Don Carothers

Donald E. "Crutch" Carothers (May 13, 1934 – September 19, 2008) was an American football offensive end who played one season with the Denver Broncos of the American Football League (AFL). He was selected by the Chicago Cardinals in the tenth round of the 1957 NFL draft after playing college football at Bradley University.

Early life Carothers participated in high school football, basketball and track at Moline High School in Moline, Illinois. He was a member of the 1951 Maroons basketball team that finished second in the state. He also won the Illinois state high jump title for three consecutive years.

College career Carothers first attended the University of Iowa on a basketball scholarship. He signed with the Cardinals on June 3, 1958, after his senior year at Bradley. He was released by the Cardinals on September 15, 1958. Carothers signed with the AFL's Denver Broncos in 1960 and played in three games for the team during the 1960 season.

Personal life Carothers worked as an insurance agent and also in the investment field after his football career. He was later the owner of the Carothers Insurance Company in Bettendorf, Iowa. He also was the general manager of the Quad City Raiders, which played in the Continental Football League.