12 Facts About Karl Sweetan

Karl Robert Sweetan was an American professional football quarterback.

Karl Sweetan played five seasons in the National Football League, from 1966 to 1970, for three teams.

Karl Sweetan was Wake Forest's starting quarterback in 1963, his senior year.

Karl Sweetan completed 79 of 218 passes for 674 yards, throwing one touchdown and 18 interceptions.

Karl Sweetan's 218 pass attempts were the second highest in the conference, and fifth highest in the country.

Undrafted by the National Football League out of college, Karl Sweetan played quarterback and defensive back for the Canadian Football League's Toronto Argonauts during the 1964 season.

In that game, Karl Sweetan threw a 99-yard pass to Pat Studstill that will always be an NFL record for longest pass completion.

Karl Sweetan was the second NFL quarterback to accomplish the feat; as of 2021, a total of 12 NFL quarterbacks have thrown a 99-yard pass, with the most recent being Eli Manning in 2011.

Karl Sweetan played himself in the 1967 movie, Paper Lion, which starred Alan Alda as an amateur participating at quarterback during the Lions preseason.

Karl Sweetan gained a different kind of notoriety when it was alleged that he tried to sell an NFL football playbook to another team; however, the charge was not proven.

Karl Sweetan spent the last 27 years of his life in Las Vegas, where he worked for a series of casinos; his last job was as a baccarat dealer at the Las Vegas Hilton.

Karl Sweetan was survived by four daughters and a son.