On This Date: Former College Hoopers Tackling December 10 NFL Gridiron

December 10th, 2023 - 9:19

Long before kneeling knuckleheads such as ill-informed GQ poster boy #ColonKrapernick and his supporters spurring politicized multiple anthems and league funding anti-cop activist groups, 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 who promptly were 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 December 10 in football at the professional level (especially in 1933):

DECEMBER 10

  • New York Giants B Len Barnum (West Virginia Wesleyan hooper) had an interception in 27-0 setback against the Green Bay Packers in 1939 NFL championship game.

  • Miami Dolphins rookie WR Chris Chambers (played hoops briefly for Wisconsin under coach Dick Bennett in 1997-98) caught two touchdown passes in a 41-6 win against the Indianapolis Colts in 2001.

  • New York Giants QB Randy Dean (played in two hoop games in 1973-74 under Northwestern coach Tex Winter) threw his lone NFL touchdown pass in a 17-0 win against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1978.

  • Chicago Cardinals B-PK John "Paddy" Driscoll (Northwestern hoops letterman in 1916) accounted for all of game's scoring with three field goals in a 9-0 win against the Chicago Bears in 1922.

  • Seattle Seahawks OT George Fant (Western Kentucky's leading rebounder from 2012-13 through 2014-15 when earning all-conference acclaim each season) opened second half by catching a pass for nine yards in 2018 game against the Minnesota Vikings.

  • San Diego Chargers TE Antonio Gates (second-team All-MAC selection in 2002 when Kent State finished runner-up in South Regional) caught two first-half touchdown passes from Philip Rivers in a 48-20 win against the Denver Broncos in 2006.

  • 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 45-21 win against the Washington Redskins in 1950.

  • Cleveland Rams WR Ray Hamilton (Arkansas letterman for two SWC hoop champions from 1936 through 1938) caught a 70-yard touchdown pass in 26-13 setback against the Philadelphia Eagles in 1944.

  • 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 24-3 setback against the Baltimore Ravens in 2000.

  • Houston Texans WR DeAndre Hopkins (played in seven hoop games for Clemson in 2010-11) had 11 pass receptions - including two for touchdowns - in a 26-16 setback against the San Francisco 49ers in 2017.

  • Jacksonville Jaguars rookie WR Willie Jackson (started five hoops games for Florida in 1989-90) caught two fourth-quarter touchdown passes from Mark Brunell in a 41-31 setback against the Indianapolis Colts in 1995.

  • Denver Broncos QB Charley Johnson (transferred from Schreiner J.C. to New Mexico State to play hoops before concentrating on football) threw two first-half touchdown passes in a 30-23 win against the Oakland Raiders in 1972.

  • Pittsburgh Steelers QB Bobby Layne (Texas hooper in 1944-45) threw four touchdown passes in a 30-14 win against the Washington Redskins in 1961.

  • Chicago Cardinals rookie B Ike Mahoney (Creighton hooper in early 1920s) caught a 35-yard touchdown pass from Red Dunn (four-time Marquette hoops letterman first half of 1920s) in 59-0 win against the Milwaukee Badgers in 1925.

  • Rookie WR Bob McChesney (Hardin-Simmons TX hoops letterman in 1945-46) scored the New York Giants' only touchdown by catching a pass from Charlie Conerly in 9-7 win against the Philadelphia Eagles in 1950.

  • Philadelphia Eagles QB Donovan McNabb (averaged 2.3 points in 18 games for Syracuse in 1995-96 and 1996-97) completed 23-of-36 passes for 390 yards and four touchdowns in a 35-24 win against the Cleveland Browns in 2000.

  • New York Jets TE Keith Neubert (scored in all five NIT games for Nebraska's third-place finisher in 1987 when averaging 4.9 ppg and 3 rpg while shooting 50.4% from floor) caught a career-high six passes in 13-0 setback against the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1989.

  • New York Giants rookie B Kink Richards (Simpson IA hoops letterman) scored two second-half touchdowns in a 20-14 win against the Philadelphia Eagles in 1933.

  • Indianapolis Colts rookie WR Andre Rison (backup hoops guard for Michigan State in 1987-88) had five pass receptions for 135 yards in a 23-17 win against the Cleveland Browns in 1989.

  • Rookie B Gene Ronzani (among Marquette's top four scorers in 1931-32 and 1932-33) scored the Chicago Bears' lone touchdown with a 42-yard pass reception from Keith Molesworth (three-year hoops letterman for Monmouth IL in late 1920s) in 7-6 win against the Green Bay Packers in 1933.

  • New England Patriots WR Reggie Rucker (averaged 6.8 ppg and 3.8 rpg for Boston University in 1966-67) caught two second-quarter touchdown passes from Jim Plunkett in a 17-10 win against the New Orleans Saints in 1972.

  • New York Giants WR Del Shofner (Baylor hoops letterman in 1956) had three touchdown receptions in a 28-24 win against the Philadelphia Eagles in 1961.

  • 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 nine pass receptions for 171 yards in a 41-33 AFL setback against the Los Angeles Chargers in 1960.

  • Chicago Bears WR Kendall Wright (Baylor hooper as freshman in 2008-09) had 10 pass receptions in a 33-7 win against the Cincinnati Bengals in 2017. Bears rookie TE Adam Shaheen (averaged 5.5 ppg and 3.1 rpg for Pitt-Johnstown 2013-14) caught four passes for 44 yards and one touchdown.