John David Crow facts for kids
Crow in 2012 at Kyle Field
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| Position: | Halfback, Fullback, Tight end |
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| Personal information | |||||||||||
| Born: | July 8, 1935 Marion, Louisiana, U.S. |
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| Died: | June 17, 2015 (aged 79) Bryan, Texas, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||||
| Weight: | 220 lb (100 kg) | ||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||
| High school: | Springhill (Springhill, Louisiana) | ||||||||||
| College: | Texas A&M (1955–1957) | ||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1958 / Round: 1 / Pick: 2 | ||||||||||
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College Football Hall of Fame
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John David Crow Sr. (July 8, 1935 – June 17, 2015) was a famous American football player, coach, and college sports leader. He is best known for winning the Heisman Trophy in 1957. This award goes to the most outstanding college football player in the United States. He played as a halfback for the Texas A&M Aggies team.
After his college career, John David Crow played professional football in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the Chicago / St. Louis Cardinals and the San Francisco 49ers from 1958 to 1968. Later, he became a football coach and an athletic director at different universities. He was honored by being inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1976.
Contents
Early Life and High School
John David Crow was born in Marion, Louisiana. He grew up in Springhill, Louisiana, which is near the Arkansas state line. He went to Springhill High School and graduated in 1954.
College Football Career
John David Crow played college football at Texas A&M under legendary coach Paul "Bear" Bryant. When he first joined in 1954, he was a freshman. Back then, freshmen couldn't play on the main varsity team.
Key Moments at Texas A&M
In 1956, Crow was part of the first Aggie football team to beat the University of Texas at their home stadium. This was a big achievement for the team.
Winning the Heisman Trophy
In his final year, 1957, the Aggies started strong, winning their first eight games. They were even ranked number one in the country! Even though Crow was injured early in the season, he still played in seven games. He ran for 562 yards and scored six touchdowns. He also caught two passes and threw for five touchdowns. On defense, he intercepted the ball five times.
Coach Bryant famously said, "If John David Crow doesn’t win the Heisman Trophy, they ought to stop giving it." And he was right! Crow won the Heisman Trophy on December 3, 1957. He was the first player from Texas A&M to win this prestigious award. He was also the only player coached by Bear Bryant to win the Heisman.
Professional Football Career
After college, John David Crow was chosen as the second overall pick in the 1958 NFL Draft by the Chicago Cardinals. He played for eleven seasons in the NFL and was selected for the Pro Bowl four times.
Playing for the Cardinals
In his first season, Crow played in seven games. He rushed for 221 yards and caught 20 passes for 362 yards, scoring five touchdowns. In his second year, he improved greatly, playing in twelve games and gaining 994 total yards. He scored seven touchdowns and was chosen for the Pro Bowl.
In 1960, the team moved and became the St. Louis Cardinals. That year, Crow had his best rushing season, gaining 1,071 yards. He led the league in yards per carry (5.9) and total yards from scrimmage (1,533). He also had his only 200-yard rushing game, running for 203 yards against Pittsburgh. He was again named to the Pro Bowl.
In 1962, he played in fourteen games and scored a career-high seventeen touchdowns. He had an amazing game on December 12, 1962, scoring four touchdowns against the Philadelphia Eagles. This was the only time he scored four touchdowns in a single game.
Joining the San Francisco 49ers
In 1965, Crow moved to the San Francisco 49ers. He continued to play well, rushing for 514 yards and catching 28 passes for 493 yards. He made his fourth and final Pro Bowl that year. He played for the 49ers until 1968. In his final season, he mainly played as a tight end, catching 31 passes for 531 yards and five touchdowns.
Throughout his NFL career, John David Crow scored 74 touchdowns. He rushed for 4,963 yards and caught 258 passes for 3,699 yards in 125 games.
Coaching and Athletic Director Roles
After his playing days, John David Crow became a coach.
Coaching Career Highlights
From 1969 to 1971, he was the offensive backfield coach at Alabama under his former college coach, Bear Bryant. He then worked as an assistant coach for the Cleveland Browns and the San Diego Chargers.
In 1975, Crow became the head football coach and athletic director at Northeast Louisiana University (now the University of Louisiana at Monroe). He coached the football team for five seasons, from 1976 to 1980.
Leading Texas A&M Athletics
In 1983, Crow returned to his old university, Texas A&M, as an assistant athletic director. He was promoted to athletic director in 1988 and held that position until 1993. As athletic director, he was in charge of all sports programs at the university.
Awards and Later Life
John David Crow received many honors throughout his life.
Recognitions and Achievements
He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1976. In 2004, he received the Doak Walker Legends Award, which honors college football running backs who had great careers and became community leaders. He was also inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in 1976. A street on the campus of Texas A&M University is named after him. In 2009, a large bronze statue of Crow was placed at Texas A&M University.
John David Crow retired in College Station, Texas. He passed away on June 17, 2015, at the age of 79. He was married to his high school sweetheart, Carolyn Gilliam, for over 60 years. They had two daughters and several grandchildren.
