John Wooten

Last updated

John Wooten
No. 60, 67
Position: Guard
Personal information
Born: (1936-12-05) December 5, 1936 (age 87)
Riverview, Texas, U.S.
Height:6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight:235 lb (107 kg)
Career information
High school: Carlsbad (Carlsbad, New Mexico)
College: Colorado
NFL draft: 1959  / Round: 5 / Pick: 53
Career history
As a player:
As an executive:
Career highlights and awards
As a player:

As an executive:

Career NFL statistics
Games played:136
Fumbles recovered:3
Player stats at PFR

John B. Wooten (born December 5, 1936) is an American former professional football player who was a guard for nine seasons in the National Football League (NFL) for the Cleveland Browns and Washington Redskins. Wooten played college football for the Colorado Buffaloes and was selected in the fifth round of the 1959 NFL Draft.

Contents

Early life

Wooten was born in Riverview, Texas. [1] His family then moved to Carlsbad, New Mexico and he attended segregated schools through the 9th grade, before attending the newly-integrated Carlsbad High School. [1] Wooten first played high school football as a sophomore in 1952, and he eventually earned All-State honors in football and basketball. [1] He received offers to play football at Dartmouth College, Florida A&M University, UCLA, the University of New Mexico and New Mexico State University, but chose to go to the University of Colorado at Boulder instead. [1]

College career

Wooten attended and played college football at the University of Colorado at Boulder. He joined the team in 1955 and became the second African-American varsity football player in the program's history (Franklin Clarke was the first). [1] As a senior, Wooten earned American Football Coaches Association All-America honors and was selected to play in the Chicago College All-Star Game. He is believed to be one of the first African-Americans to earn All-America honors playing a position in the interior line. [1] He graduated in 1959 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Education.

Honors

Wooten was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2012. [2] He was also selected as one of 25 members of Colorado's All-Century Team in 1989, honoring the school’s first 100 years of intercollegiate football. [1]

Professional career

Cleveland Browns

Wooten was drafted in the fifth round (53rd overall) of the 1959 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns, where he would play left guard for the next nine seasons. During that time, he blocked for Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown, widely regarded as one of the top running backs in NFL history. Brown led the league in rushing for six of the seven seasons Wooten served as one of his blockers, and was the NFL Most Valuable Player in 1965 with 1,544 yards and a league-best 21 touchdowns. [1] The Browns defeated the Baltimore Colts, 27–0, to win the 1964 NFL Championship Game. They also played in the 1965 NFL Championship Game and lost to the Green Bay Packers, 23–12. In 1979, he was named to the Browns All-Time All-Star Team. In 2010, Wooten was inducted into the Browns Ring of Honor, as well as the Browns Legends program. [1]

Washington Redskins

In July 1968, Wooten demanded a trade from the Browns after a dispute with the organization involving an all-white Browns' golf outing in Ashland, Ohio. [3] On July 19, 1968, he was released from the Browns by owner Art Modell. The Washington Redskins signed Wooten in August, and he played his final year with them.

Front office

After retiring from football, Wooten worked for a short time as a sports agent at Pro Sports Advisors from 1973 to 1975. He then became a scout with the Dallas Cowboys from 1975 to 1979. He was promoted to Director of Pro Personnel in 1980. In 1992, he moved to the role of Player Personnel with the Philadelphia Eagles. He was promoted to Vice President of Player Personnel in 1994. In 1998, he moved to the Baltimore Ravens Assistant Director of Pro and College Scouting. In 2000, he began to prepare for his eventual retirement, taking a step back to work as a consultant with the Ravens until 2003. [1]

Currently he is a "Football GM & Scouting" instructor for the online sports-career training school Sports Management Worldwide, founded and run by Dr. Lynn Lashbrook. [4]

Fritz Pollard Alliance

In 2003, Wooten became the Chairman of the Fritz Pollard Alliance, an advocacy group who works in conjunction with the National Football League as it relates to minority hiring in coaching, scouting and front office positions. [1]

Personal life

Wooten is a resident of Arlington, Texas, where he lives with his wife. They have five children and five grandchildren. [1]

Awards and honors

NFL

Halls of Fame

State/local

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Antwaan Randle El</span> American football player and coach (born 1979)

