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{{Short description|American football player, coach, and administrator (1935–2015)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2023}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = John David Crow
| image = John David Crow in 2012.jpg
| image_size = 
| alt = 
| caption = Crow at [[Kyle Field]] in 2012
| number = 44
| position = [[Halfback (American football)|Halfback]], [[tight end]]
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1935|7|8|mf=y}}
| birth_place = [[Marion, Louisiana]], U.S.
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2015|6|17|1935|7|8|mf=y}}
| death_place = [[Bryan, Texas]], U.S.
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 2
| weight_lb = 220
| high_school = [[Springhill High School (Louisiana)|Springhill]]  <br> ([[Springhill, Louisiana]])
| college = [[Texas A&M Aggies football|Texas A&M]] (1955–1957)
| draftyear = 1958
| draftround = 1
| draftpick = 2
| pastteams = 
* [[Chicago Cardinals|Chicago]] / [[St. Louis Cardinals (NFL)|St. Louis Cardinals]] ({{NFL Year|1958|1964}})
* [[San Francisco 49ers]] ({{NFL Year|1965|1968}})
| pastcoaching = 
* [[Alabama Crimson Tide football|Alabama]] (1969–1971) <br> Offensive backfield
* [[Cleveland Browns]] ({{NFL Year|1972|1973}}) <br> Offensive backfield
* [[San Diego Chargers]] ({{NFL Year|1974|1975}}) <br> Offensive coordinator
* [[Louisiana–Monroe Warhawks football|Northeast Louisiana]] (1976–1980) <br> Head coach
| pastadmin = 
* [[Louisiana–Monroe Warhawks|Northeast Louisiana]] (1975–1981) <br> Athletic director
* [[Texas A&M Aggies|Texas A&M]] (1983–1988) <br> Assistant athletic director
* Texas A&M (1988–1993) <br> Athletic director
| highlights =
* 2× First-team [[All-Pro]] ([[1959 All-Pro Team|1959]], [[1960 All-Pro Team|1960]])
* Second-team All-Pro ([[1962 All-Pro Team|1962]])
* 4× [[Pro Bowl]] ([[1960 Pro Bowl|1959]], [[1961 Pro Bowl|1960]], [[1963 Pro Bowl|1962]], [[1966 Pro Bowl|1965]])
* [[NFL 1960s All-Decade Team]]
* [[Heisman Trophy]] (1957)
* [[UPI College Football Player of the Year|UPI Player of the Year]] (1957)
* [[Sporting News College Football Player of the Year|''SN'' Player of the Year]] (1957)
* [[Chic Harley Award]] (1957)
* [[List of unanimous All-Americans in college football|Unanimous All-American]] ([[1957 College Football All-America Team|1957]])
* First-team [[College Football All-America Team|All-American]] ([[1956 College Football All-America Team|1956]])
* 2× First-team All-[[Southwest Conference|SWC]] ([[1956 All-Southwest Conference football team|1956]], [[1957 All-Southwest Conference football team|1957]])
| statlabel1 = Rushing yards
| statvalue1 = 4,963
| statlabel2 = Rushing average
| statvalue2 = 4.3
| statlabel3 = Rushing [[touchdown]]s
| statvalue3 = 38
| statlabel4 = [[Reception (gridiron football)|Receptions]]
| statvalue4 = 258
| statlabel5 = Receiving yards
| statvalue5 = 3,699
| statlabel6 = Receiving touchdowns
| statvalue6 = 35
| overall_record = {{Winning percentage|20|34|1|record=y}}
| pfr = CrowJo00
| pfrcoach = CrowJo0
| CollegeHOF = 1769 
}}

'''John David Crow Sr.''' (July 8, 1935 – June 17, 2015) was an American professional [[American football|football]] player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He won the [[Heisman Trophy]] in 1957 as a [[halfback (American football)|halfback]] playing for the [[Texas A&M Aggies football|Texas A&M Aggies]]. After college, he played in the [[National Football League]] (NFL) for the [[Chicago Cardinals|Chicago]] / [[St. Louis Cardinals (NFL)|St. Louis Cardinals]] and the [[San Francisco 49ers]] from 1958 to 1968.

