I intended to write about the professional football draft history of players from Kansas University, but then I glanced at the opposite page in the media guide and the lid flew off my head again, courtesy of one of the greatest injustices in sports.
I saw John Hadl’s name under Jayhawks in the Pro Bowl and it lit me up all over again.
For reasons that stretch far beyond statistics, Hadl deserves a bust in Canton, Ohio, home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Not that the stats don’t back up his candidacy because they most certainly do. At the time Hadl retired in 1974, he ranked third on the all-time passing yardage list with 33,503 yards. He played before the rules were changed to spark more offense, particularly through the air.
Only Fran Tarkenton (finished career with 47,003 yards) and Johnny Unitas (40,239) ranked ahead of Hadl when the Lawrence High and KU alumnus retired from professional football never having missed a start because of injury.
George Blanda, Len Dawson, Bob Griese, Sonny Jurgensen, Joe Namath, Bart Starr and Roger Staubach have two things in common. First, they all are enshrined in Canton and they earned the honor. Second, they all rank behind Hadl in career passing yards.
My four older brothers all had the same reaction I had after moving to Lawrence and being told that Hadl was on the outside looking in: “John Hadl’s not in the Hall of Fame? Seriously?”
That reaction stemmed from memories of watching the AFL, which at the time featured more exciting games than the stodgier NFL. Hadl, to his era what Brett Favre was to his, was a four-time AFL All-Star representing the San Diego Chargers and MVP of the final AFL All-Star game in 1969. He played in the Pro Bowl in 1972 for the AFC and 1973 for the NFC.The inexplicable snubbing of Hadl means KU has three players in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Blurry fast and shifty running back Gale Sayers was enshrined in 1977, late great lineman Mike McCormack in 1984, powerful and fast running back John Riggins in 1992.
