Hall of Fame

John Allen Sykes

  • Class
    1972
  • Induction
    1987
  • Sport(s)
    Football
John was born on March 13, 1949 in Baltimore, Maryland where he attended City College High School. He entered Morgan in September of 1967, where he was a member of the intramural basketball program, the Iota Phi Theta Fraternity and the Varsity Football team. He was on the Dean's List in 1970 with a grade point average of 3.40.

While a member of the Varsity Football team, he rushed for over 1000 yards in the 1971 season. He was selected Kodak Little All-American in 1971, was named Most Valuable Player in the Black All Star Game 1971. He was also elected co-captain of the 1971 football team.

At Morgan State, as a freshman, he starred on the unbeaten 1967 team that won a third straight Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association championship and ran its winning streak to 26 games, then the longest in college football.

“My biggest strength was avoiding the hits,” Sykes told The Sun in 2017. “I had some moves; I could fake you out. I loved running inside and hiding, going tackle to tackle, because I ran low. I used one arm to cover the ball so you didn’t know if I had it or not. And I’d put my hand on the back of my blocker and talk to him, giving him directions like, ‘Run right, run right.’ When other guys run, they just go ‘arrgh.’ "

John received his B.C. degree from Morgan in 1972. He was the 7th round draft choice of the Baltimore Colts in 1972. He served as a coach in the U.S. Marine Corp Youth Fitness Program. 

John died following an apparent stroke in July of 2019. The Pikesville (Md.) resident was 70.
Explore HOF Explore Hall of Fame Members