After his playing career, Crow became an assistant football coach for the [[Alabama Crimson Tide football]] team of the [[University of Alabama]], serving under coach [[Bear Bryant]] from 1969 to 1971 He moved to the NFL as an assistant with the [[Cleveland Browns]] in 1972, and then the [[San Diego Chargers]] in 1974. In December 1975, Crow was hired as head football coach and [[athletic director]] at Northeast Louisiana University—now the [[University of Louisiana at Monroe]]. He coached the football team for five seasons, from 1976 to 1980, compiling a record of 20–34–1. He remained as athletic director until 1981. Crow returned to his alma mater, Texas A&M, in 1983 as an assistant athletic director. He was promoted to athletic director in 1988 and served in that capacity until 1993.

Crow was inducted into the [[College Football Hall of Fame]] as a player in 1976. A street on the campus of [[Texas A&M University]] adjacent to [[Kyle Field]] is named after him.

In 2009 Erle and Alice Nye commissioned a twice life size bronze statue of Crow, and donated the $250,000 monument to Texas A&M University, sculpted by [[Steven Whyte]].

==Early life==
A native of [[Marion, Louisiana|Marion]] in [[Union Parish, Louisiana|Union Parish]] in [[North Louisiana]], Crow was raised to the west in [[Springhill, Louisiana|Springhill]] in northern [[Webster Parish, Louisiana|Webster Parish]] near the [[Arkansas]] state line. He graduated in 1954 from [[Springhill High School (Louisiana)|Springhill High School]].

==College career==
Under coach [[Bear Bryant]] at Texas A&M, Crow was not one of the "[[Junction Boys]]," since he was a freshman in [[1954 Texas Longhorns football team|1954]], Bryant's first season, and was thus ineligible to play on the varsity under NCAA rules at the time. In 1956, Crow was part of the [[1956 Texas A&M Aggies football team|first Aggie football team]] to beat the [[Texas Longhorns football|University of Texas]] at [[Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium]].<ref name=feigen>{{citation|last=Feigen|first=Jonathan|title=Football '93/A state of war/UT&mdash;A&M transcends football|newspaper=[[Houston Chronicle]]|date=August 29, 1993|url=http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=1993_1150308|access-date=September 26, 2007|page=Special, page 25}}</ref>

In Crow's senior season in [[1957 Texas A&M Aggies football team|1957]], the Aggies opened with eight wins and were ranked first in the [[AP poll]].<ref name=carternumber1>{{citation|last=Carter|first=Al|title=Ags rising above hardball humility|newspaper=[[Houston Chronicle]]|date=March 25, 1989|url=http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=1989_611821|page=Sports, page 1|access-date=September 27, 2007}}</ref>  The Aggies lost their last three games after uncertainty over whether head coach [[Bear Bryant]] would be leaving.<ref name=zwenerman2>{{citation|last=Zwenerman|first=Brent|title=College football: Heisman honed by history|newspaper=San Antonio Express&ndash;News|url=http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/big12/stories/MYSA082607.03M.FBCSect.CrowFeature.en.1a62f86.html|date=August 25, 2007|access-date=September 25, 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080705152005/http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/big12/stories/MYSA082607.03M.FBCSect.CrowFeature.en.1a62f86.html|archive-date=July 5, 2008}}</ref> Although injured early in the season, Crow was able to play in seven games in his senior season. He rushed for 562&nbsp;yards on 129&nbsp;carries, with six touchdowns. Crow also caught two passes and passed for five touchdowns. While playing on defense, he intercepted the ball five times.<ref name=heisman>{{citation|title=1957&ndash;23rd Award: John David Crow Texas A&M Back |publisher=Heisman.com |url=http://www.heisman.com/winners/j-crow57.php |access-date=May 11, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706234204/http://www.heisman.com/winners/j-crow57.php |archive-date=July 6, 2011 }}</ref> During the 1957 season, Bryant famously quipped, "If John David Crow doesn't win the Heisman Trophy, they ought to stop giving it."<ref name=APInews>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/19/sports/ncaafootball/john-david-crow-heisman-winner-at-texas-am-dies-at-79.html?_r=0|title=John David Crow, Heisman Winner at Texas A&M, Dies at 79|work=The New York Times|date=June 18, 2015}}</ref>

