When Bear Bryant famously remarked that if voters didn't award John David Crow the 1957 Heisman Trophy, "they ought to do away with the thing," the college football landscape took notice. The Chicago Cardinals certainly did, selecting the Texas A&M star second overall in the 1958 NFL Draft. After a knee injury limited his rookie campaign to seven games, Crow quickly validated the hype, evolving into one of the most versatile backfield threats of his era.

At 6 feet 2 inches and 220 pounds, Crow possessed rare size and functional power for a 1960s halfback, combining a bruising inside running style with smooth hands out of the backfield and elite blocking ability. Beyond his primary duties, he stood as one of the most lethal halfback-passers in league history, completing 33 career passes for 759 yards and five touchdowns.

His initial breakout arrived in 1959, when he generated 994 scrimmage yards and seven touchdowns to secure his first Pro Bowl selection. However, his game reached legendary status during the franchise's inaugural season in St. Louis in 1960. Crow spearheaded the offense by rushing for a career-high 1,071 yards, averaging an astounding 5.9 yards per carry—while adding 462 receiving yards. His 1,533 yards from scrimmage led the entire NFL, earning him Second-Team All-Pro honors and his second Pro Bowl invitation.

Crow’s physical, violent running style frequently exposed him to severe injuries. He was restricted to eight games in 1961, but responded with a monster rebound in 1962. Pounding the rock in goal-line sets, Crow scored a league-leading 17 total touchdowns (14 rushing, 3 receiving) while racking up nearly 1,000 yards from scrimmage to capture his third Pro Bowl selection in St. Louis.

Crow’s 14 rushing touchdowns in 1962 set a single-season Cardinals record, showcasing the punishing goal-line efficiency that defined his prime years.

Plagued by a knee injury that limited him to three games in 1963 and a quiet 1964 season, Crow departed for San Francisco in 1965. He made one final Pro Bowl as a 49er before retiring in 1968. In seven years wearing the Big Red jersey, Crow compiled 5,450 scrimmage yards and 50 total touchdowns (33 rushing, 17 receiving), earning a spot on the NFL 1960s All-Decade Team.