Don Looney, who set an NFL record for catches in a season as a rookie in 1940 but cut short his career to enter the military during World War II, has died at the age of 98.
Originally drafted by the Eagles in 1940, Looney burst onto the scene with a brilliant start to his career, becoming the first player ever to record 100 receiving yards in each of his first two games. By the end of the season he had 58 catches, a single-season NFL record, and also led the league with 707 receiving yards.
After the 1940 season, Art Rooney, Bert Bell and Alexis Thompson organized an odd deal that swapped the NFL’s Pittsburgh and Philadelphia franchises, and Looney was one of the many players who went from Philadelphia to play on the Pittsburgh team (which changed its name from the Pirates to the Steelers). In 1941 Looney led the Steelers in receiving, although the Steelers were such a run-first team that he led the team with just 10 catches for 186 yards.
Looney played only three games in 1942 before leaving to join the military. He never played pro football again, but did work in the NFL as an official.
Today Looney’s name is best remembered because he was the father of Joe Don Looney, one of the NFL’s most colorful characters of the 1960s. Joe Don Looney died in a motorcycle crash in 1988.
In addition to his brief but impressive NFL career, Don Looney led all of college football in receiving yards in 1939 and was believed to be the last surviving player from the 1938 TCU team that won the national championship. He is survived by a granddaughter and four great-grandchildren.
