Otto Graham
No. 60, 14 | |||||||||||||||||
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Position: | Quarterback | ||||||||||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
Born: | Waukegan, Illinois, U.S. | December 6, 1921||||||||||||||||
Died: | December 17, 2003 Sarasota, Florida, U.S. | (aged 82)||||||||||||||||
Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||||||||||||
Weight: | 196 lb (89 kg) | ||||||||||||||||
Career information | |||||||||||||||||
High school: | Waukegan | ||||||||||||||||
College: | Northwestern (1941–1943) | ||||||||||||||||
NFL draft: | 1944 / Round: 1 / Pick: 4 | ||||||||||||||||
Career history | |||||||||||||||||
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As a coach: | |||||||||||||||||
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As an executive: | |||||||||||||||||
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Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||||
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Career AAFC/NFL statistics | |||||||||||||||||
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Head coaching record | |||||||||||||||||
Career: | NFL: 17–22–3 (.440) | ||||||||||||||||
Player stats at NFL.com · PFR | |||||||||||||||||
Coaching stats at PFR | |||||||||||||||||
Executive profile at PFR | |||||||||||||||||
Otto Everett Graham Jr. (December 6, 1921 – December 17, 2003) was an American professional
Graham grew up in
Early life and college career
Born into a family of four boys in Waukegan, Illinois, Graham set a first state record at birth weighing 14 lbs 12 oz.[2] Graham's first interest growing up was music; both parents were music teachers.[3] Encouraged by his parents—his father having taught famous comedian Jack Benny—[4] he took up several instruments: the piano, violin, cornet and French horn.[5][6] Graham also excelled in athletics, and attended Northwestern University on a basketball scholarship in 1940.[7] There he played on the varsity basketball team as a freshman and continued to study music.[8][9] Graham did not take up football until his sophomore year, when Northwestern coach Pappy Waldorf saw him throwing in an intramural game and invited him to practice with the team.[7][8] Northwestern's coaches were impressed with his running and passing, and Waldorf convinced him to sign up.[7][8] Although football became Graham's primary sport, he also played baseball and continued on the basketball team. As a senior, he was named a first-team basketball All-American.[5]
He was a member of Alpha Delta Phi social fraternity (formerly The Wranglers).
Graham's first game for the
As America's involvement in World War II intensified after the December 7, 1941,
The following year, Military Enlistees from other schools enrolled at Northwestern, where the U.S. Navy had a training station.[8][15] The 1943 season was a strong one for Northwestern. The team beat Ohio State, the defending national champions, and a good military team at Great Lakes Naval Station.[16][17] The Wildcats lost to Notre Dame and Michigan, however, and finished the season with an 8–2 record and a ninth-place ranking in the AP Poll.[16][17][18] Graham set another Big Ten passing record, was named the conference's Most Valuable Player, received All-American honors and finished third in Heisman Trophy voting.[16][19][20][21] By the end of his college career, he held a Big Ten Conference record for passing yards with 2,132.[5][18]
Graham's career at Northwestern officially ended in February 1944, when he moved to Colgate University in Hamilton, New York, in the Navy's V-5 cadet program, a pilot training course.[22][23] He played basketball for Colgate before moving to North Carolina Pre-Flight later in 1944, where he played on the Cloudbusters football team under coaches Glenn Killinger and Bear Bryant.[18][24]
Impressed by Graham's performances in Northwestern's wins over Ohio State in 1941 and 1943, Paul Brown came and offered him a contract worth $7,500 per year ($127,000 in 2023 dollars) in 1945 to play for a professional team he would be coaching in Cleveland in the new All-America Football Conference (AAFC).[25] Graham would not receive his salary until he started playing, however, and Brown added a monthly stipend of $250 ($4,200 in 2023) until the end of the war.[25] It was a large amount of money at the time. "All I asked was, where do I sign?" Graham said later. "Some of the other navy men said I was rooting for the war to last forever."[25] Graham was also drafted by the National Football League's Detroit Lions, but he did not sign a contract or play a game with the team as the war wore on.[26]
Large numbers of athletes came home as the conflict wound down in Europe following
