Quick Facts
Biography
Leon Donohue (March 25, 1939 – August 11, 2016) was an American football offensive guard in the National Football League for the San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys. He played college football at San Jose State University.
Early years
Donohue attended James Lick High School, where he played football and basketball. He accepted a football scholarship from San Jose State University. As a sophomore, he was converted from end into a tackle and became a starter.
He was inducted into the San Jose State Sports Hall of Fame and the East Side Unified School District of San Jose Hall of Fame. In 1995, he was named to the San Jose State Football's "All-Century Team" by the San Jose Mercury News.
Professional career
San Francisco 49ers
Donohue was selected by the San Francisco 49ers as a future draft pick in the ninth round (118th overall) of the 1961 NFL Draft, which allowed them to draft him one year before his college eligibility was over. He was also selected by the Oakland Raiders of the American Football League in the 29th round (225th overall) of the 1962 AFL Draft. In his second year he was named the regular starter at right guard.
On September 6, 1965, he was traded to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for a third round selection (#37-Al Randolph).
Dallas Cowboys
Donohue was the starter at right guard during three seasons and played in the 1967 NFL Championship Game famously known as the "Ice Bowl", where the Green Bay Packers beat the Cowboys 21 - 17.
He couldn't recover from a knee injury and was placed on the injured reserve list during the 1968 season. On July 21, 1969, he was traded to the Detroit Lions in exchange for a draft selection (not exercised).
Detroit Lions
In 1969, the Detroit Lions acquired Donohue to improve their depth at the offensive line, but was not able to make the team due to problems with his knee.
Personal life
After retiring, he became a football, wrestling and tennis coach at Shasta College in Redding. In 1977, he was named the football head coach and went on to win or share four league titles. He retired after the 1995 season and was inducted into the Shasta College Sports Hall of Fame in 2002. He also was inducted into the Shasta County Hall of Fame. He died on August 11, 2016.