Antwaan Randle El is an American football coach and former player who currently serves as the wide receivers coach for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football as a quarterback for the Indiana Hoosiers, earning first-team All-American honors in 2001. He also played basketball and baseball for the Hoosiers. He was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second round of the 2002 NFL draft. Playing with the Steelers for four seasons as a wide receiver and return specialist, he was active in all 64 regular season games with 23 starts. He was also instrumental in a number of trick plays, including throwing a touchdown pass as a wide receiver for the Steelers in Super Bowl XL, the only wide receiver in Super Bowl history to do so.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earnest Byner</span> American football player and coach (born 1962)

Earnest Alexander Byner is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the East Carolina Pirates. He is now the running back coach of Out-of-Door Academy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ozzie Newsome</span> American football player and executive (born 1956)

Ozzie Newsome Jr. is an American professional football executive and former player who is the executive vice president of player personnel of the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). Newsome was a tight end for the NFL's Cleveland Browns, and was general manager of the Ravens from 1996 to 2018. Newsome has been inducted into both the College Football Hall of Fame (1994) and the Pro Football Hall of Fame (1999), and is widely regarded as one of the greatest tight ends of all time.

Cornell Desmond Brown is an American football coach and former American college and professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons. He played college football for Virginia Tech, and earned All-American honors twice. Drafted late in the sixth round of the 1997 NFL Draft, he played professionally for the NFL's Baltimore Ravens. In 2013, Brown was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame.

Phillip Savage Jr. is an American football executive, author and media personality, who currently serves as the Senior Football Advisor for the New York Jets. In 2019 he was the general manager for the Arizona Hotshots of the Alliance of American Football (AAF). He was the senior vice president and general manager of the Browns from 2005 to 2008. He served as director of player personnel for the Baltimore Ravens under general manager Ozzie Newsome, a former Browns' player and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, from 2003 to 2004. He was a scout for the Browns from 1993 to 1995. He was also the former general manager of the Cleveland Browns and the executive director for the Senior Bowl.Phil Savage also served as the color announcer for The Alabama Crimson Tide alongside Eli Gold for several years with the Crimson Tide Sports Network, and worked as a guest host, for Sirius XM Sports Radio for several years, before joining the NY Jets. Phil Savage was also on ESPN for several years as a guest host.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brad Maynard</span> American football player (born 1974)

Bradley Alan Maynard is an American former professional football punter in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Ball State Cardinals, twice earning consensus All-American honors. Maynard was selected by the New York Giants in the third round of the 1997 NFL draft, and was also a member of the Chicago Bears, the Houston Texans and the Cleveland Browns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eric Metcalf</span> American football player (born 1968)

Eric Quinn Metcalf is an American former professional football player in the National Football League (NFL) for the Cleveland Browns, Atlanta Falcons, San Diego Chargers, Arizona Cardinals, Carolina Panthers, Washington Redskins and Green Bay Packers. He was a three-time Pro Bowl selection for the Browns and the Chargers. He was also the 1988 US Track and Field Champion in the long jump and a two-time NCAA Champion in the same event at Texas. His father Terry was a running back for the St. Louis Cardinals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ted Marchibroda</span> American football player and coach (1931–2016)

Theodore Joseph Marchibroda was an American professional football player and head coach in the National Football League (NFL). He played four years in the NFL as a quarterback with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Chicago Cardinals (1957). He was later head coach of the Colts in two different cities and decades, first in Baltimore during the 1970s and then Indianapolis during the 1990s. Upon joining the Baltimore Ravens in a similar capacity in 1996, he became the only individual to serve as head coach with both of Baltimore's NFL teams and gained the unusual distinction of having three stints as an NFL head coach for two franchises in two cities, but with no two of those tenures being for the same franchise in the same city. His career coaching record was 87–98–1 (.470) and 2–4 in the playoffs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eric Turner (American football)</span> American football player (1968–2000)

Eric Ray Turner was an American professional football player who was a safety for the Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens and Oakland Raiders in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the UCLA Bruins, earning All-American honors in 1990. Turner was selected by Cleveland with the second overall pick of the 1991 NFL Draft. He died of stomach cancer at the age of 31.

