Frank Ryan was a three-time Pro Bowl quarterback in the NFL who led the Cleveland Browns to their most recent title in 1964, before retiring to become a mathematician and creator of the first electric voting system utilized by the U.S. Congress.
- Died: January 1, 2024 (Who else died on January 1?)
- Details of death: Died of complications from Alzheimer’s disease in Waterford, Connecticut, at the age of 87.
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Frank Ryan’s legacy
Ryan was a football great for the Cleveland Browns, being selected to three Pro Bowl teams and leading the Browns to the 1964 NFL championship. However, his first love might have been mathematics rather than football. He was accepted to Yale University but instead opted to attend Rice University and major in physics. The Los Angeles Rams drafted him in 1958, but he initially chose not to play because he wanted to pursue his PhD. It was only after he was able to attend UCLA and the University of California, Berkeley during the pro season that he joined the NFL. During the off-season, he would study at Rice.
Ryan played several years as a reserve for the Rams before going to the Browns in 1962. Initially signed as a backup, he took the starting position to replace Jim Ninowski after Ninowski was injured. He quickly proved himself, leading the team to a 10-4 record in his first full year as a starter, throwing over 2,000 yards and 25 touchdowns in 1963. Ryan was even better the following year, passing for over 2,400 yards, leading the league in touchdowns, and propelling the Browns to the NFL title. Ryan also had his first of three straight Pro Bowl selections in 1964.
He left the team in 1968, spent a brief time with the Washington Commanders, then retired. After retirement, he finished his doctorate at Rice and became an award-winning academic, earning the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement and publishing several important papers in advanced mathematics. Ryan was also director of information services for the U.S. House of Representatives, where he helped create the first electronic voting system used by Congress. He later founded Contex Electronics and was director for America West Airlines and Sequoia Voting Systems, among other positions that relied on his mathematical expertise.
Tributes to Frank Ryan
Full obituary: The New York Times
