Don Klosterman (American football)

Donald Clement Klosterman (January 18, 1930 – June 7, 2000) was one of professional football's most accomplished executives, building teams in three different leagues after a serious accident ended his playing career as a quarterback and left his legs partially paralyzed. In the 1960s, Klosterman helped the American Football League (AFL, 1960–1969) overtake the NFL during the bidding wars that led the older league to seek a merger with the AFL. In the 1970s. he was a successful general manager for the NFL's Baltimore Colts and Los Angeles Rams, and in the 1980s he signed all-American quarterback Steve Young to a stunning contract for the Los Angeles Express in the United States Football League (USFL).

Klosterman was born in Le Mars, Iowa, the 12th of 15 children. As a youth, he moved to Compton, California with his family. He was collegiate football's leading passer in 1951, for Loyola University of Los Angeles, now Loyola Marymount University. Drafted by the Cleveland Browns, Klosterman found himself behind Otto Graham and was traded to the Los Angeles Rams, only to back up Norm Van Brocklin and Bob Waterfield. He turned to the Canadian football, playing quarterback for the Calgary Stampeders until he had a skiing accident.

Klosterman almost lost his life on a ski slope at Banff, Alberta on Saint Patrick's Day in 1957. He tried to avoid another skier, and damaged his spinal cord when he hit a tree. He had eight surgeries and was told he would never walk again, but he regained partial feeling and with the aid of a cane and walked again within a year.

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