John Hannah

John Hannah is an American former professional football player who spent his entire 13-season National Football League (NFL) career playing as a guard for the New England Patriots.

Player Profile, High School, and College Career

John Allen Hannah was born on April 4, 1951, in Canton, Georgia, USA, and raised in Albertville, Alabama. The Offensive Guard stands 188 cm tall, and his playing weight was listed at 120 kg.

He attended Albertville High School (and later the Baylor School in Tennessee), where he was a standout multi-sport athlete. In addition to his gridiron dominance, he won the national heavyweight prep wrestling championship in 1967.

He played college football for the legendary coach Bear Bryant at the University of Alabama from 1970 to 1972.

Operating within a run-heavy wishbone offense, Hannah became an unstoppable blocking force for the Crimson Tide. In his 1972 senior season, he was a Unanimous All-American and won the Jacobs Blocking Trophy as the best blocker in the SEC.

Bryant famously called him "the finest offensive lineman I've ever been around." He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1999.

Personal Life

His brothers, Charley Hannah and David Hannah, were also All-Conference linemen at Alabama, and Charley won a Super Bowl playing for the Los Angeles Raiders.

Professional Career

Hannah was selected by the New England Patriots with the fourth overall pick in the first round of the 1973 NFL Draft. Despite initial concerns about his ability to transition from a college wishbone offense to pro-style drop-back pass blocking, he immediately inserted himself into the starting lineup and became the premier guard in pro football.

During his 13 seasons with the Patriots (1973–1985), "Hog" missed only five games due to injury despite the immensely physical nature of his position. He was the anchor of a legendary offensive line that paved the way for the Patriots to set the NFL single-season team rushing record with 3,165 yards in 1978—a record that stood for over four decades.

Hannah earned 10 consecutive All-Pro selections from 1976 through 1985 (including seven First-team nods) and was invited to nine Pro Bowls. His final NFL game was an appearance in Super Bowl XX following the 1985 season.

He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1991 in his first year of eligibility, becoming the first Patriot to earn the honor, and New England retired his iconic number 73 jersey.

Retirement

Following his retirement from football, he became a highly successful stockbroker and wealth manager in Boston for firms like First Union Securities.

He eventually returned to the gridiron in a coaching capacity, serving as a high school head coach and assistant at various prep schools in the 2000s, including Somerville High School in Massachusetts and his alma mater, the Baylor School in Tennessee. Today, Hannah lives a quieter life back in his home state of Alabama, where he operates a cattle farm in Blount County.

Career Highlights:

• 1976, 1978–1981, 1983, 1985 – 7× First-team All-Pro
• 1977, 1982, 1984 – 3× Second-team All-Pro
• 9× Pro Bowl selection
• 4× NFLPA Offensive Lineman of the Year
• NFL 1970s and 1980s All-Decade Teams
• NFL 75th and 100th Anniversary All-Time Teams
• 1991 Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductee