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Johnny Karras

1928 – 2008

American football player

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About Johnny Karras

Lived 1928 – 2008 (aged 80). Johnny Karras was an American american football player.

John J. "Argo Express" Karras (January 29, 1928 – November 6, 2008) was an American professional football halfback who played one season with the Chicago Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Cardinals in the second round of the 1952 NFL draft. Karras had previously played college football at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign and attended Argo Community High School in Summit, Illinois. He was a consensus All-American in 1951.

College career Karras first enrolled at the University of Illinois as a freshman in 1946 and then spent 18 months in the United States Army holding the rank of private first class. He returned to Illinois in 1949, accumulating seven rushing touchdowns and 826 yards rushing. He led the Illinois Fighting Illini football team in rushing yards in 1950 and 1951. Karras was a consensus All-American in 1951 after gaining 716 yards rushing and scoring 13 touchdowns. Illinois went 16–3–1 and won the 1952 Rose Bowl against Stanford. In 1990, he was named to Illinois' All-Century team.

Professional career Karras was selected by the Chicago Cardinals with the sixteenth pick in the 1952 NFL draft. He played in ten games and scored one receiving touchdown in .

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Education
Argo Community High School

People in Johnny Karras's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Johnny Karras's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Johnny Karras?

American football player (1928-2008)

When was Johnny Karras born?

Johnny Karras was born on 29 January 1928 in Chicago.

When did Johnny Karras die?

Johnny Karras died on 6 November 2008 in Hinsdale.

What was Johnny Karras's occupation?

Johnny Karras was an american football player.

What nationality was Johnny Karras?

Johnny Karras was American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Johnny Karras

· Wikidata: Q17626771

· DBpedia: Johnny Karras

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Johnny Karras. https://biography.guide/johnny-karras/

MLA: "Johnny Karras." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/johnny-karras/.

Chicago: "Johnny Karras." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/johnny-karras/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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