John W. Breen (May 9, 1907 – February 9, 1984) was an American football and basketball player, coach, and executive.The Victoria Advocate "Breen Succumbs to Cancer" February 9, 1984 He was active in the college ranks before becoming an administrator in the American Football League for the Houston Oilers.
Playing career Breen grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and played high school football at Milwaukee East Division High School. He then went on to Carroll College in Waukesha, Wisconsin where he was named "most valuable player" and team captain in both football and basketball.Lake Forest College Foresters John W. Breen
Coaching career and military service Carroll (WI) After graduation from Carroll in 1935, Breen began coaching freshman teams and teaching classes. Breen was the 19th head football coach, serving held that for 11 seasons, from 1938 until 1948.
Breen's tenure at Carroll was interrupted by World War II, during which he served as a lieutenant commander in the United States Navy.
Lake Forest In 1949, Breen became the head coach at Lake Forest College in Lake Forest, IllinoisCollege Conference of Willinois & Wisconsin 2008 Fall Football Guide and held the position for three seasons, through 1951.Lake Forest College Foresters Coaching Records During his tenure as head coach, he accumulated a record of 9–13–2.Lake Forest College Football Results by year While at Lake Forest he received nationwide publicity for defending the interests of small college athletics. In 1974, Lake Forest inducted him into their athletic "Hall of Fame" for his contribution to the football and basketball programs at the school.Lake Forest College Foresters Athletic Hall of Fame
Professional football executive career After a successful college career as an educator and coach, Breen went into the professional ranks with the Chicago Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL) as director of player personnel in 1957.Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel "Years ago, Wisconsin was truly the 'Big Cheese'", Cliff Christl, July 29, 2000 He was later the first person hired by the Houston Oilers in 1960 as director of player personnel and was named general manager in 1971 and he held that position until his retirement in 1973."Oilers Promote John Breen" Washington Post May 6, 1971Tennessee Titans Online History: 1970's
Breen was instrumental in the building of the OilersGoing Long: The first oral history of the AFL--from the men who made it happen by Jeff Miller, Published by McGraw-Hill Professional, 2003, , and the American Football League (AFL) itself by being in charge of the league's first draft of players.The Making of the Super Bowl by Don Weiss and Chuck Day, Published by McGraw-Hill Professional, 2003 , He is credited with recruiting veteran players George Blanda, John Carson, and Willard Dewveall along with first-year players Billy Cannon, Dan Lanphear, and Charley Hennigan.Pro Football Researchers "When Houston Struck Oil" Originally published in Pro Football Digest by Stanley Grosshandler He recognized that the competing NFL teams would cut good quality players, and he recruited them to play at Houston. "Innocence in Texas" by Tex Maule, November 21, 1960
Later life and death After his retirement from professional football management, Breen worked as a sports broadcaster for radio station KTRH in Houston. He died on February 9, 1984, in Houston, after suffering from cancer.
Head coaching record Football
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