Professional career
Cleveland Browns in the AAFC (1946–1949)
By the time Graham was discharged from the Navy late in the summer of 1946,
Graham's play was crucial to Cleveland's success. He averaged 10.5 yards per pass and had a
Graham became the Browns' uncontested leader, but he was also "just one of the guys", tackle Mike McCormack said in 1999. "He was not aloof, which you see a lot of times today."[42] He was good at spinning and moving in the pocket, skills he learned playing basketball.[18] In his autobiography, Paul Brown praised Graham's ability to anticipate his receivers' route-running by watching their shoulders.[42] "I remember his tremendous peripheral vision and his great athletic skill, as well as his ability to throw a football far and accurately with just a flick of his arm", Brown said.[42] His short passes were hard and accurate, teammates later said, and his long balls were soft. "I used to catch a lot of them one-handed", Lavelli said. "He had great touch in his hands."[26] He was nicknamed "Automatic Otto" for his consistency and toughness.[43]
Cleveland Browns in the NFL (1950–1955)
With Graham at the helm, the Browns continued to succeed when they joined the NFL in 1950. Graham was voted the United Press NFL Player of the Year
The win put Cleveland in the NFL championship game against the Los Angeles Rams.[45][49] Graham's rushing and passing were again key to the Browns' 30–28 victory. He drove the offense downfield as time expired to set up a last-minute Groza field goal that sealed the win.[50] Graham had 99 yards rushing in the game, adding 298 yards of passing and four touchdowns.[51]
Cleveland posted an 11–1 record in 1951, losing their only game to the San Francisco 49ers in the season opener.[52] That gave the Browns another spot in the championship game, again against the Rams.[53] This time, however, the Rams won 24–17. Graham fumbled the ball in the third quarter, setting up a touchdown that put the Rams ahead 14–10.[53] Three of his throws were intercepted, but he put up 280 yards of passing and a touchdown.[54] After the season, Graham was named the league's Most Valuable Player.[55]
With Graham at quarterback, Cleveland finished the 1952 season with a 9–3 record and faced the Detroit Lions in the NFL championship game.[56] Despite gaining 384 total yards to Detroit's 258, Graham, who was the NFL Player of the Year,[44] and the Browns lost their second straight championship, 17–7.[57] Cleveland had several long drives that ended with missed field goals, and a fourth-quarter touchdown was negated because Graham's throw to Pete Brewster was first tipped by receiver Ray Renfro; under rules in place at the time, balls deflected by offensive teammates were automatic incompletions.[58] After the season, as Graham was practicing for the Pro Bowl in Los Angeles on January 2, 1953, his six-week-old son Stephen died from a severe cold.[59]
The 1953 season began with a 27–0 win over the Green Bay Packers in which Graham passed for 292 yards and ran for two touchdowns.[60] It was the first of 11 straight victories for the Browns, whose only loss came in the final game of the season to the Philadelphia Eagles.[61] Near the end of the season in a game against the 49ers, Graham took a forearm to the face from Art Michalik that opened a gash on his chin requiring 15 stitches. Graham's helmet was fitted with a clear plastic face mask, and he came back into the game; the injury helped inspire the development of the modern face mask.[62] Despite an 11–1 record, Cleveland lost in the championship game for the third year in a row, falling to the Detroit Lions 17–16.[63][64] Two of Graham's passes were intercepted. He said after the game that he wanted to "jump off a building" for letting his teammates down. "I was the main factor in losing", he said. "If I had played my usual game, we would have won."[65] Still, Graham finished the season as the NFL's leading passer and again won the Most Valuable Player award.[66]
Before the start of the Browns' 1954 training camp, Graham was questioned as part of the
The 1954 season was a transitional one for the Browns. Many of the players who joined the 1946 team had retired or were nearing the end of their careers.[68] Graham, meanwhile, told Brown that he would retire after the season.[69] After losing the first three games, Cleveland won eight in a row and earned another shot at the championship, again against the Lions.[70] This time, the Browns won 56–10 as Graham ran for three touchdowns and passed for three more.[71] He announced his retirement after the game.[72]
After Graham's potential replacements struggled during the 1955 training camp and preseason, Brown convinced Graham to come back and play one more year.
