Delanie Walker facts for kids
Walker with the Tennessee Titans in 2018
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| Position: | Tight end | ||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||
| Born: | August 12, 1984 Pomona, California, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||||||
| Weight: | 248 lb (112 kg) | ||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||
| High school: | Pomona (Pomona, California) | ||||||||||
| College: |
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| NFL Draft: | 2006 / Round: 6 / Pick: 175 | ||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||
Hubert Delanie Walker (born August 12, 1984) is an American former professional football player. He was a talented tight end who played for 14 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Central Missouri Mules. The San Francisco 49ers picked him in the sixth round of the 2006 NFL draft.
After playing seven seasons with the 49ers, Walker joined the Tennessee Titans. He played another seven seasons there and was chosen for the Pro Bowl three times. Walker left the Titans after the 2019 season. He had missed many games due to an ankle injury.
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Early Life and High School Football
Delanie Walker grew up in Pomona, California. He played high school football at Pomona High School. He was a top player, earning "All-Region" and "All-Division" honors. He was also named "Miramonte League Offensive Player of the Year" twice.
Besides football, Walker was also great at track and field. He even won the Division III 100-meters title. After high school, he first planned to go to UTEP. But he decided to attend Mt. San Antonio College to improve his grades.
College Football Career
Walker started his college journey at Mt. San Antonio College. He was ranked among the top junior college players in 2003. During his time there, he caught 86 passes for 1,312 yards and scored 13 touchdowns.
Later, he transferred to the University of Central Missouri. At Central Missouri, he set or matched several receiving records. In two seasons, he had 113 catches for 1,347 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also returned kickoffs, scoring three touchdowns, which is a school record. In college, Walker studied video production. In 2015, he was honored by being inducted into the Central Missouri Athletic Hall of Fame.
Professional Career with the San Francisco 49ers
Starting in the NFL (2006-2008)
The San Francisco 49ers drafted Delanie Walker in 2006. He was the 175th player picked overall. In his first season, he played in seven games. He caught two passes for 30 yards.
In 2007, Walker scored his first NFL touchdown. It was a pass from quarterback Trent Dilfer. He finished that season with 21 catches. In 2008, the 49ers signed Walker to a new contract. He also returned a kickoff 101 yards for a touchdown in a preseason game.
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Growing Role (2009-2012)
Walker continued to play an important role for the 49ers. In 2009, he had 21 catches for 233 yards. In 2010, he improved his stats with 29 catches for 331 yards.
In 2011, new coach Jim Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman used Walker in many different ways. He played various receiver spots, backup fullback, and even on special teams. His versatility earned him the nickname "The Swiss Army Knife" from his teammates. That year, he scored three touchdowns. The 49ers had a great season, reaching the NFC Championship game.
In 2012, Walker had 21 catches for 344 yards and three touchdowns. The 49ers made it all the way to Super Bowl XLVII. Walker had three catches for 48 yards in the Super Bowl, but his team lost a close game to the Baltimore Ravens.
Professional Career with the Tennessee Titans
Joining the Titans (2013-2014)
On March 12, 2013, Walker signed a four-year contract with the Tennessee Titans. In his first season with the Titans, he had 60 catches for 571 yards and six touchdowns.
In 2014, Walker had an amazing game against the Dallas Cowboys. He caught 10 passes for 142 yards and a touchdown. Later that season, he set a new career high with 155 receiving yards in a game against the Philadelphia Eagles. He finished the 2014 season with 63 catches for 890 yards.
Record-Breaking Seasons (2015-2017)
The 2015 season was a career highlight for Walker. He broke all Titans records for a tight end, with 1,088 receiving yards. He also led all NFL tight ends with 94 receptions. He became only the ninth tight end in NFL history to have over 90 catches in a single season. Because of his outstanding performance, he was chosen for his first Pro Bowl. He was later ranked 82nd among the top 100 NFL players by his fellow players.
In May 2016, Walker signed a new contract extension with the Titans. He continued his strong play, earning his second straight Pro Bowl selection. He was ranked 75th on the NFL Top 100 Players list for 2017.
