Kansas football legend, former assistant coach John Hadl dies at age of 82

Former University of Kansas football standout John Hadl, an inductee into the College Football Hall of Fame who played pro football for 16 seasons, most notably with the San Diego Chargers, has died at the age of 82, KU’s athletic department has confirmed.

Hadl, an all-state halfback at Lawrence High School, was the first KU football player to be picked twice for All-America honors (1960 and 1961). The three-time all-Big Eight selection was also named the Most Valuable Player of both the East-West Shrine game and the College All-Star game after the 1961 season.

He also went on to work at his alma mater as an assistant football coach and assistant athletic director.

With Hadl playing quarterback, the Jayhawks were ranked in the top 20 his junior and senior years, and they finished the two seasons with a 14-5-2 record. He capped his Kansas career by leading the Jayhawks to the school’s first-ever bowl victory — 33-7 over Rice in the 1961 Bluebonnet Bowl.

Hadl — his name is included in KU’s Ring of Honor at Memorial Stadium — is one of three players to have his jersey number (21) retired at KU. The others are Gale Sayers (48) and Ray Evans (42). He is a member of the KU Athletics Hall of Fame and state of Kansas Sports Hall of Fame.

As a sophomore in 1959, in his first season of collegiate eligibility, Hadl led the NCAA in punting (45.6 yards per attempt) and set KU records for the longest punt (94 yards which still stands) and the longest interception return (98 yards, which stood until 2007).

A six-time Pro Bowler, Hadl played in three American Football League Championship games and was named NFC Player of the Year in 1973. He was named the 1971 NFL Man of the Year, and is a member of the San Diego Chargers Hall of Fame.

Hadl played for the San Diego Chargers from 1962-72, Los Angeles Rams from 1973-74, Green Bay Packers from 1974-75 and Houston Oilers from 1976-77.

He threw for 33,503 yards, 244 touchdowns and 268 interceptions. At the time of his retirement he ranked third all-time in passing yards. As an interesting tidbit, Hadl never missed a start because of injury during his 16-year AFL/NFL career.

After retiring from professional football in 1977, Hadl worked at KU as an assistant football coach. As assistant head coach and offensive coordinator in 1981, he helped lead the Jayhawks to the Hall of Fame Bowl. In the mid-1980s he coached in the NFL (Rams, Broncos) and the USFL (Los Angeles Express).

In 1988, Hadl returned to KU to join the Williams Education Fund staff. For 30 years he was at the forefront of fundraising for the construction and renovation of KU’s athletics facilities.

“Coach Hadl gave me opportunities for which I owe him a great debt of gratitude,” former KU and KC Chiefs quarterback Frank Seurer told KUAthletics.com in 2018 when Hadl retired from his position with KU’s Williams Fund, where he served as a fundraiser for three decades.

“He coached and mentored me, and so many others, both at KU and professionally, and developed us as players and people. Kansas Athletics has never had, and never will have, a greater ambassador. He is loved and respected by everyone he’s touched, and will be immensely missed in Jayhawk Nation,” Seurer added.

On Wednesday, Seurer wrote on Facebook: “Very sad news today. One of my all time heroes, mentor, father figure and great friend john Hadl passed away this morning. He was the best. He’ll be missed but will live on forever. RIP #21.”

Former KU running back Kerwin Bell wrote Wednesday on Facebook: “Oh what a great coach and person. Happy I got to see him in recent years. He was the rock that got KU football back on the map in the early 80’s.... RIP #21.”

Former KU receiver Willie Vaughn wrote on Facebook: “So sad to hear about Coach....I’m a Jayhawk today because of him.”

KU coach Lance Leipold said Wednesday: ““Upon my arrival, I heard instantly from people across the state about John’s impact to this department, not just as a student-athlete and coach, but as someone who dedicated nearly 40 years of his life to the University of Kansas. His desire to enhance KU and make it as special as possible truly resonated with me. To be the head coach of this program and see his statue every day outside Anderson Family Football Complex is a firm reminder of the passion and love that John had for this program. Kelly and I send our condolences to the Hadl family and his loved ones.”

AD Travis Goff stated: “John Hadl had a generational impact on Kansas Football, the University of Kansas and the Lawrence community. He was a once-in-a-lifetime Jayhawk student-athlete, a coach and mentor, a prolific fundraiser who developed profound relationships with countless (people), and the ultimate ambassador for KU. In short, our University and athletic program has been transformed by John and his legacy will forever be cemented. Our deepest thoughts and prayers are with Diana and the Hadl family. We will deeply miss John and his contagious smile but will proudly honor him and his unrivaled legacy as we move forward.”

Hadl, in his work at the Williams Fund, was responsible for many large donations to Kansas.

“As a fan I admired John’s ability as an athlete,” longtime KU donor Dana Anderson said in an interview with KUAthletics.com in 2018.

“When he came back to the university we became friends, and he inspired me to become involved in the (Anderson Family) Strength Center and the (Anderson Family) Football Complex. He had a magic way about him. He could open any door with anybody. People welcomed him even though they knew he was looking for money. He was what I call ‘pleasantly persistent.’ I wouldn’t have been as committed if it hadn’t been for John,” Anderson added.

Matt Baty, former Williams Fund director at KU, once said of Hadl: “As a student-athlete, as an alumnus and as a Williams Education Fund team member, John’s contributions to Kansas Athletics and to the university are immeasurable. Our donors know of his athletics achievements, but the respect they have for him as a person has helped Kansas Athletics achieve a transformation through millions of dollars of construction and renovation.”