Graham and head coach Paul Brown created the modern T-formation quarterback position and the modern pro offense. Graham led his league in every major passing category each in multiple seasons and finished his career with a career all-time pro record Yds/Att of 9.0. Until 2016, he held the record for career rushing touchdowns by a pro quarterback with 44. The Browns' record with Graham as starting quarterback was 57–13–1, including a 9–3 record in the playoffs.
Graham wore number 60 for much of his career, but he was forced to change it to 14 in 1952 after the NFL passed a
Coaching career
When Graham retired from football, he planned to focus on managing the insurance and appliance businesses he owned.
Coast Guard Academy
Following his convincing win in the all-star game, Graham's friend
Washington Redskins
Despite his reservations about the professional game, Graham, who moonlighted as a television and radio commentator for the American Football League's New York Jets in 1964 and 1965, left the Coast Guard Academy after seven years in 1966 to become head coach and general manager of the NFL's Washington Redskins,[95][96][97] Graham's three seasons (1966–1968) were similarly unsuccessful, with an overall record of 17–22–3.[98] With a 7–7 record in 1966, the Redskins slipped to 5–6–3 in 1967. Calls for his firing in 1968 intensified as the team's performance worsened to 5–9;[99] The Washington Daily News called for his firing in a front-page editorial in November.[99] With two years remaining on a five-year contract (and an option for another five years), Graham was displaced by Vince Lombardi in early February 1969.[100][101]
Return to Coast Guard Academy
After being dismissed as the Redskins' coach, Graham returned to the Coast Guard Academy as athletic director and said he planned to stay there until he retired.[102][103] He coached the college team in the College All-Star Game in 1970 for his tenth and final time.[104] The college stars lost for the seventh time in a row that year, falling 24–3 to the Kansas City Chiefs.[105] He was replaced in 1971 by Blanton Collier, who had retired after succeeding Brown as Cleveland's head coach.[106]
In 1974, Graham was named Coast Guard's football coach once again, although he resigned two years later to focus on his duties as athletic director.[107][108] In nine years of coaching, Graham's Coast Guard teams had a combined record of 44–32–1.[109] After eight more years as the school's athletic director, Graham retired in 1984.[110]
Later life and death
An avid golfer and tennis player, Graham partnered with
NFL/AAFC career statistics
Legend | |
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UPI NFL MVP/POTY
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Won the AAFC Championship
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NFL record | |
Led the league | |
Bold | Career high |
Underline | Incomplete data |
Regular season
Year | Team | Games | Passing | Rushing | Fumbles | |||||||||||||||
