Charles Haley facts for kids

Charles Lewis Haley (born January 6, 1964) is a famous American former football player. He played as a defensive end and linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). Charles Haley played for two well-known teams: the San Francisco 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys.

Haley was a very skilled defensive player. He started his career as a special outside linebacker. Later, he became a defensive end when his team changed its playing style. He made history as the first player to win five Super Bowl championships. Only Tom Brady has won more, with seven titles. Haley won two Super Bowls with the 49ers and three with the Cowboys. He started in all five of these championship games. Charles Haley was honored by being inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2011 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2015.

Early Life and High School Football

Charles Haley was born in Gladys, Virginia. He went to William Campbell High School in Naruna, Virginia. There, he was a key player on the football team for three years. He played as a linebacker and tight end. In his senior year, he was named defensive player of the year. He also helped his team win the Seminole District championship. Besides football, he also played basketball and was chosen for the All-district team.

College Football Career

When Charles Haley was finishing high school, not many colleges offered him scholarships. He accepted an offer from James Madison University. This was the only Division I-A or I-AA school to offer him a spot. As a freshman, he immediately became a starter at defensive end or linebacker. He made 85 tackles, which was the second-highest on his team.

In his second year, Haley moved to inside linebacker. He led his team with 143 tackles. As a junior, he again led the team with 147 tackles. In his final year, he switched to outside linebacker for the last four games. He finished his college career with 506 tackles, which was a school record. He was named an All-American twice while in college.

Professional Football Journey

Playing for the San Francisco 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers chose Charles Haley in the fourth round of the 1986 NFL draft. He played as an outside linebacker in a defensive system called the 3–4 defense. In his first year, he had 12 sacks, which was second among all rookies. He was also named to the NFL All-Rookie team. The next year, he continued to be a strong pass rusher, getting 6.5 sacks.

In 1988, Haley became a full-time starter at left outside linebacker. He had 11.5 sacks that year. The following year, he recorded 10.5 sacks. In 1990, he was third in the league with 16 sacks. He was named the UPI NFC Defensive Player of the Year and was chosen as an All-Pro player.

Haley led the 49ers in sacks every season from 1986 to 1991. During this time, he helped the team win Super Bowl XXIII and Super Bowl XXIV. In 1992, the 49ers traded him to the Dallas Cowboys.

Joining the Dallas Cowboys

In 1992, Charles Haley moved to defensive end for the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys used a different defensive system called the 4–3 defense. He made 6 sacks and led the team in quarterback pressures. He helped the Cowboys' defense become the best in the league. Many people say Haley was the missing piece that helped the Cowboys become a Super Bowl contender. He won the UPI NFC Defensive Player of the Year Award again and was named an All-Pro.

In 1993, Haley continued to play well. He helped the Cowboys become the first team to win a Super Bowl after starting the season with two losses. He had 4 sacks and 3 forced fumbles that year.

In 1994, Haley recovered from an off-season back surgery. He had a great season with 12.5 sacks. He briefly announced his retirement after a playoff loss but decided to return to the team.

In 1995, Haley had 10.5 sacks before suffering another back injury. Despite this, he played in Super Bowl XXX just six weeks after having back surgery. He made one sack and helped the Cowboys win another Super Bowl. He retired after the 1996 season due to his back injuries.

Second Time with the 49ers

On January 2, 1999, Charles Haley returned to the San Francisco 49ers. He had been out of football for almost two years. He played in two playoff games to help the team with injuries. He was re-signed for the 1999 season and recorded 3 sacks before retiring for good.

Career Achievements

In his 12 seasons in the NFL, Charles Haley recorded 100.5 quarterback sacks. He also had two interceptions and eight fumble recoveries. He was chosen to play in five Pro Bowl games (1988, 1990, 1991, 1994, 1995). He was named NFL All-Pro in 1990 and 1994. In his first four seasons with Dallas, he was part of three Super Bowl-winning teams: in 1992 (XXVII), 1993 (XXVIII), and 1995 (XXX). He was the first player to win more than four Super Bowl rings.

Honors and Recognition

Charles Haley was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2015. His statue, called a bust, was made by Scott Myers. Haley felt that his strong personality might have caused a delay in his induction. He was inducted at a special ceremony on August 8, 2015. He was also inducted into the San Francisco 49ers Hall of Fame in 2015.

Before that, Haley was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame in 2006. He joined the College Football Hall of Fame in 2011 and the Texas Black Sports Hall of Fame in 2012. He was also honored by the Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor on November 6, 2011.

Life After Football

After retiring from playing, Charles Haley worked as an assistant defensive coach for the Detroit Lions from 2001 to 2002. He now works as a special advisor, helping new players for both the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers.

He also dedicates his time to helping local organizations like Jubilee Centre and The Salvation Army. Haley founded an organization called Tackle Tomorrow. This group provides reading programs and special teachers to schools in the Dallas area that need help. Tackle Tomorrow is an active foundation supported by the Dallas community and other famous Cowboys players like Dak Prescott, DeMarcus Lawrence, Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, and Michael Irvin.

His daughter, Madison Haley, is a professional soccer player. She recently played for Sydney FC in Australia.