Willie Lanier

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Willie Lanier
No. 63
Position:
1967
 / Round: 2 / Pick: 50
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Interceptions:27
Touchdowns:2
Fumble recoveries:18
Player stats at PFR

Willie Edward Lanier (born August 21, 1945), is an American former professional

AFL All-Star team in 1968 and 1969 before being selected to the Pro Bowl
from 1970 through 1975.

A

NFL Man of the Year in 1972. He was selected to both the NFL’s 75th
and 100th Anniversary All-Time Teams, and inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1986 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 2000.

Early life

Lanier was born in

Maggie L. Walker High School in Richmond, Virginia. According to a DNA analysis, he descended, mainly, from Jola people of Guinea-Bissau.[1]

College career

Lanier played

Tangerine Bowl.[2]

Willie Lanier is a member of

The Pigskin Club of Washington, D.C.
National Intercollegiate All-American Football Players Honor Roll.

Professional career

On January 15, 1967, the Chiefs lost

Jim Lynch of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish
.

Lynch had been chosen to play in the annual

College All-Star Game, causing him to miss the first two weeks of Chiefs practice. By the time Lynch made it to camp, Lanier had already established himself as the team's middle linebacker. He joined Garland Boyette of the AFL's Houston Oilers as the first black middle linebackers in professional American football
history. In the midst of a solid first season, Lanier suffered an injury and missed the last four games of the year.

The following year, Lanier collected four interceptions, then matched that total in 1969 as he helped the Chiefs capture Super Bowl IV with a 23-7 upset of the Minnesota Vikings. He was stellar in the Super Bowl, recording 7 tackles and an interception. He later commented on the increased motivation that Chiefs players felt because of wearing an AFL patch to honor the league's final year.

There were numerous great moments throughout Lanier’s career, but none exemplifies his heart and desire as much as the Chiefs'

field goal. Kansas City scored a touchdown
on its next possession, winning the game, and winning a place in the Super Bowl.

The Chiefs reached the

Christmas Day, in the final contest at Municipal Stadium, the Chiefs' season came to an end against the Miami Dolphins in a double overtime
classic. The contest was the longest game in NFL history, clocking in at more than 82 minutes.

In 1972, the Chiefs moved to Arrowhead Stadium. By 1974 the team's talent was depleted by age and injuries. After the conclusion of that season, Stram was fired after 15 years at the helm.

The linebacking trio of Lanier, Lynch and fellow Hall of Famer Bobby Bell is recognized as one of the most talented in professional football history, lasting until the arrival of new head coach Paul Wiggin in 1975.

Lanier was traded in April 1978 to the Baltimore Colts, but announced his retirement as an active player three months later on July 20, 1978.[4]

Stats

Interceptions Fumbles
Season Games Int Yds Avg TD FumRec Yds TotScore
1967 10 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
1968 14 4 120 30 1 0 0 6
1969 14 4 70 17.5 0 1 5 0
1970 14 2 2 1 0 2 0 0
1971 14 2 38 19 0 3 3 0
1972 13 2 2 1.0 0 2 0 0
1973 14 3 47 15.7 1 3 10 0
1974 14 2 28 14 0 2 3 6
1975 14 5 105 21 0 0 0 2
1976 14 3 28 9.3 0 2 0 0
1977 14 0 0 0.0 0 2 0 0
Total 149 27 440 16.3 2 18 21 14

Honors

Willie Lanier received

AFL ALL-Star or All-AFC) mention every year, appearing in all-star games from 1968 to 1975 (his first two in the AFL and his last six in the AFC). In 1986, he achieved Pro Football Hall of Fame
status.

After the NFL

After Lanier's retirement, the Chiefs retired Lanier's number.

Lanier returned to school, taking graduate courses at the

chairman
. He is the former CEO of TDS/US, the minority venture partner of TDS Logistics (now Syncreon).

In 2006, Lanier was interviewed for the NFL Network documentary America's Game: The Super Bowl Champions chronicling the 1969 Kansas City Chiefs season.

Acting

In 1974, Lanier starred in

Gene Washington, Mercury Morris
).

See also

References

  1. YouTube
  2. ^ "Famous Alumni". Morgan State University Alumni Association. Retrieved 24 September 2019.
  3. ^ Willie Lanier at football-reference.com
  4. ^ Miller, Jim. "Colts Trade Chester To Oakland For Siani," The Baltimore Evening Sun, Friday, July 21, 1978. Retrieved October 28, 2020

https://richmond.com/sports/college/schools/university-richmond/willie-lanier-how-did-pro-football-hall-of-famer-from-richmond-get-to-morgan-state/article_59969cb0-4376-11ee-b6a9-b3d191b239ab.html

External links

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