Danan Hughes
Encyclopedia
Robert Danan Hughes is a former American football
wide receiver
that played in the National Football League
.
career playing wide receiver for the University of Iowa
from 1989 to 1992. After redshirting
during the 1988 season, Hughes set a team record for freshman receiving yards with 471 yards on 28 receptions
in 1989. That team record stood until the 2006 season when freshman Dominique Douglas passed Hughes to become Iowa’s all-time freshman receiving leader. Hughes ranks 3rd on Iowa’s all-time career receiving list, behind only Derrell Johnson-Koulianos
with 168 receptions for 2544 career yards and Tim Dwight
, with 146 receptions for 2,216 career yards. His 21 career touchdown
receptions are tied with Dwight for second most in team history behind Marvin McNutt.
Hughes, along with quarterback
Matt Rodgers and the running tandem of Nick Bell
and Tony Stewart, helped lead the Hawkeyes back to the 1991 Rose Bowl
where Iowa lost to Washington
46-34. The Hawkeyes have not been back to Pasadena
since. Iowa also was invited to the 1991 Holiday Bowl
the next season in Danan’s junior year and played BYU
to a 13-13 tie. During the final regular season game of 1991, Hughes was on the receiving end of one of Matt Rodger’s 3 touchdown passes against Minnesota
in the classic “Snow Game”. Danan celebrated by making a snow angel
in the south end zone
in Iowa's 23-8 victory which gave legendary coach Hayden Fry
his 100th victory at Iowa. Hughes admitted in an interview on 1600 KGYM's "Balbinot and Brommelkamp" radio show in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Sept. 27, 2011 the celebration was premeditated.
Danan Hughes also played outfield
for the Hawkeye
baseball
team and was one of the best two-sport athletes in Iowa history. Hughes was drafted in the 3rd round of the 1992 amateur baseball draft
by the Milwaukee Brewers
. Only two Hawkeye baseball players have been drafted higher since 1992.
selected him in the 7th round of the 1993 NFL Draft
. Hughes played for the Chiefs from 1993 to 1998 as a wide receiver and special teams player.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
that played in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
.
College career
Hughes spent his collegiate footballCollege football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
career playing wide receiver for the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
from 1989 to 1992. After redshirting
Redshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
during the 1988 season, Hughes set a team record for freshman receiving yards with 471 yards on 28 receptions
Reception (American football)
In American football, a reception is part of a play in which a forward pass from behind the line of scrimmage is received by a player in bounds, who, after the catch, proceeds to either score a touchdown or be downed. Yards gained from the receiving play are credited to the player as receiving...
in 1989. That team record stood until the 2006 season when freshman Dominique Douglas passed Hughes to become Iowa’s all-time freshman receiving leader. Hughes ranks 3rd on Iowa’s all-time career receiving list, behind only Derrell Johnson-Koulianos
Derrell Johnson-Koulianos
Derrell Johnson-Koulianos, born February 24, 1987, and sometimes nicknamed DJK, was a wide receiver for the Iowa Hawkeyes during the 2007-2010 seasons, and also the Iowa Hawkeye's all-time leader in receptions and receiving yards. Currently, Derrell Johnson-Koulianos is a wide receiver of the...
with 168 receptions for 2544 career yards and Tim Dwight
Tim Dwight
Timothy Deutch Dwight, Jr. is an American football wide receiver and return specialist who is currently a free agent. He was originally drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the fourth round of the 1998 NFL Draft...
, with 146 receptions for 2,216 career yards. His 21 career touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
receptions are tied with Dwight for second most in team history behind Marvin McNutt.
Hughes, along with quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Matt Rodgers and the running tandem of Nick Bell
Nick Bell (American football)
H. Nickolas "Nick" Bell is a former professional American football running back in the National Football League. He played three seasons for the Los Angeles Raiders....
and Tony Stewart, helped lead the Hawkeyes back to the 1991 Rose Bowl
1991 Rose Bowl
The 1991 Rose Bowl was the 77th Rose Bowl Game, played on January 1, 1991. The #8 Washington Huskies built a 33-7 halftime lead and defeated the #17 Iowa Hawkeyes 46-34. Washington sophomore quarterback Mark Brunell was named the Player of the Game....
where Iowa lost to Washington
Washington Huskies football
College football has a long history at the University of Washington. The Washington Huskies have won 15 Pacific-10 Conference championships, seven Rose Bowl titles, and three national championships. Washington's all-time record of 653-398-50 ranks 20th by all-time winning percentage and 21st by...
46-34. The Hawkeyes have not been back to Pasadena
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
since. Iowa also was invited to the 1991 Holiday Bowl
1991 Holiday Bowl
The 1991 Holiday Bowl was a college football bowl game played December 30, 1991 in San Diego, California. It was part of the 1991 NCAA Division I-A football season. It featured the seventh ranked Iowa Hawkeyes, and the unranked . The teams played to a 13-13 tie....
the next season in Danan’s junior year and played BYU
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
to a 13-13 tie. During the final regular season game of 1991, Hughes was on the receiving end of one of Matt Rodger’s 3 touchdown passes against Minnesota
Minnesota Golden Gophers football
The University of Minnesota Golden Gophers are one of the oldest programs in college football history. They compete in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Big Ten Conference. The Golden Gophers have claimed six national championships and have an all time record of 646–481–44 as...
in the classic “Snow Game”. Danan celebrated by making a snow angel
Snow angel
A snow angel is a human-made depression formed in an area of snow in the shape of an angel. Making snow angels is a common childhood game.-Technique:...
in the south end zone
End zone
In gridiron-based codes of football, the end zone refers to the scoring area on the field. It is the area between the end line and goal line bounded by the sidelines. There are two end zones, each being on an opposite side of the field...
in Iowa's 23-8 victory which gave legendary coach Hayden Fry
Hayden Fry
John Hayden Fry is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Southern Methodist University , North Texas State University, now the University of North Texas , and the University of Iowa , compiling a career college football record of 232–178–10...
his 100th victory at Iowa. Hughes admitted in an interview on 1600 KGYM's "Balbinot and Brommelkamp" radio show in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Sept. 27, 2011 the celebration was premeditated.
Danan Hughes also played outfield
Outfield
The outfield is a sporting term used in cricket and baseball to refer to the area of the field of play further from the batsman or batter than the infield...
for the Hawkeye
Iowa Hawkeyes
The Iowa Hawkeyes are the athletics teams that represent the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. The Hawkeyes have varsity teams in 24 sports, 11 for men and 13 for women. The teams participate in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association and are members of the...
baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
team and was one of the best two-sport athletes in Iowa history. Hughes was drafted in the 3rd round of the 1992 amateur baseball draft
1992 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1992 Major League Baseball draft.-Other notable players:*Raúl Ibáñez, 36th round, Seattle Mariners...
by the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
. Only two Hawkeye baseball players have been drafted higher since 1992.
NFL
He decided to make football his full-time profession after college when the Kansas City ChiefsKansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
selected him in the 7th round of the 1993 NFL Draft
1993 NFL Draft
The 1993 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 25-26, 1993...
. Hughes played for the Chiefs from 1993 to 1998 as a wide receiver and special teams player.