John Niland (American football)
Encyclopedia
John Hugh Niland is a former American football
offensive lineman in the National Football League
from 1966
through 1975
.
at Long Island's Amityville High School
.
Niland played college football
at the University of Iowa
where he started out as a fullback
, before switching to guard
during his junior campaign.
He was an All-America
n selection his senior year in (1965
) and also a Second-team All-America
selection in 1964 by the Newspaper Enterprise Association.
in the first round (fifth overall) of the 1966 NFL Draft
by the Dallas Cowboys
. He became the starting left offensive guard
for the Cowboys from 1966
to 1974
. One of the top offensive lineman of his era, particularly excellent as a pulling guard
, Niland was selected to six consecutive Pro Bowl
s from 1968
to 1973
and was an All-Pro
.
Practicing against Bob Lilly
since his rookie year, helped him become a Pro Bowl
er and solidified an offensive line that won 3 NFC Championship Game
s and 1 Super Bowl
. He was nicknamed Johnny Nightlife by his teammates, because of his thirst for the nightlife.
As a rookie in the 1966 NFL Championship Game and later in the 1967 NFL Championship Game, the so-called Ice Bowl
, both Cowboy losses, Niland played next to left offensive tackle
Tony Liscio
and opposite right defensive tackle
Lionel Aldridge
of the Green Bay Packers
.
The Cowboys eventually won the NFC Championship Game
during the 1970-71 NFL playoffs against the San Francisco 49ers
, thanks in great part to Duane Thomas
's 143 yards on the ground, but lost in Super Bowl V
to the Baltimore Colts. However, in the following year, they defeated again the San Francisco 49ers
in the NFC Championship Game
of the 1971-72 NFL playoffs and then the Miami Dolphins
in Super Bowl VI
. In the latter game, Niland and Liscio overwhelmed Bob Heinz
and Bill Stanfill
, respectively, leading Duane Thomas
and others to a whopping 252 yards on the ground.
Along with Rayfield Wright
, Nate Newton
and Larry Allen
, Niland is one of only four offensive lineman in team history with at least six Pro Bowl
selections.
, Niland was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles
, playing one season before retiring.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
offensive lineman in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
from 1966
1966 NFL season
The 1966 NFL season was the 47th regular season of the National Football League, and the season after which was played Super Bowl I, though it was called the AFL-NFL World Championship Game. The league expanded to 15 teams with the addition of the Atlanta Falcons, thus an odd number of teams...
through 1975
1975 NFL season
The 1975 NFL season was the 56th regular season of the National Football League. It was also the first time that featured an entire season with no games ending in a tie. The league made two significant changes to increase the appeal of the game:...
.
Early years
He was an All-State fullbackFullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
at Long Island's Amityville High School
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
.
Niland played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
where he started out as a fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
, before switching to guard
Guard (American football)
In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team....
during his junior campaign.
He was an All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n selection his senior year in (1965
1965 College Football All-America Team
The 1965 College Football All-America team is composed of various organizations that choose College All-America teams that season. The organizations that chose the teams were Associated Press, United Press International, Newspaper Enterprise Association, Central Press Association, Football Writers...
) and also a Second-team All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
selection in 1964 by the Newspaper Enterprise Association.
Dallas Cowboys
Niland was draftedNFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
in the first round (fifth overall) of the 1966 NFL Draft
1966 NFL Draft
The 1966 National Football League Draft was held on November 27, 1965. It was the last draft in which the NFL and the AFL drafted their players separate of one another. As a result, many players selected by teams from both leagues would choose to play for the more established NFL, or in a rarer...
by the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
. He became the starting left offensive guard
Guard (American football)
In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team....
for the Cowboys from 1966
1966 NFL season
The 1966 NFL season was the 47th regular season of the National Football League, and the season after which was played Super Bowl I, though it was called the AFL-NFL World Championship Game. The league expanded to 15 teams with the addition of the Atlanta Falcons, thus an odd number of teams...
to 1974
1974 NFL season
The 1974 NFL season was the 55th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl IX when the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Minnesota Vikings...
. One of the top offensive lineman of his era, particularly excellent as a pulling guard
Guard (American football)
In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team....
, Niland was selected to six consecutive Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
s from 1968
1968 NFL season
The 1968 NFL season was the 49th regular season of the National Football League. As per the agreement made during the 1967 realignment, the New Orleans Saints and the New York Giants switched divisions; the Saints joined the Century Division while the Giants became part of the Capitol Division.The...
to 1973
1973 NFL season
The 1973 NFL season was the 54th regular season of the National Football League. The season featured O.J. Simpson becoming the first man to rush for 2,000 yards in one season...
and was an All-Pro
All-Pro
All-Pro is a term mostly used in the NFL for the best players of each position during that season. It began as polls of sportswriters in the early 1920s...
