Lamar McHan
American football player and coach (1932–1998)
American football player
Clarence Lamar McHan (December 16, 1932 – November 23, 1998) was an American football player and coach. He played professionally for ten seasons as a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Chicago Cardinals , Green Bay Packers , Baltimore Colts , and San Francisco 49ers .[ 1]
Early years
Born and raised in Lake Village, Arkansas , McHan graduated from its Lakeside High School and played college football at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville where he was a single-wing tailback.[ 2] [ 3] He was ninth in the 1953 Heisman Trophy balloting and played in the Blue-Gray Game in December and the College All-Star Game in Chicago in August 1954.[ 1]
Playing career
McHan was the second overall selection of the 1954 NFL draft , taken by the Chicago Cardinals . He played with the Cardinals for five seasons, through 1958 ,[ 4] but was suspended and fined by the team in November 1956 for insubordination.[ 5] [ 6] [ 7]
McHan was traded to the Green Bay Packers in May 1959 ,[ 8] under first-year head coach and general manager Vince Lombardi . In 1959, he was the starting quarterback for the first six games, then had a minor leg injury, and was replaced by future hall of fame quarterback Bart Starr .[ 9] [ 10] McHan started and won several games in 1960 , then was traded to the Baltimore Colts in March 1961 ,[ 10] [ 11] [ 12] and played behind Johnny Unitas . He was waived by the Colts in September 1963 and was picked up by San Francisco .[ 13] He played briefly with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL) in 1965 , winning the starting job at training camp, only to be cut after losing his first two starts.[ 14] [ 15] [ 16]
Coaching career
After retiring from football, McHan became an assistant coach at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff , and at the University of Texas at Arlington . He finished out his coaching career back in the NFL with the New Orleans Saints from 1974 to 1984 under three different head coaches: John North , Dick Nolan , and Bum Phillips .[ 17] (He was not on the staff of Hank Stram in 1976 and 1977 .)
Death
McHan died at age 65 in Jefferson, Louisiana , a suburb west of New Orleans , of a heart attack in 1998. He is buried at Garden of Memories in Metairie .
References
^ a b "Lamar McHan" . The Day . New London, Connecticut. Associated Press. November 27, 1998. p. D8.
^ "Strong Arkansas back rated as best" . Southeast Missourian . Cape Girardeau. Associated Press. November 7, 1953. p. 4.
^ "McHan sparks Arkansas win" . Spencer Sunday Times . Iowa. Associated Press. November 29, 1953. p. 11.
^ Lea, Bud (September 4, 1960). " 'New' McHan set to plague Cards" . Milwaukee Sentinel . p. S3.
^ "Chicago Cardinals fine McHan $3,000 for refusal to drill" . Toledo Blade . Ohio. Associated Press. November 21, 1956. p. 15.
^ "Chicago Cards may relent on $3,000 fine if quarterback McHan shows proper spirit" . Milwaukee Journal . press dispatches. November 21, 1956. p. 7, part 2.
^ "Suspended McHan drills with Cards" . Pittsburgh Post-Gazette . November 22, 1956. p. 42.
^ "McHan traded to Packers" . Milwaukee Sentinel . Associated Press. May 23, 1959. p. 1, part 3.
^ Johnson, Chuck (December 11, 1959). "Starr's comeback secret of Packers' success" . Milwaukee Journal . p. 15, part 2.
^ a b Johnson, Chuck (March 28, 1961). "Lombardi trades McHan to Baltimore for draft pick" . Milwaukee Journal . p. 14, part 2.
^ "Packers deal back McHan to Baltimore" . Milwaukee Journal . March 27, 1961. p. 1, final.
^ "Packers send McHan to Baltimore Colts" . Pittsburgh Post-Gazette . Associated Press. March 28, 1961. p. 22.
^ "Brodie out six weeks, arm broken" . Milwaukee Sentinel . UPI. October 2, 1963. p. 2, part 2.
^ "Argonauts sign McHan" . Montreal Gazette . Canadian Press. March 24, 1965. p. 33.
^ "McHan signs with Toronto" . Milwaukee Journal . Associated Press. March 23, 1065. p. 14, part 2.
^ "Argonauts cut Lamar McHan" . Montreal Gazette . Canadian Press. August 16, 1965. p. 23.
^ "McHan set" . Spokane Daily Chronicle . Washington. Associated Press. February 4, 1981. p. 21.
External links