Gordon Cooper (American football)

Gordon Cooper
	Cooper during his playing career, c. 1949–1951
No. 99
Position:	End
Personal information
Born:	April 1, 1930; McGill, Nevada, U.S.
Died:	March 15, 2022 (aged 91); Rifle, Colorado, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight:	200 lb (91 kg)
Career information
High school:	White Pine; (Ely, Nevada)
College:	Denver (1948–1951)
NFL draft:	1952 / round: 6 / pick: 69
Career history
As a player:
	Detroit Lions (1952, 1954); Montreal Alouettes (1955);
	* Offseason and/or practice squad member only
As a coach:
	Denver (1955); Freshman ends coach; Rifle High School (1956–1987); Football, baseball, wrestling, and track coach;
Career highlights and awards
	National receptions leader (1950); 3× First-team All-Skyline Conference (1949–1951); University of Denver Athletic Hall of Fame (2010);

Gordon Roger Cooper (April 1, 1930 – March 15, 2022) was an American college football player and sports coach. He played collegiately for the Denver Pioneers as an end, where he was the national receptions leader in 1950, and later was selected by the Detroit Lions in the sixth round of the 1952 NFL draft. He was drafted to serve in the United States Army prior to the 1952 NFL season and suffered an injury when he returned to the team in 1954. After a brief stint with the Montreal Alouettes in 1955, he retired from playing and began a long career as a coach, starting with his alma mater, Denver, and then with Rifle High School from 1956 to 1987, where he coached multiple sports and was athletic director. He was inducted into the University of Denver Athletic Hall of Fame in 2010.