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GP | GS | Record | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | Y/A | Lng | TD | Int | Rtg | Att | Yds | Y/A | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | ||
1946 | CLE | 14 | 9 | 12–2 | 95 | 174 | 54.6 | 1,834 | 10.5 | 79 | 17 | 5 | 112.1 | 30 | −125 | −4.2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
1947 | CLE | 14 | 9 | 12–1–1 | 163 | 269 | 60.6 | 2,753 | 10.2 | 99 | 25 | 11 | 109.2 | 19 | 72 | 3.8 | — | 1 | 0 | 0 |
1948 | CLE | 14 | 14 | 14–0 | 173 | 333 | 52.0 | 2,713 | 8.1 | 78 | 25 | 15 | 85.6 | 23 | 146 | 6.3 | — | 6 | 0 | 0 |
1949 | CLE | 12 | 11 | 9–1–2 | 161 | 285 | 56.5 | 2,785 | 9.8 | 74 | 19 | 10 | 97.5 | 27 | 107 | 4.0 | — | 3 | 0 | 0 |
1950 | CLE | 12 | 12 | 10–2 | 137 | 253 | 54.2 | 1,943 | 7.7 | 80 | 14 | 20 | 64.7 | 55 | 145 | 2.6 | 20 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
1951 | CLE | 12 | 12 | 11–1 | 147 | 265 | 55.5 | 2,205 | 8.3 | 81 | 17 | 16 | 79.2 | 35 | 29 | 0.8 | 12 | 3 | 7 | 5 |
1952 | CLE | 12 | 12 | 8–4 | 181 | 364 | 49.7 | 2,816 | 7.7 | 68 | 20 | 24 | 66.6 | 42 | 130 | 3.1 | 21 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
1953 | CLE | 12 | 11 | 11–1 | 167 | 258 | 64.7 | 2,722 | 10.6 | 70 | 11 | 9 | 99.7 | 43 | 143 | 3.3 | 21 | 6 | 8 | 3 |
1954 | CLE | 12 | 12 | 9–3 | 142 | 240 | 59.2 | 2,092 | 8.7 | 64 | 11 | 17 | 73.5 | 63 | 114 | 1.8 | 14 | 8 | 3 | 1 |
1955 | CLE | 12 | 12 | 9–2–1 | 98 | 185 | 53.0 | 1,721 | 9.3 | 61 | 15 | 8 | 94.0 | 68 | 121 | 1.8 | 36 | 6 | 7 | 4 |
Career[115][116] | 126 | 114 | 105–17–4 | 1,464 | 2,626 | 55.8 | 23,584 | 9.0 | 99 | 174 | 135 | 86.6 | 405 | 882 | 2.2 | 36 | 44 | 35 | 23 |
Postseason
Year | Team | Games | Passing | Rushing | Fum | ||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GP | GS | Record | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | Y/A | Lng | TD | Int | Rtg | Att | Yds | Y/A | Lng | TD | |||
1946 | CLE | 1 | 1 | 1–0 | 16 | 27 | 59.3 | 213 | 7.9 | 23 | 1 | 1 | 81.2 | 3 | –19 | –6.3 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
1947 | CLE | 1 | 1 | 1–0 | 14 | 21 | 66.7 | 112 | 5.3 | 35 | 0 | 0 | 79.9 | 4 | 21 | 5.3 | 24 | 1 | 0 |
1948 | CLE | 1 | 1 | 1–0 | 11 | 24 | 45.8 | 118 | 4.9 | 19 | 1 | 1 | 57.3 | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1949 | CLE | 2 | 2 | 2–0 | 29 | 60 | 48.3 | 454 | 7.6 | 37 | 2 | 2 | 71.1 | 10 | 65 | 6.5 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
1950 | CLE | 2 | 2 | 2–0 | 25 | 41 | 61.0 | 341 | 8.3 | 39 | 4 | 2 | 99.7 | 20 | 169 | 8.5 | 21 | 0 | 1 |
1951 | CLE | 1 | 1 | 0–1 | 19 | 40 | 47.5 | 280 | 7.0 | 26 | 1 | 3 | 47.9 | 5 | 43 | 8.6 | 34 | 0 | 1 |
1952 | CLE | 1 | 1 | 0–1 | 20 | 35 | 57.1 | 191 | 5.5 | 32 | 0 | 1 | 60.5 | 7 | 23 | 3.3 | 12 | 0 | 0 |
1953 | CLE | 1 | 1 | 0–1 | 2 | 15 | 13.3 | 20 | 1.3 | 13 | 0 | 2 | 0.0 | 5 | 9 | 1.8 | 5 | 0 | 1 |
1954 | CLE | 1 | 1 | 1–0 | 9 | 12 | 75.0 | 163 | 13.6 | 45 | 3 | 2 | 116.7 | 9 | 27 | 3.0 | 8 | 3 | 0 |
1955 | CLE | 1 | 1 | 1–0 | 14 | 25 | 56.0 | 209 | 8.4 | 50 | 2 | 3 | 70.7 | 9 | 21 | 2.3 | 15 | 2 | 0 |
Career | 12 | 12 | 9–3 | 159 | 300 | 53.0 | 2,101 | 7.0 | 50 | 14 | 17 | 67.4 | 73 | 359 | 4.9 | 34 | 6 | 3 |
Head coaching record
