Before he was drafted into the NFL, Billy Cannon was a standout tight end at Louisiana State University, where he won the coveted Heisman Trophy in 1959.
Cannon joined the Bud Adams-owned Houston Oilers under new head coach Lou Rymkus, the same calendar year he won the Heisman, shortly after a contract dispute with the Los Angeles Rams.
The All-Pro set a record in first season for all-purpose yards and helped the Oilers to an AFL Championship.
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His later seasons with the team were marred by injuries and back problems, and he successfully requested a release from the team in 1964 before signing with the Oakland Raiders, then ending his NFL career with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Cannon continued on and eventually became a dentist after his career. According to a report from ESPN, Cannon later admitted to counterfeiting in the 1980s after a series of bad investments and debts left him penniless.
He served two years in a Texarkana prison. He later died in 2018 in Louisiana.
Other players pardoned included Joe Klecko, Jamal Lewis, Travis Henry, and Nate Newton of the Dallas Cowboys.