Crow was named am [[1957 College Football All-America Team|All-American]],<ref name=heisman/> and won the [[Heisman Trophy]] on December&nbsp;3 over runner-up [[1957 Iowa Hawkeyes football team|Iowa]] tackle [[Alex Karras]], followed by [[1957 Michigan State Spartans football team|Michigan State]] halfback [[Walt Kowalczyk]].<ref name=zwenerman2/><ref name=hvgt >{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=dPRVAAAAIBAJ&pg=5619%2C801187 |work=Eugene Register-Guard |location=Oregon |agency=Associated Press |title=Heisman vote goes to Crow by wide edge |date=December 4, 1957 |page=2D}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081203/SPORTS15/812030280|title=Prep basketball, NFL, college football, CCHA}}</ref> Crow claims not to have understood the importance of the award until sponsors flew his family and him to [[New York City]] for the presentation.<ref name=carter>{{citation|last=Carter|first=Al|title=Sports Spotlight: The Heisman race/Trophy winner's life altered/Campbell: It changes your name|newspaper=[[Houston Chronicle]]|date=December 1, 1989|page=Sports, Page 1|url=http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=1989_667861|access-date=September 26, 2007}}</ref> He was the first Aggie to win the Heisman, and he was the only one of Bryant's players to win.<ref name= zwenerman2/><ref name=bryant>{{citation|title=People|newspaper=[[Houston Chronicle]]|date=November 17, 1987|page=Sports, page 3|url=http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=1987_503407|access-date=September 26, 2007}}</ref> Bryant then left for [[1958 Alabama Crimson Tide football team|Alabama]] shortly after Crow received the Heisman.<ref name=zwerneman>{{citation|last=Zwerneman|first=Brent|title=Aggies Mailbag:Crow and Law &mdash; same story, 50 years apart|newspaper=San Antonio Express&ndash;News|date=August 30, 2007|access-date=September 25, 2007|url=http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/big12/stories/MYSA083007.aggiesmailbag.en.856d587e.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20070813022022/http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/big12/stories/MYSA083007.aggiesmailbag.en.856d587e.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 13, 2007}}</ref>

==Professional career==
In the [[1958 NFL draft]], Crow was the second overall pick, selected by the [[1958 Chicago Cardinals season|Chicago Cardinals]]. He played eleven seasons in the NFL and appeared in four [[Pro Bowl]]s.<ref name=carter/><ref name=zwerneman/>

In his first season, he played in seven games and rushed 52 times for 221 yards while catching twenty passes for 362 yards; he scored five total touchdowns. He also returned six kicks for 145 yards. Crow's first touchdown occurred in his first game on September 28 when he recovered a fumble in the end zone.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/195809280crd.htm|title = New York Giants at Chicago Cardinals - September 28th, 1958|website = [[Pro-Football-Reference.com]]}}</ref> The following year, he would improve by playing in twelve games while recording a total of 994 scrimmage yards (666 rushing, 328 receiving) with seven total touchdowns and a Pro Bowl selection.

Crow followed the team to [[History of the St. Louis Cardinals (NFL)|St. Louis]] in [[1960 St. Louis Cardinals (NFL) season|1960]]. That year, he had his first and only 1,000 yard rushing season with 1,071 yards on 183 carries; he led the league in yards per carry (5.9), yards from scrimmage (1,533), and fumbles (eleven). On December 18, 1960, he rushed for his only 200-yard game when he ran for 203 yards on 24 carries in a 38–7 victory over Pittsburgh. He was named to the Pro Bowl again while also receiving votes for MVP within UPI. However, he could not maintain his highs in [[1961 St. Louis Cardinals (NFL) season|1961]]. He played in eight games and rushed for just 192 yards with 306 receiving yards that year.

The next year, Crow saw action in 14 games and rushed for 751 yards on 192 carries while catching 23 passes for 246 yards; he scored a career high seventeen touchdowns while dubiously leading the league in fumbles (fourteen). Crow's best game came on December 12, 1962, when he recorded 21 carries for 95 yards with three touchdowns before adding another on his lone reception from sixteen yards out as the Cardinals won 45–35 over the [[Philadelphia Eagles]]. It was the only time he had four touchdowns in a game and the only time he rushed for three touchdowns.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/196212160crd.htm|title = Philadelphia Eagles at St. Louis Cardinals - December 16th, 1962|website = [[Pro-Football-Reference.com]]}}</ref> Crow would be hindered by injuries in 1963, playing just three games (week 5–7), although he did record one touchdown on a ten-yard pass that helped in a 24–23 victory over Pittsburgh.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/C/CrowJo00/gamelog/1963/|title = John David Crow 1963 Game Log|website = [[Pro-Football-Reference.com]]}}</ref>

He played in thirteen games the following year, rushing for 554 yards on 163 carries while catching 23 passes for 257 yards. It would be his final season with the Cardinals.

