As a senior, he was awarded the Big Ten Conference Medal of Honor, which is given annually to a male and female athlete at each of the Big Ten institutions, who demonstrates the greatest proficiency in scholarship and athletics.[1]
In 2000, he was inducted into the Northwestern Athletic Hall of Fame.
Professional career
Green Bay Packers
Cvercko was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the fifth round (55th overall) of the 1959 NFL draft, with the intention of playing him at offensive guard. As a rookie, he suffered a knee injury in the season opener against the Chicago Bears and was lost for the year.[2] In 1960, he was a reserve player.
On September 4, 1961, he was traded to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for a draft choice.[3]
In 1962, he started all 14 games at left guard. In the second game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, he was called for a holding penalty that negated a 99-yard touchdown reception (at the time a league record) from Frank Clarke and because it was in the end zone, it was called a safety, which created a nine-point swing in the game and contributed to a 28–30 loss.[4]
On July 10, 1963, he was traded to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for a sixth round draft choice (#82-Jim Curry).[5]
Cleveland Browns
In 1963, he appeared in 2 games as a reserve player. On September 17, he was waived to make room for guardTed Connolly.