College
Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
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New England Football Conference ) (1959–1965)
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1959 | Coast Guard | 3–5 | |||||||
1960 | Coast Guard | 5–3 | |||||||
1961 | Coast Guard | 4–4 | |||||||
1962 | Coast Guard | 5–2–1 | |||||||
1963 | Coast Guard | 8–1 | 1st | L Tangerine | |||||
1964 | Coast Guard | 3–5 | |||||||
1965 | Coast Guard | 4–4 | |||||||
New England Football Conference ) (1974–1975)
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1974 | Coast Guard | 4–6 | |||||||
1975 | Coast Guard | 8–2 | |||||||
Coast Guard: | 44–32–1 | ||||||||
Total: | 44–32–1 | ||||||||
National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth |
NFL
Team | Year | Regular season | Postseason | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Won | Lost | Ties | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Win % | Result | ||
WAS | 1966 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 50.0 | 5th in NFL Eastern Conference | — | — | — | |
WAS | 1967 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 45.5 | 3rd in NFL Capitol Conference | — | — | — | |
WAS | 1968 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 35.7 | 3rd in NFL Capitol Conference | — | — | — | |
Total | 17 | 22 | 3 | 43.6 | — | — | — |
See also
- List of NCAA major college yearly punt and kickoff return leaders
- Chicago Tribune Silver Football
References
- ^ a b c d e "Hall of Fame quarterback Otto Graham dies at 82". The Southeast Missourian. December 18, 2003. p. 4B. Retrieved July 6, 2012.
- ^ "Otto GrahamBiography". Retrieved June 4, 2021.
- ^ Piascik 2007, p. 19.
- ^ "Throwback Thursday: "Automatic" Otto Graham | College Football Hall of Fame". www.cfbhall.com. Retrieved June 4, 2021.
- ^ a b c Cantor 2008, p. 79.
- ^ Boyer 2006, p. 12.
- ^ a b c d Schwartz, Larry. "'Automatic Otto' defined versatility". ESPN. Archived from the original on May 23, 2012. Retrieved August 24, 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j LaTourette 2005, p. 54.
- ^ ""Otto" Biography". Ottograham.net. Archived from the original on November 4, 2011. Retrieved August 24, 2012.
- ^ "Wildcats Rout Kansas State". The Telegraph-Herald. Evanston, Illinois. Associated Press. October 5, 1941. p. 16. Retrieved August 24, 2012.
- ^ "Northwestern Knocks Ohio State Out Of Unbeaten Ranks, 14–7". St. Petersburg Times. Columbus, Ohio. Associated Press. October 26, 1941. p. 15. Retrieved August 24, 2012.
- ^ "1941 Final AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Archived from the original on July 4, 2012. Retrieved August 24, 2012.
- ^ "1942 Northwestern Wildcats". Database Football. Archived from the original on June 2, 2013. Retrieved August 24, 2012.
- ^ "Otto Graham". Sports-Reference.com. Archived from the original on November 8, 2012. Retrieved August 24, 2012.
- ^ "Military Training and Service During World War II". Northwestern University. Archived from the original on June 19, 2012. Retrieved August 24, 2012.
- ^ a b c d LaTourette 2005, p. 55.
