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John Don Looney (September 2, 1916 – April 5, 2015) was a professional American football end in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected in the eighth round of the 1940 NFL draft.[1] He played three seasons for the Philadelphia Eagles (1940) and the Pittsburgh Steelers (1941–1942).
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| Position: | End | ||||||||||||
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| Born: | September 2, 1916 Sulphur Springs, Texas, U.S. | ||||||||||||
| Died: | April 5, 2015 (aged 98) Fort Worth, Texas, U.S. | ||||||||||||
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| College: | TCU | ||||||||||||
| NFL draft: | 1940 / round: 8 / pick: 63 | ||||||||||||
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Looney set new NFL records for catches and yards in a single game during his 1940 rookie season and led the league in receiving yards.
Don Looney was born September 2, 1916, in Sulphur Springs, Texas.[2]
Dafted into the NFL ahead of the 1940 season, Looney was the first receiver in NFL history to have over 100 yards receiving in each of his first two games, a feat which was not equaled until the 2008 NFL season by another Eagles wide receiver, DeSean Jackson.[3] He also set new NFL records for most catches in a game (14) and most yards gained receiving in a single game (180) during the season.[4] His 707 total yards gained receiving were the highest in the NFL for the 1940 season, topping the year of Hall of Fame Packers end Don Hutson.[4]
Looney served in World War II for the United States Army after the 1942 season.[5][6] He did not resume his professional football career after termination of the war, instead becoming an NFL official.[2]
At the time of his death, Looney was the second oldest living former NFL player. He was the father of NFL running back Joe Don Looney, who died in a one-person motorcycle accident after his NFL career ended. Looney's partner was Linda Roark, whom he met in 1992.
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