Joe Delaney facts for kids
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| Position: | Running back | ||||||||
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| Born: | October 30, 1958 Henderson, Texas |
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| Died: | June 29, 1983 (age 24) Monroe, Louisiana |
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| Height: | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 185 lb (84 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Haughton (Haughton, Louisiana) |
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| College: | Northwestern State | ||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1981 / Round: 2 / Pick: 41 | ||||||||
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College Football Hall of Fame
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Joe Alton Delaney (born October 30, 1958 – died June 29, 1983) was an amazing American football player. He was a running back who played for the Kansas City Chiefs in the National Football League (NFL). Even though he only played for two seasons, Joe set four team records that lasted for over 20 years!
Before joining the NFL, Joe was a two-time All-American athlete. He played football for the Northwestern State Demons. He was also a fantastic track and field star. In his first year with the Chiefs in 1981, he was named the AFC Rookie of the Year.
Sadly, Joe Delaney died on June 29, 1983. He was trying to save three children from drowning in a pond in Monroe, Louisiana. Because of his brave act, he was given the Presidential Citizen's Medal by U.S. President Ronald Reagan. His jersey number, 37, has not been worn by any Chiefs player since his death.
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Joe Delaney's Early Life
Joe Delaney was born in Henderson, Texas on October 30, 1958. He was the third of eight children. He went to Haughton High School in Bossier Parish, Louisiana. At first, his father didn't want him to play football. But Joe became the starting wide receiver by his junior year. Big colleges like Grambling State, Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana State wanted him to play for them.
College Football Career
From 1977 to 1980, Joe played for the Northwestern State Demons. He told his coach he wanted to play football in college. So, he switched to the running back position. He became an All-American player in 1979 and 1980. While at Northwestern State, Joe met his future wife, Carolyn. They had two children by the time he was a senior.
On October 28, 1978, Joe had an amazing game against Nicholls State University. He ran for 299 yards, with 263 of those yards in the second half! This second-half rushing record is still an NCAA record. In that same game, he scored four touchdowns, including a 90-yard run. His team won 28–18.
Joe finished his college career with 3,047 rushing yards and 31 touchdowns. In 1980, he was one of the top players in the nation. On November 22, 1980, he played his last game for Northwestern State. The school honored him by retiring his jersey, number 44, at halftime. Joe was later chosen for the College Football Hall of Fame in 1997.
Track and Field Star
Joe was also a star in track and field at Northwestern State. In high school, he ran the 100-yard dash in just 9.4 seconds. In 1981, his college track team won the NCAA 400-meter relay. He still holds the school record for the 200 meter dash with a time of 20.64 seconds.
Joe Delaney's Professional Career
The Kansas City Chiefs picked Joe Delaney in the second round of the 1981 NFL Draft. United Press International named him the Rookie of the Year for the American Football Conference in 1981. He ran for 1,121 yards that season. He also set four club records and averaged 80.9 yards per game. Joe's great playing helped the Chiefs have a winning season for the first time since 1973. He was even chosen for the Pro Bowl in his rookie year!
He set Chiefs records for:
- Most yards in a season (1,121)
- Most yards in a game (193 against Houston)
- Most consecutive 100-yard-plus games (three)
- Most 100-yard games in a season (five)
In his first NFL game against New England, he ran for 101 yards. In his first professional start against Oakland, he ran for 106 yards and caught passes for 104 yards. In a game against the Denver Broncos on October 18, 1981, Joe had a 75-yard touchdown run. But a penalty made the play not count. On the very next play, Joe scored an 82-yard touchdown! This was the longest running play of the 1981 NFL season.
After Joe ran for 196 yards against the Houston Oilers in 1981, Oilers player Elvin Bethea said:
I've played against the best–O. J. Simpson, Gale Sayers, Walter Payton and (Delaney) ranks right up there with them ... He is great with a capital G.
Later Career and Statistics
A strike by NFL players and an eye injury limited Joe's playing time in the 1982 NFL season. He had surgery for a detached retina. He only ran for 380 yards in that shorter season. The Chiefs finished with a 3–6 record. Joe averaged 4.6 yards per carry in his career. He had 1,811 total yards and three touchdowns.
| Year | Team | GP | Rushing | Receiving | Kick returns | Fum | ||||||||||||
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| Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Ret | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | ||||
| 1981 | KC | 15 | 234 | 1,121 | 4.8 | 82 | 3 | 22 | 246 | 11.2 | 61 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 11.0 | 11 | 0 | 9 |
| 1982 | KC | 8 | 95 | 380 | 4.0 | 36 | 0 | 11 | 53 | 4.8 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 23 | 329 | 1,501 | 4.6 | 82 | 3 | 33 | 299 | 9.1 | 61 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 11.0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | |
Joe Delaney's Heroic Death and Legacy
Joe Delaney was known for always helping others. Once, he even paid for the funeral of a former teacher. On June 29, 1983, Joe was at an amusement center in Monroe, Louisiana. He saw three children struggling in a pond and screaming for help. The pond was not meant for swimming and was six feet deep. Even though Joe could not swim, he bravely jumped in to save them.
One child got out safely. Another child was taken to the hospital but later died. Police found Joe's body and the body of the third child. The amusement park has since closed.
Three thousand people came to Joe's funeral on July 4. It was held in the hot Haughton High School gym. On July 15, President Ronald Reagan honored Joe with the Presidential Citizens Medal. Vice President George H. W. Bush gave the award to Joe's family. President Reagan said:
He made the ultimate sacrifice by placing the lives of three children above regard for his own safety. By the supreme example of courage and compassion, this brilliantly gifted young man left a spiritual legacy for his fellow Americans.
For the 1983 NFL season, the Chiefs wore a special patch on their uniforms. It had a gold eagle and the number 37 to honor Joe. Haughton High School also made a park, Joe Delaney Park, in his memory. In 1984, the NCAA gave Joe the NCAA Award of Valor. Louisiana Governor Dave Treen also gave the Louisiana State Civilian Bravery Award to Joe's family.
Joe's heroism is remembered through an award given each year. It honors an NFL running back who shows great character and is unselfish, just like Joe. This award is given by ProFootballTalk.com.
Northwestern State's football team also honors Joe. Their permanent team captains award is called the Joe Delaney Memorial Leadership award. They also have an annual spring football game called the "Delaney Bowl." A special place honoring him is under the stands at Northwestern State's Turpin Stadium. His number 44 jersey hangs in the football offices.
In Virginia, a sports conference called the Delaney Athletic Conference was named after him in 1983. A group of Chiefs fans in Kansas City started the "37Forever Foundation." This group works with the American Red Cross to help teach swimming lessons to kids who might not be able to afford them. The Kansas City Chiefs unofficially retired Joe's jersey number 37 after he died. He was also chosen for the team's Hall of Fame in 2004. His name is on the Chiefs' ring of honor at Arrowhead Stadium. Joe Delaney is also the uncle of Carolina Panthers wide receiver Terrace Marshall Jr..
See also
- List of American football players who died during their careers