- ^ a b "1943 Northwestern Wildcats Schedule and Results". Sports-Reference.com. Archived from the original on October 29, 2013. Retrieved August 24, 2012.
- ^ a b c d Keim 1999, p. 64.
- ^ "Graham Is Top Choice". Youngstown Vindicator. Chicago. United Press International. December 12, 1943. p. D2. Retrieved August 24, 2012.
- ^ "All-American Squad Chosen". Warsaw Daily Union. New York. United Press International. December 4, 1943. p. 5. Retrieved August 24, 2012.
- ^ "1943 Heisman Trophy Voting". Sports-Reference.com. Archived from the original on May 25, 2012. Retrieved August 24, 2012.
- ^ "Graham to Wind Up Cage Career Saturday Night". Warsaw Daily Union. United Press. February 10, 1944. p. 5. Retrieved July 4, 2012.
- ^ "Pick the All-Stars of The Big Ten Conference". Lawrence Journal-World. United Press. March 8, 1944. p. 6. Retrieved July 4, 2012.
- ^ "Otto Graham Stars In Colgate Triumph". Youngstown Vindicator. Associated Press. February 20, 1944. p. D1. Retrieved July 4, 2012.
- ^ a b c Cantor 2008, p. 80.
- ^ a b c Piascik 2007, p. 20.
- ^ Piascik 2007, pp. 19–20.
- ^ Larson, Lloyd (March 24, 1946). "Rochester Clips Skins, Wins Title". The Milwaukee Sentinel. p. 1. Archived from the original on November 17, 2015. Retrieved July 4, 2012.
- ^ Cantor 2008, p. 86.
- ^ Cantor 2008, pp. 86–87.
- ^ a b c Henkel 2005, p. 11.
- ^ Piascik 2007, pp. 62–63.
- ^ a b Cantor 2008, p. 207.
- ^ Piascik 2007, p. 64.
- ^ Piascik 2007, pp. 64, 81, 121, 145.
- ^ Piascik 2007, pp. 66, 85.
- ^ Piascik 2007, pp. 82, 121.
- ^ Piascik 2007, pp. 82, 121, 148.
- ^ Piascik 2007, p. 141.
- ^ Keim 1999, pp. 64–65.
- ^ Piascik 2007, p. 149.
- ^ a b c d Keim 1999, p. 65.
- ^ Cantor 2008, p. 129.
- ^ a b c d e f Piascik 2007, p. 342.
- ^ a b Henkel 2005, p. 24.
- ^ Piascik 2007, p. 173.
- ^ Piascik 2007, pp. 173–174.
- ^ a b Piascik 2007, p. 175.
- ^ Piascik 2007, p. 176.
- ^ Piascik 2007, p. 181.
- ^ Piascik 2007, p. 183.
- ^ Piascik 2007, pp. 224, 232.
- ^ a b Piascik 2007, p. 232.
- ^ Piascik 2007, pp. 233–234.
- ^ Piascik 2007, p. 235.
- ^ Piascik 2007, pp. 250–251.
- ^ Piascik 2007, pp. 251–253.
- ^ Piascik 2007, p. 253.
- ^ "Graham Baby Dies While Parents Away". Ottawa Citizen. January 2, 1953. p. 16. Retrieved July 6, 2012.
- ^ Piascik 2007, p. 270.
- ^ Piascik 2007, p. 275.
- ^ Piascik 2007, p. 273.
- ^ Henkel 2005, p. 25.
- ^ Piascik 2007, pp. 276–281.
- ^ Piascik 2007, p. 282.
- ^ a b Piascik 2007, p. 284.
- ^ "Lie Detector Tests Back Up Mayor's Story". St. Petersburg Times. Associated Press. August 16, 1954. p. 2. Retrieved July 6, 2012.
- ^ Piascik 2007, p. 305.
- ^ Piascik 2007, p. 310.
- ^ Piascik 2007, p. 319.
- ^ Piascik 2007, pp. 324–325.
