Associated Press
Karras cared more about making Hall of Fame than he let on
A dozen NFL seasons packed with All-Pro roughhousing, easy celebrity and lots of laughs would be a fulsome career for any man. Karras was a natural in front of the camera, whether crumpling quarterbacks on a muddy field in Detroit or spilling locker-room secrets across the desk from Johnny Carson on “The Tonight Show.” Karras put that tough-guy image and excellent timing to good use, launching a second career that introduced him to a new generation.