On Wednesday Baty told The Star: “His impact has been felt from the day he stepped foot on campus and will be felt for generations to come. John Hadl is a Jayhawk forever!”

Former KU football coach David Beaty said of Hadl in 2018: “John has experienced unparalleled accomplishments in his career, yet remains one of the most humble men I have had the pleasure of knowing. He definitely belongs in the NFL Hall of Fame, and I look forward to the day he takes his rightful place there. Nobody loves KU more than John. He represents what it means to be a great Jayhawk with his humble, hardworking, blue-collar approach to life. I would be remiss if I didn’t thank him for being an amazing mentor and friend to me.”

Hadl back in 2012 was asked by KU athletic department officials if he had “any specific memories that stick out from your time in Lawrence?”

“The Missouri game (1960) when they were undefeated, No. 1 in the nation, and we were number 11 at the time. We played Iowa when they were No. 1, we played Syracuse when they were No. 1 and then we played Missouri when they were No. 1, so beating Missouri was a big, big win for us. I can remember that clearly. After the game, (KU coach) Jack Mitchell told me in the locker room that I had made All-American as a junior. I went into shock.

“When we were driving out of town, we had our own car so we could drive ourselves back. I had Curtis McClinton, Bert Coan, Doyle Schick and myself in the car — which was the entire backfield. We pulled up to a stoplight and these Missouri guys drive up next to us and saw that we had Kansas plates. So — you know how they are — they started giving us a hard time. I put it in park and the four of us got out of the car, you should have seen how fast those Missouri guys drove away.

“Football-wise I had a lot of great memories, we had some great guys. If you use the term ‘team,’ we were a real team without question,” Hadl added.

He had a humorous story he told about the Bluebonnet Bowl victory to KUAthletics.com.

“On a fourth down, I faked a punt and ran (41 yards to the Rice 19-yard line) right before the half. That turned the momentum around and we were able to beat them. After the game I signed my contract with the San Diego Chargers under the goalpost, so I remember that. What was funny was that Curtis McClinton signed his, too (with the Dallas Texans — now the Kansas City Chiefs). He had a bonus check with him coming off the field, and he accidentally stuck the check in the locker next to his, thinking it was his locker. He went crazy looking for that check — I think it was 10 grand at the time. I remember that clearly because everybody in the locker room was looking for that check.”

As a Jayhawk, Hadl once boomed a 94-yard punt versus Oklahoma.

“Like hitting a 2-iron, you hit a really good 2-iron you don’t know how you did it,” Hadl told the Lawrence Journal-World of the record punt back in 2016. “It just took off. I came off the field and (coach) Jack Mitchell said, ‘John, that was a damn national record.’ He was so fired up.”

And asked of memories of his pro career, Hadl said: “The one game I remember, when I was with the (Los Angeles) Rams, we played the Dallas Cowboys (in 1973) and I had four touchdown passes in the first half. (Wide Receiver) Harold Jackson caught all four of them and I remember that clearly because there were about 90,000 people in the Los Angeles Coliseum cheering us on.”

Hadl was a popular figure in the entire athletic department at KU.

Current KU basketball coach Bill Self told the Lawrence Journal-World in 2016: “John was a big reason why I came to Kansas when the job opened. He basically called and said, ‘Now, listen here, this is what we’re going to do and this is what you’re going to do.’ He has had more experiences than just about any man I know, as far as hanging out with (Joe) Namath or (Lance) Alworth or whoever.

“But more importantly than all that, John Hadl is a great guy. He’s a guy’s guy. He cares about people. He’s so impressed by other people’s successes, but he never talks about himself when he’s done more than all of us combined in his lifetime,” Self added at the time.

The Kansas Alumni Association awarded Hadl The Fred Ellsworth Medallion in 2020. It is the association’s highest honor for distinguished service to KU. It’s named in tribute to Fred Ellsworth, the association’s longtime director who oversaw its operations for nearly four decades.

In a news release at the time, KU coach Self said Hadl “provided invaluable assistance in building and improving campus athletic facilities, including Anschutz Pavilion, the Wagnon Student-Athlete Center, the Ward Family Scholarship Suites at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, and the Booth Family Hall of Athletics, among others.”

“John’s ability to make every Jayhawk he met feel welcome was such a gift,” Self said. “You would always leave John feeling better about KU and inspired to give back.”

Hadl during his pro career and afterward was friends with the likes of Hollywood actor John Wayne, singer Dean Martin and Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Namath.

“We were down for the Orange Bowl and I was in (former Kansas coach Mark) Mangino’s suite,” Hadl told the Lawrence Journal-World in 2016.

“The phone rings and I answer it: ‘Who is this?’ ‘Joe Namath.’ ‘Joe, you (so and so), this is Hadl!’ So he went crazy. And he told me he wanted to meet Mangino because they were both from that same area of Pennsylvania. I said, ‘Come on down. I know he’d like to meet you.’ I told coach Mangino and he said, ‘Hell, yes. Get him down here.’ Joe drove 50, 60 miles the next day.

“I was sitting in the hotel lobby waiting for him. He walked through that lobby and of course everybody said, ‘There’s Joe Namath!’ I took him up to the room and they (Namath and Mangino) talked about Pennsylvania for about an hour. Joe’s as regular as you can get. He doesn’t take himself seriously at all, just a really good guy,” Hadl added at the time.