- ^ Piascik 2007, pp. 325–326.
- ^ Piascik 2007, p. 332.
- ^ Piascik 2007, p. 333.
- ^ Piascik 2007, p. 341.
- ^ "Otto Graham, Browns, Receives Trophy as Pro Athlete of Year". The New York Times. Associated Press. January 16, 1956. Archived from the original on January 30, 2013. Retrieved July 6, 2012.
- ^ Piascik 2007, p. 366.
- ^ "Otto Graham NFL Football Statistics". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved July 6, 2012.
- ^ Bleacher Report (January 13, 2010). "The NFL's Top 25 Quarterbacks of All Time". Bleacher Report. Archived from the original on January 6, 2012. Retrieved November 4, 2013.
- ^ "Otto Graham". Pro Football Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on August 8, 2012. Retrieved July 6, 2012.
- ^ "Pro football's greatest dynasty". Cold Hard Football Facts. Archived from the original on July 7, 2012. Retrieved July 6, 2012.
- ^ Judge, Clark. "Top 10 All-Time QBs: All hail Johnny Unitas". CBS Sports. Archived from the original on January 19, 2013. Retrieved July 6, 2012.
- ^ "The Ultimate List: The Top 10 Football Players of All Time". The Bleacher Report. Archived from the original on October 1, 2012. Retrieved July 6, 2012.
- ^ Otto "Automatic Otto" Graham at the College Football Hall of Fame
- ^ "Slippery Otto's Ready for His Slippers and Ottoman". Cleveland Plain Dealer. December 28, 1955. p. 25.
Graham plans to keep busy with his insurance and appliance business.
- ^ "Otto Graham Will Decide On New Job". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. United Press International. February 18, 1959. p. 15. Retrieved July 6, 2012.
- ^ Liska, Jerry (August 10, 1958). "College All-Stars Playing Detroit Lions At Chicago". The Evening Independent. p. 12A. Retrieved July 6, 2012.
- ^ Lea, Bud (August 16, 1958). "Stars Whip Lions, 35–19". The Milwaukee Sentinel. p. 4. Archived from the original on November 17, 2015. Retrieved July 6, 2012.
- ^ a b c "Graham New Coast Guard Grid Coach". The Milwaukee Sentinel. Associated Press. February 26, 1959. p. 5. Archived from the original on October 27, 2015. Retrieved July 6, 2012.
- ^ "Otto Graham Records by Year". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on November 6, 2012. Retrieved August 6, 2012.
- ^ "Toppers Draw Coast Guard in Tangerine". Kentucky New Era. Associated Press. November 19, 1963. p. 10. Retrieved July 6, 2012.
- ^ "Western Ky. Tops Coast Guard, 27–0; Hilltopper Defense Paces Tangerine Bowl Victory". The New York Times. Associated Press. December 28, 1963. Archived from the original on July 23, 2018. Retrieved July 6, 2012.
- ^ Wallace, William (August 3, 1963). "College All-Stars Upset Packers, 20–17, on the Passing of Vander Kelen". The New York Times. Archived from the original on July 23, 2018. Retrieved July 6, 2012.
- ^ "Big Time Football Fails To Budge Otto Graham". Spartanburg Herald-Journal. Associated Press. May 24, 1964. p. B2. Retrieved August 6, 2012.
- ^ Povich, Shirley (August 13, 1964). "Otto Graham Is Determined Not To Be Forgotten". The Milwaukee Journal. p. 12. Archived from the original on November 17, 2015. Retrieved July 6, 2012.
- ^ "Otto Graham Is New Coach Of Redskins". Gettysburg Times. (Pennsylvania). Associated Press. January 25, 1966. p. 5. Retrieved July 6, 2012.
- ^ Van Name, Ryan. ""Otto" Biography". ottograham.net. Retrieved January 7, 2020.
