| Number: | 23, 44, 20 |
| Birth Date: | 4 June 1931 |
| Birth Place: | New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Death Place: | New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Height Ft: | 5 |
| Height In: | 11 |
| Weight Lb: | 186 |
| High School: | Jesuit (Louisiana) |
| College: | Notre Dame |
| Draftyear: | 1952 |
| Draftround: | 7 |
| Draftpick: | 74 |
| Pastteams: | |
| Highlights: | |
| Statlabel1: | Games played |
| Statvalue1: | 47 |
| Statlabel2: | Interceptions |
| Statvalue2: | 8 |
| Statlabel3: | Fumbles recovered |
| Statvalue3: | 4 |
| Pfr: | PetiJo20 |
John Petitbon (June 4, 1931 – November 11, 2006) was an American football player.
A native of New Orleans, Louisiana, Petitbon was a three-sport star in baseball, basketball, and football at Jesuit High School. He was named the Louisiana All-State Most Valuable Player in football in 1946, and led Jesuit with 18 touchdowns in 1946 and 17 in 1947.[1] He played college football at Notre Dame under coach Frank Leahy, and was a member of Notre Dame's 1949 national championship team as a sophomore safety. Moved to halfback for his final two years, he amassed 1,432 yards of total offense and 10 touchdowns during those seasons, and was named a Collier's Weekly All-American in 1950. He was chosen to play in the College All-Star Game and the East-West Shrine Game after his senior season in 1951.[2]
Petitbon was selected as a defensive back in the seventh round of the 1952 NFL draft by the New York Yanks, who became the Dallas Texans for the 1952 season.[3] Petitbon, however, joined the United States Marine Corps and served in the Korean War.[4] Before the 1953 season, the Texans, who had become the Baltimore Colts, traded him to the Cleveland Browns as part of a 15-player deal, the second-largest trade in NFL history, in which the Colts received, among other players, defensive back Don Shula.[5] After returning from the Marines, Petitbon played for the Browns and was a member of their 1955 NFL championship team. Petitbon was traded to the Green Bay Packers in 1957 and retired after that season.[6]
Petitbon was selected for the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and the Louisiana High School Sports Hall of Fame, as was his younger brother Richie Petitbon, a former NFL player and coach.
After leaving football, John Petitbon entered the insurance business. He died of Alzheimer's disease in New Orleans on November 11, 2006.