Crow was traded to the [[San Francisco 49ers]] ahead of the [[1965 San Francisco 49ers season|1965 season]] for veteran defensive back [[Abe Woodson]],<ref>Ron Weiss (eds.), ''The National Football League Record Manual, 1966.'' New York: National Football League, 1966; p. 105.</ref> he played fourteen games and rushed for 514 yards with 132 carries while catching 28 passes for 493 yards; he made his fourth and final Pro Bowl while receiving votes for Comeback Player of the Year. He rushed for over 475 yards with receiving yards of over 300 in each of the next two seasons while playing in all fourteen games. Crow finished his career with the [[1968 San Francisco 49ers season|San Francisco 49ers]].<ref name=carter/><ref name=smu/> Crow received the annual Len Eshmont Award twice, in [[1966 San Francisco 49ers season|1966]] and [[1967 San Francisco 49ers season|1967]], voted by the players and given to the 49er who best exemplifies the "inspirational and courageous play" of [[Len Eshmont]]. In his final season in [[1968 San Francisco 49ers season|1968]], he primarily played [[tight end]], and he caught 31 passes for 531 yards with five touchdowns.<ref name=cplret>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=vwpWAAAAIBAJ&pg=6701%2C1132559 |work=Eugene Register-Guard |location=Oregon |agency=Associated Press |title=Crow plans retirement |date=December 4, 1968 |page=3D}}</ref>

In total, Crow scored 74 touchdowns over his career (38 rushing, 35 receiving, one fumble recovery) while also throwing five touchdown passes. His 74 touchdowns were 13th best all-time in football history upon his retirement.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/all_td_career_1968.htm | title=NFL Career Touchdowns Leaders Through 1968 | website=[[Pro-Football-Reference.com]] }}</ref> In 125 games, he rushed for 4,963 yards on 1,157 carries while catching 258 passes for 3,699 yards.

==NFL career statistics==
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="2"| Legend
|-
| style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"|
| Led the league
|-
| '''Bold'''
| Career high
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Team
! colspan="2"| Games
! colspan="5"| Rushing
! colspan="5"| Receiving
|-
! GP !! GS !! Att !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD !! Rec !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD
|-
! [[1958 NFL season|1958]] || [[1958 Chicago Cardinals season|CRD]]
| 7 || 6 || 52 || 221 || 4.3 || style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"|'''83''' || 2 || 20 || 362 || 18.1|| '''91''' || 3
|-
! [[1959 NFL season|1959]] || [[1959 Chicago Cardinals season|CRD]]
| 12 || 11 || 140 || 666 || 4.8 || 73 || 3 || 27 || 328 || 12.1|| 36 || 4
|-
! [[1960 NFL season|1960]] || [[1960 St. Louis Cardinals (NFL) season|STL]]
| 12 || 12 || 183 || '''1,071''' || style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"|'''5.9''' || 57 || 6 || 25 || 462 || '''18.5''' || 52 || 3
|-
! [[1961 NFL season|1961]] || [[1961 St. Louis Cardinals (NFL) season|STL]]
| 8 || 7 || 48 || 192 || 4.0 || 17 || 1 || 20 || 306 || 15.3 || 35 || 3
|-
! [[1962 NFL season|1962]] || [[1962 St. Louis Cardinals (NFL) season|STL]]
| '''14''' || '''14''' || '''192''' || 751 || 3.9 || 35 || '''14''' || 23 || 246 || 10.7 || 53 || 3
|-
! [[1963 NFL season|1963]] || [[1963 St. Louis Cardinals (NFL) season|STL]]
| 3 || 0 || 9 || 34 || 3.8 || 9 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0
|-
! [[1964 NFL season|1964]] || [[1964 St. Louis Cardinals (NFL) season|STL]]
| 13 || 11 || 163 || 554 || 3.4 || 57 || 7 || 23 || 257 || 11.2 || 22 || 1
|-
! [[1965 NFL season|1965]] || [[1965 San Francisco 49ers season|SF]]
| '''14''' || 13 || 132 || 514 || 3.9 || 30 || 2 || 28 || 493 || 17.6 || 54 || '''7'''
|-
! [[1966 NFL season|1966]] || [[1966 San Francisco 49ers season|SF]]
| '''14''' || '''14''' || 121 || 477 || 3.9 || 31 || 1 || 30 || 341 || 11.4 || 54 || 3
|-
! [[1967 NFL season|1967]] || [[1967 San Francisco 49ers season|SF]]
| '''14''' || '''14''' || 113 || 479 || 4.2 || 39 || 2 || '''31''' || 373 || 12.0 || 59 || 3
|-
! [[1968 NFL season|1968]] || [[1968 San Francisco 49ers season|SF]]
| '''14''' || '''14''' || 4 || 4 || 1.0 || 3 || 0 || '''31''' || '''531''' || 17.1 || 54 || 5
|-
! colspan="2"|[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/C/CrowJo00.htm Career] !! 125 !! 116 !! 1,157 !! 4,963 !! 4.3 !! 83 !! 38 !! 258 !! 3,699 !! 14.3 !! 91 !! 35
|}

