On This NFL Date: Former College Hoopers Ready to Tackle October 6 Gridiron

October 6th, 2021 - 8:29

Long before kneeling knuckleheads and 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 do-everything members of a league championship basketball squad who promptly were among the top 41 selections in the 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 October 6 football at the professional level (especially in 1963):

OCTOBER 6

  • Boston Redskins RB Cliff Battles (four seasons of varsity hoops for West Virginia Wesleyan) contributed an 85-yard kickoff return for touchdown against the New York Giants in 1935. Giants TB Ed Danowski (Fordham hoops letterman in 1932-33) threw two of his league-high 10 TD passes in second quarter to B Dale Burnett (two-time all-conference hooper for Emporia State KS) in a 20-12 win.

  • Kansas City Chiefs LB Bobby Bell (first African-American hooper for Minnesota in 1960-61) returned an interception 28 yards for touchdown in 17-14 setback against the Denver Broncos in 1974.

  • Kansas City Chiefs QB Len Dawson (Purdue hooper in 1956-57) threw four touchdown passes in a 28-7 AFL win against the Houston Oilers in 1963.

  • Chicago Cardinals E Billy Dewell (three-time All-SWC first-team hoops pick for SMU in late 1930s) had one of his league-high seven pass reception touchdowns - 82 yards from Paul Christman - in a 34-17 setback against the Chicago Bears in 1946.

  • Oakland Raiders rookie 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 Jeff Hostetler in a 34-13 win against the New York Jets in 1996.

  • Capping off four consecutive contests with at least 100 receiving yards, 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 10 passes for 135 yards in a 26-18 win against the Chicago Bears in 2013.

  • Los Angeles Rams rookie B Tom Harmon (averaged 7.6 ppg as sophomore in 1938-39 when leading Michigan in scoring in five contests) returned an interception 85 yards for touchdown in 21-17 win against the Green Bay Packers in 1946.

  • Philadelphia Eagles QB King Hill (Rice hoops letterman in 1955-56 and 1956-57) threw two touchdown passes in a 24-21 win against the Dallas Cowboys in 1963.

  • 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) passed for 318 yards and three touchdowns in a 38-35 setback against the Indianapolis Colts in 2003.

  • St. Louis Cardinals QB Charley Johnson (transferred from Schreiner J.C. to New Mexico State to play hoops before concentrating on football) threw three second-half touchdown passes to WR Sonny Randle (scoreless in seven basketball games in Virginia's third season in ACC in 1955-56) in a 56-14 win against the Minnesota Vikings in 1963.

  • Green Bay Packers RB Aaron Jones (collected six points and six assists in eight basketball games for Texas-El Paso in 2013-14 under coach Tim Floyd) rushed for four of his league-high 16 touchdowns in a 34-24 win against the Dallas Cowboys in 2019.

  • Dallas Cowboys DE Ed "Too Tall" Jones (backup center averaged 1.7 ppg and 2.6 rpg for Tennessee State in 1969-70 and 1970-71) had 2 1/2 sacks in a 30-29 win against the New York Giants in 1985.

  • New Orleans Saints QB Billy Kilmer (hooper under legendary UCLA coach John Wooden in 1959-60) threw two first-half touchdown passes in a 38-21 setback against the New York Giants in 1968.

  • Detroit Lions QB Bobby Layne (Texas hooper in 1944-45) threw two first-quarter touchdown passes in a 31-14 win against the Baltimore Colts in 1956.

  • Miami Dolphins rookie RB Jerris McPhail (starting point guard for Mount Olive NC with 11 ppg in early 1990s) rushed once for 10 yards and had career highs of six pass receptions and 86 receiving yards in a 22-15 setback against the Seattle Seahawks in 1996.

  • San Francisco 49ers rookie 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 two touchdown passes from Y.A. Tittle in a 23-20 win against the Los Angeles Rams in 1957.

  • Posting a career-high 117 rushing yards, a nine-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter by RB Preston Pearson (swingman averaged 8.7 ppg and 6 rpg as Illinois senior in 1966-67) propelled the Pittsburgh Steelers to 13-7 win against the Houston Oilers in 1974.

  • New York Titans WR Art Powell (averaged 10.5 ppg and 8.2 rpg for San Jose State in 1956-57) caught 11 passes for 162 yards in a 43-14 AFL setback against the Boston Patriots in 1962.

  • Philadelphia Eagles HB Bosh Pritchard (four-sport letterman for VMI) scored two touchdowns (68-yard rush and 35-yard pass reception) in a 49-25 win against the Boston Yanks in 1946.

  • New England Patriots WR Reggie Rucker (averaged 6.8 ppg and 3.8 rpg for Boston University in 1966-67) caught two touchdown passes from Jim Plunkett in a 42-3 win against the Baltimore Colts in 1974.

  • Denver Broncos WR Rod Smith (swingman was Missouri Southern State hoops letterman as sophomore in 1990-91) caught five passes for 130 yards in a 34-13 win against the New England Patriots in 1997.

  • Dallas Cowboys QB Roger Staubach (Navy varsity hooper in 1962-63) threw two fourth-quarter touchdown passes in a 36-10 win against the Detroit Lions in 1975.

  • Washington Redskins rookie HB Ed Sutton (seven games for North Carolina as sophomore in 1954-55) rushed for two third-quarter touchdowns in a 37-14 win against the Chicago Cardinals in 1957.

  • Denver Broncos SE Lionel Taylor (led New Mexico Highlands in scoring average with 13.6 ppg in 1955-56 and 20.3 in 1956-57) had seven pass receptions for 142 yards - including two touchdowns - in a 50-34 win against the San Diego Chargers in 1963.

  • Denver Broncos TE Julius Thomas (averaged 6.8 ppg and 4.3 rpg while shooting 66.3% from floor with Portland State from 2006-07 through 2009-10) caught nine passes for 122 yards - including two first-half touchdowns from Peyton Manning - in a 51-48 win against the Dallas Cowboys in 2013.