 Kavanaugh's 1950Bowman football card | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 51 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Position | End | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1916-11-23)November 23, 1916 Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | January 25, 2007(2007-01-25) (aged 90) Sarasota, Florida, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 207 lb (94 kg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| High school | Little Rock Central (Little Rock, Arkansas) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College | LSU (1937–1939) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NFL draft | 1940: 3rd round, 22nd overall pick | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Coaching | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Operations | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Coaching profile at Pro Football Reference | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Kenneth William Kavanaugh (November 23, 1916 – January 25, 2007) was an American professionalfootball player, coach, and scout. He played professionally in theNational Football League (NFL) for theChicago Bears as anend from 1940 to 1950, except for three seasons during which he served inWorld War II. He led the league in receiving touchdowns twice and is a member of theNFL 1940s All-Decade Team. He is the Bears' all-time leader in receiving touchdowns, with 50. He retired with the second-most receiving touchdowns in NFL history and was the second to reach 50 touchdowns in NFL history.[1]
Kavanaugh playedcollege football atLouisiana State University for theLSU Tigers, where he was named most valuable player of theSoutheastern Conference and a consensusAll-American in 1939 after leading the nation in receptions and receiving yards. He was elected to theCollege Football Hall of Fame in 1963.
Kavanaugh was born inLittle Rock, Arkansas.[2] He graduated fromLittle Rock Central High School in 1936.[3]
Kavanaugh arrived atLouisiana State University inBaton Rouge, Louisiana in 1936 and joined theLSU football varsity team in1937. As anend, he was quickly able to fill the void in the offense left by the departure of two-timeAll-AmericanGaynell Tinsley. At 6 feet 3 inches (1.91 m), Kavanaugh was a large receiver for his time, and used his size to outreach defenders.Bernie Moore, Kavanaugh's head coach at LSU, said Kavanaugh "was a pass completer rather than a receiver, simply because he'd catch passes no one else could get to."[4] He was named to theAssociated Press (AP)All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) second alternate team after the 1937 season.[5] In1938, the AP named him a first-team All-SEC selection,[6] and he was a second-team selection by theUnited Press.[7]
In1939, in a game againstHoly Cross, Kavanaugh caught four touchdown passes in the 26–7 win. According to Kavanaugh and teammateYoung Bussey, Kavanaugh found four rusty nails on the sideline during the game. The next week againstRice, he found another nail and scored another touchdown to give LSU a 7–0 win. The pattern continued againstLoyola andVanderbilt, as Kavanaugh found two nails before each game and in each scored two touchdowns. A sportswriter for theBaton Rouge Advocate claimed he saw coach Bernie Moore at a local store stocking up on nails before LSU's game against No. 1Tennessee.[8] Kavanaugh failed to score in the game, however, as the Tigers lost 20–0.[9]
TheNashville Banner named Kavanaugh co-MVP of theSoutheastern Conference for 1939 along withBob Foxx ofTennessee.[10][11] Kavanaugh was a consensusAll-America selection for the1939 All-America Team, being named to the team by five of the nine official selectors.[12] He was also awarded theKnute Rockne Memorial Trophy by theWashington D.C. Touchdown Club as the nation's Lineman of the Year and finished seventh inHeisman Trophy balloting.[13]
After college, Kavanaugh signed aminor league baseball contract with theSt. Louis Cardinals organization for $300 a month. He later signed with the NFL'sChicago Bears after striking a deal with Bears ownerGeorge Halas for $300 a game.[2] He played for the Bears during a period in which they were nicknamed theMonsters of the Midway. In the1940 NFL Championship Game, the Bears defeated theWashington Redskins 73–0,[14] the most lopsided victory in NFL history.[15] Kavanaugh caught the game's only touchdown pass, a 30-yard reception from quarterbackSid Luckman shortly before halftime.[14] The next season, the Bears won the1941 NFL Championship Game, as they defeated theNew York Giants 39–7 and repeated as NFL champions. The final score in the game was a fumble recovery by Kavanaugh on defense, returning the ball 42 yards for a touchdown.[16] In his first two seasons with the Bears, Kavanaugh compiled 23 receptions for 590 yards and nine touchdowns.
