John Arnold (American football)

John Richard Arnold (born October 5, 1955) is a former professional American football wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He attended the University of Wyoming and played with the Detroit Lions in 1979 and 1980.

John Arnold
No. 47
Position:Wide receiver
Personal information
Born: (1955-10-05) October 5, 1955
Shizuoka, Japan
Height:5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Weight:175 lb (79 kg)
Career information
High school:Parkland (WA) Washington
College:Wyoming
Undrafted:1979
Career history
Career NFL statistics
Games:17
Punt returns:47
Kickoff returns:32
Player stats at NFL.com · PFR

Arnold was born in Shizuoka, Japan, the son of an American serviceman and Japanese woman.[1][2] Arnold played college football at Wyoming. Before his junior season, three fingers on his left hand were severed after an accident during his offseason job at a lumber processing plant in Seattle, Washington on July 27, 1977. His fingers were sewed back on, but Arnold missed the 1977 season.[3][4][5]

He signed a two-year contract with the Detroit Lions in the spring of 1979.[6][7] He was released before the start of the regular season. By October 31, he was re-signed by the team after an injury to fellow wide receiver Luther Blue.[7] He was waived by Detroit before the 1981 season began.[8]

In March 1982, Arnold was awarded $400,000 in damages by a superior court for the injuries he sustained in 1977 that resulted in the loss of his fingers, with Arnold's attorneys arguing the injury cost the player a high spot in the National Football League Draft.[9]

References
  1. Luebker, Earl (September 16, 1981). "State grads go to NFL". The News Tribune. p. 20. Retrieved July 21, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. Furman Bisher (October 6, 1980). "Detroit has a new model but it stalls". The Atlanta Journal. p. 43. Retrieved July 21, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. "Pokes lose Arnold". Casper Star-Tribune. July 26, 1977. p. 9. Retrieved July 21, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. "Poke plies positive power". Casper Star-Tribune. May 9, 1978. p. 17. Retrieved July 21, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. Mossman, John (August 31, 1978). "Wyoming grid coach makes no predictions". The Albuquerque Tribune. p. 50. Retrieved July 21, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. "Detroit signs John Arnold". The News Tribune. June 6, 1979. p. 22. Retrieved July 21, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. Associated Press (November 1, 1979). "State grads go to NFL". Standard-Speaker. p. 23. Retrieved July 21, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. "Transactions". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. September 1, 1981. p. 32. Retrieved July 21, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. Churchill, Marlowe (March 12, 1982). "Football player scores $400,000 for hand injury suffered in plywood mill". The News Tribune. p. 3. Retrieved July 21, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
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