Richard Blair Modzelewski was an American football defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL) for the Washington Redskins, Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Giants, and the Cleveland Browns. He also served as interim head coach of the Browns in the final game of the 1977 season. Modzelewski was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1993.

Franklin Clarke was an American football wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for the Cleveland Browns and Dallas Cowboys. He played college football at the University of Colorado.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anthony Poindexter</span> American football player and coach (born 1976)

Anthony Scott Poindexter is an American football coach and former safety, who is the current safeties coach for the Penn State Nittany Lions. He played college football at Virginia from 1995 to 1998 for head coach George Welsh, and earned All-American honors. He then played in the National Football League (NFL) for the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns from 1999 to 2001.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim Martin (American football)</span> American football player (1924–2002)

James Richard "Jungle Jim" Martin was an American football guard, linebacker and placekicker who played fourteen seasons in the National Football League (NFL) in the 1950s and 1960s, mainly for the Detroit Lions. He was selected to the Pro Bowl, the NFL's all-star game, after the 1961 season, and went on to be an assistant coach after his playing career. He was an All-American at the University of Notre Dame and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1995.

Lionel Vital is a former American football running back in the National Football League (NFL) for the Washington Redskins, Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions. He is currently the General Manager of the Houston Roughnecks of the United Football League (UFL). He was a member of the Calgary Stampeders and Saskatchewan Roughriders in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He also was a scout and director of personnel in the NFL. He played college football at Nicholls State University.

Matthew Jason Russell is an American football executive who currently serves as a senior personnel executive for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He formerly served as the Director of Player Personnel for the Denver Broncos of the NFL. Russell also was a former professional football player who was a linebacker in the NFL for a single season. He played college football for the Colorado Buffaloes, earned consensus All-American honors and won the Butkus Award as the top linebacker in America. He played professionally for the NFL's Detroit Lions from 1997 to 1999.

Ronald Joseph Marciniak was an American gridiron football player, coach, and scout. He played professionally as a guard in the National Football League (NFL) for the Washington Redskins and in the Canadian Football League (CFL) for the Toronto Argonauts. Marciniak was the head football coach at the University of Dayton from 1973 to 1976. He played college football at Kansas State University.

George Kokinis is an American football football executive who is the vice president of player personnel for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the general manager of the Cleveland Browns in 2009. Kokinis began his NFL scouting career with the Browns in 1991 and stayed with the team upon their rebranding as the Ravens in 1996.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dennis Pitta</span> American football player (born 1985)

Dennis Gregory Pitta Jr. is an American former professional football player who was a tight end for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the BYU Cougars, earning consensus All-American honors in 2009. He was selected by the Ravens in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft. After two strong seasons in the National Football League (NFL), Pitta suffered a hip injury in 2013 and played only occasionally until 2016, when he set a career high in receiving yards. A further injury in 2017 ended his career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kevin Hogan</span> American football player (born 1992)

Kevin Michael Hogan is an American football quarterback for the San Antonio Brahmas of the United Football League (UFL). He played college football for the Stanford Cardinal and was their starting quarterback from 2012 to 2015. He was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the fifth round of the 2016 NFL draft, and has also been a member of the Cleveland Browns, Washington Redskins, Denver Broncos, Cincinnati Bengals, Tennessee Titans, and Houston Texans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tim Temerario</span> American football player (1906–2001)

Carmel Arthur "Tim" Temerario was a high school, college and professional American football coach and executive. He was an assistant coach for the Detroit Lions, Cleveland Browns and Washington Redskins, and served as the Redskins' director of player personnel between 1965 and 1978.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "John Wooten Named To College Football Hall Of Fame". University of Colorado at Boulder . May 15, 2012. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved 2015-05-07.
  2. ↑ "John Wooten". College Football Hall of Fame . Football Foundation. Retrieved 2015-05-07.
  3. ↑ "Ryan Cut by Browns; Free to Deal". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel . September 10, 1969. p. 9. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
  4. ↑ "John Wooten | SMWW Mentor | Arlington, Texas". www.sportsmanagementworldwide.com. Retrieved 2020-12-07.
  5. ↑ "Unveiled statue honors Muhammad Ali, other athletes at 1967 Cleveland Summit". Yahoo!. Yahoo staff. Retrieved October 11, 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.