Karras, Alexander G.
Football
b. July 15, 1935, Gary, IN
A fullback in high school, Karras was moved to tackle when he entered the University of Iowa in 1954. He was a consensus All-American in 1957, his senior season, and he won the Outland Trophy as the nation's outstanding college lineman.
Karras was the first-round draft choice of the NFL's Detroit Lions in 1958. He immediately became a starting defensive tackle. Smaller than most other tackles at 6-foot-2 and 248 pounds, Karras used intelligence, agility, and aggressiveness to become an All-Pro three consecutive years, from 1960 through 1962.
On April 17, 1963, Karras and Green Bay Packer halfback Paul Hornung were suspended indefinitely for betting on games. Karras took a defiant attitude at first. Ordered to stay away from a bar called Lindell's AC, he instead bought a one-third interest in the business and worked there as a bartender. He also wrestled professionally.
Karras finally agreed to sell his share in January of 1964 and made a public apology, saying, "Everybody always wanted me to be sorry, I guess, and I am. And I'm tired of it. And I want to play football and, well, if I can't I'll have to do something else."
The suspension was lifted before the 1964 season. Karras returned to the Lions and played with them through 1970 before retiring. Since then, he spent three years working as an analyst on "Monday Night Football" and has done a considerable amount of acting in movies and television shows.