Jimmy Patton

James Russell Patton (born September 29, 1933 – December 22, 1972) was an American professional football player who was a defensive back in the National Football League (NFL) for the New York Giants. He was a five-time Pro Bowl selection and five-time first-team All-Pro.[1] Patton played college football at the University of Mississippi and was drafted in the eighth round of the 1955 NFL Draft.[2]

Jimmy Patton
refer to caption
Patton on a 1961 trading card
No. 20
Position:Safety
Personal information
Born:(1933-09-29)September 29, 1933
Greenville, Mississippi, U.S.
Died:December 22, 1972(1972-12-22) (aged 39)
Villa Rica, Georgia, U.S.
Height:5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Weight:183 lb (83 kg)
Career information
High school:Greenville (MS) E. E. Bass
College:Ole Miss
NFL Draft:1955 / Round: 8 / Pick: 92
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Interceptions:52
Interception yards:712
Int. touchdowns:2
Return touchdowns:2
Player stats at NFL.com

On December 22, 1972, Patton was killed in an automobile accident near Villa Rica, Georgia. He was driving alone in his car when he was struck by an oncoming vehicle while attempting to pass another car.[3] He was driving to Virginia to see his sister who was dying of cancer as reported by his sons.

Patton is second in Giants history for most interceptions. When he retired, he was one of only seven players with fifty career interceptions. [4] He is one of nine defensive backs to have been named a First-team All-Pro in five seasons, however Patton is the only one to have not been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.[5] The Professional Football Researchers Association named Patton to the "PRFA Hall of Very Good" class of 2010.[6][7]

References
  1. "Jimmy Patton Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved March 8, 2017.
  2. Riffenburgh, Beau (1986). The Official NFL Encyclopedia, 4th Edition. New American Library Books. pp. 394–5. ISBN 0-453-00524-1.
  3. "Jimmy Patton, 39; Ex-Star of Giants". The New York Times. December 27, 1972. p. 42. Retrieved March 8, 2017.
  4. "NFL Career Interceptions Leaders Through 1967". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
  5. "Pro Football DB Hall of Fame Monitor". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
  6. "Hall of Very Good Class of 2010". Profootballresearchers.org. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
  7. "State Your Case: Why have we forgotten former Giants' star Jimmy Patton? | Sports Illustrated Talk Of Fame Network". Si.com. Retrieved 12 February 2022.


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