John David Crow
Teams
Chicago/Saint Louis Cardinals (1958-1964)
San Francisco 49ers (1965-1968)
Playoffs
Appearances - 0
Conf Champ Games - 0
Super Bowls - 0
Championships - 0
Awards and Honors
Pro Bowl - 4 (1959,1960,1962,1965)
All-Pro Second Team - 1 (1960)
All-Time Ranks
Yards per Touch - #72
Yards per Rush - #86
Total Touchdowns - #95
League Leads
Rushing Yards (#3-1960, #8-1962, #10-1959,1964)
Rushing Touchdowns (#2-1962, #3-1964, #5-1960)
Yards per Rush (#1-1960, #7-1959, #8-1966, #10-1965,1967)
Rushing Yards per Game (#3-1960, #8-1962, #10-1959,1964)
Receiving Touchdowns (#9-1965)
Yards per Reception (#9-1960, #10-1965)
Total Touchdowns (#3-1962, #9-1965, #10-1960)
Points Scored (#5-1962)
Scrimmage Yards (#1-1960, #8-1959, #9-1965)
Yards per Touch (#2-1960, #3-1965, #6-1959,1967, #9-1966)
After a college career at Texas A&M that ended with him winning the 1957 Heisman Trophy, finishing with 6 rushing and 5 passing touchdowns, John David Crow was drafted with the second overall pick in the 1958 NFL Draft by the Chicago Cardinals.
He scored a touchdown on a fumble recovery in his very first NFL game, and was named to the Pro Bowl in just his second season. After those first two seasons in Chicago, the Cardinals moved to Saint Louis, and Crow had his best pro season during that first year in Missouri. He led the league with 5.9 yards per carry, 1533 scrimmage yards, but also with 11 fumbles. He finished 3rd in MVP voting that season and was named to his only All-Pro Team.
He struggled through injuries the next year, but bounced back in 1962, scoring a career-high 17 touchdowns, while also leading the league in fumbles again with 14. He missed all but three games the following season, and struggled when he returned in 1964, leading to his leaving the Cardinals to head west and play for the 49ers.
In his first season with San Francisco, he surpassed 1000 total yards for the second time in his career, and came in 3rd in Comeback Player of the Year voting while being named to the Pro Bowl for the 4th and final time. He played 3 more seasons with the 49ers, and his production dropped each year, and in his final season he switched over to tight end before retiring.
After his playing career ended, Crow joined the coaching ranks, starting out as an assistant to his college coach, Bear Bryant, at Alabama. He also spent time as an assistant in the NFL, then 6 seasons as a head coach at Northeast Louisiana. He passed away in 2015.
His pro career may not have lived up to the hype of a Heisman winner, but he had one very good season, and was a solid player for several other years. He overcame a minor stroke at birth that left his face disfigured, and was still able to become one of the best running backs of all time.
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