Member Biography

A Texas newspaper said Jack Pardee is "a man of character, honesty and compassion." He is a fighter too, a man who overcame the handicap of limited high school football and later in life overcame cancer. Pardee played only six-man football at Christoval, Texas, but moved up to Texas A&M as a two- way star. As a 20-year-old senior in 1956 he was co-captain of an undefeated team, Academic All-America, picked by the Southwest Conference as all-league linebacker and by Look Magazine as All-America fullback. He made an 85-yard run against Houston. Bear Bryant said in 1956, "Jack Pardee is the best linebacker I ever had." He went to the pros and had eight years as a linebacker when, on his 28th birthday, he was told he had cancer. He stayed out a year, had surgery, then played seven more years. The Washington Redskins, the Chicago Bears of the NFL, and teams in the World and U. S. Football Leagues employed him as head coach. He became head coach at the University of Houston for the 1987 season and at his first meeting told the players, "There is a time to work and a time to play. Don't miss your chance to do both." Pardee coached three years at the University of Houston, 1987-89, with a record of 22-11-1, then returned to pro football as coach of the Houston Oilers