The 1961 National Football League Draft took place on December 27 and December 28, 1960. The first player selected was Tommy Mason, halfback from Tulane. The National Football League (NFL) is the largest professional American football league, consisting of thirty-two teams from American cities and regions. ... December 27 is the 361st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... December 28 is the 362nd day of the year (363rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 3 days remaining. ... 1960 (MCMLX) was a leap year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1960 calendar). ... The offensive team or offense in American football or Canadian football, is the team that begins a play from scrimmage in possession of the ball. ... Tulane University is a private, nonsectarian, coeducational research university located in New Orleans, Louisiana. ...

Round one

• ¹Pick acquired from the Dallas Cowboys
• ²Pick acquired from the Pittsburgh Steelers
• ³Pick acquired from the Detroit Lions
• ⁴Pick acquired from the Baltimore Colts
• ⁵Pick acquired from the Cleveland Browns

City Minneapolis, Minnesota Other nicknames The Vikes, The Purple People Eaters Team colors Purple, Gold, and White Head Coach Brad Childress Owner Zygi Wilf General manager Rob Brzezinski Fight song Skol, Vikings Mascot Ragnar and Vikadontis Rex Local radio Flagship stations: KFAN (1130 AM) Announcers: Paul Allen, Greg Coleman, and... The offensive team or offense in American football or Canadian football, is the team that begins a play from scrimmage in possession of the ball. ... Tulane University is a private, nonsectarian, coeducational research university located in New Orleans, Louisiana. ... City Landover, Maryland Other nicknames The Skins Team colors Burgundy and Gold Head Coach Joe Gibbs Owner Daniel Snyder General manager Joe Gibbs Fight song Hail to the Redskins Mascot None Local radio Flagship stations: WJFK 106. ... Joe Montana, an American quaterback. ... Wake Forest University is a private university in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, known for its programs in the liberal arts. ... City Landover, Maryland Other nicknames The Skins Team colors Burgundy and Gold Head Coach Joe Gibbs Owner Daniel Snyder General manager Joe Gibbs Fight song Hail to the Redskins Mascot None Local radio Flagship stations: WJFK 106. ... The offensive team or offense in American football or Canadian football, is the team that begins a play from scrimmage in possession of the ball. ... The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, also known as UIUC and the U of I (the officially preferred abbreviation), is the flagship campus in the University of Illinois system. ... The St. ... A linebacker is a position in American and Canadian football. ... The University of Southern California (also known as USC, SC, Southern California and Southern Cal), Californias oldest private research university, is located in the urban center of Los Angeles, California. ... City Chicago, Illinois Other nicknames Da Bears, The Monsters of the Midway Team colors Navy Blue, Orange and White Head Coach Lovie Smith Owner McCaskey Family General manager Jerry Angelo Fight song Bear Down, Chicago Bears Mascot Staley Da Bear Local radio Flagship stations: WBBM (780 AM) Announcers: Jeff Joniak... Michael Keller Ditka, Jr. ... The tight end (TE) is a position in American football on the offensive team. ... The University of Pittsburgh is a state-related, doctoral/research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. ... City San Francisco, California Other nicknames {{{nicknames}}} Team colors Cardinal Red, Metallic Gold and Black Head Coach Mike Nolan Owner Denise DeBartolo York and John York General manager Scot McCloughan Fight song {{{song}}} Mascot Sourdough Sam Local radio Flagship stations: KNBR (680 AM & 1050 AM) and KSAN (107. ... James Earl Johnson (born March 31, 1938, in Dallas, Texas, USA) was a cornerback for the San Francisco 49ers. ... High school running back A running back, halfback or tailback is the position of a player on an American and Canadian football team who lines up in the offensive backfield. ... University of California, Los Angeles The University of California, Los Angeles, popularly known as UCLA, is a public, coeducational university located in the residential area of Westwood within the city of Los Angeles. ... There have been two unrelated American football teams called the Baltimore Colts based in Baltimore, Maryland. ... Tom Matte (born 1939, near Pittsburgh) was an American football player who played running back in the NFL in the 1960s and 1970s and earned a Super Bowl Ring. ... The offensive team or offense in American football or Canadian football, is the team that begins a play from scrimmage in possession of the ball. ... The Ohio State University is currently the third largest university in the United States and currently ranked by US News and World Report as the best public university in Ohio and the twenty-first best public university in the nation. ... The Arizona Cardinals are a National Football League team based in Tempe, Arizona. ... The offensive team or offense in American football or Canadian football, is the team that begins a play from scrimmage in possession of the ball. ... Auburn University (AU) is a state university located in Auburn, Alabama in the United States. ... City San Francisco, California Other nicknames {{{nicknames}}} Team colors Cardinal Red, Metallic Gold and Black Head Coach Mike Nolan Owner Denise DeBartolo York and John York General manager Scot McCloughan Fight song {{{song}}} Mascot Sourdough Sam Local radio Flagship stations: KNBR (680 AM & 1050 AM) and KSAN (107. ... Bernie Casey was a football player of the 1960s, and an actor who appeared in many films and television shows in the following decades. ... Bowling Green State University (BGSU) is a public, four-year institution located in Bowling Green, Ohio, USA; about 20 miles south of Toledo, Ohio on I-75. ... City Cleveland, Ohio Other nicknames {{{nicknames}}} Team colors Brown, Orange, and White Head Coach Romeo Crennel Owner Randy Lerner General manager Phil Savage Fight song {{{song}}} Mascot CB, Chomps, TD, and Trapper Local radio Flagship stations: WMMS (100. ... The University of Mississippi (also known as Ole Miss) is a public, coeducational research university located in Oxford, Mississippi. ... City San Francisco, California Other nicknames {{{nicknames}}} Team colors Cardinal Red, Metallic Gold and Black Head Coach Mike Nolan Owner Denise DeBartolo York and John York General manager Scot McCloughan Fight song {{{song}}} Mascot Sourdough Sam Local radio Flagship stations: KNBR (680 AM & 1050 AM) and KSAN (107. ... Billy Kilmer was an American football player who played collegiately for the UCLA Bruins and professionally for 16 seasons with three teams: the San Francisco 49ers, the New Orleans Saints and the Washington Redskins. ... Joe Montana, an American quaterback. ... University of California, Los Angeles The University of California, Los Angeles, popularly known as UCLA, is a public, coeducational university located in the residential area of Westwood within the city of Los Angeles. ... Note: Basketball teams from Chicago and Anderson once used the name Packers as well. ... Herbert A. Adderley (born June 8, 1939, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is a former American football cornerback who played for the Green Bay Packers and the Dallas Cowboys. ... Michigan State University (MSU) is a public university in East Lansing, Michigan. ... City Irving, Texas Other nicknames The Boys Team colors Royal Blue, Metallic Silver, Blue, and White Head Coach Bill Parcells Owner Jerry Jones General manager Jerry Jones Fight song {{{song}}} Mascot Rowdy [2] Local radio Flagship stations: KLUV (98. ... Bob Lilly (born July 26, 1939) is an American football player and photographer. ... Texas Christian University (abbreviated TCU) is a private, coeducational university located in Fort Worth, Texas. ...

