Three Former Hawkeyes Who Became Legends in the NFL

The Iowa Hawkeyes football program has a long history of producing talent that rises to the top of the National Football League. At the start of the 2023 regular season, over 40 former Hawkeyes were on NFL rosters, with almost 30 of those players on active duty. Those impressive figures include the newest NFL recruits from the 2023 NFL Draft: Lukas Van Ness, Jack Campbell, Sam LaPorta, and Riley Moss.

Players selected by NFL franchises are not guaranteed success; a lot of hard work, determination, and luck is involved in an athlete’s career. While Fantasy Football and football fans around the world keep a watchful eye on rookies Van Ness, Campbell, LaPorta, and Moss, that quartet of up-and-coming stars is hopeful that one day they will replicate some of the NFL success enjoyed by the following three former Hawkeyes who are icons of the game.

Paul Krause – Safety

While it is common for quarterbacks and other offensive players to receive the plaudits, Paul Krause made the safety position fashionable to youngsters across the United States during the 1960s and 70s. Krause played in an era way before the best betting sites launched, but he would have been a firm favorite for Pro Bowl selection had those sites existed.

Krause represented the Hawkeyes from 1960-63, playing as a running back, wide receiver, and defensive back. He was multi-talented, earned All-American honors for Iowa’s baseball team, and was drafted into the major leagues, but he turned down the offer because football was his passion.

The then-Washington Redskins selected Krause as the 18th overall pick in the 1964 NFL Draft. Krause spent four seasons in Washington, playing 67 games before heading to the Minnesota Vikings. Krause spent 12 seasons with the Vikings, retiring at the end of the 1979 season.

Krause currently holds the NFL record for most interceptions. He intercepted 81 passes during his career, returning them for 1,185 yards and three touchdowns. Ironically, the previous record holder was also a former Hawkeye, Emlen Tunnell, who you will learn more about shortly.

In addition to his record number of interceptions, Krause was selected for Pro Bowl duty nine times and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1998.

Emlen Tunnell – Safety

Emlen Tunnell’s story is that leaves you open-mouthed in awe. The fact Tunnell was the first African American to be selected by and play for the New York Giants is worthy of a place in this article in its own right. Still, you realize Tunnell was also the first African American inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and you realize this man was special. 

Tunnell was born and raised in Philadelphia and played college football for the University of Toledo in 1942. Tunnell was a halfback back then but broke his neck in a game in October 1942. Amazingly, he fully recovered and went on to help the Toledo Rockets basketball team to the finals of the 1943 National Invitation Tournament.

The neck injury Tunnell sustained prevented him from enlisting in the United States Army and Navy during World War II. However, the United States Coast Guard accepted him in May 1943. A torpedo hit the boat he was serving on, and Tunnell saved a shipmate’s life by putting the flames out from his friend with his bare hands. Tunnell saved another shipmate’s life a couple of years later, diving into 32-degree water to prevent him from drowning.

While serving with the Coast Guard, Tunnell returned to playing football and enrolled with the University of Iowa following his honorable discharge in April 1946. 

Despite not being drafted, the New York Giants signed Tunnell in July 1948, with Tunnell claiming he had to hitchhike to New York City to meet Jack Mara, the son of Giants owner Tim Mara. The rest, as they say, is history.

Tunnell spent ten years with the Giants and another three with the Green Bay Packers, eventually calling time on his professional career in 1961. He was an NFL champion twice, selected for the Pro Bowl nine times, and was a six-time First-team All-Pro. When he retired, Tunnell held NFL records in number of interceptions (79), interception return yards (1,282), punt returns (258), and punt return yards (2,209).

Sadly, Tunnell had a heart attack in July 1975, which claimed his life.

Andre Tippett – Linebacker

Andre Tippett shot to prominence in the 1980s following a glistening college career with the Hawkeyes. The All-American Tipped was a three-year letterman, was a two-time All-Big Ten selection, and was part of the famous 1981 Hawkeyes team that won their first Big Ten title and first Rose Bowl in two decades. To this day, Tippett holds the Iowa record for tackles resulting in lost yardage in a season, with 20 tackles for 153 yards.

Despite his evident defensive talents, the New England Patriots waited until the 41st overall pick of the 1982 NFL Draft to get their man. As a professional, Tippett became one of the most feared pass-rushers of his generation. Between the 1984 and 1985 seasons, Tippett recorded 35.0 sacks, an NFL record. His 18.5 sacks in 1984 is the third most by any linebacker in the game’s history.

Tippett retired as a Patriot in 1993 with 100.0 career sacks, a franchise record. No wonder he is a member of the New England Patriots Hall of Fame, the University of Iowa Hall of Fame, and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Conclusion

As you can see, the Iowa Hawkeyes are responsible for nurturing some true NFL greats. While Paul Krause, Emlen Tunnell, and Andre Tippett put in the long, hard hours on the training field and in the gym to make it to the pinnacle of the National Football League, they would not have the chance to shine on football’s biggest stage had it not been the foundations the Hawkeyes coaching staff laid all those years before. We hope to write about some more former Hawkeyes becoming iconic NFL figures in the next few years.