HomeMy WebLinkAboutCampus_JDCrowJOHN DAVID CROW
“If John David Crow doesn't win the Heisman Trophy, they ought to stop giving it.” That was Texas A&M Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant’s
assessment of his star running back, and the Heisman voters evidently agreed. On Dec. 3, 1957, Crow became A&M’s first and Bryant’s
only Heisman Trophy winner. Bryant left A&M after the season and went on to win five national championships at Alabama.
Crow was regarded as a complete football player. Early-season injuries caused him to miss several games, but he still rushed for 562
yards and six touchdowns, and also passed for five scores. Bryant even asked his staff to come up with a new statistical category for Crow
called “Players Run Over.” On defense, Crow added five interceptions in leading the team to a No. 1 national ranking, and reportedly
never missed a tackle in his three years in an A&M uniform.
He was The No. 2 overall pick in the 1958 NFL draft and had an outstanding 11-year professional career with the Chicago Cardinals, St.
Louis Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers. Crow was a four-time All-Pro selection and set Cardinal records for rushing yards, rushing
average and touchdowns. He finished his career with almost 5,000 rushing yards in the days of 12-game schedules, and his 33 pass
completions set an NFL record for a non-quarterback.
He retired in 1968 and became an assistant coach under Bryant at Alabama, then for several NFL teams. After several years as head
coach and athletic director at Northeast Louisiana (now Louisiana-Monroe) and in private business, Crow returned to A&M in 1983 as
associate athletic director. Crow was A&M’s athletic director from 1988-93, and served as a fundraiser until 2001. He was elected to the
College Football Hall of Fame in 1976. His number 44 was retired at halftime of the Aggies’ 2013 game against Alabama at Kyle Field.
Crow and his wife, Carolyn, still reside in College Station. Courtesy of John David Crow, Whitman Publishing