John Rauch dominated the gridiron as a record-setting Georgia Bulldogs quarterback before leading the Oakland Raiders to Super Bowl II as an innovative head coach.
Football Bio
August 20, 1927 – Former University of Georgia quarterback John Rauch was born.
Rauch has been celebrated in the College Football Hall of Fame since 2003’s induction.
He went on to play in the NFL for the Detroit Lions and then was traded to the New York Bulldogs in his first season.
Rauch also spent time with the Eagles.
After his playing days, he moved into coaching.
Eventually, he became head coach of the AFL representative in Super Bowl II, the Oakland Raiders, who fell to the Vince Lombardi-led Green Bay Packers in that game.
John Rauch establishes a rare legacy of success as both a legendary college passer and an elite professional coach. He secures his place in football history by winning SEC titles for the Georgia Bulldogs and taking the Oakland Raiders to the absolute pinnacle of professional sports.
Accolades and Football Accomplishments
- College Football Hall of Fame: Inducted in 2003.
- First-Team All-American: 1948.
- SEC MVP: 1948.
- Second-Team All-American: 1947.
- 2× SEC Champion: 1946 and 1948.
- NCAA Passing Record Setter: Finished his career with a then-NCAA record 4,044 passing yards.
- NCAA First: The first player in college football history to start four consecutive bowl games.
- AFL Champion: Led the Oakland Raiders to the 1967 AFL title.
- AFL Coach of the Year: 1967.
- Super Bowl II Head Coach: Led the Oakland Raiders to their first Super Bowl appearance.
- NFL Draft: Selected #2 overall in the 1949 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions.
