Eugene Edward Cronin

1933 - 2024

Eugene Edward Cronin

November 20, 1933 - September 17, 2024

Sacramento, California - Eugene Edward Cronin passed away peacefully in South Sacramento on September 17, 2024 at the age of 90.

Gene was born as a child of the Depression on November 20, 1933 in Spalding, NE. He was the son of Earl and Emma Cronin and the second youngest of eight children. The Depression helped nudge the family to Ione, CA where Gene spent his childhood years. He eventually starred as a terrific football player at C.K. McClatchy High School in Sacramento where he graduated in 1952. Gene played a year of football at Sacramento City College in 1952 before matriculating to College of the Pacific where he gained the attention of the NFL.

After graduating from College of the Pacific in 1956, Gene was drafted by the Detroit Lions as a defensive end and spent an eventful decade in the NFL during the era that saw pro football begin to overtake baseball as America's favorite sport. His time in the NFL included a championship with the Detroit Lions in 1957 along with a one-year stopover in Dallas as a linebacker with the Cowboys during their inaugural season in 1960. He later spent two years at linebacker with the Washington Redskins before a back injury ended his playing career in 1962. Gene would later become the first-ever employee of the Atlanta Falcons as the Director of Player Personnel in 1965 and 1966.

After 1966, Gene completely retired from the NFL and eventually found his way back home to Sacramento where he spent the rest of his life. Gene and his brother Bob owned and ran the Maple Room Lounge in Arden for much of the 1980s. Gene was a committed member of the Elks Lodge #6 in South Sacramento as well as a longtime supporter of the Republican Party of California. He loved attending his frequent NFL and Pacific reunions with former teammates up until his last one in 2017 in Dallas. Gene also had a passion for travel, US history and was quite handy around the house doing dozens of do-it-yourself projects.

Gene Cronin is still considered one of the best football players ever to come out of Sacramento. Before his death, he was inducted into the McClatchy, Sacramento City College as well as the Pacific Halls of Fame.

He is survived by his two children, Shelley Cronin Sharp and Edward Cronin as well as his sisters Eileen Westburg and Catherine Hawkins.