Former Falcons DE Zook dies at 72

Former NFL defensive end John Zook has died after a battle with cancer. He was 72. Zook died Saturday in Wichita, Kan. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Sunday that Zook exchanged good-byes with some of his former Atlanta Falcons teammates on Friday via Zoom.

Zook played the first seven of his 11 NFL seasons (1969-79) with the Falcons. The Los Angeles Rams drafted him in the fourth round in 1969 but traded him to Philadelphia, who then traded Zook to Atlanta -- before Zook ever played a game. He was traded to the then-St. Louis Cardinals following the 1975 campaign.

Zook was a Pro Bowl selection in 1973 during an era when Atlanta had one of the top set of defensive ends in Zook and future Pro Football Hall of Famer Claude Humphrey. "The most fun I had the whole time I played football was the time John and I had that season when we were both selected to the Pro Bowl," Humphrey told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "We figured out we were better together than we were individually."

Zook played before sacks were an official stat. He had eight fumble recoveries and four interceptions in 144 games (134 starts). Zook was an All-American at Kansas prior to his NFL career.

--Field Level Media