Mackey, John
Football
b. Sept. 24, 1941, New York, NY
When Mike Ditka became the first tight end inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1988, he asked why Mackey wasn't there ahead of him. The answer was simple: Mackey's involvement in the NFL Players Association had alienated the pro football establishment. He was finally inducted in 1992.
Mackey was a halfback in his first two seasons at Syracuse University but was moved to end as a junior in 1961. He was chosen in the second round of the 1963 NFL draft by the Baltimore Colts. The 6-foot-2, 220-pound Mackey was lighter than most tight ends, but he was a crushing blocker and he had a good turn of speed that often enabled him to get open for a pass deep down the middle of the field. He averaged more than 20 yards per catch in 1963 and 1965.
An All-Pro from 1966 through 1968, Mackey lost some speed after a knee operation in 1970, but he made the biggest play in Super Bowl V after that season, scoring a 75-yard touchdown on a tipped pass in Baltimore's 16-13 win over the Dallas Cowboys.
Also in 1970, Mackey became president of the Players Association and was a major force behind the strike of 1971. He also brought a suit against the NFL that resulted in the "Rozelle rule" being voided. (The rule required a team to compensate another team for acquiring a player who had played out his option year.)
Mackey ended his career in 1972 with the San Diego Chargers. In his 10 seasons in the NFL, Mackey had 331 receptions for 5,238 yards, a 16.2 average, and 39 touchdowns. He also carried the ball 10 times for 103 yards.