Kavanaugh's career was interrupted byWorld War II, during which he was a pilot in theEuropean theater. He was a member of theEighth Air Force's490th Bombardment Group and851st Bombardment Squadron and attained the rank ofcaptain.[17][18] He flew 30 missions and was awarded theDistinguished Flying Cross and theAir Medal with fouroak leaf clusters.[19] Former LSU and Bears teammateYoung Bussey was the Bears' only casualty in the war.[20]
After the war, he continued his career with the Bears. In1945 he had 543 yards and six touchdowns, and in1946 had 337 yards and five touchdowns. Three of his touchdowns in 1946 came in a 27–21 win over theLos Angeles Rams in week seven.[21] The Bears defeated theNew York Giants 24–14 in the1946 NFL Championship Game, which gave Kavanaugh his third league championship with the team. The first touchdown of the game was a 21-yard pass from Luckman to Kavanaugh.[22][23] After the season, he was named to the United PressAll-NFL first-team.[24] Kavanaugh had his most productive season statistically in1947. He had career highs with 32 receptions, 881 yards, and 13 touchdowns. He set a Bears record by recording a receiving touchdown in seven straight games,[25] a streak that began with a three-touchdown game against theBoston Yanks in week six.[21] His 13 receiving touchdowns led the league,[3][26] and he earned his second straight first-team All-NFL selection from the United Press.[27]
Kavanaugh was named to his third straight All-NFL first-team in1948, and he again led the league in receiving touchdowns in1949, with nine. His most productive single-game yardage performance came in his final season, in1950 against theYanks, as he caught eight passes for 177 yards and a touchdown.[3][21]
Kavanaugh spent a total of eight seasons in Chicago. He spent the majority of his career catching passes from quarterbacks Sid Luckman andJohnny Lujack. He remains the Bears' career leader in touchdown receptions, with 50. He also holds franchise records for highest career and single-season yards-per-reception.[28] His 13 touchdown receptions in 1947 is a single-season Bears record he shares withDick Gordon, who tied it in 1970.[29]
In 1969, Kavanaugh was voted by sportswriters to theNFL 1940s All-Decade Team.[30] TheProfessional Football Researchers Association named Kavanaugh to the PRFA Hall of Very Good Class of 2009.[31]
After he retired from playing, he remained with the Bears for the1951 season as an ends coach. He was hired byBoston College in 1952 to serve in the same position,[32] until his resignation in 1954.[33] After serving as an assistant atVillanova in 1954,[3] Kavanaugh was hired by the New York Giants in 1955 as ends coach and continued in that position until 1970. He was the Giants’ offensive coordinator from 1969-70. He became a scout for the Giants in 1971,[34] serving until he retired from football in 1999.[2]
His son, Ken Kavanaugh Jr. played at LSU as atight end. He was drafted by the Giants in the1972 NFL draft but did not play professionally.[35]
Kavanaugh died of complications from pneumonia on January 25, 2007, inSarasota, Florida.[36][2]
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Won theNFL championship | |
| Led the league | |
| Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | Games | Receiving | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | ||
| 1940 | CHI | 11 | 0 | 12 | 276 | 23.0 | 74 | 3 |
| 1941 | CHI | 11 | 0 | 11 | 314 | 28.5 | 48 | 6 |
| 1945 | CHI | 10 | 2 | 25 | 543 | 21.7 | 64 | 6 |
| 1946 | CHI | 10 | 4 | 18 | 337 | 18.7 | 38 | 5 |
| 1947 | CHI | 12 | 6 | 32 | 818 | 25.6 | 81 | 13 |
| 1948 | CHI | 12 | 7 | 18 | 352 | 19.6 | 64 | 6 |
| 1949 | CHI | 12 | 10 | 29 | 655 | 22.6 | 81 | 9 |
| 1950 | CHI | 12 | 7 | 17 | 331 | 19.5 | 67 | 2 |
| Career | 90 | 36 | 162 | 3,626 | 22.4 | 81 | 50 | |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
