| Number: | 44 |
| Position: | Running back |
| Birth Date: | June 11, 1951 |
| Birth Place: | Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Death Place: | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Height Ft: | 5 |
| Height In: | 11 |
| Weight Lb: | 205 |
| High School: | Canon-McMillan (PA) |
| College: | Kentucky |
| Undraftedyear: | 1974 |
| Pastteams: | |
| Statlabel1: | Rushing attempts |
| Statvalue1: | 900 |
| Statlabel2: | Rushing yards |
| Statvalue2: | 3,380 |
| Statlabel3: | Rushing TDs |
| Statvalue3: | 20 |
| Pfr: | KotaDo00 |
Douglas Allan Kotar (June 11, 1951 - December 16, 1983) was an American football running back for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL).[1] [2] [3]
Raised in Muse, Pennsylvania, Kotar graduated from Canon-McMillan High School and played college football at the University of Kentucky in
Unselected in the 1974 NFL draft, he was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Four days later, they traded him to the New York Giants (for Leo Gasienica), where he played for eight years. Linebacker Harry Carson, a teammate for six seasons, once described him as "a fighter you'd like to have with you in a
Kotar rushed for 3,380 yards (while also receiving 1,022 yards) in his career, which was the fourth most in Giants history at the time of his retirement. Kotar was known for leading with his head while rushing, a fact that would come back to haunt him in later life.[4] He retired after the first day of training camp in July 1982, citing knee and shoulder pain and for family reasons.
| Year | Team | Games | Rushing | Receiving | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | |||
| NYG | 12 | 7 | 106 | 396 | 3.7 | 53 | 4 | 10 | 57 | 5.7 | 18 | 0 | ||
| NYG | 14 | 6 | 122 | 378 | 3.1 | 46 | 6 | 9 | 86 | 9.6 | 17 | 0 | ||
| NYG | 14 | 14 | 185 | 731 | 4.0 | 24 | 3 | 36 | 319 | 8.9 | 30 | 0 | ||
| NYG | 12 | 11 | 132 | 480 | 3.6 | 32 | 2 | 15 | 73 | 4.9 | 13 | 0 | ||
| NYG | 15 | 5 | 149 | 625 | 4.2 | 46 | 1 | 22 | 225 | 10.2 | 31 | 1 | ||
| NYG | 16 | 14 | 160 | 616 | 3.9 | 32 | 3 | 25 | 230 | 9.2 | 37 | 0 | ||
| NYG | 7 | 5 | 46 | 154 | 3.3 | 18 | 1 | 9 | 32 | 3.6 | 11 | 0 | ||
| 90 | 62 | 900 | 3,380 | 3.8 | 53 | 20 | 126 | 1,022 | 8.1 | 37 | 1 | |||
Kotar and his wife Donna had two children, Doug Jr. and Christie.[3] [5]
After experiencing major headaches post-retirement,[1] Kotar had a CT scan that revealed a brain tumor. He underwent invasive surgery that involved cutting into his skull, but the tumor was malignant and could not be removed. Kotar later suffered partial paralysis and was moved back to his hometown, where he received radiation treatment.
On December 16, 1983, Kotar died in his sleep at age 32.[6] [7]