Dexter Manley facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Dexter Manley

Manley in 2022
No. 72, 92
Position:	Defensive end
Personal information
Born:	(1959-02-02) February 2, 1959 (age 66) Houston, Texas, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:	253 lb (115 kg)
Career information
High school:	Yates (Houston)
College:	Oklahoma State
NFL Draft:	1981 / Round: 5 / Pick: 119
Career history
Washington Redskins (1981–1989) Phoenix Cardinals (1990) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1991) Ottawa Rough Riders (1992–1993) Shreveport Pirates (1994)
Career highlights and awards
2× Super Bowl champion (XVII, XXII) First-team All-Pro (1986) Second-team All-Pro (1987) Pro Bowl (1986) Washington Commanders 90 Greatest Washington Commanders Ring of Fame
Career NFL statistics
Sacks: 97.5 Interceptions: 2 Touchdowns: 1
Player stats at PFR

Dexter Keith Manley, born on February 2, 1959, is a former American football player. He was a defensive end, known for playing mostly with the Washington Redskins in the National Football League (NFL). He also played for the Phoenix Cardinals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Later, he played in the Canadian Football League (CFL) for the Ottawa Rough Riders. Manley played college football for the Oklahoma State Cowboys before joining the NFL.

Dexter Manley's Football Journey

Playing in the NFL

Dexter Manley was chosen by the Washington Redskins in the fifth round of the 1981 NFL draft. He was the 119th player picked overall. Manley played for the Redskins for nine seasons, from 1981 to 1989.

During his time with the Redskins, Manley helped his team win two Super Bowl championships. These were Super Bowl XVII and Super Bowl XXII. In the 1986 NFL season, he was chosen for the Pro Bowl, which is a special game for the best players. That year, he set a Redskins record with 18.5 sacks in one season. A sack happens when a defensive player tackles the opposing team's quarterback behind the line of scrimmage.

Manley officially had 97.5 sacks during his NFL career. If you include the six sacks he made in his rookie year of 1981, before sacks were officially counted, his total would be 103.5. After playing for the Redskins, he also played for the Phoenix Cardinals and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He retired from the NFL on December 12, 1991.

Playing in the CFL

After his NFL career, Dexter Manley continued to play football in Canada. He joined the CFL and played for the Ottawa Rough Riders. He played two seasons with them, in 1992 and 1993. He also played for the Shreveport Pirates in 1994.

About Dexter Manley's Life

His Nickname and Home

During his time with the Redskins, Dexter Manley was given the nickname "Secretary of Defense." This nickname showed how important he was to the team's defense. Today, he lives in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., with his family.

Health and Learning

In June 2006, Manley had brain surgery to treat a colloid cyst. He first found out about this cyst in 1986. Doctors said he was expected to recover well, but memory loss can sometimes happen after this type of surgery.

In May 2020, it was announced that Dexter Manley had tested positive for COVID-19.

Manley has shared that he was functionally illiterate during his time in college. This means he had difficulty reading and writing, even though he attended Oklahoma State University for four years.