Rick Kane

Rushing attempts:	409
Rushing yards:	1,486
Rushing TDs:	12
	Stats at Pro Football Reference

Rick Kane
No. 32, 40
Position:	Running back
Personal information
Born:	November 12, 1954; Lincoln, Nebraska, U.S.
Died:	December 25, 2009 (aged 55); Reno, Nevada, U.S.
Height:	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight:	200 lb (91 kg)
Career information
High school:	Amador Valley (CA)
College:	Oregon ; San Jose St.
NFL draft:	1977 / round: 3 / pick: 69
Career history
	Detroit Lions (1977–1983); Washington Redskins (1984); Detroit Lions (1985);
Career NFL statistics
Rushing attempts:
Rushing attempts:	409
Rushing yards:	1,486
Rushing TDs:	12
	Stats at Pro Football Reference

Richard James Kane (November 12, 1954 – December 25, 2009) was an American football running back in the National Football League (NFL) for the Detroit Lions from 1977 to 1983 and 1985 to 1986.^[1]^[2]^[3] Kane rushed for 1,486 yards during his NFL career.^[2]

Biography

Kane was born on November 12, 1954, in Lincoln, Nebraska to Gerald James Kane and Orletha Ann (Fiala) Kane.^[1]^[2]^[4] He had one sister, Diane.^[4] The family moved to Pleasanton, California when Kane was 12, and he played football at and graduated from Amador Valley High School.^[2]^[1] He attended University of Oregon for two years and was awarded the Len Casanova Award for Rookie of the year in 1973.^[1]^[2] He transferred to San Jose State University where he became the first player in school history to rush 1,000 yards.^[5]^[2]^[1]

Kane was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the third round (69th overall) of the 1977 NFL draft, where he remained for the majority of his career.^[2]^[1]^[5] He played 12 games with the Washington Redskins during the 1984 season after being placed on waivers by the Lions.^[3]^[6]^[7]^[8] The following May, he was again placed on waivers but re-signed with the Lions on a one-year contract.^[3]^[9] He was released in February 1986.^[10]

After retiring from football, Kane worked as a car salesman in Reno, Nevada.^[1] In 2005, a teenage girl using her cell phone crashed into his motorcycle, resulting in the loss of his leg.^[1]^[5] He and his wife Dianne had three sons and one daughter.^[1] He died December 25, 2009, in Reno, Nevada due to complications from pneumonia.^[2]^[1] His funeral was held at a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints meetinghouse in Reno.^[1]

College statistics

Year	Team	Games	Rushing				Receiving
Year	Team	G	Att	Yds	Avg	TD	Rec	Yds	Avg	TD
1975	SJ	11	210	1,144	5.4	7	7	61	8.7	0
1976	SJ	11	161	923	5.1	6	17	254	14.9	3
Career		22	371	1,967	5.3	13	24	315	13.3	3^[2]

Professional career statistics

Year	Team	Games		Rushing					Receiving
Year	Team	G	GS	Att	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD	Rec	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD
1977	DET	14	6	124	421	8.9	35	4	18	186	13.3	20	0
1978	DET	15	0	44	153	2.9	19	2	16	161	10.1	26	0
1979	DET	16	6	94	332	5.9	26	4	9	104	11.6	36	1
1980	DET	16	0	31	125	1.9	22	0	5	26	5.2	9	0
1981	DET	16	2	77	332	4.8	20	2	17	181	10.6	40	1
1982	DET	6	0	7	17	2.4	6	0	3	25	8.3	12	0
1983	DET	14	0	4	19	4.8	9	0	2	15	7.5	9	0
1984	WAS	12	0	17	43	2.5	10	0	1	7	7	7	0
1985	DET	16	1	11	44	4	7	0	5	56	11.2	18	0
Career		125	15	409	1,486	3.6	35	12	76	761	10	40	2^[2]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k Pelletier, Janet (December 30, 2009). "Remembering Rick Kane". Pleasanton Weekly. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j "Rick Kane". Pro Football Reference. n.d. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Lions sign Rick Kane". The Windsor Star. Windsor, ON. May 30, 1985. Retrieved April 12, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
^ ^a ^b "Richard James Kane". Legacy. December 29, 2009. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
^ ^a ^b ^c "College football: Former SJSU star Rick Kane dies". The Mercury News. December 29, 2009. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
^ Sylvester, Curt (November 11, 1984). "Laster, Kane relishing chance to show up former teams". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, MI. Retrieved April 12, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
^ "Lions acquire Meade waive vet Rick Kane". The Windsor Star. Windsor, ON. August 29, 1984. Retrieved April 12, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
^ "'Skins return to top". The La Crosse Tribune. La Crosse, WI. October 12, 1984. Retrieved April 12, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
^ "Sports in brief". Sioux City Journal. Sioux City, IO. May 17, 1985. Retrieved April 12, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
^ "Lions let Fantetti, Kane go". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, MI. February 8, 1986. Retrieved April 12, 2022 – via newspapers.com.