John Zook obit

 

Longtime Atlanta Falcons DE John Zook dies at age 72

 He was not on the list.

John Zook, who teamed with Hall of Famer Claude Humphrey to give the Atlanta Falcons a dynamic combination at defensive end, has died. He was 72.

His brother, Dean Zook, confirmed the death to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The former player died Saturday in his native Kansas after a long battle with cancer.

Zook was born in Garden City, Kansas, and grew up in Zook and Larned. He was a three-year letterman, was picked twice for all-conference honors, anchoring one of the top defensive units ever taking the field at KU. He was an honorable mention All-American in 1967 and was a consensus All-America honors as the Jayhawks' defensive standout on the 1968 Orange Bowl-bound team, the year KU was named No. 6 by the Associated Press. Zook had 202 total tackles during his career, putting him at No. 4 on KU's all-time defensive line list. KU Coach Pepper Rodgers said Zook "never played but full speed from snap one to snap hundred. He was the most full-speed player on every snap that you could imagine." He was also chosen in the KU All-Time team by the Lawrence Journal-World

Initially a fourth-round pick by the Los Angeles Rams out of Kansas, Zook wound up in Atlanta after a pair of trades, first to Philadelphia, then to the Falcons.

Zook was with Atlanta from 1969-75, lining up on the right while Humphrey held down the left side. The team has scant success, with only two winning seasons and no playoff appearances during that time, but the duo was recognized as one of the team’s few strong suits.

Zook never missed a game during his tenure with the Falcons, starting 97 of 98 contests. He made his only Pro Bowl appearance in 1973, joining Humphrey in the all-star game.

“The most fun I had the whole time I played football was the time John and I had that season when we were both selected to the Pro Bowl,” Humphrey told the Atlanta newspaper. ”We figured out we were better together than we were individually.”

Zook was dealt to St. Louis in 1976, spending his last four seasons with the Cardinals.

He played 144 games, with 134 starts.

Zook had four career interceptions and notably recorded the first safety in Falcons history in 1971.

He grew up in Larned, Kansas.

Some of his teammates, coaches, managers and club owners include: Rankin M. Smith Sr., Norm Van Brocklin, George Kunz, Marion Campbell, Bob Berry, Randy Johnson, James "Cannonball" Butler, Tommy Nobis, Jeff Van Note, Paul Flatley, Jim Mitchell, Ken Reaves, Bob Etter, Billy Lothridge, Gail Cogdill, Greg Brezina, Art Malone, Al Lavan, Joe Profit, Dick Shiner, John Bramlett, Billy Ray Barnes, Dave Hampton, Duane Benson, Chuck Walker, Fred Bruney, Harry Gilmer, John James, Pat Sullivan, Rolland Lawrence, Marv Matuszak, Pat Pepplar, Steve Bartkowski, Alfred Jenkins, John Gilliam, Nick Mike-Mayer, Jim Hart, Sam Wyche, Tom Banks, Conrad Dobler, Dan Dierdorf, Jim Hart, Mel Gray, Roger Wehrli, Jim Bakken, Bill Bidwill, Don Coryell, Terry Metcalf, Pat Tilley, Jackie Smith, Wayne Morris, Steve Pisarkiewicz, Mike Sensibaugh, J. V. Cain, Walt Patulski, Tom Brahaney, Bob Young, Bud Wilkinson, Steve Little and Brad Oates.