Willie Lanier
| Willie Lanier | |
|---|---|
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Position (s): Linebacker |
Jersey number (s): 63 |
| born on August 21, 1945 in Clover , Virginia | |
| Career information | |
| Active : 1967 - 1977 | |
| AFL Draft : 1967 / Round: 2 / Pick: 50 | |
| College : Morgan State University | |
| Teams | |
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| Career statistics | |
| Games | 149 |
| Interceptions | 27 |
| Touchdowns | 2 |
| Stats at NFL.com | |
| Stats at pro-football-reference.com | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Pro Football Hall of Fame | |
| College Football Hall of Fame | |
Willie Edward Lanier (born August 21, 1945 in Clover , Virginia , USA ), nicknamed : "Bear" , "Honeybear" or "Contact" , is a former American American football player . He played as a linebacker for the Kansas City Chiefs in the American Football League (AFL) and in the National Football League (NFL).
youth
Willie Lanier grew up in Richmond and attended high school there . In his spare time he carried newspapers and recruited newspaper subscribers. After graduating from high school, he applied to Morgan State University in 1963 . He passed the entrance test as one of the best.
Player career
College career
Morgan State University did not award Lanier an athletic scholarship . So he had to borrow the money to pay for his tuition and living expenses or earn a job with students. Only after the coach of the football team was convinced of his achievements, he received a scholarship in Baltimore . Lanier played from 1963 to 1966 for the "Morgan State Bears" as a linebacker and guard . In 1965 and 1966 he and his team won the championship in their conference and was elected All-American . In 1966 he played with his team in the Tangerine Bowl. After his team's 14: 6 victory over West Chester University of Pennsylvania , he was voted Most Valuable Player . In the same season he was team captain of his team.
Professional career
Willie Lanier was drafted 50th in the 1967 second round by the Kansas City Chiefs . Coach of the team was Hank Stram , the Lanier already in his rookie year playing as a starter began on the position of linebackers. His career suffered a setback in the first year. After five games, he suffered a concussion . A week after the game against the San Diego Chargers , he passed out and had to sit out four games.
The following season, Lanier moved to the position of middle linebacker after playing on the right side the previous year. His team won twelve of 14 games and was able to move into the final of the American Football League. Opponents in the final were the Oakland Raiders . The Chiefs quarterback Len Dawson had a bad day throwing four interceptions and the Chiefs lost well 41-6. The 1969 season went much better for Lanier and the Chiefs. After eleven wins and three defeats in the regular season , they made it into the play-offs . Opponents in the AFL divisional play-off game were the New York Jets supervised by Weeb Ewbank , who could be defeated 13: 6. After the victory, the opponents in the AFL final were again the Raiders, who had been coached by John Madden before the season , but this time they had to admit defeat to the Chiefs 17: 7. The victory meant the entry into the Super Bowl . The Chiefs faced the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl IV . The chiefs kicker Jan Stenerud gave the Kansas City team a 9-0 lead with three field goals . Lanier scored an interception and the Chiefs won the game 23-7.
In 1971, Lanier and his team again made it into the play-offs. Opponents were the Miami Dolphins . Although Lanier was able to intercept a pass from quarterback Bob Griese , he was not able to prevent the Chiefs close to 27:24. The game was to remain Lanier's last play-off game. After the 1974 season, the Chiefs fired Hank Stram and after the 1977 season he was transferred to the Baltimore Colts . However, before the start of the new season, Lanier ended his career.
After the career
Lanier completed an economics degree after his playing career. He worked as a stock trader and is chairman of a financial services company.
Honors
Willie Lanier played eight times in the Pro Bowl , the final game of the best players of the season. After the Pro Bowl in 1971, he was elected Pro Bowl MVP . He was voted All-Pro eight times . His shirt number is no longer assigned by the Chiefs. He is a member of the NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team , the Pro Football Hall of Fame , the College Football Hall of Fame, and the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame , and the Chiefs Hall of Fame .
In 1972 he received the NFL Man of the Year Award . The NFL ranks him 53rd in the Top 100 Football Players of All Time.
Web links
- Willie Lanier with the Kansas City Chiefs
- Short biography ( memento from September 23, 2012 in the web archive archive.today )
- Willie Lanier in college
literature
- Mark Stallard: Kansas City Chiefs Encyclopedia. Sports pub. LLC, Champaign IL 2004, ISBN 1-58261-834-8 .
Individual evidence
- Jump up ↑ Injury to Willie Lanier
- ^ Annual statistics of the Chiefs 1968
- ^ Statistics AFL final 1968
- ↑ Statistics AFL divisional play-off game Jets vs. Chiefs 1969
- ↑ Statistics AFL final 1969
- ↑ Statistics Super Bowl IV
- ↑ Annual statistics of the Chiefs 1971
- ↑ Statistics AFC Divisional Play-Off Game Dolphins vs. Chiefs 1971
- ^ NFL list ( Memento from November 4, 2010 in the Internet Archive )
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Lanier, Willie |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Lanier, Willie Edward |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American football player |
| DATE OF BIRTH | August 21, 1945 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Clover , Virginia , USA |