Crow, John David
Football
b. July 8, 1935, Marion, LA
A 6-foot-2, 218-pound running back at Texas A & M University, Crow was a consensus All-American and winner of the Heisman Trophy as the nation's best college player in 1957. In his three years as a starter, he carried the ball 296 times for 1,455 yards, a 4.9 average, and scored 19 touchdowns.
A first-round draft choice of the NFL's Chicago Cardinals in 1958, Crow was big enough to run between the tackles and fast and shifty enough to be a dangerous open-field runner. In his first regular season game as a professional, he ran 83 yards for a touchdown.
The Cardinals moved to St. Louis for the 1960 season, when Crow led the NFL in rushing average, with 5.9 yards per attempt. He was traded to the San Francisco 49ers in 1965 and retired after the 1968 season. Crow played in four Pro Bowls.
In his 11 years as a professional, Crow gained 4,963 yards on 1,157 attempts, a 4.3 average, and 38 touchdowns. He had 258 pass receptions for 3,699 yards, a 14.3 average, and 35 touchdowns.
Crow was football coach and athletic director at Northeast Louisiana University from 1975 through 1980, compiling a 20-34-1 record.
