9 6 2 ▁to ▁ 1 9 7 3 . ▁H ick erson ▁was ▁a ▁six - time ▁Pro ▁Bow ler ▁from ▁ 1 9 6 5 ▁to ▁ 1 9 7 0 . ▁He ▁was ▁induct ed ▁to ▁the ▁Pro ▁Football ▁Hall ▁of ▁Fame ▁on ▁August ▁ 4 , ▁ 2 0 0 7 . ▁ ▁Biography ▁ ▁Colleg iate ▁career ▁H ick erson ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Tr ent on , ▁Tennessee ▁located ▁in ▁Gib son ▁County , ▁but ▁played ▁full back ▁at ▁Tre ze v ant ▁High ▁School ▁in ▁neighbor ing ▁Car roll ▁County . ▁H ick erson ▁became ▁a ▁tack le ▁at ▁Ole ▁Miss . ▁He ▁was ▁considered ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁best ▁off ensive ▁lin emen ▁in ▁S out he astern ▁Conference ▁history ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁his ▁colleg iate ▁career . ▁ ▁Professional ▁career ▁Gene ▁was ▁draft ed ▁in ▁the ▁sevent h ▁round ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 7 ▁NFL ▁D raft ▁by ▁the ▁Brow ns . ▁He ▁was ▁prompt ly ▁shift ed ▁to ▁the ▁guard ▁position ▁on ▁the ▁off ensive ▁line ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 8 ▁to ▁better ▁util ize ▁his ▁speed . ▁He ▁was ▁used ▁as ▁a ▁" m essen ger " ▁guard ▁by ▁Co ach ▁Paul ▁Brown , ▁or ▁a ▁guard ▁that ▁delivered ▁the ▁plays ▁in ▁the ▁h ud d le , ▁while ▁blocking ▁for ▁Hall ▁of ▁Fam ers ▁Jim ▁Brown , ▁Bobby ▁Mitchell , ▁and ▁L ero y ▁Kelly . ▁But ▁after ▁three ▁seasons ▁in ▁the ▁league , ▁he ▁broke ▁his ▁leg ▁in