Don Ettinger

Don Ettinger
No. 74, 40, 55
PositionsLinebacker, guard
Personal information
Born(1921-11-20)November 20, 1921
Independence, Missouri, U.S.
DiedFebruary 13, 1992(1992-02-13) (aged 69)
Cookeville, Tennessee, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Listed weight240 lb (109 kg)
Career information
High schoolWilliam Chrisman (Independence)
CollegeKansas
NFL draft1948: 19th round, 166th overall pick
Career history
Awards and highlights
Career NFL statistics
Games played33
Games started8
Interceptions4
Fumble recoveries3
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Donald Nesbit Ettinger (November 20, 1921 – February 13, 1992) was an American professional football player. He was born in Independence, Missouri. Nicknamed "Red Dog", Ettinger played college football for the University of Kansas and later the National Football League (NFL)'s New York Giants.[1] He finished his career in Canadian football, where he was a four-time All-Star and won the 40th Grey Cup.

Ettinger is credited for inventing the blitz.[2] As of the 2025 NFL season, he is the only player from William Chrisman High School to play in the NFL.[3]

References

  1. ^ "DON ETTINGER". profootballarchives.com. Archived from the original on February 9, 2015. Retrieved April 22, 2015.
  2. ^ BabyTate (August 6, 2008). "Five Brutal Defensive Alignments That Changed College Football Forever". Bleacher Report, Inc. Retrieved October 12, 2012.
  3. ^ "William Chrisman (Independence, MO) Alumni Pro Stats". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved September 26, 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)