23 Facts About Jim Doran

James Robert Doran was an American professional football player in the National Football League for the Detroit Lions and the Dallas Cowboys.

Jim Doran played college football for the Iowa State Cyclones.

Jim Doran was a two-way player, playing both on offense and defense.

Jim Doran played 94 games as a defensive lineman, usually defensive end, and 115 games as a tight end.

Against Rippey High School as senior, Jim Doran belted 3 home runs, 2 as a right handed hitter and 1 as a lefty.

Jim Doran played defensive tackle despite being a relative lightweight at 190 pounds.

Jim Doran transferred to Iowa State University in 1947, joining the track team as a sprinter, high jumper and shot putter.

Jim Doran had his 1948 football season end in the season opener with a broken right ankle.

Jim Doran set an NCAA record against the Oklahoma Sooners by catching eight passes for 203 yards.

Jim Doran was the Cyclone's only football All-American in two decades, and more recently he was voted to the modern All-time All-Big Eight team.

Jim Doran closed out his Cyclone career owning virtually every Iowa State and Big Seven receiving mark.

Jim Doran was inducted into The Des Moines Register Sports Hall of Fame in 1973.

Jim Doran was deemed an "outstanding example for the young men of the state of Iowa".

Jim Doran was selected by the Detroit Lions in the fifth round of the 1951 NFL draft.

Jim Doran became a starter as a rookie at defensive end.

Jim Doran was used on the offensive side, registering 10 receptions, 225 receiving yards, a 22.5-yard average and 2 touchdowns.

Jim Doran's teammates nicknamed him the Graham Cracker, because of his ferocious rushing of Otto Graham as a defensive end, in all of the Detroit-Cleveland games he played in.

Jim Doran kept playing the offensive end position and led the Lions in receiving in 1957.

Jim Doran was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the 1960 NFL Expansion Draft.

Jim Doran was converted into a tight end at 33 years of age, becoming the first starter at that position in franchise history, while registering 31 catches for 554 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Jim Doran was released after playing two seasons in Dallas and a total of 11 seasons in the NFL, compiling 212 receptions for 3,667 yards and 24 touchdowns.

On July 22,1962, Jim Doran signed as a free agent with the Denver Broncos of the American Football League, but his season ended after injuring his back during a victory against the Dallas Texans and being placed on the injured reserve list on August 27.

Jim Doran rejoined his old Detroit Lions head coach, Buddy Parker, as an assistant with the Pittsburgh Steelers for the 1964 and 1965 seasons.