==Coaching career==
When his playing career ended, Crow became a coach. In [[1969 Alabama Crimson Tide football team|1969]], he was named the offensive backfield coach under Bryant at Alabama, a position he retained until [[1971 Alabama Crimson Tide football team|1971]].<ref name=heisman/> He was personally close to Bryant, under whom Crow's son, John David "Johnny" Crow Jr., played at Alabama.<ref name=perrone>{{cite web|url=http://www.theeagle.com/news/local/article_0f488a6c-b2ca-5519-bcff-e652eb84a538.html|title=Caitlin Perrone, John David Crow has good reason to cheer on both A&M and Alabama this Saturday, September 11, 2013|work=[[Bryan-College Station Eagle]]|date=September 11, 2013 |access-date=September 11, 2013}}</ref>

He later worked as an assistant coach with the [[Cleveland Browns]] and the [[San Diego Chargers]].<ref name=smu/>

===Northeast Louisiana===
Crow was the sixth head football coach for [[Louisiana–Monroe Warhawks football|Northeast Louisiana University]]—now the [[University of Louisiana at Monroe]]—and he held that position for five seasons, from 1976 until 1980, with a record of {{winpct|20|34|1|record=y}}.<ref>{{cite news|title=ULM community remembers John David Crow |first=Adam |last=Hunsucker |url=http://www.thenewsstar.com/story/sports/college/ulm/2015/06/18/ulm-community-remembers-john-david-crow/28949919/ |newspaper=The News-Star |location=Monroe |date=June 18, 2015 |access-date=June 19, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170929232114/http://www.thenewsstar.com/story/sports/college/ulm/2015/06/18/ulm-community-remembers-john-david-crow/28949919/ |archive-date=September 29, 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Athletic director==
Crow became the [[athletic director]] and head football coach at Northeast Louisiana University in 1975.<ref name=heisman/> He remained there until 1981, when he left to pursue private business opportunities.<ref name=custred2/>

In 1983, he became assistant athletic director at Texas A&M under [[Jackie Sherrill]], who served as both athletic director and head coach of the football team. Crow handled most duties for all sports except football, which Sherrill oversaw.<ref name=custred2>{{citation|last=Custred|first=Jayne|title=Sherrill aftermath/Crow: Mixed feelings on Sherrill departure|newspaper=[[Houston Chronicle]]|date=December 14, 1988|page=Sports, page 6|url=http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=1988_590290|access-date=September 26, 2007}}</ref> He was promoted to [[athletic director]] at the end of the 1988 football season when Sherrill resigned in the midst of a scandal. Texas A&M President William Mobley hired [[R. C. Slocum]], Sherrill's [[defensive coordinator]], as the new head football coach.<ref name=custred>{{citation|last1=Custred|first1=Jayne|last2=Farmer|first2=Neal|title=Aggie coach Sherrill quits amid scandal|newspaper=[[Houston Chronicle]]|url=http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=1988_589933|date=December 13, 1988|page=Section A, page 1|access-date=September 26, 2007}}</ref> In a press conference the day after his appointment, Crow announced, "I want to reaffirm my commitment to full compliance with the NCAA, Southwest Conference, and Texas A&M University regulations in our athletic department."<ref name=integrity>{{citation|title=2 vow to revive A&M integrity|newspaper=[[Houston Chronicle]]|date=December 14, 1988|page=Section A, page 1|url=http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=1988_590201|access-date=September 26, 2007}}</ref>

