(1936-04-29)April 29, 1936 Springtown, Texas, U.S.
Died:
November 20, 2006(2006-11-20) (aged 70) Houston, Texas, U.S.
Height:
6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Weight:
224 lb (102 kg)
Career information
High school:
Weatherford (Weatherford, Texas)
College:
Southern Methodist
NFL draft:
1958 / Round: 2 / Pick: 18
Career history
Winnipeg Blue Bombers (1958)
Chicago Bears (1959–1960)
Houston Oilers (1961–1964)
Career highlights and awards
Grey Cup champion (1958)
AFL champion (1961)
AFL All-Star (1962)
Second-team All-SWC (1957)
Career NFL statistics
Receptions:
204
Receiving yards:
3,304
Touchdowns:
27
Willard Charles Dewveall (April 29, 1936 – November 20, 2006) was an American football end. He was the first player to jump from the National Football League (NFL) to the American Football League (AFL).
He left the Chicago Bears of the NFL after the 1960 season to play for the AFL champion Houston Oilers.[1] He was the only one to switch leagues for five years, until kicker Pete Gogolak went from the AFL to the NFL in 1966.[2]
In 1962, Dewveall caught the (then) longest pass reception for a touchdown in professional football history, 98 yards, from Jacky Lee, against the San Diego Chargers. It is still the longest receiving touchdown in Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans franchise history. He was an American Football League All-Star in 1962.
He was Dandy Don's favorite receiver, and All-American at SMU.
Selected by the Bears in the second round of the 1958 NFL draft, Dewveall played a year in the Canadian Football League (CFL) with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 1958 under head coach Bud Grant,[3] and they won the Grey Cup. He returned to the United States and played for the Bears for two seasons in 1959 and 1960.
^"Chicago Bears veteran Dewveall joins". Victoria Advocate. Texas. Associated Press. January 14, 1961. p. 8.
^"Signing of Gogolak could trigger football battle". Ludington Daily News. Michigan. Associated Press. May 18, 1966. p. 12.
^"Sports shorts". Milwaukee Journal. January 9, 1958. p. 19, part 2.
Willard Charles Dewveall (April 29, 1936 – November 20, 2006) was an American football end. He was the first player to jump from the National Football...
from the other league, when wide receiver WillardDewveall left the Bears to join the champion Oilers. Dewveall that year caught the longest pass reception...
Tolar, the fleet-footed Billy Cannon, Charlie Hennigan, and unheralded WillardDewveall. Jeppesen Stadium ticket takers counted 37,981 fans in attendance....
professional football player Ja'Gared Davis – professional football player WillardDewveall – professional football player first "star" to go from NFL to AFL Eric...
45 points or more six times in a single season. On January 14, end WillardDewveall played out his option with the Chicago Bears of the NFL and joined...
John Varone 17 Ron Latourelle 18 Jim Van Pelt 21 Charlie Shepard 23 WillardDewveall 24 Nick Miller 27 Gordon Rowland 28 Gerry James 29 Leo Lewis 43 George...
otherwise valued athletes. The only player to jump leagues had been end WillardDewveall, who left the Chicago Bears after the 1960 season for the AFL's Houston...
Cardinals C 24 2 279 Charlie Leyendecker Green Bay Packers T 1958 2 5 18 WillardDewveall Chicago Bears WR 13 1 146 Charlie Jackson Chicago Cardinals B 16 11...
Lewis James Murphy Ken Ploen Frank Rigney Charles Roberts Joe Poplawski Willard Reaves Milt Stegall Chris Walby Ed Schultz, talk show host Ben Hatskin...
John Varone 17 Ron Latourelle 18 Jim Van Pelt 21 Charlie Shepard 23 WillardDewveall 24 Nick Miller 27 Gordon Rowland 28 Gerry James 29 Leo Lewis 43 George...
John Varone 17 Ron Latourelle 18 Jim Van Pelt 21 Charlie Shepard 23 WillardDewveall 24 Nick Miller 27 Gordon Rowland 28 Gerry James 29 Leo Lewis 43 George...
5–6–1 record of the previous season. On January 14, Chicago Bears End WillardDewveall played out his option and joined the Houston Oilers of the American...
Al Denson John Denvir Don Deskins Wayne DeSutter Chuck DeVliegher WillardDewveall Bill Diamond Charley Diamond Eldridge Dickey Wallace Dickey Bo Dickinson...
six plays later. Blanda came straight back with a touchdown pass to WillardDewveall, and Rote's deep pass was intercepted on the next play. Maguire then...
John Varone 17 Ron Latourelle 18 Jim Van Pelt 21 Charlie Shepard 23 WillardDewveall 24 Nick Miller 27 Gordon Rowland 28 Gerry James 29 Leo Lewis 43 George...
John Varone 17 Ron Latourelle 18 Jim Van Pelt 21 Charlie Shepard 23 WillardDewveall 24 Nick Miller 27 Gordon Rowland 28 Gerry James 29 Leo Lewis 43 George...
Dawson Jimmy Dean Eric Decker Al Del Greco Tom Dempsey Kyle DeVan WillardDewveall Matt Dickerson Lynn Dickey Bo Dickinson John Diettrich Zac Diles Gennaro...
John Varone 17 Ron Latourelle 18 Jim Van Pelt 21 Charlie Shepard 23 WillardDewveall 24 Nick Miller 27 Gordon Rowland 28 Gerry James 29 Leo Lewis 43 George...
John Varone 17 Ron Latourelle 18 Jim Van Pelt 21 Charlie Shepard 23 WillardDewveall 24 Nick Miller 27 Gordon Rowland 28 Gerry James 29 Leo Lewis 43 George...
record, and set another league record with a 98-yard touchdown to WillardDewveall against the Chargers. Lee and Blanda combined to throw 38 touchdowns...
them two yards from their own end zone, as backup QB Jacky Lee found WillardDewveall for a 98-yard touchdown. Robinson took the ensuing kickoff out of bounds...
John Varone 17 Ron Latourelle 18 Jim Van Pelt 21 Charlie Shepard 23 WillardDewveall 24 Nick Miller 27 Gordon Rowland 28 Gerry James 29 Leo Lewis 43 George...
John Varone 17 Ron Latourelle 18 Jim Van Pelt 21 Charlie Shepard 23 WillardDewveall 24 Nick Miller 27 Gordon Rowland 28 Gerry James 29 Leo Lewis 43 George...
Philadelphia Eagles Proverb Jacobs Tackle California 18 Chicago Bears WillardDewveall Wide receiver Southern Methodist 19 Los Angeles Rams Clendon Thomas...
John Varone 17 Ron Latourelle 18 Jim Van Pelt 21 Charlie Shepard 23 WillardDewveall 24 Nick Miller 27 Gordon Rowland 28 Gerry James 29 Leo Lewis 43 George...
John Varone 17 Ron Latourelle 18 Jim Van Pelt 21 Charlie Shepard 23 WillardDewveall 24 Nick Miller 27 Gordon Rowland 28 Gerry James 29 Leo Lewis 43 George...
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