Garland Boyette facts for kids

Garland Dean Boyette (born March 22, 1940 – died April 19, 2022) was an American professional football player. He was a talented linebacker in both the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL). Garland played for teams like the Houston Oilers and St. Louis Cardinals from 1962 to 1972. He also played in the Canadian Football League (CFL) for the Montreal Alouettes. Later, he joined the World Football League (WFL) with the Houston Texans/Shreveport Steamer. In 1967, Garland Boyette became one of the first African-American players to start as a middle linebacker in professional football. He shared this honor with Willie Lanier of the Kansas City Chiefs.

Early Life and College Football

Garland Boyette was born in Rayville, Louisiana, on March 22, 1940. He went to Wallace High School in Orange, Texas, and finished in 1958. He first studied at Northwestern University. After one semester, he moved to Grambling State University to study biology. His nephew, Ernie Ladd, who was also a football player, suggested Grambling State to him.

Garland became a starter for the Grambling State Tigers in his second year. He played as a guard and defensive tackle. He even earned All-American honors in these positions. In 1960, Garland, along with Ernie Ladd, Jerry Robinson, and Roosevelt Taylor, helped the Tigers have a great season. They won 9 out of 10 games and had three games where the other team scored no points. They also scored over 60 points in three games. That year, the team won its first Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) championship.

Track and Field Achievements

Garland Boyette was also a talented track and field athlete. He was named an All-American three times for his skills. In 1960, he competed in the United States Olympic trials. He almost qualified for the decathlon, which is a competition with ten different track and field events. He found the pole vault and long-distance running to be the hardest events. He once said he "never felt safe on that aluminum pole."

After graduating in 1962, Garland was not chosen in the NFL Draft that year. However, he signed with the St. Louis Cardinals. He then changed his position to middle linebacker and learned this new role during the summer of 1962.

Professional Football Career

Garland Boyette started his NFL career with the Cardinals in 1962. He played in 14 games that season, starting in 6 of them. He and Willie Lanier were the first African-American players to start as middle linebackers in professional football. Garland later shared that he received some unkind messages because of this.

After two seasons with the Cardinals, Garland decided to leave for the Canadian Football League. He felt that newer NFL players were earning much more money than he was. From 1964 to 1965, he played for the Montreal Alouettes. In 1965, he won the league's Most Valuable Player Award and was chosen as an All-Canadian player.

Joining the Houston Oilers

Garland returned to the US in 1966 and joined the American Football League's Houston Oilers. He reunited with Wally Lemm, who was his coach when he played for the Cardinals. In 1967, his second season with the Oilers, the team finished first in their division. They also made it to the playoffs two years later.

Garland was chosen for the AFL All-Star team in both 1968 and 1969. During the 1971 season, he was excellent at recovering fumbles, getting 4 of them. He also scored a touchdown after recovering a fumble.

Later Career and Retirement

Garland Boyette briefly retired at the end of the 1972 season. He then worked as a coach for the Oilers, helping with quality control. After two seasons as a coach, he returned to play for the Houston Texans in the World Football League. During the 1974 season, the Texans team moved to Shreveport and changed their name to the Steamer. Garland finished his football career with the Shreveport Steamer in 1975, when he was 35 years old.

Garland Boyette was honored for his achievements after his playing career. In July 2010, he was inducted into the Grambling Legends Sports Hall of Fame. Six years later, he was also added to the SWAC Hall of Fame. His accomplishments are also recognized in the Sports Legends Gallery at the Museum of the Gulf Coast.

Personal Life and Legacy

Garland Boyette was married to Winetta, and they had three children. His nephew, Paul Boyette Jr., also played football for the Texas Longhorns. Paul later signed with the Oakland Raiders in 2017.

After retiring from professional football, Garland worked as a manager for Southwestern Bell for 28 years. He retired from that job in the early 2000s. After that, he became a motivational speaker. He also volunteered his time with the Boys & Girls Club in Houston and the Special Olympics. In his later years, he lived in Missouri City, Texas, in a house that he built himself. He enjoyed attending the Bayou Classic football game every year during his retirement.

Garland Boyette passed away on April 19, 2022, in Houston. He was 82 years old.

See also

• List of American Football League players