John Albert “Kayo” Dottley: Football Hall of Fame

VICKSBURG, Miss. By Evan Winschel (VDN) — “They talk about Walter Payton making people pay for bringing him down, but Payton’s nothing but a Fancy Dan compared to a halfback who used to play for the Bears named John Dottley, a tough big kid from Mississippi.” -Art Donovan, Pro

Today we are turning on the stadium lights for John Albert “Kayo” Dottley (1928-2018)

It was game day for the Bowmar Bears football team. Enthusiasm overflowed from the packed bleachers and the smell of concessions permeated the air. Like many small towns in the south, football season is regarded with an almost religious fervor. With helmets secured, the team broke into a sprint as they exited the locker room. An eruption of cheers descended upon them as they entered the field. Running alongside the team was their coach, John “Kayo” Dottley himself. Whether it be pro, college or high school football, John found the atmosphere just as satisfying as it was the first time he ever suited up. With the first kickoff, John undoubtedly found it hard not to reminisce on when he was not on the sidelines but on the field making history.

A natural born athlete, John was born Aug. 25th, 1928 in Birmingham, AL. His family would eventually relocate to McGehee, AR where Dottley’s innate talent would distinguish him as a standout football and basketball player. With his imposing and agile frame, word of his ability soon spread across state lines and he became one of the nation’s most highly sought-after and recruited players. So coveted was he that head coaches John Vaught and Bear Bryant both attended his graduation from high school with the sole goal of getting him to join their roster. Choosing red and blue over Kentucky’s blue and white, John accepted a scholarship from Ole Miss and would go on to lead the team into the record books.

A force to be reckoned with, he proved to be incredibly hard to tackle as many would claim, “Dottley would just as soon run over you as around you.” That brute strength eventually earning him the nickname “Kayo” (K.O.), a play on the boxing term knockout. During the 1949 season, John broke the record and led the entire nation with 1,312 rushing yards. There would be 8 more records to follow. As if that weren’t impressive enough, John also graduated with an undergraduate and master’s degree in administrative education from Ole Miss where he was crowned Freshman King and elected Colonel Rebel.

An All American, Dottley became the NFL’s 24th draft pick and would play for 3 seasons under the Chicago Bears’ banner. During his time with the Bears he would be named the NFL’s Rookie of the Year and become the first rookie to ever make the Pro Bowl. Contact sports being notoriously unforgiving to the body, John was known to play through broken and fractured bones. That determination would carry him through until 1953 when an intoxicated valet pinned Dottley between two vehicles, ending his professional career.

How did this legend come to reside in Vicksburg, you ask? Simple, he had met the love of his life while at Ole Miss, Nina Nosser. The following 64 years would see John find great success off the field as a businessman, serving as a chairman on the board of Dottley Spice Mart and owning the iconic Jitney Jungle for 40 years. By 1973, he was inducted into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and became a “SEC Living Legend” in 1997. Though his career breaking and setting records on the football field may have been cut short, he still managed to title again, this time for golf, when he became Club Champion at the Vicksburg Country Club.

John “Kayo” Dottley passed away at the age of 90 in 2018.

*Fun fact: John is the grandfather to actor and singer Jason Dottley*