.
Practicing against Bob Lilly
Bob Lilly
Robert Lewis Lilly is a former American football defensive tackle in the National Football League and photographer. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1980.-College career:...
since his rookie year, helped him become a Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
er and solidified an offensive line that won 3 NFC Championship Game
NFC Championship Game
The National Football Conference Championship Game is one of the two semi-final playoff matches of the National Football League, the largest professional American football league in the United States. The game is played on the penultimate Sunday in January and determines the champion of the...
s and 1 Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
. He was nicknamed Johnny Nightlife by his teammates, because of his thirst for the nightlife.
As a rookie in the 1966 NFL Championship Game and later in the 1967 NFL Championship Game, the so-called Ice Bowl
Ice Bowl
The term Ice Bowl may refer to several different sporting events that are or were scheduled during cold weather:* Ice Bowl , a college football game held in Fairbanks, Alaska from 1948 to 1952...
, both Cowboy losses, Niland played next to left offensive tackle
Tackle (American football)
Tackle is a playing position in American and Canadian football. Historically, in the one-platoon system a tackle played on both offense and defense. In the modern system of specialized units, offensive tackle and defensive tackle are separate positions....
Tony Liscio
Tony Liscio
Anthony Liscio is a former American football offensive tackle in the National Football League from 1963 through 1971. He played college football at the University of Tulsa...
and opposite right defensive tackle
Tackle (American football)
Tackle is a playing position in American and Canadian football. Historically, in the one-platoon system a tackle played on both offense and defense. In the modern system of specialized units, offensive tackle and defensive tackle are separate positions....
Lionel Aldridge
Lionel Aldridge
Lionel Aldridge was a United States professional football player.He was drafted in 1963 after a standout college career at Utah State. One of the few rookies to start for coach Vince Lombardi, Aldridge enjoyed an eleven-year NFL career...
of the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
.
The Cowboys eventually won the NFC Championship Game
NFC Championship Game
The National Football Conference Championship Game is one of the two semi-final playoff matches of the National Football League, the largest professional American football league in the United States. The game is played on the penultimate Sunday in January and determines the champion of the...
during the 1970-71 NFL playoffs against the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
, thanks in great part to Duane Thomas
Duane Thomas
Duane Julius Thomas is a former American football running back in the National Football League who played four seasons for the Dallas Cowboys, San Diego Chargers and Washington Redskins from 1970 to 1974....
's 143 yards on the ground, but lost in Super Bowl V
Super Bowl V
Super Bowl V was an American football game played on January 17, 1971, at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida, to decide the National Football League champion following the 1970 regular season...
to the Baltimore Colts. However, in the following year, they defeated again the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
in the NFC Championship Game
NFC Championship Game
The National Football Conference Championship Game is one of the two semi-final playoff matches of the National Football League, the largest professional American football league in the United States. The game is played on the penultimate Sunday in January and determines the champion of the...
of the 1971-72 NFL playoffs and then the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in Super Bowl VI
Super Bowl VI
Super Bowl VI was an American football game played on January 16, 1972, at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1971 regular season...
. In the latter game, Niland and Liscio overwhelmed Bob Heinz
Bob Heinz
Robert Kenneth Heinz is a former American football defensive tackle. He played college football at the University of the Pacific and in the National Football League for the Miami Dolphins and the Washington Redskins...
and Bill Stanfill
Bill Stanfill
William Thomas Stanfill is a former defensive end for the Miami Dolphins of the American Football League and then the NFL after the AFL-NFL merger of 1970.-High school years:...
, respectively, leading Duane Thomas
Duane Thomas
Duane Julius Thomas is a former American football running back in the National Football League who played four seasons for the Dallas Cowboys, San Diego Chargers and Washington Redskins from 1970 to 1974....
and others to a whopping 252 yards on the ground.
Along with Rayfield Wright
Rayfield Wright
Larry Rayfield Wright is a former American football offensive tackle for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.-High school and college years:...
, Nate Newton
Nate Newton
Nathaniel Newton is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League who played for the Dallas Cowboys and the Carolina Panthers . He also played for the Tampa Bay Bandits of the United States Football League, in 1984 and 1985...
and Larry Allen
Larry Allen
Larry Christopher Allen, Sr. is a former American football guard of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the second round of the 1994 NFL Draft...
, Niland is one of only four offensive lineman in team history with at least six Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
selections.
Piladelphia Eagles
In 19751975 NFL season
The 1975 NFL season was the 56th regular season of the National Football League. It was also the first time that featured an entire season with no games ending in a tie. The league made two significant changes to increase the appeal of the game:...
, Niland was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, playing one season before retiring.