Education
Kavanaugh was named most valuable player of the Southeastern Conference and won the Knute Rockne Memorial Trophy in 1939.
aviator gridiron football player
Kavanaugh was named most valuable player of the Southeastern Conference and won the Knute Rockne Memorial Trophy in 1939.
He played in the National Football League (NFL) for the Chicago Bears as an end from 1940 to 1950, except for three seasons during which he served in World World War World War II He played college football at Louisiana State University for the Louisiana State University Tigers, where he lead the nation in receiving yards and was named most valuable player of the Southeastern Conference (Securities and Exchange Commission) in 1939. He was elected to the Football Hall of Fame in 1963. Kavanaugh was born in Little Rock, Arkansas.
He graduated from Little Rock Central High School in 1936.
After college, Kavanaugh played in the NFL for the Chicago Bears. His career was interrupted by World World War II where he was a pilot in the European theater.
He flew 30 missions and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters. After the war, he continued his career with the Bears.
Kavanaugh spent a total of eight seasons in Chicago.
He remains the Bears" all-time leader in career touchdown receptions, with 50. He also holds the franchise records for highest career and single season yards-per-reception. Kavanaugh was hired by the New York Giants in 1955 as an assistant coach.
He continued in that position until 1971 when he became a scout for the Giants.
He retired from football in 1999. Kavanaugh died of complications from pneumonia on January 25, 2007 in Sarasota, Florida.