Former NFL player, now east Las Vegas resident, volunteers as youth mentor

When he was at his fighting weight 50 years ago, John McDowell was 165 pounds of muscle, cutting a hole in the defensive lines for his quarterback to get through. Today, you're more likely to see him hanging around the dog park or helping kids out in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program with a grin that lights up the room.

McDowell, an east valley resident, said he barely made it on his college team at St. John's University in Minnesota, but he did and ended up playing for the legendary coach John Gagliardi, who ended up having the record for most wins of any college football coach. McDowell remembers him as a coach who could make men into players and players into champions.

"I remember (University of Minnesota) Duluth was getting all of these star players, and every team in the league wanted to kick them out, but Gag said, 'We'll just get better,' and we did," McDowell said. "They beat us 12-6 as freshmen and 6-0 as sophomores. Junior year, we beat them 14-0, and senior year, we beat them 64-0."

McDowell was drafted into the NFL for the Green Bay Packers and played the 1964-65 season with the team, when Vince Lombardi was the coach.

"He ran that place by the schedule," McDowell said. "We practiced every day at the same time for the same time."

He was traded to the New York Giants the following year and the St. Louis Cardinals (now the Arizona Cardinals) after that. Somewhere in the middle of it all, he was nearly drafted again, this time into the Army. He had done ROTC in college, and when his draft number came up, he talked to the Army about going in as an officer but discovered that was not going to be an option for him.

"When they found out I was playing professional football, they told me I'd never be an officer because I'd be sent right into the Army football team," he said. "The military's football teams were a pretty big deal then. When found out I was just going to play football, but for a lot less money, I got a deferment, and then my number never came back up."

He ended his football career in Canada, retiring from the game and selling furniture in Vancouver, British Columbia, for 35 years.

"I was really good at getting deals done because people liked me; I treated them fair," McDowell said. "I tell people, if you're going to make a deal, you have to be friendly. How are you going to make a deal with someone who doesn't like you?"

He retired to Las Vegas, where the housing prices were more reasonable than other places, and he gets by on very little money these days. He is almost back to his pro-football weight, and he wears shorts almost all the time, which reveal his many scars from multiple surgeries. The man who lived much of his life in colder climates doesn't think Las Vegas Valley winters warrant long pants.

He can't raise his right arm above his shoulder, but that doesn't keep him from helping out any way he can, especially when kids are involved.

Martha Zacatenco of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southern Nevada is glad McDowell discovered the organization.

"He's so good with the kids," said Zacatenco, who is the coordinator of the Big Brothers Big Sisters program at three east valley elementary schools. "They love the way he approaches things, and he's always laughing and telling jokes."

The youth mentoring program brings underprivileged children together with volunteers for one-on-one time at least an hour each week. The first half hour is dedicated to helping the kids with their homework, and the rest of the time is spent playing games or doing some sort of social activity. Typically, the Bigs mentor one Little, but in McDowell's case, he wanted to help more, and now he mentors two children on different days so each gets the one-on-one attention.

"The kids love coming because (McDowell) does things in a very fun way," Zacatenco said. "It's like he's not another adult telling them what to do — he's a friend who wants to help them to do better."

Bob Brownell met McDowell at the dog park he frequents, and the pair became fast friends.

"I was looking to pay someone to watch my dog while I was out of town, but no one was interested," Brownell said. "Then I heard a big voice behind me who said, 'You don't have to pay anyone; I'll do it.' I turned around, and there was a big man to go with the big voice."

Brownell recognized that people would enjoy McDowell's stories and anecdotes as much as he did, and so he organized several signings and appearances by McDowell at Rum Runner, 3050 E. Desert Inn Road. The next one is scheduled during the Packers-Raiders game beginning at 4:05 p.m. Dec. 20.

The friendship reminds McDowell of his time on the gridiron.

"You laugh together, and if you lose, you cry together," McDowell said. "You'd do anything for your teammate."

— To reach East Valley View reporter F. Andrew Taylor, email ataylor@viewnews.com or call 702-380-4532.