Don Heinrich
Encyclopedia
Donald Alan Heinrich was an American collegiate and Professional Football
quarterback
. He played college football
at the University of Washington
, and also played professionally for the NFL's New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys, and in the American Football League
for the Oakland Raiders
in 1962.
in the 1952 NFL Draft
and played with the New York Giants
, Dallas Cowboys
, and Oakland Raiders. He was selected by the Dallas Cowboys
in the 1960 NFL Expansion Draft
.
In his five seasons with the Giants, he saw action in three NFL championship games.
, the Los Angeles Rams
, the Pittsburgh Steelers
and the San Francisco 49ers
.
Radio Network (working with Pete Gross
and Wayne Cody
) and then becoming an analyst for the 49ers' games.
In 1983 and 1984, Heinrich was a colour analyst for ESPN and ABC broadcasts of the United States Football League (USFL).
Heinrich was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
in 1987.
Relatives: Brett Benson (honors political science student, University of Kansas) Brienne Benson (Teacher, St. Cloud State University), John Colley (Retired), Amy Colley (Retired)
Professional football
In the United States and Canada, the term professional football includes the professional forms of American and Canadian gridiron football. In common usage, it refers to former and existing major football leagues in either country...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
, and also played professionally for the NFL's New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys, and in the American Football League
American Football League
The American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
for the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in 1962.
Playing career
Heinrich was the quarterback at Washington from 1949 to 1952, leading the nation in passing in 1950 and 1952 and setting many of the school's passing records. He was draftedNFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
in the 1952 NFL Draft
1952 NFL Draft
The 1952 National Football League Draft was held on January 17, 1952. Picks made by New York Yanks were assigned to the new Dallas Texans.-Player selections:-Round one:* HOF Member of the Professional Football Hall of Fame-Round two:-Round three:...
and played with the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
, and Oakland Raiders. He was selected by the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
in the 1960 NFL Expansion Draft
1960 NFL Expansion Draft
The 1960 NFL Expansion Draft was a National Football League draft in which a new expansion team, named the Dallas Cowboys, selected its first players. The NFL awarded Dallas, Texas a franchise to compete for revenue with Lamar Hunt's Dallas Texans of the upstart American Football League...
.
In his five seasons with the Giants, he saw action in three NFL championship games.
Coaching career
He later held coaching positions with the Cowboys, the Giants, the New Orleans SaintsNew Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
, the Los Angeles Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
, the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
and the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
.
Broadcasting career
In 1976, Heinrich began his broadcasting career, working first on University of Washington Huskies games and also as the first radio game analyst for the Seattle SeahawksSeattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
Radio Network (working with Pete Gross
Pete Gross
Peter R. Gross, a Northwest sports announcer, was a household name in Seattle, Washington for 17 years as the "Voice of the Seahawks." He spent most of his career as a radio play-by-play announcer with KIRO...
and Wayne Cody
Wayne Cody
Wayne Cody was an American popular radio and television sportscaster who spent the bulk of his career in Seattle, broadcasting on KIRO and KIRO-TV....
) and then becoming an analyst for the 49ers' games.
In 1983 and 1984, Heinrich was a colour analyst for ESPN and ABC broadcasts of the United States Football League (USFL).
Heinrich was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
in 1987.
Relatives: Brett Benson (honors political science student, University of Kansas) Brienne Benson (Teacher, St. Cloud State University), John Colley (Retired), Amy Colley (Retired)