Willie Lanier

Willie Lanier, born in Clover, Virginia, on Aug. 21, 1945, and a graduate of Morgan State, played linebacker for the Kansas City Chiefs in the American Football League from 1967 to 1969 and in the National Football League from 1970 to 1977. He was an AFL All-Star in 1968 and 1969 and an NFL Pro Bowler from 1970 to 1975. As the first African-American middle linebacker in the league, he led one of the strongest defenses in professional football history and helped lead the Chiefs to a Super Bowl championship in 1969. In 1972, he was awarded the NFL Man of the Year, and in 1986 he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Among the many great moments of his career, the Chiefs' goal line stand against the New York Jets in the 1969 divisional playoff game best exemplified his heart and desire. During that stand, Lanier made an emotional appeal to the rest of the Chiefs defense, yelling, "They're not going to score!" The Chiefs stopped the Jets and forced a field goal, and the 13-6 victory propelled Kansas City to its only Super Bowl triumph. The linebacking trio of Willie Lanier, Jim Lynch, and Bobby Bell is recognized as one of the most talented in professional football history.

Kansas City, Missouri · United States