Former Atlanta Falcons defensive end John Zook passes away at age 72

John Zook (Google Images)

According to Reuters Media, former Atlanta Falcons defensive end John Zook of Garden City, Kansas passed away at the age of 72 of cancer on Saturday. Zook played seven seasons with the Falcons from 1969 to 1975, and then four additional seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals from 1976 to 1979.

In 11 National Football League seasons, Zook played 144 games. He had four interceptions for 60 yards, eight fumble recoveries for 52 yards, one touchdown from a fumble recovery, and one sack.

Zook also made an impact in his first ever NFL game. In a 24-12 Falcons win over the San Francisco 49ers on September 21, 1969, Zook intercepted a John Brodie pass for an interception return of 15 yards. It was one of three interceptions that Brodie threw in the game.

Zook’s lone National Football League touchdown came on September 17, 1972. Zook, in fact, got the Falcons’ first touchdown in the 1972 NFL regular season on a 26-yard fumble return in a 37-21 win over the Chicago Bears at the legendary Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois. The following season, in 1973, Zook was selected to the Pro Bowl. That season he had one fumble recovery for Atlanta.

Zook’s lone career safety came in a 28-21 Falcons win over the Green Bay Packers on November 22, 1971. It was in fact the first ever safety in the history of the Falcons franchise, and led to the final two points of the game.

It should be noted that all of Zook’s four interceptions, eight fumble recoveries, touchdown and safety came with the Falcons. Zook initially played his university football with the University of Kansas Jayhawks, and was an All-American in 1968. He was then selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the fourth round, 99th overall, in the 1969 NFL Draft. Zook was then traded to the Philadelphia Eagles and then dealt again to the Falcons before playing his very first NFL game.