against the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1965.

  • Brooklyn Dodgers E Harry Burrus (three-year hoops letterman in early 1940s for Hardin-Simmons TX) had a 60-yard pass reception for touchdown in 38-20 AAFC setback against the Baltimore Colts in 1948.

  • Detroit Lions TB Dutch Clark (four-time All-Rocky Mountain Conference hoops choice for Colorado College) scored both of game's touchdowns in a 14-2 win against the Chicago Bears in 1935.

  • New York Giants TB Ed Danowski (Fordham hoops letterman in 1932-33) threw two of his league-high 10 touchdown passes in a 21-0 win against the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1935.

  • Boston Yanks HB Bob Davis (Kentucky hoops letterman in 1937 under legendary coach Adolph Rupp) opened game's scoring with a 21-yard touchdown catch in 34-10 win against the Detroit Lions in 1946.

  • Oakland Raiders TE Rickey Dudley (averaged 13.3 ppg and 7.5 rpg as senior in 1994-95 when leading Ohio State in rebounding and finishing third in scoring) caught two touchdown passes from Rich Gannon in a 37-34 setback against the Kansas City Chiefs in 1999.

  • San Diego Chargers TE Antonio Gates (second-team All-MAC selection in 2002 when Kent State finished runner-up in South Regional) caught two fourth-quarter touchdown passes from Drew Brees in a 34-31 win against the Kansas City Chiefs in 2004.

  • 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 49-24 win against the New York Giants in 2011.

  • Cleveland Browns QB Otto Graham (Big Ten Conference runner-up in scoring as Northwestern sophomore in 1941-42 and junior in 1942-43) threw four touchdown passes in a 31-28 AAFC win against the San Francisco 49ers in 1948.

  • Dallas Cowboys CB Cornell Green (Utah State's all-time leading scorer and rebounder when career ended in 1961-62) returned a fumble recovery for touchdown in 34-31 setback against the Washington Redskins in 1965.

  • Carolina Panthers WR Donald Hayes (played in two basketball games for Wisconsin in 1995-96 under coach Dick Bennett) caught a career-long 56-yard touchdown pass from Steve Beuerlein in 34-28 win against the Atlanta Falcons in 1999.

  • Detroit Lions RB John Henry Johnson (made 5-of-8 FGAs in five games for Saint Mary's in 1950-51) provided go-ahead score with a 62-yard rushing touchdown in 18-6 win against the Green Bay Packers in 1957.

  • Washington Redskins QB Billy Kilmer (UCLA hooper under legendary coach John Wooden in 1959-60) threw three touchdown passes in a 24-0 win against the Philadelphia Eagles in 1976. Redskins DB Joe Lavender (averaged 13.4 ppg and 6.6 rpg for San Diego State in 1969-70 and 1970-71) had an interception in his fourth consecutive contest of month.

  • OLT Frank Kinard (Ole Miss hoops letterman from 1935-36 through 1937-38) accounted for the Brooklyn Dodgers' only score with a four-yard touchdown reception in 24-7 setback against the New York Giants in 1943.

  • Tennessee Titans TE Erron Kinney (averaged 2.5 ppg and 1.3 rpg in six basketball games for Florida in 1996-97 under coach Billy Donovan) caught two first-quarter touchdown passes from Steve McNair in 31-21 setback against the Houston Texans in 2004.

  • E Eggs Manske (point guard led Northwestern to share of 1933 Big Ten Conference crown) provided the Chicago Bears' second touchdown with a 43-yard pass reception in 15-7 win against the Cleveland Rams in 1937. Three weeks earlier, Manske had a 64-yard TD catch in 24-14 setback against the Green Bay Packers.

  • Buffalo Bills TE Pete Metzelaars (averaged 19.2 ppg and 11.4 rpg for Wabash IN while setting NCAA Division III field-goal shooting records for single season as senior in 1981-82 and career) had 10 pass receptions in a 23-7 win against the Kansas City Chiefs in 1993.

  • Buffalo Bills HB Chet Mutryn (Xavier letterman in 1943) returned a punt 88 yards for touchdown in 35-14 AAFC win against the New York Yankees in 1948. Bills QB George Ratterman (third-leading scorer with 11.7 ppg for Notre Dame in 1944-45) had two second-quarter rushing TDs.

  • Chicago Cardinals FB Ernie Nevers (All-PCC second-five hoops choice for Stanford in 1924-25) rushed for six touchdowns in a 40-6 win against the Chicago Bears in 1929. Two years later, Nevers rushed for two second-quarter TDs in a 21-0 win against the Cleveland Indians in 1931.

  • Carolina Panthers DE Julius Peppers (averaged 5.7 ppg and 3.7 rpg while shooting 60.7% from floor for North Carolina in 1999-00 and 2000-01) returned an interception 46 yards for touchdown in 21-14 win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2004.

  • E Ray Poole (Ole Miss' leading hoops scorer in 1942-43 with 12.3 ppg) opened the New York Giants' scoring with a touchdown reception from QB Charlie Conerly in a 28-14 win against the Boston Yanks in 1948.

  • Philadelphia Eagles HB Bosh Pritchard (four-sport letterman for VMI) opened the game's scoring with a five-yard rushing touchdown in 17-0 win against the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1948.

  • Denver Broncos WR Rod Smith (swingman was Missouri Southern State hoops letterman as sophomore in 1990-91) caught an 85-yard touchdown pass from Jake Plummer in 25-24 setback against the Oakland Raiders in 2004.

  • Philadelphia Eagles QB Norm Snead (averaged 7.8 ppg in four Wake Forest games as senior in 1960-61) threw three touchdown passes to Pete Retzlaff in a 28-24 win against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1965.

  • Miami Dolphins DE Jason Taylor (averaged 8 ppg and 5.4 rpg for Akron in 1994-95) had three sacks in a 24-17 win against the San Francisco 49ers in 2004.