After a public row in January 1990, Crow fired long-time [[Texas A&M Aggies men's basketball|Aggies basketball]] coach [[Shelby Metcalf]], who had coached at Texas A&M for 32&nbsp;years, with five [[Southwest Conference]] championships. The relationship between the men had often been described as bitter, and Crow cited "uncalled-for criticism" in his firing of Metcalf, who was not given the opportunity to say goodbye to his players. When asked by the media what happened between the two, Metcalf remarked, "I made a comment that I didn't think John David was all that bright. And I thought I was being generous." Crow appointed [[Kermit Davis]] to replace Metcalf.<ref name=lopez>{{citation|last=Lopez|first=John P.|title=Ex-A&M coach Metcalf adjusts to new job, life|newspaper=[[Houston Chronicle]]|date=March 2, 1991|url=http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=1991_766983|access-date=September 26, 2007|page=Sports, page 6}}</ref>

Later that year, after [[University of Arkansas|Arkansas]] left the Southwest Conference, Crow and [[DeLoss Dodds]], the athletic director at the University of Texas, met with officials from the [[Pac-10 Conference]] about aligning with that conference. The two later cancelled a similar meeting with officials from the [[Southeastern Conference]].<ref name=expansion>{{citation|title=UT, Texas A&M officials cancel meeting on SEC expansion plan|newspaper=[[Houston Chronicle]]|date=August 19, 1990|url=http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=1990_723861|access-date=September 26, 2007|page=Sports, page 4}}</ref>

Crow resigned from his position as athletic director in April 1993 to invest as a limited partner in a greyhound racetrack. At the time of his resignation, the Texas A&M football program was embroiled in a scandal over students accepting money from boosters for jobs they had not performed. He was succeeded as athletic director by Wally Groff. As a result of the scandal, the Texas A&M football program was placed on five&nbsp;years probation and was banned from television or postseason appearances for one&nbsp;year.<ref name=stickney>{{citation|last=Stickney|first=W.H. Jr.|title=Chronology of events in Texas A&M probation|date=January 6, 1994|newspaper=[[Houston Chronicle]]|url=http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=1994_1176040|access-date=September 26, 2007|page=Sports, page 2}}</ref>
He then took a job as the fundraiser for the university until 2001, when he retired.<ref name=zwenerman2/>

==Awards and later life==
Crow was elected to the [[College Football Hall of Fame]] as a player in 1976.<ref name=heisman/> In 2004, Crow was awarded the PriceWaterhouseCoopers Doak Walker Legends Award, presented annually by the SMU Athletic Forum. The award is given to former college football running backs who had excellent college careers and later became leaders in their community.<ref name=smu>{{cite press release|title=John David Crow Named 2004 PriceWaterhouseCoopers Doak Walker Legends Award Recipient|publisher=SMU Athletic Forum|url=http://smu.edu/athleticforum/news/040921news.html|date=September 21, 2004|access-date=September 25, 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090116040435/http://smu.edu/athleticforum/news/040921news.html|archive-date=January 16, 2009}}</ref> In 1976, he was inducted into the [[Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame]] in [[Natchitoches, Louisiana|Natchitoches]].

Crow retired in [[College Station, Texas|College Station]], Texas.<ref name=zwenerman2/> In an interview with the ''[[Bryan-College Station Eagle]]'', Crow said, "I tell everybody that A&M is my true love and that I want us to win everything that we do, but Alabama is a close second because of the ties I had with Coach Bryant, and with my son playing over there.<ref name=perrone/>