- ^ Olderman, Murray (February 7, 1969). "Otto Couldn't Get Through To His Boss". The Times-News. p. 7. Retrieved July 6, 2012.
- ^ a b Povich, Shirley (November 24, 1968). "Newspaper Editorial Asks Redskins To Fire Graham". Tuscaloosa News. (Alabama). (Washington Post). p. 14. Retrieved August 3, 2012.
- ^ Polk, James R. (February 6, 1969). "Lombardi officially in at Washington after gaining release from Green Bay". Youngstown Vindicator. (Ohio). Associated Press. p. 23.
- ^ "Graham has no comment about Lombardi". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. February 7, 1969. p. 15.
- ^ "Otto's Future Uncertain". The Oswego Argus-Press. Associated Press. February 4, 1969. p. 10. Retrieved July 6, 2012.
- ^ "Graham Returns To Coast Guard Academy". Ocala Star-Banner. Associated Press. January 14, 1970. p. 7B. Retrieved July 18, 2012.
- ^ "Otto Graham Leads All-Star Drills Twice Daily". Sarasota Journal. Associated Press. July 24, 1970. p. 1C. Retrieved July 18, 2012.
- ^ "Chiefs In Top Shape Claims Otto". The Evening Independent. Associated Press. August 1, 1970. p. 2–C. Retrieved July 18, 2012.
- ^ "Collier named all-star coach". Star-News. Associated Press. February 20, 1971. p. 1C. Retrieved July 18, 2012.
- ^ "Otto Graham Named to Football Post". The Evening News. Associated Press. March 6, 1974. p. 4D. Retrieved July 18, 2012.
- ^ "Sports Of All Sorts". Beaver County Times. January 22, 1976. p. B3. Retrieved July 18, 2012.
- ^ "All-Time Coaching Records". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on November 6, 2012. Retrieved July 18, 2012.
- ^ "Foels Succeeds Otto Graham". Youngstown Vindicator. United Press International. February 29, 1984. p. 21. Retrieved July 6, 2012.
- ^ a b c Goodall, Fred (October 20, 2002). "Graham fights to remember". Daily News. Sarasota, Florida. Associated Press. p. 10B. Retrieved August 4, 2012.
- ^ Goldstein, Richard (December 18, 2003). "Otto Graham, 82, Dies; Cleveland Dynasty's Quarterback". The New York Times. Retrieved August 4, 2012.
- ^ "Otto Graham Society". The Wildcat Fund. Archived from the original on October 29, 2013. Retrieved October 25, 2013.
- ^ "New gymnasium dedicated to Otto Graham". Hartford Sun Times. Archived from the original on April 15, 2016. Retrieved April 5, 2016.
- ^ "Otto Graham Past Statistics". databaseFootball. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
- ^ "Otto Graham Statistics". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
References cited
- Boyer, Mary Schmitt (2006). Browns Essential. Chicago: Triumph Books. ISBN 978-1-57243-873-6.
- Cantor, George (2008). Paul Brown: The Man Who Invented Modern Football. Chicago: Triumph Books. ISBN 978-1-57243-725-8.
- Henkel, Frank M. (2005). Cleveland Browns History. Mount Pleasant, South Carolina: Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7385-3428-2.
- Keim, John (1999). Legends by the Lake: The Cleveland Browns at Municipal Stadium. Akron, Ohio: University of Akron Press. ISBN 978-1-884836-47-3.
- LaTourette, Larry (2005). Northwestern Wildcat Football. Mount Pleasant, South Carolina: Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7385-3433-6.
- Piascik, Andy (2007). The Best Show in Football: The 1946–1955 Cleveland Browns. Lanham, Maryland: Taylor Trade Publishing. ISBN 978-1-58979-571-6.
External links
- Otto Graham at the Pro Football Hall of Fame
- Otto Graham at the College Football Hall of Fame
- Career statistics and player information from NFL.com · Pro Football Reference
- Otto Graham at Find a Grave