Gail Cogdill

Gail Ross Cogdill (April 7, 1937 – October 20, 2016) was an American professional football split end. He played college football for the Washington State Cougars from 1957 to 1959 and was selected by the Detroit Lions in the 1960 NFL draft of the National Football League (NFL). He played for the Lions, the Baltimore Colts and the Atlanta Falcons. He won the NFL Rookie of the Year Award in 1960 and played in three Pro Bowls.

Cogdill was born in Worland, Wyoming, in 1937. As a boy, he moved with his family to Spokane, Washington, and attended Lewis and Clark High School in that city. He began playing football during his junior year of high school. After losing every game in his junior year, he helped lead Lewis and Clark to the state championship in his senior year. He also competed in track and basketball and earned all-state honors in all three sports.

Cogdill attended Washington State College on a football scholarship. He played college football as an end, both on offense and defense, for the Washington State Cougars football team under head coach Jim Sutherland from 1957 to 1959. On September 27, 1958, he set an all-time, single-game record by gaining 252 receiving yards on seven receptions against Ara Parseghian's Northwestern Wildcats. After his senior year, he was selected by the Associated Press as a second-team player on the 1959 All-Pacific Coast football team. He was also selected to play in the 1960 East–West Shrine Game, Senior Bowl, and Chicago College All-Star Game. He also competed in track at Washington State and won a Pacific Coast Conference hurdles championship.

Cogdill was selected by the Detroit Lions in the sixth round, 63rd overall pick, of the 1960 NFL draft. He was offered more money ($7,000) by the Dallas Texans of the American Football League, but he signed with the Lions because he wanted to play in "the big league."

In May 1960, Lions coach George Wilson touted Cogdill as "one of the top receivers to come into professional football in a long time." As a rookie in 1960, he appeared in all 12 games for the Lions at the split end position and caught 43 passes for 642 yards. He was selected by both the United Press International and The Sporting News for the NFL Rookie of the Year Award. He was also selected to play in the 1961 Pro Bowl.

In 1961, Cogdill had a strong second year with 45 passes for 956 yards and six touchdowns. After a loss to Green Bay in November 1961, head coach George Wilson said Cogdill would become the best receiver in the NFL and described one of his catches as follows: "On the first catch, he reached behind his back with his left hand and pulled in the ball while in full stride. I think the whole stadium turned upside down with that one."

Cogdill had his best season in 1962, catching 53 passes for 991 yards and seven touchdowns. He continued to develop a reputation for circus catches. Sports writer George Puscas later wrote about Cogdill's acrobatic catches and recalled: "He was the only football player I've ever seen who caused teammates to interrupt their own work to watch him do his." After the 1962 season, Cogdill received second-team All-NFL honors from the Associated Press (AP) and United Press International (UPI). He was also selected to play in the 1963 Pro Bowl.

In 1963, he caught 48 passes for 945 yards and a career-high 10 touchdowns. He was selected to play in his third Pro Bowl and was selected by the AP for the second consecutive year as a second-team All-NFL player.