John Hadl was an American former professional football quarterback who played in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL).
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He was a four-time AFL All-Star and was selected to two Pro Bowls. Hadl attended the University of Kansas and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1994.
Hadl was a two-sport standout at Lawrence High School, just a short drive from the University of Kansas campus, but he made his name on the football field for the Jayhawks.
As a sophomore, he led the NCAA in punting, set a record for longest punt of 94 yards that still stands, and held the record for longest interception return with a 98-yarder until 2007.
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After retiring in 1977, Hadl returned to Kansas as an assistant coach, guiding the Jayhawks to the 1981 Hall of Fame Bowl.
He later coached for the Rams, Broncos, and the Los Angeles Express of the USFL before returning to Kansas in 1988, where he spent the next 30 years as a prolific fundraiser for the Williams Education Fund.
John Hadl died Wednesday, November 30 2022, according to the University of Kansas. He was 82.
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