John Zook

John Eldon Zook (September 24, 1947 – June 6, 2020) was an American professional football player who spent twelve seasons as a defensive end in the National Football League. Born in Garden City, Kansas, he grew up in Zook and Larned before playing college football at the University of Kansas. There he was a three-year letterman and twice earned all-conference honors, anchoring one of the strongest defensive units the school ever fielded. Zook was named an honorable mention All-American in 1967 and a consensus All-American in 1968, when he was the defensive standout on a Jayhawks team that reached the Orange Bowl and finished the season ranked No. 6 by the Associated Press. He recorded 202 total tackles during his college career, fourth on Kansas's all-time defensive line list. Coach Pepper Rodgers said Zook "never played but full speed from snap one to snap hundred," calling him the most full-speed player imaginable on every down. He was later chosen to the Kansas All-Time team by the Lawrence Journal-World.

Zook was selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the fourth round, 99th overall, of the 1969 NFL/AFL draft. Across his twelve NFL seasons he played defensive end for the St. Louis Cardinals and the Atlanta Falcons. He died on June 6, 2020, at the age of 72.