 | |
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1907-05-09)May 9, 1907 Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Died | February 9, 1984(1984-02-09) (aged 76) |
| Playing career | |
| 1930–1934 | Carroll (WI) |
| Position(s) | Quarterback |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1935–1937 | Carroll (WI) (assistant) |
| 1938–1948 | Carroll (WI) |
| 1949–1951 | Lake Forest |
| Administrative career (AD unless noted) | |
| 1938–1949 | Carroll (WI) |
| 1949–1957 | Lake Forest |
| 1957–1960 | Chicago Cardinals (DPP) |
| 1960–1971 | Houston Oilers (DPP) |
| 1971–1973 | Houston Oilers (GM) |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 46–38–9 |
John W. Breen (May 9, 1907 – February 9, 1984) was anAmerican football andbasketball player, coach, and executive.[1] He was active in the college ranks before becoming an administrator in theAmerican Football League for theHouston Oilers.
Breen grew up inMilwaukee, Wisconsin and played high school football atMilwaukee East Division High School. He then went on toCarroll College inWaukesha, Wisconsin where he was named "most valuable player" and team captain in both football and basketball.[2]
After graduation from Carroll in 1935, Breen began coaching freshman teams and teaching classes Breen was the 19th head football coach, serving held that for 11 seasons, from 1938 until 1948.
In 1949, Breen became the head coach atLake Forest College inLake Forest, Illinois[3] and held the position for three seasons, through 1951.[4] During his tenure as head coach, he accumulated a record of 9–13–2.[5] While at Lake Forest he received nationwide publicity for defending the interests of small college athletics.[2] In 1974, Lake Forest inducted him into their athletic "Hall of Fame" for his contribution to the football and basketball programs at the school.[6]
After a successful college career as an educator and coach, Breen went into the professional ranks with theChicago Cardinals of theNational Football League (NFL) as director of player personnel in 1957.[7] He was later the first person hired by theHouston Oilers in 1960 as director of player personnel and was namedgeneral manager in 1971 and he held that position until his retirement in 1973.[8][9]
Breen was instrumental in the building of the Oilers[10] and theAmerican Football League (AFL) itself by being in charge of the league's first draft of players.[11] He is credited with recruiting veteran playersGeorge Blanda,John Carson, andWillard Dewveall along with first-year playersBilly Cannon,Dan Lanphear, andCharley Hennigan.[12] He recognized that the competing NFL teams would cut good quality players, and he recruited them to play at Houston.[13]
After his retirement from professional football management, Breen worked as a sports broadcaster for radio stationKTRH inHouston, Texas.[14]
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carroll Pioneers(Independent)(1938–1948) | |||||||||
| 1938 | Carroll | 6–1 | |||||||
| 1939 | Carroll | 4–2–1 | |||||||
| 1940 | Carroll | 3–3–1 | |||||||
| 1940 | Carroll | 3–3–1 | |||||||
| 1941 | Carroll | 2–5 | |||||||
| 1942 | Carroll | 5–1–1 | |||||||
| 1943 | No team—World War II | ||||||||
| 1944 | No team—World War II | ||||||||
| 1945 | Carroll | 1–3 | |||||||
| 1946 | Carroll | 4–2–1 | |||||||
| 1947 | Carroll | 5–1–2 | |||||||
| 1948 | Carroll | 4–4 | |||||||
| Carroll: | 37–25–7 | ||||||||
| Lake Forest Foresters(College Conference of Illinois)(1949–1951) | |||||||||
| 1949 | Lake Forest | 3–5 | 3–2 | 3rd | |||||
| 1950 | Lake Forest | 3–4–1 | 3–2 | 4th | |||||
| 1951 | Lake Forest | 3–4–1 | 3–2 | T–3rd | |||||
| Lake Forest: | 9–13–2 | 9–6 | |||||||
| Total: | 46–38–9 | ||||||||