Gene Hickerson

Infobox NFLretired


|width=
caption=
position=Offensive Guard
number=66
birthdate=birth date and age|1935|2|15
Trenton, Tennessee
debutyear=1957
finalyear=1973
draftyear=1957
draftround=7
draftpick=78
college=Mississippi
teams=
* Cleveland Browns (1957-1973)
stat1label=Games played
stat1value=202
stat2label=Seasons
stat2value=16
stat3label=Fumble Recoveries
stat3value=7
nfl=HIC039551
highlights=
* 6x Pro Bowl selection (1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970)
* 7x All-Pro selection (1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970)
* NFL 1960s All-Decade Team
HOF=263
CollegeHOF=

Robert Eugene (Gene) Hickerson (born February 15, 1935) is a former American Football offensive guard who played for the Cleveland Browns in a fifteen year career from 1958 to 1973. Hickerson was a six time Pro Bowler from 1965 to 1970. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame on February 3, 2007. He was inducted by his friend and former teammate at The University of Mississippi and the Cleveland Browns, Bobby Franklin, on August 4th 2007 in Canton, Ohio.

Collegiate career

Playing fullback at Trezevant High School in Trezevant, Tennessee. Hickerson became a tackle at Ole Miss. He was considered one of the best offensive linemen in Southeastern Conference history at the end of his collegiate career.

Pro career

Gene was drafted in the seventh round of the 1957 NFL Draft by the Browns. He was promptly shifted to the guard position on the offensive line in 1958 to better utilize his speed. He was used as a "messenger" guard by Coach Paul Brown, or a guard that delivered the plays in the huddle, while blocking for Hall of Famers Jim Brown, Bobby Mitchell, and Leroy Kelly. But after three seasons in the league, he broke his leg in 1961 and fractured the leg again later in the season while watching a game from the sidelines. After missing two games in 1962, he recovered from the injury and never missed a game in his professional tenure. Hickerson only earned accolades after Jim Brown had retired and he was blocking for Leroy Kelly, but he earned first-team all-NFL honors five straight seasons from 1966-1970 and was voted to six consecutive Pro Bowls from 1966 to 1971. During his career, Hickerson's Browns never experienced a losing season and started in four NFL title games, including a 1964 NFL Championship win over the Baltimore Colts 27-0. During Gene's 10 pro seasons, the Browns featured a 1,000-yard rusher every season but one. They also had the NFL's leading rusher seven seasons of those ten. He was elected to the Browns' legends team and the NFL 1960s All-Decade Team.

External links

*"Pro Football Hall of Fame:" [http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.jsp?player_id=263 Member profile]
* [http://www.commercialappeal.com/mca/sports_columnists/article/0,1426,MCA_468_5658871,00.html Bittersweet Day for Former Rebel]