Hall of Fame
Another Lincoln football great, Johnny McDaniel is still in the LU record books as being one of the best receivers to ever play for the Blue Tigers. In 1973, as a senior, McDaniel scored nine receiving touchdowns and gained 724 yards receiving, both of which are Lincoln single season records. Those marks simply highlighted an outstanding Lincoln career that featured career records in both receiving yards (2,030, making McDaniel the only LU receiver to ever crack the 2,000 mark) and receiving touchdowns (22). McDaniel also ranks fourth on Lincoln's single season reception list, having caught 44 passes during the 1972 season, in which LU finished with a school best 9-1 record and tied with Northwest Missouri for the MIAA championship.
A team captain as a senior in 1973, McDaniel was a three-year starter for the Blue Tigers, earning All-MIAA recognition following each season. In 1971, McDaniel was voted to the all-conference second team. In 1972 and 1973, he was a unanimous All-MIAA first team selection. His impact on the Blue Tigers could best be summarized by legendary LU coach Dwight T. Reed, who, after the 1972 season, stated that, “Without a doubt, [McDaniel] is the best receiver we've ever had at Lincoln University.”
In 1974, McDaniel was drafted in the ninth round by the Cincinnati Bengals, where he teamed with Parrish. His most notable performance came in 1976 against the defending Super Bowl champion Oakland Raiders when, in a December game, he caught nine passes for 201 yards and a touchdown. In 1978 he was traded to the Washington Redskins, finishing that year with over 600 receiving yards to become the team leader in that category. The next year, he was a part of a Redskin receiving corps that helped Joe Theismann finish second in the league in passing yards. In total, McDaniel spent seven years in the NFL.