Other draft choices

• Bill Brown, Chicago Bears, second round
• Fran Tarkenton, Minnesota Vikings, third round, 29th overall
• Deacon Jones, Los Angeles Rams, 14th round, 186th overall

Bill Brown was a running back in the NFL. He played for the Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings. ... City Chicago, Illinois Other nicknames Da Bears, The Monsters of the Midway Team colors Navy Blue, Orange and White Head Coach Lovie Smith Owner McCaskey Family General manager Jerry Angelo Fight song Bear Down, Chicago Bears Mascot Staley Da Bear Local radio Flagship stations: WBBM (780 AM) Announcers: Jeff Joniak... Francis Asbury Fran Tarkenton (born February 3, 1940) is best known as an American football player. ... City Minneapolis, Minnesota Other nicknames The Vikes, The Purple People Eaters Team colors Purple, Gold, and White Head Coach Brad Childress Owner Zygi Wilf General manager Rob Brzezinski Fight song Skol, Vikings Mascot Ragnar and Vikadontis Rex Local radio Flagship stations: KFAN (1130 AM) Announcers: Paul Allen, Greg Coleman, and... David D. Deacon Jones (born December 9, 1938 in Eatonville, Florida) is an American former professional football player. ... The St. ...

Notes

• Six members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame were taken in the draft: first rounders Mike Ditka, Jimmy Johnson, Herb Adderly, and Bob Lilly, Fran Tarkenton, and Deacon Jones.
• First round pick Bernie Casey would play eight seasons in the NFL, and then become an actor after retiring from football. His acting roles include the memorable role of U.N. Jefferson in Revenge of the Nerds.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame is technically the National Football Leagues Hall of Fame. ... Revenge of the Nerds is a 1984 film starring Robert Carradine and Anthony Edwards, with Curtis Armstrong, Ted McGinley, Julia Montgomery, Brian Tochi and Donald Gibb, the film was directed by Jeff Kanew. ...

External links

• 1961 NFL draft