In 2017, Walker scored his first rushing touchdown. He also had a great season with 74 catches for 807 yards. The Titans made the playoffs that year. Walker was a key player in their Wild Card Round win. He was named to his third straight Pro Bowl and was even the offensive MVP of the 2018 Pro Bowl game. He was ranked 72nd among the top NFL players in 2018.
Injuries and Retirement (2018-2022)
In July 2018, Walker signed another contract extension with the Titans. However, in the very first game of the 2018 season, he suffered a serious ankle injury. This injury caused him to miss the rest of the season.
Walker returned from his injury for the 2019 season. In the first game, he caught two touchdowns. In Week 4, he reached 500 career receptions. Unfortunately, he was placed on injured reserve again in November due to his ankle injury.
On March 13, 2020, the Titans released Walker. He later shared that he was staying in shape and could still play. However, due to concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic, he decided not to play in the 2020 NFL season.
On October 18, 2022, Delanie Walker officially announced his retirement from the NFL. He signed a special one-day contract with the Titans so he could retire as a member of their team.
NFL Career Statistics
Regular season
| Year | Team | Games | Receiving | Rushing | Returning | Fumbles | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Ret | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2006 | SF | 7 | 1 | 2 | 30 | 15.0 | 29 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 25 | 25.0 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2007 | SF | 16 | 10 | 21 | 174 | 8.3 | 26 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 63 | 21.0 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2008 | SF | 15 | 2 | 10 | 155 | 15.5 | 53 | 1 | 2 | −13 | −6.5 | −3 | 0 | 13 | 257 | 19.8 | 35 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2009 | SF | 16 | 8 | 21 | 233 | 11.1 | 39 | 0 | 3 | 34 | 11.3 | 16 | 0 | 5 | 85 | 17.0 | 25 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 2010 | SF | 14 | 8 | 29 | 331 | 11.4 | 38 | 0 | 3 | 18 | 6.0 | 10 | 0 | 5 | 70 | 14.0 | 20 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2011 | SF | 15 | 7 | 19 | 198 | 10.4 | 29T | 3 | 3 | 5 | 1.7 | 14 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2012 | SF | 16 | 4 | 21 | 344 | 16.4 | 45 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | 28 | 7.0 | 18 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2013 | TEN | 15 | 11 | 60 | 571 | 9.5 | 33 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| 2014 | TEN | 15 | 14 | 63 | 890 | 14.1 | 68 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 |
| 2015 | TEN | 15 | 10 | 94 | 1,088 | 11.6 | 61T | 6 | 1 | 36 | 36.0 | 36 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2016 | TEN | 15 | 10 | 65 | 800 | 12.3 | 47 | 7 | 2 | 11 | 5.5 | 8 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| 2017 | TEN | 16 | 11 | 74 | 807 | 10.9 | 42 | 3 | 2 | −2 | −1.0 | 1T | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 2 |
| 2018 | TEN | 1 | 1 | 4 | 52 | 13.0 | 16 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 | TEN | 7 | 4 | 21 | 215 | 10.2 | 29 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| Career | 183 | 101 | 504 | 5,888 | 11.7 | 68 | 16 | 89 | 5.6 | 36 | 1 | 31 | 528 | 17.0 | 35 | 0 | 13 | 6 | ||
Postseason
| Year | Team | Games | Receiving | Rushing | Returning | Fumbles | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Ret | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2011 | SF | 1 | 1 | 2 | 36 | 18.0 | 29 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| 2012 | SF | 3 | 1 | 5 | 85 | 17.0 | 28 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2017 | TEN | 2 | 2 | 9 | 123 | 13.7 | 36 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 | TEN | 0 | 0 | Did not play due to injury | ||||||||||||||||
| Career | 6 | 4 | 16 | 244 | 15.3 | 36 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
NFL Records
Delanie Walker holds several records for the Titans as a tight end:
- Most receiving touchdowns by a tight end: 28
- Most receptions in a season by a tight end: 94
- Most receiving yards in a season by a tight end: 1,088
Personal Life
Delanie Walker has three children. He enjoys cars and powerboats. He also co-hosts a weekly NFL and college football show called The Locker Room. He does this with his former Titans teammates Will Compton and Taylor Lewan.
