John Hannah (American football) facts for kids
Hannah in 2010
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| No. 73 | |||||||
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| Position: | Guard | ||||||
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| Born: | April 4, 1951 Canton, Georgia, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||
| Weight: | 265 lb (120 kg) | ||||||
| Career information | |||||||
| High school: | Albertville (Albertville, Alabama) | ||||||
| College: | Alabama (1970–1972) | ||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1973 / Round: 1 / Pick: 4 | ||||||
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Pro Football Hall of Fame
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College Football Hall of Fame
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John Allen Hannah (born April 4, 1951) is a famous American football player. He was nicknamed "Hog". John Hannah played as a guard in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the New England Patriots for 13 seasons.
Before joining the NFL, he played college football at the University of Alabama. There, he was named an All-American twice. The Patriots chose him as the fourth overall pick in the 1973 NFL draft. In 1981, Sports Illustrated magazine called him "the best offensive lineman of all time." Hannah was chosen for nine Pro Bowl games and seven first-team All-Pro teams. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1991. He also joined the College Football Hall of Fame in 1999. In 1991, he was the very first player to be inducted into the New England Patriots Hall of Fame.
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Early Life and High School Football
John Hannah was born in Canton, Georgia. His father, Herbert "Herb" Hannah, also played in the NFL. Herb Hannah was also an offensive lineman for the University of Alabama.
John grew up in Albertville, Alabama. He played high school football, wrestling, and track at Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tennessee. In 1967, he won a national championship in wrestling. This was at the National Prep Championship.
His high school coach, Luke Worsham, taught him a lot. Hannah thanked him in his Pro Football Hall of Fame speech. He said Coach Worsham always supported him. He also helped him get back on track when things were tough. Hannah played his last high school football season at Albertville High School. He graduated from there in 1969.
College Career at Alabama
Hannah played as a tackle and guard. He played for the University of Alabama. His coach was Paul "Bear" Bryant. John played from 1970 to 1972.
He earned All-American honors twice. First in 1971, then again in 1972. In 1972, he was a Consensus All-American. During his time, Alabama won a SEC championship. He was also named to the University of Alabama All-Century Team. He made the Alabama 1970s All-Decade team too.
While at Alabama, he also wrestled. He competed in the shot put and the discus throw. John Hannah was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1999. Coach Bryant once said Hannah was the best lineman he ever coached. Hannah earned a degree in journalism from the University of Alabama.
Professional Football Career
The New England Patriots picked Hannah in the 1973 NFL draft. He was the 4th player chosen overall. He played his entire professional career with the Patriots. Hannah was considered a bit short for an NFL player. But he made up for it with amazing speed and quickness. He also had very powerful legs.
Hannah was excellent at protecting the quarterback. He was also great at blocking for running plays. He was especially good as a pulling guard on sweeps. Hannah was very dedicated to football. He expected his teammates to be just as committed. Sometimes, he would get upset if he felt they weren't trying their best.
Hannah started the first 13 games of his rookie season in 1973. A leg injury made him miss the last game. He and tackle Leon Gray were a fantastic team. They were seen as the best guard/tackle duo in the NFL. This was during the mid to late 1970s. Gray, Hannah, and tight end Russ Francis formed a very strong group. They played on the left side of the offensive line.
In 1978, Hannah led an offensive line that set an NFL record. They rushed for 3,165 yards. This record was later broken by the Baltimore Ravens. The 1978 Patriots did not have a single player rush for 1,000 yards. But four players ran for over 500 yards. This included quarterback Steve Grogan. The 1978 team also set a record for rushing first-downs. They had 181, and this record still stands today.
Hannah rarely missed games due to injuries. He missed only five games out of 191 total. He also missed the first three games of the 1977 season. This was because he and Leon Gray held out for better contracts. In the 1985 season, Hannah helped his team. The Patriots won their first AFC title. They also made it to the Super Bowl. Hannah retired from the NFL after playing in Super Bowl XX.
Awards and Honors
Hannah was named to ten All-Pro teams in a row (1976–1985). He was also named All-AFC 11 times. He was chosen to play in 9 Pro Bowls. In 1978 and 1980, he won the Seagram's Seven Crowns of Sports Offensive Lineman of the Year award. He also won the NFLPA/Coca-Cola Offensive Lineman of the Year Award three times. This award is voted on by NFL players.
Hannah also won the Mack Truck Award five times in a row (1977–81). He is one of the few players to be on two different NFL All-Decade Teams. He was on the team for the 1970s and the 1980s. In 1994, he was chosen for the NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team. He was the top guard on that team. In 2019, Hannah was also selected for the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team.
In 1991, John Hannah became the first Patriots player to join the Pro Football Hall of Fame. In 1999, The Sporting News ranked him number 20 on their list of the 100 Greatest Football Players. He was the highest-ranked Patriot on the list. He was also the highest-ranked guard. He was the second-ranked offensive lineman overall. In 1991, he was the first player inducted into the New England Patriots Hall of Fame.
Coaching Career
After retiring, Hannah became an assistant coach. He worked at Governor Dummer Academy in Massachusetts. In 2004, he became the head coach at Somerville High School. He also worked as the city's youth development coordinator. His Somerville team had one season without any wins.
In 2005, he left to become a special assistant coach. This was at his old school, Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He stopped coaching at Baylor after their 2005 football season.
Family Life
John Hannah has two brothers, Charley and David. Both of them were also All-Conference linemen. They played for the University of Alabama. Charley Hannah played in the NFL from 1977 to 1988. He played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Los Angeles Raiders. Charley was part of the Raiders team that won Super Bowl XVIII.
In the summer of 1972, John Hannah married his high school sweetheart. Her name was Page Pickens, and she was an Alabama cheerleader. They later had a son and a daughter. Their children grew up in Boston.
See also
In Spanish: John Hannah (fútbol americano) para niños
