Jack O'Brien (American football)
Encyclopedia
Jack Edward O'Brien is a former American college and professional football
player who was an end in the National Football League
(NFL) for three seasons during the mid-1950s. O'Brien played college football
for the University of Florida
, and thereafter, he played professionally for the Pittsburgh Steelers
of the NFL.
in 1932. He attended Jeannette Senior High School, and he played for the Jeannette Jayhawks high school football
team.
, where he played for coach Bob Woodruff's Florida Gators football
team from 1951 to 1953. In an era when college football rules allowed only limited player substitutions, he played both offensive end and defensive end
, and was rated as one of the Gators' five best ends of the 1950s by coach Woodruff. O'Brien was a junior starter for the 1952 Gators team that posted an 8–3 record and defeated the Tulsa Golden Hurricane
14–13 in the 1953 New Year's Day Gator Bowl
—the first NCAA-sanctioned post-season bowl game in Gators history. Together with running back Rick Casares
, he was a senior team captain
in 1953. Woodruff later ranked O'Brien as one of the Gators' five best receivers of the 1950s.
After his NFL career was over, O'Brien returned to Gainesville and graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor's degree
in physical education in 1958.
, and he played in thirty-one games for the Steelers during three seasons from to . In an era of run-oriented offenses, O'Brien made the most of his few catches—he had sixteen receptions for 185 yards (an average of 11.6 yards per catch) and two touchdowns.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player who was an end in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
(NFL) for three seasons during the mid-1950s. O'Brien 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...
for the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
, and thereafter, he played professionally for 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...
of the NFL.
Early years
O'Brien was born in Jeannette, PennsylvaniaJeannette, Pennsylvania
Jeannette is a city in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 10,788 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Jeannette is located at ....
in 1932. He attended Jeannette Senior High School, and he played for the Jeannette Jayhawks high school football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
team.
College career
O'Brien attended the University of Florida in Gainesville, FloridaGainesville, Florida
Gainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...
, where he played for coach Bob Woodruff's Florida Gators football
Florida Gators football
The Florida Gators football team represents the University of Florida in the sport of American football. The Florida Gators compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletics Association and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference...
team from 1951 to 1953. In an era when college football rules allowed only limited player substitutions, he played both offensive end and defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
, and was rated as one of the Gators' five best ends of the 1950s by coach Woodruff. O'Brien was a junior starter for the 1952 Gators team that posted an 8–3 record and defeated the Tulsa Golden Hurricane
Tulsa Golden Hurricane football
The University of Tulsa's Golden Hurricane football team represents Tulsa in Conference USA. Tulsa is currently coached by first-year head coach Bill Blankenship. The football team was coached by Todd Graham until he accepted the head coaching job at Pittsburgh....
14–13 in the 1953 New Year's Day Gator Bowl
Gator Bowl
The Gator Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Florida. Held continuously since 1946, it is the sixth oldest college bowl, as well as the first one ever televised nationally...
—the first NCAA-sanctioned post-season bowl game in Gators history. Together with running back Rick Casares
Rick Casares
Richard Jose "Rick" Casares is a former American college and professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League and the American Football League for twelve seasons in the 1950s and 1960s...
, he was a senior team captain
Captain (sports)
In team sports, a captain is a title given to a member of the team. The title is frequently honorary, but in some cases the captain may have significant responsibility for strategy and teamwork while the game is in progress on the field...
in 1953. Woodruff later ranked O'Brien as one of the Gators' five best receivers of the 1950s.
After his NFL career was over, O'Brien returned to Gainesville and graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in physical education in 1958.
Professional career
The Pittsburgh Steelers selected O'Brien in the seventh round (seventy-ninth pick overall) of the 1954 NFL Draft1954 NFL Draft
The 1954 National Football League Draft was held on January 28, 1954.-Player selections:-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:-Round eight:-Round nine:-Round ten:-Round eleven:...
, and he played in thirty-one games for the Steelers during three seasons from to . In an era of run-oriented offenses, O'Brien made the most of his few catches—he had sixteen receptions for 185 yards (an average of 11.6 yards per catch) and two touchdowns.
See also
- Florida GatorsFlorida GatorsThe Florida Gators are the intercollegiate sports teams that represent the University of Florida located in Gainesville, Florida. The "Lady Gators" is an alternative nickname sometimes used by the Gators women's teams...
- Florida Gators football, 1950–1959
- List of Florida Gators football players
- List of Pittsburgh Steelers players
- List of University of Florida alumni