4/30/2018
John Wooten
Fritz Pollard | Chairman: John Wooten
John has a deep commitment to the communities he has lived in and
understands the value of giving something back.
Born on December 5, 1936 in Riverview, Texas, John
attended Carlsbad High School in Carlsbad, New
Mexico. He is a graduate of the University of Colorado
in Boulder, Colorado with a Bachelor of Science degree
in Education.
Drafted in 1959 by the Cleveland Browns, his addition
to the team proved to be one of the most important
drafts in the history of the Cleveland Browns. John
played for the Cleveland Browns from 1959 to 1967,
then the Washington Redskins from 1967 to 1968.
During the off seasons of 1960 – 1963 he was a junior
high school teacher at Addison Junior High School in
Cleveland, Ohio.
John’s NFL career did not stop on the field. He continued by becoming the Director of Pro
Scouting with the Dallas Cowboys from 1975 to 199l. He created Player Programs/Player
Development programs for the NFL in 1991. He served as vice President/Player Personnel
for the Philadelphia Eagles in 1992 and also served as Assistant Director, Pro/College
Scouting for the Baltimore Ravens until his retirement in 2002.
John has been involved with the NFL for some forty‑eight years and currently serves as the
Chairman of the Fritz Pollard Alliance, an affinity group who works in conjunction with the
NFL as it relates to minority hiring in coaching, scouting and front office positions.
John is also the President of Wooten Printing and an Independent Associate of
Ignite/Stream Energy, which is located in Dallas, Texas.
On the field honors include All State Football and Basketball in high
school, Associated Press All‑Big Seven, All American Honors at
offensive guard at the University of Colorado in 1958. He was name
to the Chicago Tribune’s College All Star Game in 1959, Sporting
News NFL All Star Team in 1965, named to the NFL Pro Team teams
in 1966 and 1967, Cleveland Browns All‑Time All‑Star Team in
1979, and University of Colorado’s All‑Century Football in 1989.
He was inducted into the Texas Black Sports Hall of Fame in 2002,
Colorado hall of Fame in 2004 and Colorado Honored Jersey in
2005. In addition, he was inducted into the Cleveland Browns
Legends Club in November 2010, elected to the College Football
Hall of Fame in 2013; and has three NFL World Championship
rings.
John has a deep commitment to the communities in which he has
lived and understands the value of giving back. He has served on
the Board of Directors of Big Brothers in Cleveland, Ohio, Member of City Planning
Commission in Cleveland and has been awarded the William O. Walker Community
Excellence Honoree in 2002 in Cleveland and was a member of the National Minority
Economic Development Council under the Johnson Administration. John is a member of
Saint Maria Goretti Catholic Church in Arlington, Texas.
John and his wife, Juanita, currently reside in Arlington, Texas. They have five children
together: Adrienne, Gina, Jennifer, Lynette, John David (deceased – May 10, 2009), and five
grandchildren, Lauren, Gabriel, Michael, Quentin and Sydney.
https://fritzpollard.org/organizatonbios/john-wooten/
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