John McCrumbly explained

Number:57
Position:Linebacker
Birth Date:28 July 1952
Birth Place:Dallas, Texas, U.S.
Height Ft:6
Weight Lb:245
Height In:1
High School:Woodrow Wilson (TX)
College:Texas A&M
Draftyear:1975
Draftround:5
Draftpick:115
Teams:
Pfr:McCrJo20

John Paul McCrumbly (born July 28, 1952) is a former American football linebacker. After playing college football at Tyler Junior College and Texas A&M University, McCrumbly played a season for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL) in 1975.

Early life

McCrumbly played linebacker and fullback at Woodrow Wilson High School in Dallas in the school's early days of racial integration. He made the varsity football team as a sophomore.[1] He became the school's first black football star. When McCrumbly was a junior, he rushed for more than 1,900 yards and scored 19 touchdowns as Woodrow Wilson made it to the state semifinals. He was a consensus all-state selection in 1970.[2]

McCrumbly subsequently played linebacker for Tyler Junior College, where he was a second-team National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) All-American in 1971 and 1972. The 1972 Tyler Junior College team led the NJCAA in total defense.[3] McCrumbly then played linebacker at Texas A&M University, where he played alongside linebackers Garth TenNapel and Ed Simonini.[4]

Career

After being drafted by the NFL's Buffalo Bills in the fifth round (115th selection overall) of the 1975 NFL draft, McCrumbly played 13 games for the Bills at linebacker that season, starting two games.[5] McCrumbly moved into a weak group of linebackers with the Bills; he played next to Bo Cornell, who was changing positions from running back, and John Skorupan, an established linebacker who had been hurt in 1974. Buffalo released McCrumbly on waivers in August 1976 after not playing in the team's last two preseason games.[6] [7]

After his season in the NFL, McCrumbly came back to Texas and began a long career in security with the Dallas Independent School District.[8] As of 2011, he lived in the Dallas neighborhood where he grew up.[9]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Football and Integration in Plano, Texas: Stay in There, Wildcats!. 2014. The History Press. Charleston. 9781626195011. 40. September 6, 2014.
  2. News: Peeler. Tom. Sports gridiron greats. September 5, 2014. D Magazine. November 1981.
  3. Book: 2009 NJCAA Football Media Guide. National Junior College Athletic Association. September 6, 2014.
  4. News: Woodling. Chuck. Aggies aren't big, they're huge. Lawrence Journal World. October 3, 1974.
  5. Web site: John McCrumbly. Pro-Football-Reference.com. September 5, 2014.
  6. News: Bills waive Aggie product. Corpus Christi Times. August 18, 1976.
  7. News: Rams release Mack Herron . The Tampa Tribune . August 19, 1978 . en.
  8. Web site: In early days of integration, Woodrow player set the tone. Dallas Morning News. September 5, 2014. May 3, 2009.
  9. Web site: Mitchell . Keri . 40 years of DISD desegregation . Advocate . July 22, 2011 . June 11, 2020 . November 8, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171108093855/https://lakewood.advocatemag.com/2011/07/22/a-gray-matter/ . dead .