John Zook

Who is John Zook?

John Eldon Zook. Attended and played high school football at Larned, Kansas. He was a defensive end who played 12 seasons in the National Football League for the St. Louis Cardinals and the Atlanta Falcons. Zook played college football for the University of Kansas.

Zook was a three-year letterman, was picked twice for all-conference honors, anchoring one of the top defensive units ever taking the field at KU. He was an honorable mention All-American in 1967 and was a consensus All-America honors as the Jayhawks' defensive standout on the 1968 Orange Bowl-bound team, the year KU was named No. 6 by the Associated Press. Zook had 202 total tackles during his career, putting him at No. 4 on KU's all-time defensive line list. KU Coach Pepper Rodgers said Zook "never played but full speed from snap one to snap hundred. He was the most full-speed player on every snap that you could imagine." He was also chosen the KU All-Time team by the Lawrence Journal-World.

Zook was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the 4th round of the 1969 NFL Draft. He was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles and then by the Eagles to the Atlanta Falcons, where began his NFL career in 1969.