Lindon Crow, who starred in the Greatest Game Ever Played, died Thursday in Exeter, California, due to complications from a series of strokes, the University of Southern California announced Friday. He was 85.
Crow played defensive back for the Giants in the 1958 sudden-death NFL championship game, making three interceptions. The Giants lost the title game to the Baltimore Colts 23-17 in the first NFL game to go to sudden-death overtime before a national TV audience estimated at 45 million.
He led the NFL in interceptions in 1956 with 11 and finished his career with 41 picks. Crow, a second-round pick of the Chicago Cardinals in 1955, played for the Cardinals from 1955-57, the Giants from 1958-60 and the Rams from 1961-64.
He earned Pro Bowl selections in 1956, ’57 and ’59.
At USC, Crow earned three letters. He played both ways, rushing for 666 yards, scoring six touchdowns and making 11 career interceptions.
He is survived by wife Sandy, daughters Wendy and Melissa and son Lindon Jr., six grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.