He died at a [[hospice]] in [[Bryan, Texas]], on June 17, 2015; he was 79 years old, three weeks shy of his 80th birthday.<ref name=zwerneman6182105>Brent Zwerneman, "[http://blog.chron.com/sportsupdate/2015/06/report-texas-am-heisman-trophy-winner-john-david-crow-dies-at-79/ Texas A&M Heisman Trophy winner John David Crow dies at 79] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303225633/http://blog.chron.com/sportsupdate/2015/06/report-texas-am-heisman-trophy-winner-john-david-crow-dies-at-79/ |date=March 3, 2016 }}", ''Houston Chronicle'' (June 18, 2015). Retrieved June 18, 2015.</ref> In addition to their son, Crow and his high school sweetheart and wife of more than 60 years, the former Carolyn Gilliam, have two surviving daughters, Annalisa Stenklyft and husband, Jay, and Jeannie Pietrowiak and husband, Ken; daughter-in-law, Janice Crow, and seven grandchildren.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.theeagle.com/obituaries/crow-john-david/article_d967a385-c5bc-55dd-95ae-3d368cdee3be.html|title=Crow, John David|newspaper=Bryan-College Station Eagle|access-date=June 23, 2015}}</ref> He was [[Cremation|cremated]]. A public reception was held in his memory on June 23 at [[Reed Arena]] in College Station.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theeagle.com/obituaries/crow-john-david/article_0afbb017-3e7d-59d1-9f0d-b49e48b14829.html|title=Crow, John David|work=Bryan-College Station Eagle|access-date=June 21, 2015}} {{dead link|date=November 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

==Head coaching record==
{{CFB Yearly Record Start | type = coach | team = | conf = | bowl = | poll = no }}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
| name      = [[Louisiana–Monroe Warhawks football|Northeast Louisiana Indians]]
| conf      = [[NCAA Division I FBS independent schools|Division I / I-A independent]]
| startyear = 1976
| endyear   = 1980
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = 
| year         = [[1976 NCAA Division I football season|1976]]
| name         = [[1976 Northeast Louisiana Indians football team|Northeast Louisiana]]
| overall      = 2–9
| conference   = 
| confstanding = 
| bowlname     = 
| bowloutcome  = 
| bcsbowl      = 
| ranking      = no
| ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = 
| year         = [[1977 NCAA Division I football season|1977]]
| name         = [[1977 Northeast Louisiana Indians football team|Northeast Louisiana]]
| overall      = 2–9
| conference   = 
| confstanding = 
| bowlname     = 
| bowloutcome  = 
| bcsbowl      = 
| ranking      = no
| ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = 
| year         = [[1978 NCAA Division I-A football season|1978]]
| name         = [[1978 Northeast Louisiana Indians football team|Northeast Louisiana]]
| overall      = 6–4–1
| conference   = 
| confstanding = 
| bowlname     = 
| bowloutcome  = 
| bcsbowl      = 
| ranking      = no
| ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = 
| year         = [[1979 NCAA Division I-A football season|1979]]
| name         = [[1979 Northeast Louisiana Indians football team|Northeast Louisiana]]
| overall      = 3–8
| conference   = 
| confstanding = 
| bowlname     = 
| bowloutcome  = 
| bcsbowl      = 
| ranking      = no
| ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = 
| year         = [[1980 NCAA Division I-A football season|1980]]
| name         = [[1980 Northeast Louisiana Indians football team|Northeast Louisiana]]
| overall      = 7–4
| conference   = 
| confstanding = 
| bowlname     = 
| bowloutcome  = 
| bcsbowl      = 
| ranking      = no
| ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name       = Northeast Louisiana
| overall    = 20–34–1
| confrecord = 
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record End
| overall  = 20–34–1
| bowls    = no
| poll     = no
| polltype = 
| legend   = no
}}

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
* {{College Football HoF|1769}}
* {{Heisman|john-david-crow}}
* {{Footballstats |nfl=john-david-crow |espn= |cbs= |yahoo= |si= |pfr=C/CrowJo00 |rotoworld= }}
* {{Find a Grave}}

{{Louisiana–Monroe Warhawks athletic director navbox}}
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{{Heisman Winners}}
{{Sporting News College Football Player of the Year}}
{{UPI College Football Player of the Year}}
{{1957 College Football Consensus All-Americans}}
{{CardinalsFirstPick}}
{{Chicago Cardinals 1958 draft navbox}}
{{1958 NFL Draft}}
{{Second overall NFL draft picks}}
{{NFL1960s}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Crow, John David}}
[[Category:1935 births]]
[[Category:2015 deaths]]
[[Category:American football halfbacks]]
[[Category:Chicago Cardinals players]]
[[Category:Cleveland Browns coaches]]
[[Category:Louisiana–Monroe Warhawks athletic directors]]
[[Category:Louisiana–Monroe Warhawks football coaches]]
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[[Category:Coaches of American football from Louisiana]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Monroe, Louisiana]]
[[Category:Second overall NFL draft picks]]