Lee Grosscup went from the University of Utah to become the 10th overall pick in the 1959 NFL Draft by the New York Giants. The quarterback who finished 10th in the Heisman voting in 1957 died Monday.
John Herrera, a long-time senior executive for the Raiders and a close friend, said Grosscup, who became a radio announcer for Cal, died at Bay View Rehabilitation Center in Alameda (Ca) while recuperating from hip surgery.
“I talked to him yesterday [Sunday], and he was fired up about coming home on Monday [June 8],” Herrera said.
Grosscup, a Santa Monica, Calif. native, began his college career at the University of Washington in 1955. After transferring to Santa Monica College in 1956, Grosscup played the 1957 and 1958 seasons at Utah.
In 1957, Grossman finished 10th in Heisman Trophy voting after completing 69% of his passes for 1,398 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Grosscup played in three games over his first three years with the Giants. His contract was purchased by the Minnesota Vikings but was cut. He had stints in the AFL and the Canadian Football League before retiring and joining the broadcasting side of the game.
He started four games for the New York Titans — now the Jets — in 1962 and won one, throwing for 855 yards with eight TD passes and eight picks.
Grosscup got his first broadcasting assignment in 1966, working AFL games for NBC. A year later, he began a 21-season run calling college football for ABC, working with announcers like Keith Jackson and Al Michaels.
He became an announcer for Cal in 1986 as an analyst. Grosscup worked on the Golden Bears’ postgame show after the 2018 Cheez-It Bowl.
