Thomas Jesse Fears (December 3, 1922 – January 4, 2000) was a Mexican-American split end who starred for the Los Angeles Rams from 1948 to 1956. Born in Guadalajara, Mexico, he became the first Mexico-born player to be drafted into the NFL, and later, the first Latino head coach in league history. Fears was inducted into both the College Football Hall of Fame (1976) and the Pro Football Hall of Fame (1970).
Early Life and College Career
Fears was born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, to a Mexican mother and American father. His family moved to Los Angeles when he was six, where he developed a tireless work ethic, earning money as a flower unloader and stadium usher.
He played high school football at Manual Arts in Los Angeles, then enrolled at Santa Clara University before serving three years in World War II. After his military service, he transferred to UCLA, where he became a two-time All-American and helped lead the Bruins to national prominence.
Los Angeles Rams Career
The Rams selected Fears in the 11th round of the 1945 NFL Draft, making him the first Mexico-born draftee in NFL history. Originally a defensive back, he quickly made his mark at split end. From 1948 to 1950, Fears led the NFL in receptions three straight seasons, setting a new single-season record with 77 catches in 1949 and breaking his own mark with 84 receptions in 1950.
His 18 catches in a single game against Green Bay that year also set a league record. In the 1951 NFL Championship Game, Fears caught a decisive 73-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter to lift the Rams to victory over the Cleveland Browns, securing the franchise’s first championship on the West Coast.
He retired in 1956 with 400 receptions, 5,397 yards, and 38 touchdowns, numbers that made him one of the premier receivers of his era.
Coaching Career
Fears transitioned to coaching after retirement, serving on staffs with the Packers, Rams, and Falcons. In 1967, he became the first head coach of the New Orleans Saints, making history as the league’s first Latino head coach. He compiled a record of 13–34–2 over nearly four seasons before his dismissal in 1970.
Later, he coached in the World Football League with the Southern California Sun, worked in the USFL with the Los Angeles Express, and even guided a team in Italy during the short-lived International League of American Football in 1990.
Legacy
- Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 1970 – first Mexico-born inductee
- College Football Hall of Fame, Class of 1976
- First Latino head coach in NFL history (New Orleans Saints, 1967)
- Key figure in the Rams’ 1951 championship run
- Pioneer for Mexican and Latino representation in American football
Fears passed away in Palm Desert, California, in 2000 from complications of Alzheimer’s disease. His career remains a landmark in NFL history, bridging Mexico’s heritage and America’s game.